Hi,
Now that the title has got your attention, I'm afraid it not really the subject
of this post, as the possibility of building such a thing is almost zero in the UK.
Drivers etc are so expensive the only budget thing you can build is a POS.
For example price up the parts of :
Wharfedale CR30.4 Black | Speakers Per Pair | Richer Sounds
A compact floorstander, 1" treble, 6.5" mid/bass, 6.5" PR, trapezoidal cabinets
with a rounded front baffle, a decent c/o, effective grille and a base pedestal,
not to mention the excellent packing/transport stuff they also come with.
I've heard them, bass isn't that great, but decent compared to standmounts,
treble a little bright, but overall nothing to complain about at the low price.
Not only can't you get all the parts if you even wanted them, they would
come to a price that far exceeds the cost of the above by miles, it is
depressing how limited choices are in the UK.
Its just a bit of a rant about how DIY should suit the impecunious,
but if fact it only suits the well heeled dabbler nowadays it seems.
It seems to me the classic route into DIY no longer exists.
rgds, sreten.
Now that the title has got your attention, I'm afraid it not really the subject
of this post, as the possibility of building such a thing is almost zero in the UK.
Drivers etc are so expensive the only budget thing you can build is a POS.
For example price up the parts of :
Wharfedale CR30.4 Black | Speakers Per Pair | Richer Sounds
A compact floorstander, 1" treble, 6.5" mid/bass, 6.5" PR, trapezoidal cabinets
with a rounded front baffle, a decent c/o, effective grille and a base pedestal,
not to mention the excellent packing/transport stuff they also come with.
I've heard them, bass isn't that great, but decent compared to standmounts,
treble a little bright, but overall nothing to complain about at the low price.
Not only can't you get all the parts if you even wanted them, they would
come to a price that far exceeds the cost of the above by miles, it is
depressing how limited choices are in the UK.
Its just a bit of a rant about how DIY should suit the impecunious,
but if fact it only suits the well heeled dabbler nowadays it seems.
It seems to me the classic route into DIY no longer exists.
rgds, sreten.
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Yes it is annoying, it's mostly cheaper to buy from the US parts express and pay the shipping import duty and vat. Wilmslow audio is about the only UK retailer but I think their ex-vat prices are expensive vs inc vat of europe audio and they are expensive!
If your not happy you know what to do don't you?
If your not happy you know what to do don't you?
Hi, Indeed, for the impecunious always advise buying used loudspeakers not DIY, rgds, sreten.
Yes indeed, in the UK you can find surprisingly decent speakers for the price, making you wonder how to compete when dabbling with DIY.
Now, you can completely sidestep this question, and not make a classic floor stander but rather something wacky like a full range horn speaker, the kind that when ready-made always cost an arm and a leg. Even then you'll likely spend more if you want to use a decent 8" FR driver, but it's still feasible.
Now, you can completely sidestep this question, and not make a classic floor stander but rather something wacky like a full range horn speaker, the kind that when ready-made always cost an arm and a leg. Even then you'll likely spend more if you want to use a decent 8" FR driver, but it's still feasible.
Hi, very complex diy builds suited to untypical systems are not a route into DIY IMO, rgds, sreten.
But I agree, with the wacky stuff you can still save a small fortune, but its not an easy route into DIY.
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yeah, we are the last of a fine breed
who are crazy enough to do what we do
and why we are so important to the world
there is noone left once we are gone
its the whole foundation of this forum
can't believe I write such rubbish
getting old I guess
who are crazy enough to do what we do
and why we are so important to the world
there is noone left once we are gone
its the whole foundation of this forum
can't believe I write such rubbish
getting old I guess
I would not consider FH3 complex, let alone very complex. And with flat-paks becoming available, a doodle.
dave
The UK isnt great for speakers.
Maplin do a couple.
I found Blue Aran - Professional Sound and Lighting to have a great choice and at reasonable prices.
btw, building stuff is as old as mankind, and in our genes from birth
buying stuff is less natural
buying stuff is less natural
I hate buying ready made equipment.
I build my own speaker boxes, amplifiers and mixers.
An advantage of designing and building your own is its easier to fix.
In the 1980's a built a whole disco from Maplin kits.
Blew a few things up but when it blows up you start to learn.
Somebody pointed me at a chip the other day, TAS5706.
It accepts a digital input and it'll drive 20W into each of 2 drivers and it has built in features for a crossover. One per channel gives a bi-amped system equivalent to a pretty powerful conventional system.
Not everybody likes a digital amplifier and doubtless you'll be able to buy a system using it cheaper than you can build one soon but until one appears (I haven't seen one) it looks to me like something anyone who finds this approach appealing could DIY to their advantage.
It accepts a digital input and it'll drive 20W into each of 2 drivers and it has built in features for a crossover. One per channel gives a bi-amped system equivalent to a pretty powerful conventional system.
Not everybody likes a digital amplifier and doubtless you'll be able to buy a system using it cheaper than you can build one soon but until one appears (I haven't seen one) it looks to me like something anyone who finds this approach appealing could DIY to their advantage.
i was wondering about this also, what kind of value the DIY will give against relatively good designed speakers.
henry
henry
buying good second hand stuff is mostly always cheaper, and more cost effective
if thats what value means
not much different from buying a car
and could also have unpleasent surprices
but I'm Nigel on this
I feel the same way about all 2-wheelers
if you do it yourself, you know what an dhow it have been done
but ofcourse it needs to be learned first
and to learn it can be really expencive 😱😀
well the other day, we were listening to platinum audio session 2 way in a small room.
the bass was exceptionally clean and timbre is lifelike.
as with my ob with 15" alpha, it feels abit muddy. the SPL and size is better of course.
but if one can get the session for 400$, wouldnt be easy choice?
cheers
henry
the bass was exceptionally clean and timbre is lifelike.
as with my ob with 15" alpha, it feels abit muddy. the SPL and size is better of course.
but if one can get the session for 400$, wouldnt be easy choice?
cheers
henry
if you find something you really like, and actually can buy it, then why not
I also bought a bass guitar amp the other day, and fore one particular reason
I found other of my projects more important
and time is limited
and the bargain price convinced me in the end 😀
I also bought a bass guitar amp the other day, and fore one particular reason
I found other of my projects more important
and time is limited
and the bargain price convinced me in the end 😀
For sure Diy can not compete with low priced speakers and this is also the case with low priced amplifiers. This is the case for at least 30 years now
There is a threshold in the price of higher segment audio where you can save your self a few thousand of euro by building a quality speaker or tube amplifier. The parts to do so will cost you also a few thousand euro.
The other advantage is the custom solution you can design for your self. Personally I like the design part of diy the most, it is a road to the perfect audio system what makes the hobby.
like this ones 😉
So lest sum you have custom build solution with your own perfect design and you have a very rewarding hobby. So you save money on that part because you would probably do something else that cost money😱 to do in your spare time.
There is a threshold in the price of higher segment audio where you can save your self a few thousand of euro by building a quality speaker or tube amplifier. The parts to do so will cost you also a few thousand euro.
The other advantage is the custom solution you can design for your self. Personally I like the design part of diy the most, it is a road to the perfect audio system what makes the hobby.
like this ones 😉
So lest sum you have custom build solution with your own perfect design and you have a very rewarding hobby. So you save money on that part because you would probably do something else that cost money😱 to do in your spare time.
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for example: 2*b&c de250 ($100+/ea at partsexress(sale)), 2*b&c 12pxxxx, 2caps and 4 inductors - this will be less $1000.
Take a bit of wood and glue, a saw and a sharp knife.
Do this: puremusicgroup - Zingali Twenty 1.12 🙂
Take a bit of wood and glue, a saw and a sharp knife.
Do this: puremusicgroup - Zingali Twenty 1.12 🙂
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Hi,
You seem to be suggesting that the Pair of speakers above is NOT a POS.
I would be careful in such assumptions. Just because there is a famous name on the front does not mean it is any good.
There where two interesting articles about similar budget speakers and their obvious flaws (plus corrections) in a german on-line HiFi Mag.
I am attaching these for anyone interested, the german can be translated using any on-line translation engine but it should not really be needed...
Eltax Concept 400, das Boxen-Schnäppchen bei CONRAD
Die aktuelle ELTAX Concept 400 oder wie man sich zu Tode spart
Eltax 500, das Ersatzboxenschnäppchen bei Conrad
So remember, just because you have bought it cheap in a shop, instead of cheaply build it yourself, does not ensure it is not a POS. In fact if it is not a POS it is likely an accident.
FWIW, a quite a few years back I repaired a pair of 800 UK pound/pair Tower Speakers from a nominally british maker. The Speakers had blown to kingdom come at a party. The tweeters had survived, the four woofers per side had bought it, replacements from the manufacturer ran at under 40 Pound including shipping for 8pcs, at "spare-part" prices, in "rip-off Britain".
From what I have seen in chinese factories it is unlikely that the speaker maker paid even one pound per driver in volume. My personal estimate of the BOM (excluding enclosure) was under 20 Pound, including crossover and wiring...
Ciao T
You seem to be suggesting that the Pair of speakers above is NOT a POS.
I would be careful in such assumptions. Just because there is a famous name on the front does not mean it is any good.
There where two interesting articles about similar budget speakers and their obvious flaws (plus corrections) in a german on-line HiFi Mag.
I am attaching these for anyone interested, the german can be translated using any on-line translation engine but it should not really be needed...
Eltax Concept 400, das Boxen-Schnäppchen bei CONRAD
Die aktuelle ELTAX Concept 400 oder wie man sich zu Tode spart
Eltax 500, das Ersatzboxenschnäppchen bei Conrad
So remember, just because you have bought it cheap in a shop, instead of cheaply build it yourself, does not ensure it is not a POS. In fact if it is not a POS it is likely an accident.
FWIW, a quite a few years back I repaired a pair of 800 UK pound/pair Tower Speakers from a nominally british maker. The Speakers had blown to kingdom come at a party. The tweeters had survived, the four woofers per side had bought it, replacements from the manufacturer ran at under 40 Pound including shipping for 8pcs, at "spare-part" prices, in "rip-off Britain".
From what I have seen in chinese factories it is unlikely that the speaker maker paid even one pound per driver in volume. My personal estimate of the BOM (excluding enclosure) was under 20 Pound, including crossover and wiring...
Ciao T
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