DIY Bookshelf Speakers

tommyt21
tommyt21 Posts: 685
edited January 2012 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
Does anyone have experince with a project like this?

I have access to the proper wood working materials and tools so building a cabinent is not a issue. I want to build a pair of 2 way bookshelfs because my dad refuses to get rid of the pos Yamaha's and Cerwin Vegas I gave hime ten years ago. I have offered to by him some better speakers but he doesnt want me spending money on him. So the plan is if i build some he has to trade out his god awful Yamaha Bookshelfhs, because parents have to accept gifts that are hand made by their children...LOL like craft time in grade school.

I'm looking at a project with these parameters 2 way bookies with a part budget of $300-350 (excludes wood, nails glue, polyfill) Used for 2 channel music.

How good are the DIY kit parts from parts suppliers?= Zaph, Seas, Dyaton, Scanspeak

Anyone recomend a particular kit or parts?
How good can DIY sound with speakers that are manufactured that cost similar total price?

Thanks
Living Room
Fronts: RTi A7's
Center: Csi A6 VR3 "Fortress Plus"
Front Heights: Rti A1
Surrounds: Rti A3
Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK4 Damn this is a good SUB
Pioneer Pioneer Elite: SC-35-> Emotiva XPA-3
TV: Lg LW6500 55" Passive 3D
Blu-Ray Panasonic BD 210
XboX 360 Slim/Kinect

Acoustimac red suede panels
Post edited by tommyt21 on
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Comments

  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited January 2012
    I would look at the DIY speaker projects that are on the Parts Express website.
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

    Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2012
    These kits sounds very nice for the money.

    http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2-way-speaker-kits/aurasound-ns6-speaker-kit-8-ohm-woofer-parts-only/

    http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2-way-speaker-kits/zaph|audio-za5.2-tm-2-way-pair-with-cabinets/

    I haven't heard these, but based on his other kit, I would assume it sounds nice too: http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2.5-way-speaker-kits/zaph|audio-za5.3t-tmm-tower-pair/
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2012
    dkg999 wrote: »
    I would look at the DIY speaker projects that are on the Parts Express website.
    I wouldn't. Some of the DIY projects there are well designed, but some are not. And for someone who doesn't know better, you'd be better off looking elsewhere else. We just had a long thread about this on PE's Techtalk with no real resolution as feelings were being hurt. :rolleyes:
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • tommyt21
    tommyt21 Posts: 685
    edited January 2012
    Face wrote: »
    These kits sounds very nice for the money.

    http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2-way-speaker-kits/aurasound-ns6-speaker-kit-8-ohm-woofer-parts-only/

    http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2-way-speaker-kits/zaph|audio-za5.2-tm-2-way-pair-with-cabinets/

    I haven't heard these, but based on his other kit, I would assume it sounds nice too: http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2.5-way-speaker-kits/zaph|audio-za5.3t-tmm-tower-pair/

    The first link you posted interests me a great deal. I think at that price point it would be nice to get my feet wet withthat build. However in my research for DIY kits I have had a hard time finding any reviews comparing them to commercialy available products. Any thoughts on the first two kits you had links for. Thanks:biggrin:
    Living Room
    Fronts: RTi A7's
    Center: Csi A6 VR3 "Fortress Plus"
    Front Heights: Rti A1
    Surrounds: Rti A3
    Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK4 Damn this is a good SUB
    Pioneer Pioneer Elite: SC-35-> Emotiva XPA-3
    TV: Lg LW6500 55" Passive 3D
    Blu-Ray Panasonic BD 210
    XboX 360 Slim/Kinect

    Acoustimac red suede panels
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2012
    I heard the first two kits at a local DIY event late last year. They both held up well compared to some of the more expensive kits and custom offerings we heard that day. The Zaph kit sounded more refined, but I believe the owner upgraded the tweeter capacitor.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,650
    edited January 2012
    I built a pair of Zaph ZMV's which I later converted to ZA5.2's after he released his custom version of the MCM driver.IMO an excellent sounding speaker for the money.http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?74167-Budget-Diy-Metal-Mini-Monitor&highlight=metal+mini+monitor
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  • dkg999
    dkg999 Posts: 5,647
    edited January 2012
    Face wrote: »
    I wouldn't. Some of the DIY projects there are well designed, but some are not. And for someone who doesn't know better, you'd be better off looking elsewhere else. We just had a long thread about this on PE's Techtalk with no real resolution as feelings were being hurt. :rolleyes:

    That's good to know! I've stopped by the Madisound store while cruising around WI on the motorcycle and the DIY speakers they had hooked up were really nice sounding.
    DKG999
    HT System: LSi9, LSiCx2, LSiFX, LSi7, SVS 20-39 PC+, B&K 507.s2 AVR, B&K Ref 125.2, Tripplite LCR-2400, Cambridge 650BD, Signal Cable PC/SC, BJC IC, Samsung 55" LED

    Music System: Magnepan 1.6QR, SVS SB12+, ARC pre, Parasound HCA1500 vertically bi-amped, Jolida CDP, Pro-Ject RM5.1SE TT, Pro-Ject TubeBox SE phono pre, SBT, PS Audio DLIII DAC
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  • Obsession18
    Obsession18 Posts: 191
    edited January 2012
    My vote is for a pair of Zaph Audio SR-71's available from Madisound, the parts kit without cabinets is $319. You get some really sweet Seas drivers and the crossovers use good parts. On-line reviews are very favorable.

    http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/2-way-speaker-kits/zaph%7Caudio-sr71-kit-pair-parts-only/

    I recently completed my own DIY project, I rebuilt my old DCM center channel with a ScanSpeak HDS tweeter and two SB Acoustics 6.5inch mid-woofers using a 2400Hz 4th order LR crossover (I used an on-line calculator for the crossover). I put about $250 into it and I will say this it blows the old DCM away, vocals are now crystal clear and discernible no matter how quite the passage is.
    2-Channel System
    Analog: VPI Traveler TT, Audio Technica 150MLX, Pro-Ject Tube Box DS
    CD Player: Jolida JD-100 Preamp: Cambridge 840E Amp: Odyssey Kismet Stereo
    Spkrs: Tyler Acoustics Linbrook Signature Systems
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2012
    I was far from impressed with the SR-71's compared to the other speakers I mentioned.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • vcwatkins
    vcwatkins Posts: 1,993
    edited January 2012
    Face wrote: »
    I was far from impressed with the SR-71's compared to the other speakers I mentioned.

    Which ones did you most like?
    Beach Audio: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Topping D90iii * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
    Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
    Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
    Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
    Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
    Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
    Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited January 2012
    In the price range the OP asked for, see above.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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