2. misc-audio
  3. 196061-20253

What building my own speakers has taught me...

Hi Everyone,

After 8 years or so I have finally finished my "reference" speaker system.  I say eight years because what started as a small, high end 2-way has morphed into a 3-way active system.  Really happy with the results for myself... but I wanted to step back a little and reflect on the audio industry right now. 

First, I’m not here to convince you to DIY your next pair unless you NEED to build something.  And I’m not here to rail against the high price of gear, which does have some merit.   Mostly what I think about is how difficult it really is to make a business selling audio gear, and that I’m actually SHOCKED at how many companies attempt to do so, and even more when they thrive. 

Pricing out all the components in my speakers I come to a total parts cost.  Lets say it’s $1,000.  It could be $10, the actual amount doesn’t matter, but pretend it’s $1k. If I try to imagine "How would I take this product to market?"  I simply can’t get to a selling price under 15 to 20 times manufacturing cost. 

At the same time, the cost of the average "reference" speaker over the last 20 years has really skyrocketed, while the audio enthusiast market has dwindled.   Then along came HDMI whose ridiculous licensing and technical requirements seems to at least have been partially responsible for Meridian and Theta Digital dwindling from the market. 

I can’t imagine how hard it is for anyone besides say Sony or Harman or Samsung to be in the market for audio gear.  Increased costs, high competition, dwindling consumers.....  are we in a bubble or does every generation think "this is it, this is the end of high end audio?" 

erik_squires

Showing 1 response by decooney

decooney
2,390 posts
 

@toddalin 

I don’t run them as a dipole.  I think that the rear wave bouncing all around willi-nilli hurts imaging.

Mine are modified so that the rear wave is reflected back through the diaphragm totally changing the frequency response and adding detail like you can’t believe.

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I do, somewhat.  It’s worth experimenting a lot more, imo. Over 4+ decades, having tried them freestanding, with different type wave guides, and other combinations, on the set up I use now, I have sound coming from just behind my shoulders on both sides, in a reguar seated position. Its about as close to 3D I’ve ever gotten and none of my soft/hard some high frequency builds could match it.   I find the wave guides to be beamy and too focused for my taste, and less air around the sound stage.  It’s all a matter of preference. ESS Professional Series had a horn and that produced its own type of sound as well, projecting out and around like a good horn does.

One guy had his AMT Great Heils suspended mid air with cables floating above the speaker. In the right room, I would have liked to try that once.  

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