I have noticed alot of these types of threads recently. They go a bit like this:
New guy with no DIY experience asks opinion on best drivers for an amazing 3-way system. He has no measurment equipment, software or knowledge. He wants to start the project NOW, just needs one final opinion before sending through the order.
Regulars fall over themselves to "help" the OP. They recommend their favourite drivers. Someone might suggest a proven design but the lone post gets lost in the sea of "recommendations". They argue amongst themselves about minor details. They go off topic, get back on topic, then recommend some more drivers. Most often, nobody offers to design the crossover and enclosure despite knowing the OP will never be able do it themselves.
OP either gets confused and the posts drops of the radar or they buy some drivers based on the recommendations and slaps together a mediocre design due to lack of support. The drivers are great, but the system is a failure. OP thinks that DIY speakers suck and gives up.
Rinse and repeat.
So perhaps it would be a good idea to have a sticky to help new builders. Something along the lines of...
Please read before posting: Quick guide for newbies.
The sticky can contain links to things one needs to know before starting a project or even asking the first question. And maybe a list of equipment necessary to get started or links to proven designs.
I think It would help to set newbies off in the right direction and let the regulars here focus on helping those that are ready to take the plunge.
What do others here think?
New guy with no DIY experience asks opinion on best drivers for an amazing 3-way system. He has no measurment equipment, software or knowledge. He wants to start the project NOW, just needs one final opinion before sending through the order.
Regulars fall over themselves to "help" the OP. They recommend their favourite drivers. Someone might suggest a proven design but the lone post gets lost in the sea of "recommendations". They argue amongst themselves about minor details. They go off topic, get back on topic, then recommend some more drivers. Most often, nobody offers to design the crossover and enclosure despite knowing the OP will never be able do it themselves.
OP either gets confused and the posts drops of the radar or they buy some drivers based on the recommendations and slaps together a mediocre design due to lack of support. The drivers are great, but the system is a failure. OP thinks that DIY speakers suck and gives up.
Rinse and repeat.
So perhaps it would be a good idea to have a sticky to help new builders. Something along the lines of...
Please read before posting: Quick guide for newbies.
The sticky can contain links to things one needs to know before starting a project or even asking the first question. And maybe a list of equipment necessary to get started or links to proven designs.
I think It would help to set newbies off in the right direction and let the regulars here focus on helping those that are ready to take the plunge.
What do others here think?
You're right ! I was thinking of it either .
OT
Yesterday I was talking to a man who owns ( one of the last ) a laboratory for developing and printing B/W negatives . He said that there is return to the enjoyment of making and printing their own photos ,among youngsters ...after the digital boom ; a lot of them gets crazy in seeing and doing the development /printing system and the final result is something special , a very thing of their own 
OT 2 For me , making a speaker project designed by someone else ,it's like
that I do have to take a photograph of something that someone tells me to , with a certain angle and light etc etc.which may be his VISION , but probably not mine .
But... there are some basics that have been studied and put on paper ,like the ones you find at lenardaudio.com under 'education' that has to be assimilated first.
OT3 I generally dislike some hints given by forumers such : get a mini DSP and do whatever you like : that really makes me mad ! And....if I want to listen to vinyl or cassettes ? Do I have to do a double A/D D/A conversion to eventually split the signal in some bands and equalize it ?
OT
Yesterday I was talking to a man who owns ( one of the last ) a laboratory for developing and printing B/W negatives . He said that there is return to the enjoyment of making and printing their own photos ,among youngsters ...after the digital boom ; a lot of them gets crazy in seeing and doing the development /printing system and the final result is something special , a very thing of their own OT 2
For me , making a speaker project designed by someone else ,it's likethat I do have to take a photograph of something that someone tells me to , with a certain angle and light etc etc.which may be his VISION , but probably not mine .
But... there are some basics that have been studied and put on paper ,like the ones you find at lenardaudio.com under 'education' that has to be assimilated first.
OT3
I generally dislike some hints given by forumers such : get a mini DSP and do whatever you like : that really makes me mad ! And....if I want to listen to vinyl or cassettes ? Do I have to do a double A/D D/A conversion to eventually split the signal in some bands and equalize it ?I think that if the beginner builder can't make a decision about which drivers to buy based on the input offered, then there is no reason that anyone should waste a moment running simulations that may never be used. An x-over simulation of a 3-way can take hours when you factor in all the tracing, splicing, component creation, and general organization required to keep track of what all is going on.
Agreed, and in the same vein, I don't think we should be suggesting drivers to a new guy that doesn't have the knowledge or tools to design and build a loudspeaker. We should let them know what they are in for before they commit. Hence the Sticky / FAQ.
I think the level of complexity that a project can expand out to, and the level it needs to are very different things. We all have a subjective view of what would be a success or failure.
I like the idea of such a sticky. Perhaps, the sticky should contain a concise list of the most relevant issues that plague loudspeaker design with links to websites or posts that have good quality explanations of the issue and the known "rule of thumb" solutions. The question is deciding which ones can be ignored for a beginner and which should be brought to the front row. The "list" should be something that is complete enough to expect a reasonable result, but not so extensive that it kills the desire.
I like the idea of such a sticky. Perhaps, the sticky should contain a concise list of the most relevant issues that plague loudspeaker design with links to websites or posts that have good quality explanations of the issue and the known "rule of thumb" solutions. The question is deciding which ones can be ignored for a beginner and which should be brought to the front row. The "list" should be something that is complete enough to expect a reasonable result, but not so extensive that it kills the desire.
Hi,
FWIW IMHO the problem is the next to clueless see an opportunity
to help the clueless, regardless of the fact they will confuse things.
You learn by asking intelligent questions, stupid questions always
get stupid answers and there is the rub. The OP in the scenario
outlined is already too far gone and just wants to be agreed
with. No sticky is going to help such types, they won't read it.
rgds, sreten.
undefinition (see if nothing else, the excellent FAQs)
The Speaker Building Bible - Thread opened for edits/input. - Techtalk Speaker Building, Audio, Video, and Electronics Customer Discussion Forum From Parts-Express.com
Zaph|Audio
Zaph|Audio - ZA5 Speaker Designs with ZA14W08 woofer and Vifa DQ25SC16-04 tweeter
FRD Consortium tools guide
http://web.archive.org/web/20090902124715/http://geocities.com/woove99/Spkrbldg/DesigningXO.htm
RJB Audio Projects
http://web.archive.org/web/20090902202231/http://geocities.com/woove99/Spkrbldg/
Speaker Design Works
HTGuide Forum - A Guide to HTguide.com Completed Speaker Designs.
A Speaker project
DIY Loudspeaker Projects Troels Gravesen
Humble Homemade Hifi
Quarter Wavelength Loudspeaker Design
The Frugal-Horns Site -- High Performance, Low Cost DIY Horn Designs
Linkwitz Lab - Loudspeaker Design
Music and Design
Great free SPICE Emulator : SPICE-Based Analog Simulation Program - TINA-TI - TI Tool Folder
FWIW IMHO the problem is the next to clueless see an opportunity
to help the clueless, regardless of the fact they will confuse things.
You learn by asking intelligent questions, stupid questions always
get stupid answers and there is the rub. The OP in the scenario
outlined is already too far gone and just wants to be agreed
with. No sticky is going to help such types, they won't read it.
rgds, sreten.
undefinition (see if nothing else, the excellent FAQs)
The Speaker Building Bible - Thread opened for edits/input. - Techtalk Speaker Building, Audio, Video, and Electronics Customer Discussion Forum From Parts-Express.com
Zaph|Audio
Zaph|Audio - ZA5 Speaker Designs with ZA14W08 woofer and Vifa DQ25SC16-04 tweeter
FRD Consortium tools guide
http://web.archive.org/web/20090902124715/http://geocities.com/woove99/Spkrbldg/DesigningXO.htm
RJB Audio Projects
http://web.archive.org/web/20090902202231/http://geocities.com/woove99/Spkrbldg/
Speaker Design Works
HTGuide Forum - A Guide to HTguide.com Completed Speaker Designs.
A Speaker project
DIY Loudspeaker Projects Troels Gravesen
Humble Homemade Hifi
Quarter Wavelength Loudspeaker Design
The Frugal-Horns Site -- High Performance, Low Cost DIY Horn Designs
Linkwitz Lab - Loudspeaker Design
Music and Design
Great free SPICE Emulator : SPICE-Based Analog Simulation Program - TINA-TI - TI Tool Folder
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