Hi All
I've made a few sets of speakers over the years, so i would love to DIY my new speakers. I'd like to aim for music quality over home theatre quality, but they will be used for both. Maybe a nice set of 3 way floor standers, centre to suit, couple of subs and surrounds/atmos. Any recommendations? I know that's almost an impossible question, but curious as to what people might have made themselves.
Some details you'll prob ask...
Room is 6.5m x 8m
No set budget 3-4k for speakers maybe.
Aiming for 5.2.4 atmos
Thanks in advance.
I've made a few sets of speakers over the years, so i would love to DIY my new speakers. I'd like to aim for music quality over home theatre quality, but they will be used for both. Maybe a nice set of 3 way floor standers, centre to suit, couple of subs and surrounds/atmos. Any recommendations? I know that's almost an impossible question, but curious as to what people might have made themselves.
Some details you'll prob ask...
Room is 6.5m x 8m
No set budget 3-4k for speakers maybe.
Aiming for 5.2.4 atmos
Thanks in advance.
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/zaph-audio/
There's a family of these Zaph ZA5.x that you should know about.
There's a family of these Zaph ZA5.x that you should know about.
Thanks for the replies.
I have seen the Zaph stuff, seems to get good comments.
Haven't heard of the OSMC before, great concept.
I don't really want to design, happy to just build, Just can't decide what lol.
The battle i have is that I'm from Australia, so a lot of stuff is prohibitably expensive to ship.
I can get hold of the bigger brands, scanspeak, sb accoustics, vifa, fountek, dayton audio and a few others.
I have seen the Zaph stuff, seems to get good comments.
Haven't heard of the OSMC before, great concept.
I don't really want to design, happy to just build, Just can't decide what lol.
The battle i have is that I'm from Australia, so a lot of stuff is prohibitably expensive to ship.
I can get hold of the bigger brands, scanspeak, sb accoustics, vifa, fountek, dayton audio and a few others.
Greets!
Have yet to see any 'HIFI' quality DIY Atmos; for the rest, here's some places to browse:
https://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/Diy_Loudspeaker_Projects.htm
Have yet to see any 'HIFI' quality DIY Atmos; for the rest, here's some places to browse:
https://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/Diy_Loudspeaker_Projects.htm
DIY speaker supplies are quite expensive here, unfortunately. The cheapest nice pair I've built still cost around $280; our current pair of 'reference' MTMs, used as stereo in a similar sized room to yours, cost around $600 in drivers in 2014 - would cost more like $900 now.
Very nice cabinets built by a family friend, about $520 - cabinet maker quote was $1200, although it was hard to find someone interested at all. Apart from the damage for drivers and XO parts - also relatively expensive here - I think the cabinets may be a challenge.
In addition to the brands of drivers you mentioned - available from Wagner, Digikey or LSK - Soundlabs has Visaton drivers, for which there are some good projects on this forum. Now, some questions for you to help us help you:
(stupid question) to what does 5.2.4 atmos refer, please? I've heard of 5.1, meaning five channels and a sub, but that's obviously something different;
what sort of music do you listen to, please, and how loud?
any size or WAF constraints on the cabinets?
if you're using a sub, why go for three ways - the XOs are more complex and much more costly than two ways.
Geoff
Very nice cabinets built by a family friend, about $520 - cabinet maker quote was $1200, although it was hard to find someone interested at all. Apart from the damage for drivers and XO parts - also relatively expensive here - I think the cabinets may be a challenge.
In addition to the brands of drivers you mentioned - available from Wagner, Digikey or LSK - Soundlabs has Visaton drivers, for which there are some good projects on this forum. Now, some questions for you to help us help you:
(stupid question) to what does 5.2.4 atmos refer, please? I've heard of 5.1, meaning five channels and a sub, but that's obviously something different;
what sort of music do you listen to, please, and how loud?
any size or WAF constraints on the cabinets?
if you're using a sub, why go for three ways - the XOs are more complex and much more costly than two ways.
Geoff
Further to above post, there are heaps of projects which could suit, depending on those and other factors: for example, Paul Carmody's "Tarkus" 3 ways are widely built and highly regarded and Bolland83 on Parts Express Tech Talk has developed a matching centre channel. However, the Tarkus are large speakers and that may not suit your circumstances. All drivers are available locally.
My current spare driver stash includes Peerless SDS160 (6.5") , 830656 (5") mids and Vifa BC25TG tweeters; with a similar size room to yours, and for music only, I would do two floor standing two ways with the SDS160 and BC25s for the fronts ; rears would be my 830656/BC25s which were designed by Ralf Giralfino of this Forum; and a centre MTM on its side for which I don't have design or drivers as yet. Add in our spare sub and there's a 5.1 which could sound good if I could come up with a better XO for the floor standers. The rears sound good already as Ralf knows his stuff.
Compromises with that set up include volume output, as the BC25s aren't (apparently) as robust as the DX25s used in the Tarkus; the Peerless SDSs are nice drivers, but not as detailed as the HDS series.
Just some ideas to get you thinking.
Geoff
My current spare driver stash includes Peerless SDS160 (6.5") , 830656 (5") mids and Vifa BC25TG tweeters; with a similar size room to yours, and for music only, I would do two floor standing two ways with the SDS160 and BC25s for the fronts ; rears would be my 830656/BC25s which were designed by Ralf Giralfino of this Forum; and a centre MTM on its side for which I don't have design or drivers as yet. Add in our spare sub and there's a 5.1 which could sound good if I could come up with a better XO for the floor standers. The rears sound good already as Ralf knows his stuff.
Compromises with that set up include volume output, as the BC25s aren't (apparently) as robust as the DX25s used in the Tarkus; the Peerless SDSs are nice drivers, but not as detailed as the HDS series.
Just some ideas to get you thinking.
Geoff
Just out of curiosity I checked the shipping costs for a Faital 12PR320 woofer from TLHP in France to Australia: 60 Euros. Not outrageous, if you ask me. I don't see why you'd limiting yourself to specific brands that "you can get hold of locally", especially since you've got a 4k budget.
I missed this; so am I. You have a couple of choices here; suck it up and pay for the stuff you want, or compromise and build something lesser because it's convenient. Shipping from OS is no big deal at all, barely any more effort than if it were arriving from another city.
60 Euros is about A$90, which is rather a lot: to me, anyway. Of course, if anyone wants a particular driver which is only available from overseas, that is the only choice if the project requires that driver. But between Visaton, Peerless, Vifa, Dayton, Scan Speak and SB Acoustics, there should be some decent projects - most of Troels', I would think.
Nothing against ordering from overseas - I did it a few times before the $A dived and got some good deals - but I just resent having to spend so much on shipping! Unfortunately, one of the drivers was defective and it wasn't worth the expense of returning it.
To be fair, in almost every case, the delivery from the US or the UK was faster than Australia Post. Also, if you're going to import drivers, it's better value to buy higher end units as the shipping cost will be the same as for lower spec.
The OP's budget is pretty decent, but it has to cater for 9 (I may be counting wrongly) sets of drivers, crossover components and cabinets, plus extras like binding posts and maybe grilles. For example, I priced up a pair of Tarkus and they worked out to about A$700, not including the cabinets. Add the centre, rears etc and the budget quickly gets eaten up.
Geoff
Thanks for that Brett: what sort of receiver/amp would you need to do that, please? My brain and set up expertise run out at 5.1.......!
Geoff
Thanks all for the info.
I'm not 100% against buying overseas. I've had a look at a few designs and priced some drivers and postage from certain places was up around 250usd.
Either way, i listed out the stuff we can get locally as it includes most of the bigger well know brands, so surely I can find something in there. Otherwise, i'll order online. No biggie.
As for my music, I'm a bit of a top 40 person, so a bit of everything. But i do like the accoustic stuff with great vocals. Like to listen loud every now and then.
No constraints on size or looks etc.
Happy to consider 2 ways also, even bookshelf speakers.
Open to suggestions, that's why im here 🙂
I'm not 100% against buying overseas. I've had a look at a few designs and priced some drivers and postage from certain places was up around 250usd.
Either way, i listed out the stuff we can get locally as it includes most of the bigger well know brands, so surely I can find something in there. Otherwise, i'll order online. No biggie.
As for my music, I'm a bit of a top 40 person, so a bit of everything. But i do like the accoustic stuff with great vocals. Like to listen loud every now and then.
No constraints on size or looks etc.
Happy to consider 2 ways also, even bookshelf speakers.
Open to suggestions, that's why im here 🙂
No idea sorry. I've been HTPC for years and now I'm going back to 2ch (or maybe 2.1) in my new house, mainly as I don't do small speakers and the room would be difficult to fit them in without them being in the way for doors, and wiring across floors etc. The ceiling is all exposed beams too and I don't want to drill into them to mount atmos speakers.
Best would be to ask at AVS.
Bookshelves don't do loud well. They barely do modest well.
2 ways are too much of a compromise for me in any size above very small.
If size isn't an issue, then define that; there's almost always a limit. My last surrounds were about the same size as the OSMC and the mains and subs larger.
I'd say, build some good mains and subs, and for the time being buy secondhand for the surrounds and build later. There are some good bargains and even nice speakers going free in some locality's freecycles. Surrounds are less important, as long as they can keep up fairly well.
As for shipping costs, try to find as many drivers in as few stores as possible as bigger orders usually scale, and whilst still a decent number, works out better in a per unit cost.
Geoff, I assume you don't have Best Buy there (?) but I Googled "Atmos HT Receiver" and a bunch came up.
With Atmos you can easily have 11 to 13 channels but I haven't seen more than 9.2 channel receivers in which case you need another 2 to 4 channels.
A 9.2 would run the OP's design, L, C, R, SL, SR, + 4 Atmos + the 2 subs.
https://www.dolby.com/about/support...ides/7.1.4-overhead-speaker-setup-guide/#gref
We only have stereo 2.1 (two MTMs and a sub) so I don't know how you would go about working out your speaker configuration. However, I think you would want to have speakers with similar sound signatures, possibly from the same designer or using the same brands of drivers?
Whatever you choose you won't be able to audition them, so I suggest looking at designs which have been widely built, well reviewed so that you get an idea of the sort of 'house sound' that designer(s) aims for. Most designers' write ups are honest and very useful in that respect. You've probably already checked out these links:
http://speakerdesignworks.com/index_page_2.html
https://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/diy
https://techtalk.parts-express.com/...h-mark65-the-armadillo-official-teaser-thread
Also, sites like Meniscus Audio, Parts Express and Madisound sell a range of kits and often list the specs and BoMs so that you could make that design.
Geoff
Whatever you choose you won't be able to audition them, so I suggest looking at designs which have been widely built, well reviewed so that you get an idea of the sort of 'house sound' that designer(s) aims for. Most designers' write ups are honest and very useful in that respect. You've probably already checked out these links:
http://speakerdesignworks.com/index_page_2.html
https://sites.google.com/site/undefinition/diy
https://techtalk.parts-express.com/...h-mark65-the-armadillo-official-teaser-thread
Also, sites like Meniscus Audio, Parts Express and Madisound sell a range of kits and often list the specs and BoMs so that you could make that design.
Geoff
Evening Neo!……GREAT choice to move towards 5.2.4 Atmos…..Immersive audio is here to stay and it blows away antique stereo! Personally, I can’t see or find a reason to DIY as full solution other than the subwoofers……it’s the only area where you’ll achieve performance gains over price of ready made. With 9 speakers handling the lifting, the added benefit is large speakers are no longer prerequisite either.
I’d strongly suggest you use in ceiling speakers for the Atmos overheads…….ceiling mounted boxes don‘t do as well with convincing object audio with secondary reflections as opposed to the infinite baffle of a ceiling.
Subs…….1,3 or 4……….never 2!…..all you get with two is choppy room response from cancellations…..with three and variable positioning, the overall response is much smoother and with four….well……it’s simply incredible.
I’d strongly suggest you use in ceiling speakers for the Atmos overheads…….ceiling mounted boxes don‘t do as well with convincing object audio with secondary reflections as opposed to the infinite baffle of a ceiling.
Subs…….1,3 or 4……….never 2!…..all you get with two is choppy room response from cancellations…..with three and variable positioning, the overall response is much smoother and with four….well……it’s simply incredible.
