DIY Mains

doors666

doors666

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Hi Guys,

If I choose to do DIY for my main speakers, what is the point of diminishing returns for DIY mains floorstanders, for both full range speakers and 2/3 way speakers.

The details on my current system, music preferences etc are listed in this thread. http://www.hifivision.com/speakers/12170-upgrading-ht-system-music.html

I have never heard the full range speakers and have no idea what they sound like. Any dealer in bangalore where I can try these out.

I will need to get an amp also, so there in no restriction on what I can get. I can source most of the stuff from US, so availability is not an issue.

I have a budget of around 1.5L for speakers, but would not want to cross the point of diminishing returns. What kind of money I need to spend to get speakers of the quality of say B&W/ProAC/Dynaudio etc in 1-2L range.

Since my only experience with DIY is with a sub, I might decide to make 2 very small bookshelves for my computer desk. Any suggestion for this. No amp yet. I wouldnt want to spend more than 100-120$ for the parts (cabinet etc are extra).
 
doors, check out the Fostex based FR speakers that Stevie, Gobble, anilva have.

Else consider a 2 way setup using Scanspeak drivers.
 
doors666 said:
I have a budget of around 1.5L for speakers, but would not want to cross the point of diminishing returns. What kind of money I need to spend to get speakers of the quality of say B&W/ProAC/Dynaudio etc in 1-2L range.
Click to expand...
I'm assuming that the "L" indicates "lakhs". Right?

doors666 said:
Since my only experience with DIY is with a sub, I might decide to make 2 very small bookshelves for my computer desk. Any suggestion for this. No amp yet. I wouldnt want to spend more than 100-120$ for the parts (cabinet etc are extra).
Click to expand...
Help me understand this - you have a budget of 1-2L. for speakers and don't want to spend more than $120 for the drivers. Is that right?
Or is this a separate set of speakers that you are talking about here?
 
keith_correa said:
I'm assuming that the "L" indicates "lakhs". Right?


Help me understand this - you have a budget of 1-2L. for speakers and don't want to spend more than $120 for the drivers. Is that right?
Or is this a separate set of speakers that you are talking about here?
Click to expand...
Actually yeah I am waiting for the answer to that one. Is it because you want to allocate the rest of funds to a fancy cabinet, crossover etc?
Btw, suman jana on this forum had come up with a scanspeak based kit in Kolkata priced around 60k.
 
methinks the 1-2L is for main speakers and the 100-200$ budget range is if he decides to make computer audio speakers/bookshelves for his computer desk finally instead of main floorstanding speakers in the 1-2L range.

most welcome over doors to listen to the floorstanding full range speakers
 
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Personally I would suggest you go for a 2 way, which could either be a tower or a stand mounted unit. Zalytron and Madisound offer some good designs as does Bamberg Sound Labs.Using high quality drivers like Scanspeaks or Focals for example, will give you really good results. You need to do enough research though.
 
The 1-2L budget is for the main speakers if going for commercial speakers. I would like to get similar kind of quality from DIY. How much would I need to spend to get that.

If I am going to go for a 2way, I would prefer a kit as i have no experience in designing a crossover and fancy cabinet. or atleast an existing proven design. In that case I will have to get the PCB soldered as I have no soldering skills.

What drivers are you guys using in your FRs.

Since I have never made speakers before, I want to make two small bookshelves for my desktop, for which the driver should be around 100-120$. These are separate from the mains. This is just to get some experience in making speakers. Probably by using a 3-5" FR or a cheap simple 2way kit. Should be magnetically shielded. Since these will be really small, it probably will be either sealed or ported and a really simple design.
 
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Try out some small bookshelf kit first to get some experience. Then you take a call as to the size of the project you want to attemp for the main speakers.

I personally do not suggest people to get into DIY unless they have been into it before. DIY is not a cheaper alternative to getting good stuff. Sometimes buying it may be better.

Anyway count me in for any help, other than soldering for you ;-)

Cheers.
 
FR's are somewhat different beasts. Since you have invitations from people here to listen to their FR's, suggest that you take them up on their offer and go listen. See if the sound is to your liking. Then decide if you want FR's or regular tame animals. :eek:hyeah:
Come back with your opinion on the FR sound and then we can talk designs. There are tons out there. Wild and tame, both!
 
 
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Hi Guys,

Thanx for the replies and invites. I am a little tight on time this weekend but still might be able to see some systems.. I live in ulsoor, any one living close by, please PM me and probably I can drop by to your place for about an hour listen to your system and talk about what i need to do..

thanx.
 
doors666 said:
The details on my current system, music preferences etc are listed in this thread. http://www.hifivision.com/speakers/12170-upgrading-ht-system-music.html

doors666 said:
Music Preferences
Classic rock, blues, metal, jazz, classical, bollywood stuff. In the specified order of preference.
Click to expand...

I have never heard the full range speakers and have no idea what they sound like. Any dealer in bangalore where I can try these out.
Click to expand...

Full range speakers can be multi driver speakers as well as single driver ones. For your choice of music, multi drivers is the way to go.

anilva said:
Try out some small bookshelf kit first to get some experience. Then you take a call as to the size of the project you want to attempt for the main speakers.
Click to expand...

Bang on:thumbsup: My suggestion is, make bookshelfs for your computer first to gain knowledge and experience.

anilva said:
DIY is not a cheaper alternative to getting good stuff. Sometimes buying it may be better.
Click to expand...

Very true, not sometimes, most of the times.
 
There is a huge variety of high class drivers available- Scanspeaks, Focal, Focal's high end JM Labs series, SEAS(their top end is the Excel line),PHL and many many others. In addition there are companies like Hiquphon and Orca that specialise in tweeters. So you need to read up a bit and then decide what you want-at any price point the choices are enormous and bewildering to a newbie. Doing the woodwork here is not difficult, all you need to do is to get all the parts across-drivers, terminals, crossover parts and if needed damping material. In earlier years there used to be magazines available like Speaker Builder which are now defunct.

Bob Stout who used to be the moderator of the basslist-which had a great set of subscribers has distilled his wisdom here, well worth reading:

LDSG Introduction
 
 
quad said:
There are some budget bookshelf designs on PE forums
which may be good to start with -

Overnight Sensations - undefinition

on Sale - $55/pr (drivers & XO) - Techtalk at Parts-Express.com

There are also some Mark Audio based small full rangers -

Construction Plans List | Markaudio
Bass Reflex Bookshelf Cabinets for Mark Audio CHR-70 Full Range Driver - diyAudio
Bass Reflex Bookshelf Cabinets for Mark Audio Alpair 7 Full Range Driver - diyAudio
Click to expand...

Overnight sensations looks good for a comp spkrs project. Will check out some more too.

I heard a lot of good things on many forums for the mark audio 12. Has anyone tried these here. Also heard that Audio Nirvana is also pretty decent.

captrajesh said:
Full range speakers can be multi driver speakers as well as single driver ones. For your choice of music, multi drivers is the way to go.
Click to expand...

Why do you say that? FR doesnt do good for which of the genres I listen to. I have a sub to take care of the bass portion and I dont think I can listen to more than 18khz, atleast as per some of the audio tests on the internet. So if the FR can handle 80hz-18khz, should be fine. I can cross the sub higher too, but then the sounds might become directional (again as per the web, havent tested it yet above 80hz.
That brings another question, why do people buy super tweeters at huge prices when they cant listen to those frequencis:confused:

Very true, not sometimes, most of the times.
Click to expand...

One of the intentions (atleast mine) is to get good quality at cheaper prices, specially considering I can source the components from US and here I have to pay atrocious prices. Of course there is a huge fun factor as well as learning too, and the pleasure of creating my own stuff, tweaking whenever I feel the need:)

quad said:
If you are looking at budget single driver full/wide range, the VFM
champ is the Pioneer B20FU20 (BOFU) -

Pioneer B20FU20-51FW 8" Full Range Driver | Parts-Express.com
Click to expand...

Yeah, saw these. good fr drivers, 8" for 19$ each. awesome. these would be great for a second system.
 
doors666 said:
Hi Guys,

Thanx for the replies and invites. I am a little tight on time this weekend but still might be able to see some systems.. I live in ulsoor, any one living close by, please PM me and probably I can drop by to your place for about an hour listen to your system and talk about what i need to do..

thanx.
Click to expand...

You are welcome to drop by at my place a fortnight later. Unfortunately I have other plans already set until then.

Cheers
 
doors666 said:
Hi Guys,

Thanx for the replies and invites. I am a little tight on time this weekend but still might be able to see some systems.. I live in ulsoor, any one living close by, please PM me and probably I can drop by to your place for about an hour listen to your system and talk about what i need to do..

thanx.
Click to expand...

i live not too far away - i will drive to bangalore - pick you up - we will get to cannanore (about 6 hours away) -

and then you will be able to listen to sumthin that might satisfy you!:)
 
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