Please, please, please help.... I am so overthinking things, I have decided this is the only way to convince me which speaker design / kit to build - YOU. This is mostly because I cannot hear any of these kits so I am relying on you to guide me to a quality kit that will sound great.... not just okay (within my budget).
I am looking for a kit to build because I do not want to deal with xo design. EVERYTHING else is buildable and re-designable for me and my abilities.
Budget is $1000 for a finished project but I can easily bump that up if sound quality will be a noticeable gain.
I need a tweeter on top design
I need it to play to at least 40hz +/-
I need it less than 40” (but I can redesign the lower section if necessary to fit under my tv).
I would like a narrow design but I would be okay with a side fire woofer too.
I would like a three way design (I’m pretty sure?)
It will be in a corner (front / side port?)
It will be powered by an AVR 4 ohm stable
Phantom mode
No sub
large room
Tv and some music.
FYI- I have been scouring internet for the last week so please do not recommend a website, Please recommended a speaker kit.
Or is there another route I haven’t found that doesn’t involve xo building / science-ing?
Thank you, Chad
I am looking for a kit to build because I do not want to deal with xo design. EVERYTHING else is buildable and re-designable for me and my abilities.
Budget is $1000 for a finished project but I can easily bump that up if sound quality will be a noticeable gain.
I need a tweeter on top design
I need it to play to at least 40hz +/-
I need it less than 40” (but I can redesign the lower section if necessary to fit under my tv).
I would like a narrow design but I would be okay with a side fire woofer too.
I would like a three way design (I’m pretty sure?)
It will be in a corner (front / side port?)
It will be powered by an AVR 4 ohm stable
Phantom mode
No sub
large room
Tv and some music.
FYI- I have been scouring internet for the last week so please do not recommend a website, Please recommended a speaker kit.
Or is there another route I haven’t found that doesn’t involve xo building / science-ing?
Thank you, Chad
Chad,
You have a very difficult room to get good sound quality. Particularly with the speakers so close together and packed into a corner. Also the couch in front of the left speaker is a real problem. I had a similar issue in my living room and finally gave up. The furniture killed the sound. Finally moved the whole system into a bedroom and started over.
It appears that you already have some speakers there. What’s the problem with those and you sure that different speakers are really going to be much better? The room and speaker placement are probably already dominating what you are hearing.
You have a very difficult room to get good sound quality. Particularly with the speakers so close together and packed into a corner. Also the couch in front of the left speaker is a real problem. I had a similar issue in my living room and finally gave up. The furniture killed the sound. Finally moved the whole system into a bedroom and started over.
It appears that you already have some speakers there. What’s the problem with those and you sure that different speakers are really going to be much better? The room and speaker placement are probably already dominating what you are hearing.
The couch will move eventually to a better spot but this is also why I wanted / needed a top tweeter. The speakers I have now are just cheap, nothing exciting, although not bad sounding. I just wanted a new project that would keep me busy for a while and be something worth doing / to keep for a long time.
What is your woodworking capability? Can you make cabinets, or do you want to buy "flat pack" cabinets?
I have all the tools to build very pretty cabinets, which is another reason why I want to build. I am able to redesign simple cabs to meet my design goals as long as I know internal cuft and port tune. Complicated t-line cabs I won’t re-design.
This is not my first build.... or even my 10th build.
First decision should be what type of cabinet. Rear ported is out for your tight corner placement. Sealed would probably be best that close to the wall, but you're not going to get the low end that you want.
That leaves front ported. There are not too many DIY designs for that type, so you should be able to search and find what's available from the four websites that offer DIY kits.
Joe's 'Elsinore' might fit the bill, a great design, although the unnecessary woofer impedance compensation with an expensive inductor (L4) still has me shaking my head. Fortunately it can be omitted.
Elsinore Speakers DIY
The "Elsinore Project" Thread
Elsinore Speakers DIY
The "Elsinore Project" Thread
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Totally different idea... There's not much use going stereo in that setup so I will suggest a mono corner horn setup. 😀
Cheers,
Rob.
Cheers,
Rob.
You could actually have a good listening setup IF you removed the sofa and instead purchased two more of those same chairs.
Right Speaker near door.
TV corner
2nd chair (in front of window with closed blind)
Left Speaker
3rd chair (in front of window with no blind, or simply moved near current chair)
ALTERNATIVELY
Move your sofa to your current chair location and then move the chair to the "2nd chair" OR "3rd chair" location mentioned above. (..use sofa as listening seat.)
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Suggestion: don't ask, just try it out (alternative mentioned keeping sofa and chair combo.) and listen to the difference with the speakers you've got.
It won't be difficult to put it back, and it will give her some visuals to make an appropriate decision.
Try to make it look *"right" though as far as sofa placement, chair placement, and rug.
*The better you do with this, the more likely the acceptance.
It won't be difficult to put it back, and it will give her some visuals to make an appropriate decision.
Try to make it look *"right" though as far as sofa placement, chair placement, and rug.
*The better you do with this, the more likely the acceptance.
You can't let the AV system get so marginalized into the corner like that and then expect anything but pity. Find somewhere else!
Yes, another very good source is Madisound. They tend to have more of the high end kits than the other suppliers. Although Meniscus has some of those as well.
I don't think you can go wrong with a kit from any of the well known designers such as Jeff Bagby, Paul Carmody, or Dennis Murphy. There are others as well, but those would top my list.
Jeff Bagby passed away recently from Covid-19, but left us with an excellent group of his designs from over many years. I've built his Piccolos and think they sound great for being a modest sized 2-way. You probably can’t go wrong with anything he designed.
Since you're willing to go up to $1,000, you might want to look at Dennis Murphy's new Philharmonic Audio BMR Speaker Kit at Meniscus. But it is rear ported and may not be suited to your needs.
You will still likely have a problem with any rear ported speaker if you put them into the corner or up against a wall. Your room and the speaker placement are going to be a big factor in what you hear.
I would also suggest talking to Mark or Chad at Meniscus, or Brian at Madisound to get their opinions. But don’t forget to tell them first about your room and planned speaker placement.
I don't think you can go wrong with a kit from any of the well known designers such as Jeff Bagby, Paul Carmody, or Dennis Murphy. There are others as well, but those would top my list.
Jeff Bagby passed away recently from Covid-19, but left us with an excellent group of his designs from over many years. I've built his Piccolos and think they sound great for being a modest sized 2-way. You probably can’t go wrong with anything he designed.
Since you're willing to go up to $1,000, you might want to look at Dennis Murphy's new Philharmonic Audio BMR Speaker Kit at Meniscus. But it is rear ported and may not be suited to your needs.
You will still likely have a problem with any rear ported speaker if you put them into the corner or up against a wall. Your room and the speaker placement are going to be a big factor in what you hear.
I would also suggest talking to Mark or Chad at Meniscus, or Brian at Madisound to get their opinions. But don’t forget to tell them first about your room and planned speaker placement.
Lots of choices from Troels Gravesen
DIY-Loudspeakers
For your stated requirements, the Discovery-861 and the SBA-761 seem to be a good fit.
DIY-Loudspeakers
For your stated requirements, the Discovery-861 and the SBA-761 seem to be a good fit.
SBA-761 is a good option, however with feet it comes in at 42.5" height. Might be too high. You can get the kit from Madisound with crossovers already built at a very reasonable price.
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I'd also say the Elsinore's.. (once the speaker-placement/room is sorted),
BUT by the time you price everything out (with waveguides and decent crossover components) it's going to be more than 1k.
If you have to go the less expensive route then this kit is a "*no-brainer" IF you like the sound of Dynaudio (..and most people do if they aren't looking for something with higher efficiency or extreme clarity):
Solstice MLTL Reference Tower Speaker Kit
-and hopefully it will be back in stock soon.
*given the price vs component/cabinet cost. You even have enough left-over for much better crossover components. The limitation in this design is the tweeter, and only then because of the ferrofluid inclusion (..which can be carefully removed).
BUT by the time you price everything out (with waveguides and decent crossover components) it's going to be more than 1k.
If you have to go the less expensive route then this kit is a "*no-brainer" IF you like the sound of Dynaudio (..and most people do if they aren't looking for something with higher efficiency or extreme clarity):
Solstice MLTL Reference Tower Speaker Kit
-and hopefully it will be back in stock soon.
*given the price vs component/cabinet cost. You even have enough left-over for much better crossover components. The limitation in this design is the tweeter, and only then because of the ferrofluid inclusion (..which can be carefully removed).
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My bad, I thought that was for a *pair. 😱 😀
*which is why I thought it was such a great deal.. 😛
I guess then (considering cabinet cost) that we are looking at something like the ZA5.5..
*which is why I thought it was such a great deal.. 😛
I guess then (considering cabinet cost) that we are looking at something like the ZA5.5..
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