[RogerB]

I am in the process of building my own speakers. I highly recommend going to the GR Research website and looking at the kits. All are designed by Danny Ritchie. I'm building the Neo-2X.

If you want the best speaker you can get for the money.......build it!

Roger

 

[tim3320070]

Those ESS speakers are definitely worth a try- you will be impressed. Will blow away any new lower-end Polk, Klipsch, etc. IMO. They are good being close (near field) too as they aren't overly directional like domes.

 

[komi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbd2884 /img/forum/go_quote.gif If I didn't buy vintage, I would not have awesome speakers right now. For half the price the OP wants to spend I got mine, which sound better than speakers costing 2 times the price he's looking to spend. Also they are in incredible condition, almost new. So yes I disagree. Buying vintage doesn't mean have to be stupid consumer.

I never say buying a vintage means being a stupid customer, but i see a lot of vintage deals around with non original woofers, with hard to find surrounds - and even if you find surround, you have to know how to replace on right way, specialy on bigger woofers ...

In my opinion - vintage speakers are mostly critical component to buy - IF YOU DONT KNOW HISTORY OF SPEKAER !


And - building a speakers was always a good deal ... You can bring your Vintage any time to try to beat my Fostex DIY - worth 500 bucks ...

I am not talking just to talk ...

 

[tdogzthmn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerB /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am in the process of building my own speakers. I highly recommend going to the GR Research website and looking at the kits. All are designed by Danny Ritchie. I'm building the Neo-2X. If you want the best speaker you can get for the money.......build it! Roger

I like that N3 model

 

[linuxworks]

go to a pro audio (music) store and check out their monitors. passive, so you can pick your own amp.

pro audio usually sounds better than consumer audio and is more 'honest' about things.

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by komi /img/forum/go_quote.gif NEVER buy vintage speakers - if you dont know a history of speakers ...

qualify that.

buy used spkrs if you KNOW that new elements can be bought from the maker.

the cabinets don't die; but drivers do. its trivial to replace drivers.

 

[tdogzthmn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif go to a pro audio (music) store and check out their monitors. passive, so you can pick your own amp. pro audio usually sounds better than consumer audio and is more 'honest' about things.

Can you expand on what you mean by passive. I'm guessing you mean pro audio equipment does not color the sound the same way consumer equipment does.

 

[komi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif qualify that. buy used spkrs if you KNOW that new elements can be bought from the maker. the cabinets don't die; but drivers do. its trivial to replace drivers.

OK, i am talking in MY expirience ...

First of all, whats the point buying used speakers IF you have to replace drivers - even if is "trivial" to replace them ... If you are THAT lucky to speaker maker still have vintage drivers on stock ...

I can tell you whats happen to me ..
I have vintage Cervin Vega speakers, nothing too good, nothing fancy, but - its a my "first real" speakers and i just want to keep them ...
One day i discover a small crack on speaker surround! I was thinking is not big deal, but - after 2 weeks, this orange surrounds just go bad, on both speakers - in same time!

OK, i go online and i found one os this web sites with chepo "original: replacement and order a pair!

When i got them - it was a 2 pieces of rubber, painted on "not even the same color" orange! Not even close to "sponge" like original Cervin Vega" surounds - much thicker and not that "fexy" how should be !

I put thoese away, and go online tring to replace complete woofer drivers .. I go on eBay and i found a seller from Cali who have a lot of Cervin Vega stuff, and i order a set of replacements ...

It was even bigger disapointment!

Nothinf like Original Die Cast aluminum speaker basket, not even close - much smaller magnet, cheapo "who knows where produced" "replacement !

I send email to seller explaining my problem!

[ First thing to do when you ever have any complein to any seller - BE NICE, REALLY NICE ]

Come out to this particular seller buy a whole Cervin Vega warehouse full of stuff some time ago, and he have a lot of stuff! He told me - lemme check what i have there and will let you know tomorrow !

Next morning i got email to he actualy have something for me and he already send it [?] and i dont need to pay for it [?] and i can keep old bad drivers i buy from him [?]

Well, i was thinking - here we go again - i better start looking again for these drivers ..

After couple days - i receive a box - with ORIGINAL CERVIN VEGA SPEAKER REPAIR KIT!

Lemme took a photo ...

There was even a printed manual How to repair a speaker - what kind fo glue to use for particular speaker part etc, etc ...


Now, do this my expirience looks to you like a "trivial" ? I dont think so! I was lucky to find a really nice seller who understand my sentimental connection with this particular CVs - even they are stored in basement now, and he took his time to find me what i need ... or - this woofers will be replaced with "bicycle tyre like" rubber surrounds - never being a same sounding driver again ...

This is why i will avoid buying a vintage speakers if you dont know what you are buying .. How this particular model should look, and sound ... and - if you are sure you can FIND replacement parts - and you are willing ans skilled to fix a part, or - this 400 bucks fist real speakers will be more exepensive then you want - or bad expirience buying a vintage ...

 

[tdogzthmn]

Lucky you! Just curious if anyone has used a vintage enclosure but upgraded it with new drivers?

 

[komi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdogzthmn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Lucky you! Just curious if anyone has used a vintage enclosure but upgraded it with new drivers?

Hum , dunno if that is good idea too ... Cuz every driver need specific cabinet volume, and if cabinet is bass refex, vent radius and size is also important ...

 

[mbd2884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RogerB /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am in the process of building my own speakers. I highly recommend going to the GR Research website and looking at the kits. All are designed by Danny Ritchie. I'm building the Neo-2X. If you want the best speaker you can get for the money.......build it! Roger

That's really cool! Unfortunately I just don't have the space and equipment to make a headphone enclosure. If the kits came with enclosures then be feasible.

Will bookmark for the far future.

 

[linuxworks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdogzthmn /img/forum/go_quote.gif Can you expand on what you mean by passive. I'm guessing you mean pro audio equipment does not color the sound the same way consumer equipment does.

passive, meaning it does not have an amp built into the spkr box. more and more, pro audio is going 'powered spkrs' instead of having amps and wires all over.

pro audio monitors are meant to be used to CREATE music and mix it. its not meant to 'show off' the highs and lows that consumer spkrs often are all about.

I would trust a pro monitor because its designed to be flatter than home spkrs. flatter = better, usually.

 

[linuxworks]

I'm not sure I'd *repair* a driver. unless the driver was made by god himself or something

usually, I just buy whole drivers and replace them.

its been a long time, but last time I did this, I had mission brand spkrs and called the vendor to get new woofers (I blew mine out - sent DC to them during a test - doh!). the vendor didn't repair them, they just gave me new drivers (free, even 5+ years after buying the spkrs!).

any repair will probably change the sound of the driver, so I'll either get a new driver or just give up on that cabinet.

often, if its within 7 years of manuf, the vendor will still have spare parts. beyond 7 yrs, its 'iffy'.

 

[Bmac]

Quote:

Originally Posted by linuxworks /img/forum/go_quote.gif go to a pro audio (music) store and check out their monitors. passive, so you can pick your own amp. pro audio usually sounds better than consumer audio and is more 'honest' about things.

I like pro monitors because the markup on pro gear is smaller than the markup on consumer stuff, but I would also recommend looking at active monitors. Their is a lot of knowledge on gearslutz and the consensus there is that active monitors will generally give you better SQ than a comparable passive with external amplification. It's one less variable that may not work well with your system.

 

[linuxworks]

well, you have to run POWER to your spkrs, now. pros don't care - but maybe home stereo guys don't like that

and also you would be advised to run xlr balanced cables since you now run line-level signals (low) to the 'far away' spkrs instead of higher spkr-level signals.

if the vendor builds am amp INTO the spkr, chances are they matched it well. you can't always do a better job, and so there's that to take into consideration. but the big change in cabling on active/powered spkrs might not be worth it.

also, some spkrs now come with spdif inputs! so you can use the dac inside (and amp inside) and run longer spdif cables and 'not care'. then again, you have to 'worry' about how good THAT dac is, inside

always something.