Hello everyone,
this is my first post here. I am interested in getting new speakers and upon researching I found the SB Acoustics Ara kit super interesting. To me it seems like a good price performance ratio when the drivers are presumably high-end in the speaker. Just wanted to ask, if anyone has build this kit, especially the TX kit interests me as this is about the price point I want to spend (around 2000€). Has anyone maybe also compared the normal version to the Be or TX version? Excited about any opinion pretty much 😀
Also I don't know much about crossovers yet. When purchasing, there is an option to upgrade some parts of the crossover. Do you think it is worth it to get the already made crossover of the kit and upgrade some components or are better components not really worth it compared to changing the crossover design completely which I'm not able to unfortunately because I don't know anything about it.
this is my first post here. I am interested in getting new speakers and upon researching I found the SB Acoustics Ara kit super interesting. To me it seems like a good price performance ratio when the drivers are presumably high-end in the speaker. Just wanted to ask, if anyone has build this kit, especially the TX kit interests me as this is about the price point I want to spend (around 2000€). Has anyone maybe also compared the normal version to the Be or TX version? Excited about any opinion pretty much 😀
Also I don't know much about crossovers yet. When purchasing, there is an option to upgrade some parts of the crossover. Do you think it is worth it to get the already made crossover of the kit and upgrade some components or are better components not really worth it compared to changing the crossover design completely which I'm not able to unfortunately because I don't know anything about it.
From experiences here: start with something much more modest. What you learn will save you a lot of pain in most cases.
dave
Last edited:
I wouldn't be trying to change the crossover design straight yourself away especially if you don't really know how. (If it's a kit already then it would be fine)
The easiest thing might be to use an L-pad if you found the treble too much; but that can also affect mids as the speaker is crossed at 2.4kHz or 2.8kHz
There does appear to be (or have been) alternative crossovers available , or using the textreme driver. Given it's open source, surely there's a thread around for the textreme version and it's crossover/measurements?
The easiest thing might be to use an L-pad if you found the treble too much; but that can also affect mids as the speaker is crossed at 2.4kHz or 2.8kHz
There does appear to be (or have been) alternative crossovers available , or using the textreme driver. Given it's open source, surely there's a thread around for the textreme version and it's crossover/measurements?
@Rennie no right, I wouldn't want to change it, I would want to just build the kit. Only thinking about whether I should upgrade some components as the option is just there but I don't know if that has any effect. I have seen almost nothing about the Ara TX, only very comments, although those were very positive, that's why I'm asking about more 🙂
Do you think so? This is a completed kit so I wouldn't have to tinker with anything basically. I really like the cabinet aesthetically. I know my woodwork skills wouldn't live up to my expectations of aesthetics that is why I really like this kit, basically just assembling a few parts. Maybe to add this will not be my first speakers, I do have speakers that cost around 1000€ and a full setup for many years and I now want to upgrade
These? €2k with a crappy MDF cabinet? https://sbacoustics.com/product/ara/ Very complex XO, exotic drivers. That receipe has led to a nlot of crap. $1300 CAD at Solen for the parts.
Get a pair of (dirt-cheap)_ Markaudio CHN-110, do the research to choose a box, learn a lot. Then expense will likelynsave you more than they cost for the next build (rarely do diyers stop at 1 pair of boxes — from what you learn). And you’ll have a decent set of loudspeakers.
Going for an end bgame buikld with littlke experience has proven disastorous for many.
dave
I built Ara Textreme and I like thema a lot, honestly the best speakers I've ever had. I made the crossovers in separate boxes, they are bit too big for this enclosure. I started by buying used tweeters, in the meantime I slowly built the enclosure. A crossover without any crazy things but with better elements, for example Mundorf Silver Gold oil in the tweeter path.
WHat's complex? The notch network for the tweeter is already calculated, same for the woofer.
Just assemble it, outside and away from the speaker .
The material needed is to make a soundproof cabinet.
Did you build the cabinet yourself? I would just get the one they offer, I know it's 600€ but I have no woodworking skills and no tools as well unfortunately. So you didn't just get the complete kit? Did you follow the exact same crossover schematic but just swapped out some parts like in the tweeter path?
Have you compared the sound to anything you've had or heard before maybe?
Yeah I thought so as well, I wouldn't have to do anything basically except wiring and assembling the parts. Also a sturdy looking MDF cabinet should be too bad and is used in almost all speakers that do not cost more than 10k or am I wrong 😅 the only thing I'm worried about is the resale value
The resale value...that thing didn't come to my mind. I do exclusively diy for my own pleasure. If asked to do something acceptable ( which has value and maybe can be on sale) I would go probably BLING! and leave the offer.
Yes, I built them myself but it wasn't easy. If you don't have the tools and experience, it's really better to buy a case. I used the the exact same crossover but I chose some more expensive elements. My last speakers;
SB Acoustics Satori (something like Ara but floorstander)
Audio Physic Virgo V
Spiritwind diy
SB Acoustics Satori (something like Ara but floorstander)
Audio Physic Virgo V
Spiritwind diy