2. speakers
  3. 1066684165

DYI Speakers. How good can they be?

Ive been doing alot of research into DYI audio. About 3-4 months ago i was getting kinda sick of my job and realized i dont want to do telecommunications my whole life. So what do i want to do? I love building things and i love Audio gear.

I recently went out and bought "Loudspeaker Cookbook", and "Designing Building & Testing your own Speaker System". I have recently ordered a book on electrostatic speakers and im looking at the local college for some physics, electronics, and mathematics courses. Im considering learning some metalurgy and taking some welding classes as well. It will be a while untill i can get all the tools i need, untill then i need to sharpen my most important tool for this task, my knowledge of speakers.

There is alot of complex stuff involved in these, but then again, my current job is extremly technical and complex. So i dont have any doubts of my ability to learn this stuff. It looks like ALOT of fun as well.

Im hoping that in 15 years or so i will be able to produce my own line of High-End speakers, but first i would like to complete at least 50 different speaker projects including electrostatic as well.I have been scouring the internet getting as many speaker recipes i can find, and i plan to build a speaker of every plan i can over the next 5 years or so. This will get my hands dirty and heelp me learn alot of the do's and dont's of speaker building before i start to design my own line of speakers.

Every now and then i think about Speakers from companys like Wilson, Vienna Accoustics, and such, and wonder if i could ever build something as refined.

Then i realised everyone who designs these things has to start at SOME point, and every line of speakers out there started as a DYI project.

I hope withint the next 10-15 years have a marketable product of my own design (of course) that will definatly have my personal sonic signature, and be something all of you will enjoy.

That being said, What are your experiences with DYI Audio? Have you ever run across a set of home-built speakers that put a good percentage of high-end speakers to shame? Im not looking for recipes, i'm just curious of anybodys experience with really well done homemade speakers.

I cant think of any job out there more satisfying than one that challenges you to think, requires you to use your hands, and shows significant progress or a finished product at the end of the day.
slappy

Showing 5 responses by slappy

slappy OP
903 posts
 
Voigt Pipes are also on my "Too-do" list.

Yeah, there is definatly alot of truth that there is no perfect speaker. Yet. hehehe

well, im going to build to my own tastes, see where it gets me. The great thing about the internet is all the speaker recipes out there. Lots of stuff to try out, see how it sounds, and hopefully learn to sucessfully integrate the traits that i like all into 1 pair of speakers.

I also have a few wacky ideas of my own i have been stewing over, things that i think might work out very good and solve some of the problems that keep arising. Im no engineer, but ive got a knack for problem solving, and im pretty creative. I havent seen any of these ideas used, but then again, it might be because they failed.

Hey, If nothing else and all of my dreams get squashed, at least i will get out of it with a few good pairs of speakers.
hahahahahaha
slappy OP
903 posts
 
Ultrakaz, you bring up some very good points, and all of them are discouraging.

I would absolutly love to make loudspeaker construction a living, i cannnot think of anything i would rather do. However, the things you listed above are the reasons i have not quit work and applied for a business grant.
hahahahaha

i have a few ideas that i dont think i have ever heard of being tried before, that might give me a little bit of an edge, but it is true, marketing is about the most important aspect when it comes to revenue.

With all the loudspeaker companys and designs, i doubt i will ever see my stuff in best buy, but im not too concerned about it.

There was a time where word of mouth is how things traveled. With the creation of TV and Radio, that word of mouth came to a whole new level.

However, with the internet revolution going on, every now and then you will find yourself a part of a community where word of mouth still has an impact. Right now, audiogon is one of those communitys.

When i start building high quality products of my own design, who knows if audiogon or audio asylum will even be around? But there will be others that will replace it.

If i can make a successful living off of it, it will require a very good product, and alot of "Talk" about it. Even then i doubt i would get rich, but if im gonna set a goal for myself, im going to set it high.

Look at the Wright brothers for instance, bicycle mechanics working off a shoe-string budget while thier biggest rival had an army of engineers and vast amounts of funding. And you see who won.

Its things like that that let me know there is always a possibility, maybe not a big one, but sometimes it just takes common sence, dedication, and a different way of looking at things.

Even if only a few audiophiles buy and enjoy my equipment, then i would know i made something worth having.
Isnt that the piont of making something? :)
slappy OP
903 posts
 
Nah, not corian, but ive been looking into that as well.
Everything i have found on Corian are already finished products, like countertops etc etc, Im hoping to be able to build a cabinet out of two molded pieces without flat surfaces anywhere except the bottom and face of the speaker

Im getting pretty interested in Fulton MG, that looks right up my ally for what i want. Plus it can be done to look like metal, marble, etc, etc. its as strong if not stronger than marble, and can be finished to look like wood, metal, rock, etc etc.
slappy OP
903 posts
 
Thats to everyone for the replies as well as the links, several points have been brought up that i have not considered, but i havent even started this yet, im still educating myself on this for right now. The building will start in about 5-6 months of other peoples designs to get my feet wet in the process.

Once i DO start, i will be sure to post pics and testing data. I will probably also ship out some demo speakers to some individuals on the 'gon if they would be willing to check them out and give a non-biased blunt and true review.

Herman, Sorry, i diddnt get that far on the discovery channels' wright brother special :)

Ed-Sawyer
Thats an idea i have been playing around with. If you want a normal looking speaker that sounds good, contact almost any high-end retailer. To find something with an exotic and artistic flair that still sounds great, get ready to pay out some big bucks. Maybe there is something in there, i will just have to see where this takes me.

Just remember, in 10-15 years if you see speakers called "Haunts, spectres, ghosts, etc etc, check for the "Slap" stamp on the bottom. That will mean it is by me!
:)
slappy OP
903 posts
 
yeah, im definatly gonna make plenty of proven DYI designs, i think that would be a fantastic way to learn about what works and what doesent.

Ive been thinking of molding the cabinets, using only 2 pieces. Ive had some fun experimenting and modifying different molding compunds. I used to do some sculpting, i absolutly loved it but it kind of fell by the wayside in life. I made some stuff about 5-6 years ago that was very strong, very solid, and not -too- heavy. It felt alot like granite. I cant remember what all i used, it was some stuff thrown together for prop-building in a haunted house. I just got to remember exactly what all i put into it.
Either way, this might be a good way of going at it. It would be alot easier to avoid box shapes, which i kind of want to do.

Plus, once i find a design that works, i can stamp out models faster than i can buy the drivers and build the crossovers. im sure there will be 100 cast design failures for each sucess, but hey, i got time. :)

Fun fun stuff!:)
More to discover