I would like to build a speaker about the size of the AE-1 with similar quality. I would like a ready made cabinet due to lack of woodworking skills and equipment. What I really want is AE size and quality at a reasonable (less than 1Kpr) price. Any suggestions as to cabinets and/or drivers? I am capable of installing all components and building x-over. Thanks
If you want a true "clone" of the AE1, the Full-range forum is probably the wrong venue, and keep in mind that any design you're trying to replicate may include a variety of features that may be hard to duplicate with off the shelf components and ready built enclosures. IINM, this is essentially a LS3/5A type - pretty tiny little stand mount monitor, and there has been a series of commercial products over the past 30yrs or so in this category. I've owned/heard a couple myself - but long before bitten by the DIY bug.
OTOH, if you're looking to achieve comparable and hard to define "qualities" to this small 2-way monitor with a single driver per cabinet, this is certainly the place to hear any number of dyed in the wool full-range fanatics say "off course you can - if you follow my advice🙄"
Which is where it gets interesting - few of the regular builders/forum contributors don't have our "personal favorites", either in terms of driver or enclosure types - and those preferences will change over time, depending on the vagaries of manufacturers and our own "evolving tastes/needs/budgets" 😉 . I have at least 3 "most" favorites.
That said, for a first time single driver project with which it would be hard to go wrong, I'd suggest looking at the Markaudio line - specifically the Alpair 7. Other regular contributors will have different suggestions.
For ready made cabinets, those offered by Parts Express or Madisound are pretty good value (although the couple of pairs of the curved sided laminated MDF boxes that I've seen are easily damaged on corners and virtually impossible to repair seamlessly)
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