2. tech-talk
  3. 151635-74636

Speaker kits recomendations Maybe Horn TL hybrid lets talk speaker kits

After reading many threads on speaker building ( you guys sparked my interest thanks) I'm interested in putting together my own speakers for a second system. this is for pure fun and saving money is nice as well.

I do not have full wood working facility's so it will have to be a flat pack type of build. Pre cut cabinets may be the ticket, as I am not a wood worker by trade  ( Aircraft Tech, Electro Mechanical, minor in Electronics and Engineering are my background ) but I do have access to a wood working shop co-op on the military base for finishing. 

I've been reading the various speaker kit makers, Fugalhorn, Moral audio, Madison sound, part connexion, fostex, ect. so I'm familiar with some of the main sites. Are there kits I'm missing? What do people recommend for kit manufacturers? Obviously I need to decide on a design I'm trending to a Horn-TL hybrid but I'm very open to suggestions.  I own MTM's as my main speaker so I'm aware of what that design can do as well as most 2 way designs I think I'm looking for something different though. preferably higher up on the efficiency scale as I'd like the option to use lower powered amps but not necessarily a must. I'd even consider powered speakers. 

Do you know of a good horn loaded kit? Horn TL hybrid kit? or do you have something totally different that may spark my interest. Subwofer is something i'll do next I think we will see. 

 This is a fun project for me but still wanting good sound from the finished product. Cost is not really a consideration I'd tend to spend a little more for better quality parts but I'm open as this is my first build. lets keep it under $2k but in no way do I need to spend that, couple hundred is fine for a good end result too. I know first time I should buy cheep but then I'll have a speaker I wont use so may as well take my time and do something worth having in the end. 

I'm open to suggestion if I'm thinking down the wrong path. 

Glen 
128x128glennewdick
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
Most 2-way speaker kits are in the 87-88db efficiency range, including your TriTrix (as well as the Solstice). In fact, most manufactured audiophile speakers are in this range as well. There are some super efficient speakers like Klipsch and Tekton, but they are the exception.

If you want efficiency, take a look at the MarkAudio 12P full range 8" driver. It’s not going to have the high frequency extension and attack that tweeters do, but it’s very natural sounding and has good low end response and it’s very efficient at 91.7db. It’s also easy to drive by an amplifier because it’s rated as 8 ohms. If you look at the impedance graph, it doesn’t actually drop below 9 ohms so you don’t need a big powerful high current amplifier. However, you’d have to build your own cabinet. The slightly smaller 10P driver is also great, but not quite as efficient. For what it is, it does an exceptional job and you don’t have to worry about crossover design. I built a 12P center channel and it does an amazing job for a full range driver.

There are other very high efficiency full range drivers, but they all have problems of one sort or another (such as extremely breakup at a certain frequency or a tilt towards the upper mids/high with thin bass). The MarkAudio is one of them that does the entire frequency range right.

The MarkAudio metal cone full range speakers do have a bit more high frequency, but they also sound a bit metallic and bright/harsh in comparison because of the breakup problem on metal drivers.
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick OP
1,500 posts
 
auxinput;  thanks for the suggestion of the MarkAudio 12P sound interesting for sure. I'll be looking at that driver with interest among others.

 I do have room for OB as well so between horns and OB full rangers are defiantly of interest as a prior Omega SAM owner.  I've actually been looking at OB in the Pure Audio Project, Spacial Audio, etc. for some time. 

I'm quit familiar with high efficiency speakers as i run a SET 300B based amp and have high'ish efficiency speakers now in the Living Voice Avatar 2's @94db 6ohm min, in my main system. they are fine for my listening levels in my condo. I don't think I have owned speakers below 90db in a decade or two. 

This system I'm putting together will reside in my office-bedroom area and may do second duties in my living room system on occasion I'm just more interested in doing something for myself been too long pushing paper at work I miss tech'ing-turning wrenches etc.  


pragmasi
212 posts
 
I know you're looking for a flat pack solution but if you could get a carpenter to make up the cabinets for you there are some great designs on the Seas website. I made the A26 as an experiment and was blown away by the cost/performance ratio.
I've also been meaning to make some LXminis but not got around to it yet, there are several well regarded designs on Siegfried Linkwitz's site.
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick OP
1,500 posts
 
pragmas

I may be able to, I was thinking birch ply may be a better material to use as well so opens that door. 

 I have the gentle man who built my plinth well did the bulk of the wood working. He is just dead slow but quality of work is top notch so worth it in the end, I may use him if this goes that way.

 I have also been thinking of renting space at the wood working club as I don't have space or tools anymore for serious wood working (precising cutting etc) that would give me some space to do it my self. But I wil last I am not a pro wood worker I just can do it ok when I have to. I tend to electro mechanical stuff. 

Its not really that hard to build from a spec sheet, diagram and drawings. part numbers for drivers would be nice too. I just want the hard engineering stuff done right I can do the assembly etc. just be nice to have something worth having and look presentable. 
pragmasi
212 posts
 
For a first build the A26 speakers are about as simple as you can get, there's no crossover to speak of (just a high pass on the tweeter) and it's a straight forward box. For the cabinet work I get by with a Makita SP6000 for cutting down the boards, a router with a circle jig and a hand drill. If you can get access to a table saw etc. then even better. 
Ply is a good idea, just remember if you use a different thickness board keep the same internal dimensions so that the air volume is as specified. Seas are great drivers but I don't know how easy they are to source in the US, another great resource is zaphaudio.com, Zaph is very well regarded in the DIY world (I think he may have designed some of the Madisound kits too).

My only other advice is don't get too lost in the world of 'high-end' capacitors and the like... strangely the more you spend the less technical information you get about the capacitor's properties. Have a look at the components Zaph uses and go along those lines.
More to discover