Any DIYer s out there ?


I know from reading some of the posts that there are other "DIYer's" out there. For those that don't know what "DIY" means, it is an acronym for "Do It Yourself". I'm particularly interested in knowing what you folks have built or modified. You can go into as much or little detail as you like. Since i started the thread, i'll do the first post.

I started off by trying several different "homebrew" speaker cables. From there, i went into building interconnects and then power cords. Somewhere along the way, things got more serious and i began to tear into existing designs and "make them better". I've modified a couple dozen sets of speakers, built and desiged speakers from scratch, modified amps and am even building one from "accumulated parts". I've also built sound absorption panels and bass traps courtesy of Jon Risch's website.

I've continued doing this as i find great pleasure in knowing that i helped contribute to the enjoyment of both my system and several others in a "special" way other than just by assembling the various components. It also keeps me out of trouble and minimizes cash outlay for "manufactured" goodies. After all, what one can buy for $1 can be made for $0.25 to $0.60 and be done MUCH better.

Anybody else like doing this kind of stuff ? Don't be shy or modest. Tinkerer's are welcome and PLEASE, go in to detail about your favorite "projects". Sean
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sean

Showing 1 response by comchenry

I have become a first time DIY'er without intending to do so. I bought a pair of Apogee Stages because the price was right and I have always been intriuged by what people said about them. LOVED the sound immediately but thougth it had some shortcomings as well. The good folks at the Apogee web site suggested crossover component upgrade and the descriptions of the improvements were compelling. I went the Northcreek route and replaced the stock ASC caps with Northcreek caps in a bypass arrangement. I am happy to report that the across the board improvments were WAY beyond what I had expected . . .wider, deeper, blacker background, smoother yet dynamic and detailed. It was a shocker to me. I expected a tweak and got a major component upgrade. Well, naturally I am taking it to the next (and pricier level). I have ordered 8ga inductors with some of the lowest DCR values around and plan to construct an external crossover board to house these larger and better components. If it gets much better than it is now, I will need to purchase incontinence pads.