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What matters most in speaker design?

So...What matters most in speaker design?

A. The Drivers
B. The Cabinet / Enclosure
C. Crossover / Internal Wiring
D. Cost / Quality of Raw Materials (Drivers, Cabinet, Crossovers, etc.)

Yes, I realize the "right" answer is "all of the above" or better yet "the design that optimizes the trade-offs of the given variables / parameters that achieves the goals set forth by the creator." However, indulge me...

Can a great sounding speaker get away with focus on only 2 of the 4 above choices? Can a high cost of raw materials trump a sound design that focuses on inexpensive (but great sounding) drivers, a well engineered cabinet, and a decent crossover?

I was thinking about speakers that use relativly cheap drivers, but are executed in a genius enclosure with a good (but not exotic) crossover - and they sound absolutely amazing. This made me wonder...

What matters most in speaker design?
nrenter

Showing 1 response by nasaman

nasaman's avatar
nasaman
464 posts
 
If you are aiming to design one, go for it. Start from low cost speakers first around $20-40 each then enjoy and be proud of your hard work. Anyhow, a great completed set DIY from PartExpress can cost up to $900/pair while you could preferably buy a nice used set here and you can easily resell later.
Well, as you already know, a great set of DIY speakers can sound awful with a bad cross over design. A decent set of speakers can sound nice with the right x-over design. Guys from PartExpress.com can help you with more details and ideas. Sorry I can't give you a direct answer to your Q because I find that each one of them is crucial and somewhat related to each other.
Good luck.
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