Two more suggestions for you to look at in the same category. Both are Jeff Bagby designs using SB Acoustics drivers. Available from Meniscus Audio.
The Piccolo is about the same price as the others previously discussed. I built a pair and am very please with them. They can be built sealed or ported. I build mine sealed and the sound quality is excellent.
The Sopranos are quite a bit smaller and if size is really important to you these might be your best bet. They are also less expensive. Complete kit for the pair including prebuilt crossovers is only $300.
The Piccolo is about the same price as the others previously discussed. I built a pair and am very please with them. They can be built sealed or ported. I build mine sealed and the sound quality is excellent.
The Sopranos are quite a bit smaller and if size is really important to you these might be your best bet. They are also less expensive. Complete kit for the pair including prebuilt crossovers is only $300.
Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I checked out those others and they look really nice. Still going to go with the Doceres. They are the ones that tick all the boxes. Will be getting shortly.
In the meantime, I got bored the other night, and made these. Really just for practice. Finally got the router out, and did this nice roundover. Im waiting on some router bits to come in so I can flush mount etc. This is the third set of speakers I've built and they've come along way, lol. Going to throw in some old Kicker Resolution mids, and some other random stuff laying around.
In the meantime, I got bored the other night, and made these. Really just for practice. Finally got the router out, and did this nice roundover. Im waiting on some router bits to come in so I can flush mount etc. This is the third set of speakers I've built and they've come along way, lol. Going to throw in some old Kicker Resolution mids, and some other random stuff laying around.
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Speaker suggestions
Andersonix: I'm glad you posted this. I had never noticed that Madisound offered those options for near wall, in wall. etc. Thanks for the tip.
Andersonix: I'm glad you posted this. I had never noticed that Madisound offered those options for near wall, in wall. etc. Thanks for the tip.
External crossovers
Liquid Arthur: Agreed!
Hey, do you have a jasper jig for your router, or a home-brewed one for the speaker cut-out? Very handy.
Looking forward to hearing your comment on this design.
Liquid Arthur: Agreed!
Hey, do you have a jasper jig for your router, or a home-brewed one for the speaker cut-out? Very handy.
Looking forward to hearing your comment on this design.
I did not have a Jasper Jig at the time I cut them, used a jig saw 😱 . Learning / practice was a big part of this build, and l have since learned about the Jasper Jig, ordered it, and received. Have not yet had the chance to try out, but I'm going to practice on some scraps this evening.
Also, Wintermute, nice!!
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A little tricky to get the hole diameter exactly right. Make sure you read the directions very carefully. You'll probably want to have two router bits. One with at least 1/2" dia to cut the recess for the speaker frame, and another with a 1/4" dia to cut out the hole.
I don't own a 1/2 inch bit, the flush mount here was done with a rabbit bit. I've seen about both methods.
You don't have to have a 1/2" bit to cut the recess. You could also do it with two passes at different diameter settings with a 1/4" bit. The 1/2" bit just makes it easier to do in a single pass, and they are not that expensive.
Rabbet bits might not let you get to the exact diameter needed for a close fit of the speaker rim into the bezel. It just depends on what size bearings you have with the bit. You might have to leave a small gap. With the Jasper jig you can usually make it pretty tight.
Rabbet bits might not let you get to the exact diameter needed for a close fit of the speaker rim into the bezel. It just depends on what size bearings you have with the bit. You might have to leave a small gap. With the Jasper jig you can usually make it pretty tight.
This turned out to be the winning comment. I have since purchased and built a pair of Sopranos. Listening to them for the first time right now, Pink Floyd. Im blown away. Really, thrilled!
Veneer soon come.
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Great to hear that you built something you can really enjoy.
And moreover, that you took the advice from several of us to build a kit and not try to design it yourself. There are many novices that try to do that despite the advice given otherwise and we never hear from them again My guess is that they didn't achieve a very good result, but won't admit it.
If you have the time, the money, and the patience to learn a lot of necessary things you still might want to try your own design in the future. Just for the fun of it. Can you do better than Jeff Bagby yourself? I guess it's possible, but highly unlikely.
What's important is that now you have an excellent reference point and a speaker to enjoy. And do exactly that - enjoy it.
And moreover, that you took the advice from several of us to build a kit and not try to design it yourself. There are many novices that try to do that despite the advice given otherwise and we never hear from them again My guess is that they didn't achieve a very good result, but won't admit it.
If you have the time, the money, and the patience to learn a lot of necessary things you still might want to try your own design in the future. Just for the fun of it. Can you do better than Jeff Bagby yourself? I guess it's possible, but highly unlikely.
What's important is that now you have an excellent reference point and a speaker to enjoy. And do exactly that - enjoy it.
It's great rediscovering music with new improved speakers!! I assume you are planning to just veneer the case and not the baffle. With the rounded over edges the baffle can't be veneered. It will have to be painted.
You can veneer the fronts if you use a steamer to heat/steam the veneers
Pretty easy if you have a handheld steamer, like the ones use for clothes
Might be doable if just the side edges of the baffle were rounded over. But with the top and bottom edges rounded over as well the four corners are going to be very difficult to get right.
Painting is a much better option for the baffle. Then the rest of the box can be either painted or veneered to match the baffle.
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I have plans for the veneer, if it doesnt work I try something else.
Yes certainly rediscovering music. Been entranced by my Pink Floyd. I can't imagine speakers sounding much better than this, honestly. Bigger and louder sure, but I have them in a small area. Not necessary. Im thinking of doing a set of Piccolos next, for a different room. As I understand they are similar, a little larger and 8 ohms. That's down the road.
Yes certainly rediscovering music. Been entranced by my Pink Floyd. I can't imagine speakers sounding much better than this, honestly. Bigger and louder sure, but I have them in a small area. Not necessary. Im thinking of doing a set of Piccolos next, for a different room. As I understand they are similar, a little larger and 8 ohms. That's down the road.
Will be interested in seeing how your veneering comes out. Please let us know and post some pictures.
I've built the Piccolos and think they are excellent. Well worth the investment. Jeff Bagby spends a lot of time fine tuning his designs and I think it makes a big difference.