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DIY mid to low end speakers. Worth the price?

I have been doing woodworking for a few years. I start with a tree and go all the way to the end product. I'm not particularly talented at it but I can make basic shelves, bookcases and small tables.

I am also a passive audiophile. By that I mean I have my 3 systems, I like them and don't feel the need to upgrade. My main system is at least 30 years old.

Given those two interests it seems like it might be fun to build a pair of tower speakers. They would replace the Polk Audio Monitor 70s ($180 used) that I use in my lowest end system down at my cabin. They are driven by an NAD 316BEE integrated. They sound remarkably good together.

I am looking at the Tori Tower P2 kit from CSS. It is their most basic tower kit and is configured like my current Polks. I like the idea of the CSS kits because of the 3D printed board for circuits for simplicity and since I'm not into electronics.

All of this is to ask if the CSS hardware, which is $650, would be worth it from a sound quality standpoint assuming I do everything right. I do not know anything about speaker components. 

For perspective, if I have fun building them, and they look better than the Polks (which they should) and they sound better than the Polks then I will be satisfied. I mostly don't want to pay $650 for a pile of parts worth $100. Thanks for any input.

n80
simao's avatar
simao
1,976 posts
 

For 650 you're also paying for the design and crossover testing, etc. CSS is a pretty well respected DIY kit, as are Madisound  ans SB Acoustics. If you're comfortable with fabricating and assembling panels and baffles, you'll be happy. 

kevemaher's avatar
kevemaher
393 posts
 

If you're interested in how a speaker works, there's no better way than to go through the process of making your own.

It is important that you measure the performance of the components individually first, and then test the assembly.

Don't forget about performance at angles other than normal incidence (straight line from center of speaker to ear). This is a measure of angular dispersion which is important since sound will bounce off all the walls. Also check performance right at the crossover(s) frequency (s)).

You'll need to make sure when measuring that you exclude the reflected sound

kevemaher's avatar
kevemaher
393 posts
 

Oops, hit the wrong button!

The last sentence should read like this...  

Test on-axis near field performance first. Place microphone close and pointed directly at a speaker or the whole box. It may be helpful to use REW or some other software that will assist in removing wall reflections from the result. This tests the performance of ea ch driver in the box as opposed to on the bench.

I have built many speakers, some very big. It is a rewarding task. I was amazed how difficult it is to get everything right. You will learn a lot, which will deepen your understanding of how the whole audio system works together to create that wonderful sound.

simao's avatar
simao
1,976 posts
 

+1 on the above post. My son and I recently built a pair of C note speakers from Parts Express and just increasing the panel size from one half inch MDF to 3/4 Baltic birch plywood and adding some internal baffling changed and improved the measurements completely from the original specs

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