building my own speakers

[binkgle]

i am considering ubilding some speakers of my own, seeing as i've been told that for the money i forsee being able to spend (100 USD) i can get much much higher quality than if i bought speakers for a similar price. i'm looking for stereo monitors that could be plugged directly into a denon dcd-1500 cd player (i don't have one yet, thisis all planning for a future stereo system). actually, maybe not directly, as i've been told i'll need an amp, but this thread is just about building the speakers.

i listen mainly to classic/progressive rock, but have a bit of everything in my library.

what parts will i need? where do i buy them? where can i get detailed instructions?

i've never used a soldering iron, what would be the best way to learn before tackling this project? can i get a cheap iron or is it absolutely essential to put out more money?

thx guys

 

[USER NAME:]

$100.00 is a tough budget. You could try this:
http://velatron.com/audio/Loudspeakers.asp

You'll need an amplifier too:
http://www.chipamp.com/

 

[skyskraper]

its time to hit diy audio and to google "diy speaker plan" you'll find heaps of info. ive been doing a lot of research on the topic of speaker building of late. itsa a lot like building amps in many respects in that it seems that once you pop you can't stop. make sure you're well prepared with all the powertools and clamps etc.

this one looks quite good for sub $100, i think im going to build them as my first pair of speakers
http://zaphaudio.com/audio-speaker13.html

 

[binkgle]

with a bit more waiting (i won't be building these for a few months at least, i could wait longer, i'm sure) i could probably extend the budget to ~$150. would that help, or should i just save up for the next few years and splurge a few hundred dollars or something?

 

[blip]

From what I've seen there are really two ways to go in cheap (~$100) speaker building either something like the Zaph design referenced above (which is supposed to be quite nice) or for a single, full-range driver rig.

I'm currently in the middle of a similar project... a pair of speakers based upon Fostex FE127s. Since I have a subwoofer, I'm building them in the small cabinets that the company recommended to me.

Haven't finished them yet (and unfortunately my wood shop is back in Oregon so they will have to wait for a few months) but I ran these puppies open baffle for a while and they sounded pretty decent... Can't wait to get them in boxes to get a real sense of their sound.

With any luck I'll be able to run them with no filters or baffle step correction... though I'll make my final call on that once they're finished.

Anyway, for more info check out the single driver website or diyaudio's full range forum.

 

[binkgle]

well, i'm reviving an old thread because what i thought to be impossible has recently happened. my dad went to lunch with a colleague yesterday in the colleagues top-of-the-line audi. my dad cannot remember being in such a nice car before, and the thing he raved most about was the custom sound system that the guy had had installed. we tangentialized a bit, and my mum said that she wished we had a nicer stereo system in the living room. i then said that for a few months now i've been getting really insterested in headphones and speakers, and would be glad to get some nicer speakers (we now have some old bose speakers which aren't bad, but they aren't great).

i said that the most fun way to do it would be to build the speakers myself, and my mum was thrilled at the prospect. now, these would be run out of our old receiver with a cd player and tape deck attached. none of these are high quality by any means, but nicer speakers definitely wouldn't hurt.

here's where you guys come in: as i'm still new to diy (nothing's changed from the beginning of the thread), and i'll have m parents paying for the parts, i think the best way for me to start would be with a kit. i'm looking for a 2.1 set if possible, and i'd guess the budget to be between $250 and $300. what would you guys suggest?

 

[cotdt]

Hey, build this one!
http://htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=13154

I built and it is amazing! Best for money! $250 for the parts, but I went overboard and used high quality capacitors and it ended up $400, but it is the best speaker I've ever heard at any price! Commercial speakers in my area cannot compare! It sounds much better than the B&W, Focal, Polk, Dynaudio, and Martin Logans that I've heard.

 

[pne]

have a look at these bookshelves I built a few months ago
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showt...highlight=mb20
they sounded awesome and you can do them for around 250 with budgeting.

You asked for 2.1 suggestions but at this price range I don't think it would be possible to include a subwoofer of much quality or purpose. I would spend all the funds on speakers with an extended low range, such as choosing monitors over bookshelves. The bass from this will be quite satisfying and at least as good as the bose you have right now.

 

[nysulli]

i've had the chance to hear the gr research av-1's briefly, and i was fairly impressed, compared very favorably to the psb image series and b&w 601's that they we're being a/b'd with, kits only 230 bucks without the box

http://www.gr-research.com/index.htm

 

[Sovkiller]

If you have a modest budget, it is not worthy to go the DIY route, you cna get bookshelves and monitors for around 200-400 range very well built, and with superb sound.....But if you want to get the some decent drivers with a little extra cash (scan peak, seas, dynaudio, vifa, excel, morel, dynavox, etc...) certainly I would consider going the DIY route

 

[dhp]

go the john grado route... rs-1 drivers!!

 

[binkgle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieInAFire go the john grado route... rs-1 drivers!!

wouldn't that be a bit... expensive? rs-1s cost $700, don't they?

well, i'm fine with sticking with stereo speakers and no sub if the sub won't be worth it. i'm going to look through these for now, but more suggestions are highly welcome.

will these need an amp if they're driven from the receiver? the bose speakers now plug into those black and red ports (one set of black and red for each speaker) which you just shove the bare end of the wire into. by the way, how would i know which wires to shove into which port? if i do it backwards on one and right way on the other, there will be noise cancellation (we recently looked at sound in my physics class

)

cotdt, on the link you posted, is this the design layout? http://audioworx.virtualave.net/EM72RS180Schm.jpg
i've no idea what that means, so maybe i should look for a specific kit i could buy that comes complete with illustrated directions? i dunno.

if i get a kit, i'll need it to be relatively easy to do...

out of the gr research options, which would you guys recommend? trhe av-1s are cheaper, but for an extra $70 i could instead get the av-2s. is it worth the extra 70?

 

[binkgle]

i've checked the stereo system downstairs where the speskers will be (i think i'm going to go for the gr research av-1 or 2) and the receiver is a Technics SA-180. Does anyone know if this is powerful enough to drive these speakers on its own, or whether I'll need an amp? The av-2s 4 ohms, the av-1s are 8.

 

[nikongod]

go do ALOT of readoing.

when its about 2am, and something stops, its comforting to know that your sterio will not drive the 1/2 ohm load you hit it with. way faster than coming onto the message boards, and asking why a 1/2 ohm load fried your amp.

lots and lots.

start by finding the manual for your sterio chances are good its somewhere on the web, at the minimum you can probably find the specs somewhere. unless your speakers are especically low impedance, the sterio will almost certanly drive them decently. maqybe not to the earspliting voluimes some like, but it will probably get sound out of them.

 

[binkgle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikongod go do ALOT of readoing. when its about 2am, and something stops, its comforting to know that your sterio will not drive the 1/2 ohm load you hit it with. way faster than coming onto the message boards, and asking why a 1/2 ohm load fried your amp.

sry, but i don't understand what you're trying to say...

the mighty search for the manual will now commence

is there a special name for the cable that i mentioned earlier (the kind that plugs into red and black ports on the back of the receiver)? is it standard, or will i have to specially make it for myself?