Budget friendly FR drivers UK

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Hello i've found myself here many times when google searching so I've finally registered and here is my first post.

I've been searching for a group test of drivers but can not find any. I'm trying to short list some drivers that might be available in Europe rather than purchasing from the US.

Firstly i though something like a 7-8" driver would be the way to go. However looking at the sticky thread of members speakers. A lot seem to have small drivers in big cabinets. What is the thinking around this, is that a better option?

I want to keep my first build simple, the cabinets i doubt i will even finish them, I'll leave them bare mdf. I'm thinking a budget pair of desktop speakers to run with a t-amp and computer. The desk is a large one so they do not have to be teeny. searching the uk on google Vistaton and Monacor seem to come up most often. Are they any good? Ideally i would like to only spend £50-£60 on a pair of drivers for my first project.
 
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If you want to make your first project free (rather than merely cheap), just salvage the speakers out of a high end TV. Thousands of TVs are being chucked out as people upgrade to flat screens. A decent quality TV speaker is quite pleasant for music.

Something that's essentially the same thing, but not salvage:

Get a cheap 2.1 PC speaker setup (little sub and satellite speakers). Upgrade the satellite boxes with something a little bigger / nicer, possibly these (since Visaton are locally available to you):

The Visaton Speaker Driver - SL 713 - 4 Ohm Full Range
Art. No. 2050

A very simple build would be a pair of these is an well stuffed, semi-open cabinets (they have a high Qts valus, like most TV / guitar speakers, so a box with a slotted or open back like a guitar amp would be suitable). You could upgrade later with a better sub.
 
I was going to recommend that you go with something smaller rather than bigger, something 3-4". These inherently have better midrange and treble responses than larger drivers, especially in the off axis.

XRK has done a number of subjective online comparisons along with measurements.

There are a few drivers that stand out amongst the usual crowd that you could try although availability might be an issue.

Ones to consider would be.

Vifa/Peerless TC9FD18-08
Vifa/Peerless TG9FD10-04
SB Acoustics SB65WBAC
Visaton B80
Fountek FR88EX
Dayton RS100
Dayton RS100P
Fatal Pro 3FE22r16

None of those are particularly expensive and I think availability will have more to do with what choice you perhaps make. There are a number of EU based suppliers that have a number of them though so you shouldn't have too much trouble finding something.

As Chris says a baffle step filter is likely to be required, but if this are going to be placed on a desk that does relax the requirements a little. Also if you're using a computer for the source you can always add in a lil bit of EQ to compensate for the baffle step loss.
 
I equalize my speakers via itunes which is reasonable effective and may be an easier option than making a baffle step circuit for you.
Prices of speakers can be much dearer in the UK.
However there are a few such as theFaital Pro mentioned by 5th Element which are actually cheaper than elsewhere.
Also very cheap in the UK are some of the larger Monacor designed for sealed enclosures such as SPX 200WP 8" and Sp155X 6" not much info on Diyaudio but both are popular in Germany apparently.
 
I want to keep my first build simple, the cabinets i doubt i will even finish them, I'll leave them bare mdf. I'm thinking a budget pair of desktop speakers to run with a t-amp and computer. The desk is a large one so they do not have to be teeny. searching the uk on google Vistaton and Monacor seem to come up most often. Are they any good? Ideally i would like to only spend £50-£60 on a pair of drivers for my first project.

If you use Baltic Birch, you can just spray on some satin lacquer for a very nice looking box. I'll upload a pic of my P10 MarKen6p boxes when I get home later.

jeff
 
Thank you Greg for the lovely offer that would be great. Vinylkid that's a great idea about birch ply.

Sky971 what a cool design. I'll check out the drivers you mentioned. Do you need software and mic to eq in iTunes? I do not have any apple products.

Is a table saw best option for cabinet work? I've noticed b&q do free cutting with trade accounts. If I had cutting plans I might go down that route.
 
Selling these kits if your interested.
For the Mark Audio Alpair 10's, so will set you back about £300 for the kits and drivers, but will get you one hell of a speaker, but maybe a bit large?

Where about's are you based?

Thank you for the link.

That is a lot of speaker for the money, they a beautiful. I'm not very far from you, just over the bridge in Barry, near Cardiff. Do you have a show room? I've never heard full range speakers before. I do not have the room for them at the moment. However we are building an kitchen diner extension in the next few years and i could get them in their.
 
No showroom, we have the Alpair 7's (4") as our office speakers.

I had been asked if I could get the Pensil and FHxL assembled to demo to another person who lives just outside Bristol. If there is interest from more than one, then I will try and find the time.

Otherwise I use a company for cutting all my sheet goods called Avon Plywood. They have a really good CNC table saw, that is 0.1mm accurate, send them a cut list and you get back a pretty much flat pack kit. (could always cnc the baffles here at the workshop for some beer money)

The bookshelf 7's are incredible, have a google, best top end, not the most bass, but enough...welcome to listen to them anytime, there playing music all day long.
 
Thank you for your offer Studio Au. i've heard of Avon Plywood before when looking to build cabinets for a motorhome.

The long term project is to build myself a modern day radiogram perhaps using the transmission line principle. However i know I'm a long way off this. I just need to get around learning all the physics, calculations and terms. It's a lot to learn but looks like a great hobby.
 
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From what I have gathered Mark Audio drivers aren't exactly what one would call the most neutral and over emphasise certain parts of the audio spectrum, some more than others. It's obvious from testimony that a lot of people enjoy this but it is worth auditioning first if you can before you go that route.

Alternatively you could go with a full ranger that is known to be more neutral (and cheaper) and see if you prefer this first.
 
Selling these kits if your interested.
For the Mark Audio Alpair 10's, so will set you back about £300 for the kits and drivers, but will get you one hell of a speaker, but maybe a bit large?

Where about's are you based?

Silly question maybe and also subjective, but how does this setup compare to big brand loudspeaker companies out there. At what price bracket are they comparable with? I'm getting more tempted. They are smaller than I thought., looking at other websites.
 
I did some reading around and noted that some £1000 floorstanding speakers were using 5" Peerless midbass drivers that are £20 a piece to you and I. They'd get bulk rates, too.

Sure, I know there's more to it than that, but I'd expect a pair of Alpair 7.3s in suitable cabinets with LF support to cheerfully annihilate anything that Richer Sounds might sell.

Chris
 
I did some reading around and noted that some £1000 floorstanding speakers were using 5" Peerless midbass drivers that are £20 a piece to you and I. They'd get bulk rates, too.

Sure, I know there's more to it than that, but I'd expect a pair of Alpair 7.3s in suitable cabinets with LF support to cheerfully annihilate anything that Richer Sounds might sell.

Chris

What is LF support mean?
 
LF = Low Frequencies which is the "bass" range.

If I am understanding correctly, Chris is suggesting run your system as FAST (Full Range Assisted with helper woofers) for better coverage of the audible frequency spectrum. There are a lot of folks who run there wideband (aka full-range) units without woofer support and are happy. Those who want the extra bass usually add a woofer or a sub-woofer (both are possible).
 
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