..yikes..lots of armchair, spit-balling going on here from folks that really haven't a clue, but are compelled to say..something, even if it's embarrassing.
DIY Speaker Kits, a good idea?
Looking at the high quality of drive units in DIY loudspeaker kits like from Madisound, GR Research, SEAS, etc., it easily looks like a sonic bargain.
However, the typical audiophile mantra is to demo for yourself to find what subjectively “resonates” with you. Can’t do this with a kit. But a kit could be a sonic jackpot for one on a tight budget. Also seems fun to build.
What’s your opinion?
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As said I have heard Troels Graveson Designs and am impressed with the experiences had. There is seeming to be the suggestion that Cabinets are to be produced by the DIY Builder. This is quite askew, most DIY Produced Speakers I have heard have the Cabinet produced by a Machine Shop. A CNC Machine is the perfect tool to produce the parts to be assembled. Some CNC Services will not tie one into using the board material. The the option is to assemble oneself or have a professional assembly, the Matching Service can possibly offer the assembly service. A Basic Cabinet but well braced is approx' $400 A Complex Cabinet, with chamferring on Baffle and Bracing is approx' $700—$900 Aesthetics are again quite an easy option. CheapO - Tart the Cabinets Up by ones own hand. Mid Range Expensive - Custom Paint Coating - 2 - 3 Coatings and Multi Coats of Laquer, or a not too rare wood Veneer. It Most Expensive - Rare Wood Veneer from a Cabinet Maker. Range of Cost will extend from $50 - $500 Drivers if acquired New and a Three Way Design will be close to $2K - $3K Xover if Passive can easily extend from $800 to $2.5K. A Speaker Design from TG costing approx' $4.5K - $6K using PC Triple C Wire within the Cabinet. When properly Broken In is going to need a Particular Speaker (not any Speaker) approaching $40K to show where it has shortcomings.
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For those so inclined, here is a thread discussing a $1000 DIY speaker build (exclusive of cabinets). The thread leans technical, but that's pretty typical of DIYaudio and also that's a start-from-scratch project. If you purchase an established kit you don't have to deal with any of that. Hope it feels inspiring! https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/the-1000-budget-build-begins.430013/ |
I have built/assembled the Seas A26 and Satori Helios Textreme kits available from Madisound. In both cases I concluded the resulting performance is on par with commercially available speakers that retail for >3X the price of the assembled kit. They are indeed a bargain in that sense. The Helios performs better, but it’s also the more expensive kit with costlier drivers. That said, for those who want a complete speaker that gives similar performance value, look no further than the Philharmonic HT Tower speaker—stupidly good value in the world of finished speakers.
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