So here's the idea,
a modular speaker enclosure design that can allow for many configurations and even shapes of speaker to be assembled using panels and a sub frame, designed to allow for anything, floor standers, mini monitors, curved or straight, floor standers etc.
I have a design in mind that could do this, and allow for easy movement between say TW, TWW, TMWW configurations etc, with variations for different drivers.
The idea is to simplify both the enclosure design/manufacture process, by solving it with a highly modular solution.
At the same time, a combination of programs would allow for crossover design with measurements already provided, including BSC, which could be easily calculated with a stand alone application and the known parameters of the modular pieces.
This way, you could buy a ready-to-go speaker with crossover, say a simple 2-way, later adjust it to a 2.5 way or 3 way, change midrange drivers when you feel like it etc.
There's a few unique ideas I have that would make this work, but the overall aim is to allow everyone access to DIY, no matter the level of ability or skill. you can build it as a modular speaker with existing designs or build your own completely custom design with custom crossover, designed built and parts chosen by the DIY'er.
At this stage, I would see this as a modular aluminium enclosure with constrained layer damping, and a standardised interface for driver connection, i.e. speakon 4-way connectors, allowing up to 4-way or 3.5-way designs when wanted.
Crossovers should be external.
The problem is this would cost a LOT to design, build and produce, who would be interested, and who thinks there's a market for this?
a modular speaker enclosure design that can allow for many configurations and even shapes of speaker to be assembled using panels and a sub frame, designed to allow for anything, floor standers, mini monitors, curved or straight, floor standers etc.
I have a design in mind that could do this, and allow for easy movement between say TW, TWW, TMWW configurations etc, with variations for different drivers.
The idea is to simplify both the enclosure design/manufacture process, by solving it with a highly modular solution.
At the same time, a combination of programs would allow for crossover design with measurements already provided, including BSC, which could be easily calculated with a stand alone application and the known parameters of the modular pieces.
This way, you could buy a ready-to-go speaker with crossover, say a simple 2-way, later adjust it to a 2.5 way or 3 way, change midrange drivers when you feel like it etc.
There's a few unique ideas I have that would make this work, but the overall aim is to allow everyone access to DIY, no matter the level of ability or skill. you can build it as a modular speaker with existing designs or build your own completely custom design with custom crossover, designed built and parts chosen by the DIY'er.
At this stage, I would see this as a modular aluminium enclosure with constrained layer damping, and a standardised interface for driver connection, i.e. speakon 4-way connectors, allowing up to 4-way or 3.5-way designs when wanted.
Crossovers should be external.
The problem is this would cost a LOT to design, build and produce, who would be interested, and who thinks there's a market for this?
Are you thinking of making and supplying the physical parts to your buyers, or supplying cnc files to the buyer to have them machined and assembled locally if needed? Both approaches have their drawbacks and their advantages.
Quality control is in your hands (assuming you have the time) if you make them, but if a third party machines them, you don't have to buy and stock the materials.
By selling files you would be able to lower the cost to yourself by skipping the need for costly shipping packaging, and delivery / warehousing costs too.
Make something physical once and you can sell it once, or make a digital thing once and you can sell it a thousand times over.....
Do you have any thoughts on how or where you would advertise them?
If you predict the purchase price for a retail pair of speakers would be very high it means you will be having to aim at the top end of the market to find deep enough pockets. Here you will be trying to get noticed amongst companies with millions of Pounds / Dollars / Euros to spend on "reviews" and expertly targeted shiny magazine adverts.
Hope it has contributed.
John
Quality control is in your hands (assuming you have the time) if you make them, but if a third party machines them, you don't have to buy and stock the materials.
By selling files you would be able to lower the cost to yourself by skipping the need for costly shipping packaging, and delivery / warehousing costs too.
Make something physical once and you can sell it once, or make a digital thing once and you can sell it a thousand times over.....
Do you have any thoughts on how or where you would advertise them?
If you predict the purchase price for a retail pair of speakers would be very high it means you will be having to aim at the top end of the market to find deep enough pockets. Here you will be trying to get noticed amongst companies with millions of Pounds / Dollars / Euros to spend on "reviews" and expertly targeted shiny magazine adverts.
Hope it has contributed.
John
I've always liked what I call the "software model", where it's like owning a house of ill-repute... "You've got it, you sell it, you've still got it."
You would still need the up-front development, but you could even do that in a modular fashion, starting out with the small 2-way, and then developing the next step.
You might consider doing the crossover is software, and let the buyer supply amps... lower your cost of development and update the crossover via software.
You would still need the up-front development, but you could even do that in a modular fashion, starting out with the small 2-way, and then developing the next step.
You might consider doing the crossover is software, and let the buyer supply amps... lower your cost of development and update the crossover via software.
I am not a speaker expert, but my hunch is that if speaker design and construction were this simple then someone would have done this decades ago. I suspect that speakers, even more than electronics, suffer badly from the law of unintended consequences: change something, and you have to change lots of other things too.
Yes, DF96's right. The challenge would be to make a full audio chain from scratch. Something like Project - I saw little amplifiers ( class D ) and tuners housed in tiny cases. I guess -somehow 🙄- they had little succes.
Example: I want to listen to the radio ( ehm, current project- mono speaker-radio-amp-box combo) so I pick the boxy box with the speaker in it.
I can choose from 4 to 10 " ( this should be a coaxial, then...)
Then there's the amplifier - a little box for the transformer together with -well, you that ! and then comes the radio with the tuning knob ( I'm so...vintagist )
and the frequency scale etc.
So the amp case could sit at the bottom of the speaker box ( yes, it's open in the back ) and the things could connect themselves.
You want to make it stereo? pick two speaker-boxes and a stereo amp and a stereo tuner -same fashion/style.
Problems occurs with volume control, which has to be located "ergonomically"
So the electronic/ active/bluetooth/ smartphone-controlled thingy.
But audio is mostly mechanics...
Example: I want to listen to the radio ( ehm, current project- mono speaker-radio-amp-box combo) so I pick the boxy box with the speaker in it.
I can choose from 4 to 10 " ( this should be a coaxial, then...)
Then there's the amplifier - a little box for the transformer together with -well, you that ! and then comes the radio with the tuning knob ( I'm so...vintagist )
and the frequency scale etc.
So the amp case could sit at the bottom of the speaker box ( yes, it's open in the back ) and the things could connect themselves.
You want to make it stereo? pick two speaker-boxes and a stereo amp and a stereo tuner -same fashion/style.
Problems occurs with volume control, which has to be located "ergonomically"
So the electronic/ active/bluetooth/ smartphone-controlled thingy.
But audio is mostly mechanics...
Selling price, cost of materials, and miniscule market. DOA. 🙁
The people who can and do build their own speakers fall into two main categories:
- those who are starting out and/or are working on short budgets
- those who are experienced and can and do build their own enclosures (or pay someone who is a cabinet maker to do the wood working)
Did you figure out your amplifier questions?? 😀
_-_-
The people who can and do build their own speakers fall into two main categories:
- those who are starting out and/or are working on short budgets
- those who are experienced and can and do build their own enclosures (or pay someone who is a cabinet maker to do the wood working)
Did you figure out your amplifier questions?? 😀
_-_-
PS. re-read that, it's a bit harsh, so sorry for the tone, but still I think it's accurate. Nice idea though...
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