A friend of mine has asked me if there were any good diy alternatives to commercial offerings under 700€ (including the enclosure). Since I don't have a clue about what's on the market right now, I thought I'd ask here...
He's asking for bookshelf speakers he can use on their own in an office but he might later add a sub to use them in a bigger room.
Is it worth to go diy at this price point ? Commercial competitors are the B&W 685 S2 for example.
I've had a look at some kits... would anyone have some experience with the Visaton Bijou or the Focal Esprit ?
He's asking for bookshelf speakers he can use on their own in an office but he might later add a sub to use them in a bigger room.
Is it worth to go diy at this price point ? Commercial competitors are the B&W 685 S2 for example.
I've had a look at some kits... would anyone have some experience with the Visaton Bijou or the Focal Esprit ?
It's worth to build this:
Zaph|Audio - ZA-SR71
Seas ER18RNX=H1456-08
Seas 27TDFC=H1189-06
IMO, Bijou and Esprit are not worth the expense.
You should be able to finish a pair of SR71 for
considerably less than 700 € for the parts.
Visaton and Focal drivers are good quality but overpriced,
and the thing with TC90 is, it has a foam surround.
Zaph|Audio - ZA-SR71
Seas ER18RNX=H1456-08
Seas 27TDFC=H1189-06
IMO, Bijou and Esprit are not worth the expense.
You should be able to finish a pair of SR71 for
considerably less than 700 € for the parts.
Visaton and Focal drivers are good quality but overpriced,
and the thing with TC90 is, it has a foam surround.
Thanks for the info 🙂 Problem with foam is durability I guess ?
Do you have any experience with Gravesen's designs ? I'm considering the discovery 18 and the SEAS CA18/RLY/22TAF-G .
Do you have any experience with Gravesen's designs ? I'm considering the discovery 18 and the SEAS CA18/RLY/22TAF-G .
There's an excellent design that is little known because it's from a French diy site, the Prima: Prima - JustDIYIt !
It uses my favorite drivers from the ScanSpeak Discovery series which offer great performance for reasonable price. The crossover is simple and very well done IMO. Drivers are around 300 Euro.
Edit: I just noticed the crossover below is the old one and has been slightly modified in 2013, sorry.
It uses my favorite drivers from the ScanSpeak Discovery series which offer great performance for reasonable price. The crossover is simple and very well done IMO. Drivers are around 300 Euro.
Edit: I just noticed the crossover below is the old one and has been slightly modified in 2013, sorry.
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Thanks for the suggestions. The prima seems nice, I'll be reading the thread on hcfr.
The Kairos looks nice too but ordering in the US doesn't work out in the budget (customs, shipping, etc).
The Kairos looks nice too but ordering in the US doesn't work out in the budget (customs, shipping, etc).
Foam will deteriorate for sure and it takes some effort to repair it.
I haven't any experience with building other people's kits. Whenever
I do it, I design myself, but this doesn't mean I can't recognize a good
kit. Troels's kits are decent products.
I think the Satori woofer and tweeter is the best thing out there in your price range. They are made the designer of the scan speak revelator. Here is a German design...
https://www.loudspeakerbuilding.com...Formula-of-small-speakers_8636,en,901195,9871
Full disclosure: I have not used/heard any of these speakers except the revelator. But from what I have read the satori is pretty much the best 6 inch driver for diy right now.
https://www.loudspeakerbuilding.com...Formula-of-small-speakers_8636,en,901195,9871
Full disclosure: I have not used/heard any of these speakers except the revelator. But from what I have read the satori is pretty much the best 6 inch driver for diy right now.
I wish it were in my price range... that kit is 460€ a piece (920€ a pair) without enclosures...
Take a look on Seas Idunn kit:
kit with drivers + decent crossover components is 406.80eur incl VAT and free shipping.
Look at the Joachim Gerhard thread about the satori speaker. I think there is a modified crossover for a simpler cabinet that would be doable without CNC. You can get the crossover components easily enough (Same with the other satori speaker mentioned above). Google him if you don't know who he is. Such a great thread.
Hi 00940
from Troels Gravesen, there is also the Revelator R4 (11l), a recent design with a good bass extension regarding the size. It uses very nice components from ScanSpeak
If you choice basic XO components and buy directly the cabinet from Partexpress, less than 650$.
The Discovery W18 with the V3 Crossover is bigger, less expensive than the R4, and for sure also a good choice. In my opinion, better than the SeasCA.
W18, R4 or Seas CA, don't worry... You'll have a very nice speaker, with a great price/pleasure/performance ratio.
from Troels Gravesen, there is also the Revelator R4 (11l), a recent design with a good bass extension regarding the size. It uses very nice components from ScanSpeak
If you choice basic XO components and buy directly the cabinet from Partexpress, less than 650$.
The Discovery W18 with the V3 Crossover is bigger, less expensive than the R4, and for sure also a good choice. In my opinion, better than the SeasCA.
W18, R4 or Seas CA, don't worry... You'll have a very nice speaker, with a great price/pleasure/performance ratio.
I ordered the Idunn kit from France:
Kit SEAS Idunn
That's including CNC'ed cabinet. Pretty good deal?
I have built the Kairos. Excellent design by Jeff Bagby. Order the drivers from Falcon Acoustics in the UK and you could stay within budget. You still need to buy the plans from Meniscus. And build the cabinets.
Not affiliated in any way with Meniscus, Falcon or Toutlehautparleur. 🙂
Kit SEAS Idunn
That's including CNC'ed cabinet. Pretty good deal?
I have built the Kairos. Excellent design by Jeff Bagby. Order the drivers from Falcon Acoustics in the UK and you could stay within budget. You still need to buy the plans from Meniscus. And build the cabinets.
Not affiliated in any way with Meniscus, Falcon or Toutlehautparleur. 🙂
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Thanks all for the suggestion.
On the kairos: drivers alone are 500€ from Falcon acoustics. It's gonna push the budget no matter how I look at it. But I'm going to read Gerhard's thread.
Thanks for the comments on Troels' kits. The R4's kit is 584€ from jantzen and the dayton cabinet 100€ a pc... Seems like it could fit in the budget if I do my own cabinets. The R4 is about the same price and volume (11l vs 13l) as the studio 101 from Troels, any opinion on that one ?
On the kairos: drivers alone are 500€ from Falcon acoustics. It's gonna push the budget no matter how I look at it. But I'm going to read Gerhard's thread.
Thanks for the comments on Troels' kits. The R4's kit is 584€ from jantzen and the dayton cabinet 100€ a pc... Seems like it could fit in the budget if I do my own cabinets. The R4 is about the same price and volume (11l vs 13l) as the studio 101 from Troels, any opinion on that one ?
Hi, the Nomex 164 freom TG are not bookshelf speakers but they just fit yout budget, see links :
PEERLESS-NOMEX-164
Construction d'enceintes "Nomex 164" - Le blog de pguerin
I own those speaker for 4 years now, Highly recommended IMHO.
PEERLESS-NOMEX-164
Construction d'enceintes "Nomex 164" - Le blog de pguerin
I own those speaker for 4 years now, Highly recommended IMHO.
Hi pguerin
I've read your blog with great interest a few months ago. I'm building the Nomex, 40l version.
00940, for the Studio, I don't know. The Scanspeak 3W Classic is another great kit from Troels. A bit more expensive, and too big to be considerer as a bookshelf. But, certainly in a another league.
A question... with what amp/preamp and what Dac will the speakers work?
If both are very neutral, maybe the Seas CA then. It will give some smoothness. If a bit colored or warm, then a speaker based on the Scanspeak seems a good option.
It's depend of your material an your taste.
I've read your blog with great interest a few months ago. I'm building the Nomex, 40l version.
00940, for the Studio, I don't know. The Scanspeak 3W Classic is another great kit from Troels. A bit more expensive, and too big to be considerer as a bookshelf. But, certainly in a another league.
A question... with what amp/preamp and what Dac will the speakers work?
If both are very neutral, maybe the Seas CA then. It will give some smoothness. If a bit colored or warm, then a speaker based on the Scanspeak seems a good option.
It's depend of your material an your taste.
@pguerin: the friend who's asking (see first post) insists on bookshelf speakers. The nomex look great but they're really too big.
@andrex1965: the amp isn't chosen yet. I'm considering a pair of hypex 180.
@andrex1965: the amp isn't chosen yet. I'm considering a pair of hypex 180.
That's the peerless 830874 right ? Did you publish the crossover ? What's the cabinet size ?
An unrelated question: when covering the front baffle in leather, do you use the leather's thickness to make the drivers flush or do you still need to rebate the baffle ?
An unrelated question: when covering the front baffle in leather, do you use the leather's thickness to make the drivers flush or do you still need to rebate the baffle ?
I prefer the W18 than the Studio.
The last years, Gravensen has worked a lot on stepped baffle and time alignment. So, the W18 is, IMO, a more finish (abouti) speaker than the Studio.
First feed-back of builders are really positive.
The Revelator R4 uses the same tweeter as the W18. It's smaller but has a woofer from the Revelator serie. Probably a bit better, but a lot more expensive. If amp, dac, etc... are not really "high-end", the W18 seems more logical.
The Hypex is a good choice. Have also a look at the Classdaudio SDS254. More "tube like".
The last years, Gravensen has worked a lot on stepped baffle and time alignment. So, the W18 is, IMO, a more finish (abouti) speaker than the Studio.
First feed-back of builders are really positive.
The Revelator R4 uses the same tweeter as the W18. It's smaller but has a woofer from the Revelator serie. Probably a bit better, but a lot more expensive. If amp, dac, etc... are not really "high-end", the W18 seems more logical.
The Hypex is a good choice. Have also a look at the Classdaudio SDS254. More "tube like".
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