re: nearfield monitors
hello all. can anyone help me by giving me sum sound advice. i want to build my own studio monitors. something that won't color the sound too much and that will give a good bass response, as i use a lot of deep bass sound in the style of music i produce. what manufacturer/model to use and any schematics for passive/active crossovers? plans on box designs? ah, and of couse to do all this in a $250 budget. any help would be much appreciated.
Regards
Jean
hello all. can anyone help me by giving me sum sound advice. i want to build my own studio monitors. something that won't color the sound too much and that will give a good bass response, as i use a lot of deep bass sound in the style of music i produce. what manufacturer/model to use and any schematics for passive/active crossovers? plans on box designs? ah, and of couse to do all this in a $250 budget. any help would be much appreciated.
Regards
Jean
Hello,
I will try to help you with a little bit of my ignorance.
Have you built something? Do you have any commercial reference known? wich are your current system? how are you going to fit your studio, I mean what distance from your ears?
To not to over-help, can you explain at wich stage of DIY are you?
BTW, wich music do you "produce", I thought
that the music is composed, but these days you never know...
I will try to help you with a little bit of my ignorance.
Have you built something? Do you have any commercial reference known? wich are your current system? how are you going to fit your studio, I mean what distance from your ears?
To not to over-help, can you explain at wich stage of DIY are you?
BTW, wich music do you "produce", I thought
that the music is composed, but these days you never know...
This looks interesting, and close to budget if you can diy the cabinets.
http://www.madisound.com/vifastudio.html
regards, Jason
http://www.madisound.com/vifastudio.html
regards, Jason
I'm just finishing off my studio monitors at the moment. I'm pretty pleased with them - they must be quite decent 'cos I've had about half a dozen people who've heard them asking me if I'd build a pair for them as well.
I've made them active speakers which I designed totally from scratch, including the electronics. Admittedly I have a slight advantage because I studied acoustics at uni, I work for a well known manufacturer of active crossovers and work with some people who designed some very good amplifiers(which aren't nearly as well recognised as they should be) . My total parts cost is somewhere between £250 and £300, so it's very slightly above what you're looking at, but if bloomin Wilmslow Audio hadn't just hiked up their prices on Vifa drivers then this would be quite a bit lower (grrrrrr.......).
Okay, I'll do a little bit of a ramble now on things I've learnt along the way in doing this project......
First off, and I know a lot of people on this board will disagree with me, but passive speakers are a pain and if you can possibly do actives then I would do. The trouble with passive crossovers is that they usually require a lot of tinkering to get them to not significantly colour the sound. Of course, with actives you have a different set of problems in getting the amps to not oscillate, building a decent power supply and all that, but the results IMHO are worth the effort. The electronics has taken a lot more time and effort in this project than the acoustics (although that might be partly due to it being the bit I'm a little less experienced with). If you can find a decent active power module off the shelf then of course you'll be able to eliminate all of this hassle.
I have the same problem as you with regards bass response as I write mostly breaks and DnB stuff which has a fairly hefty transient LF component. As far as the boxes go, I'll again be a little controversial and recommend a vented box (most people say sealed are better for studio monitors, but vented can be just as good when they're well designed, it's just sometimes a little harder). A more important consideration at LF is the amplifier capability, or more specifically the ability of the amplifier power supply to provide high transient currents and hence minimise distortion. This is the case whether you do actives or passives - if you use a rubbish amplifier on good passive speakers, you'll still get distorted bass (and possibly other things as well).
I hope that little ramble helps a little. The project is definitely worth doing and will save you a shedload of cash. The people on this board know their stuff and are usually more than willing to help out. Good luck.....
I've made them active speakers which I designed totally from scratch, including the electronics. Admittedly I have a slight advantage because I studied acoustics at uni, I work for a well known manufacturer of active crossovers and work with some people who designed some very good amplifiers(which aren't nearly as well recognised as they should be) . My total parts cost is somewhere between £250 and £300, so it's very slightly above what you're looking at, but if bloomin Wilmslow Audio hadn't just hiked up their prices on Vifa drivers then this would be quite a bit lower (grrrrrr.......).
Okay, I'll do a little bit of a ramble now on things I've learnt along the way in doing this project......
First off, and I know a lot of people on this board will disagree with me, but passive speakers are a pain and if you can possibly do actives then I would do. The trouble with passive crossovers is that they usually require a lot of tinkering to get them to not significantly colour the sound. Of course, with actives you have a different set of problems in getting the amps to not oscillate, building a decent power supply and all that, but the results IMHO are worth the effort. The electronics has taken a lot more time and effort in this project than the acoustics (although that might be partly due to it being the bit I'm a little less experienced with). If you can find a decent active power module off the shelf then of course you'll be able to eliminate all of this hassle.
I have the same problem as you with regards bass response as I write mostly breaks and DnB stuff which has a fairly hefty transient LF component. As far as the boxes go, I'll again be a little controversial and recommend a vented box (most people say sealed are better for studio monitors, but vented can be just as good when they're well designed, it's just sometimes a little harder). A more important consideration at LF is the amplifier capability, or more specifically the ability of the amplifier power supply to provide high transient currents and hence minimise distortion. This is the case whether you do actives or passives - if you use a rubbish amplifier on good passive speakers, you'll still get distorted bass (and possibly other things as well).
I hope that little ramble helps a little. The project is definitely worth doing and will save you a shedload of cash. The people on this board know their stuff and are usually more than willing to help out. Good luck.....
thanks all for replying 
i'll give u a bit more details... i produce ragga, dancehall and some hip hop music. my studiospace is quite small approx 4x6m and i'm mainly using a DAW. because of this i'm looking to making nearfield monitors. i'm starting this project from scratch. my knowledge of electronics is quite limited(i know how to use a soldering iron though), but i have a lot of skill in carpentry and cabinet construction. therefore my asking as to what kind of speakers to use, active or passive ect. does anyone where i can find schematics/plans for this? the Vifa drivers - r they good? i used to own a pair of Yamaha NS10's and they could never reproduce the bass the way i wanted it.
thanks Jason for the link
Regards
Jean
i'll give u a bit more details... i produce ragga, dancehall and some hip hop music. my studiospace is quite small approx 4x6m and i'm mainly using a DAW. because of this i'm looking to making nearfield monitors. i'm starting this project from scratch. my knowledge of electronics is quite limited(i know how to use a soldering iron though), but i have a lot of skill in carpentry and cabinet construction. therefore my asking as to what kind of speakers to use, active or passive ect. does anyone where i can find schematics/plans for this? the Vifa drivers - r they good? i used to own a pair of Yamaha NS10's and they could never reproduce the bass the way i wanted it. thanks Jason for the link
Regards
Jean
i would go for:
https://secure.wilmslow-audio.co.uk/acatalog/Wilmslow_Audio_Home_Studio_Monitor_11.html
but downgrade the tweeter to the vifa until funds allow.
this unit has;
fantastic bass, deep, but as punchy as a epos es11.
excellent mid, as good as a gale gs401, which has a seperate peerless mid driver.
plays LOUD!!!
doesn't get muddled at all.
sounds good on the end of any electronics.
the linkwitz site gives details of how the vifa is nearly as good as the SS tweeter. i use the 2905/9300 in this unit and the 2905/9500 in the "duet" which is another kit wilmslow do. i cannot comment on the actual vifa quality myself though. However, this bass/mid is THE one to go for.
have fun
Mark
https://secure.wilmslow-audio.co.uk/acatalog/Wilmslow_Audio_Home_Studio_Monitor_11.html
but downgrade the tweeter to the vifa until funds allow.
this unit has;
fantastic bass, deep, but as punchy as a epos es11.
excellent mid, as good as a gale gs401, which has a seperate peerless mid driver.
plays LOUD!!!
doesn't get muddled at all.
sounds good on the end of any electronics.
the linkwitz site gives details of how the vifa is nearly as good as the SS tweeter. i use the 2905/9300 in this unit and the 2905/9500 in the "duet" which is another kit wilmslow do. i cannot comment on the actual vifa quality myself though. However, this bass/mid is THE one to go for.
have fun
Mark
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