What is the easiest speaker kit, for a Novice?


What would be your recommendation for an easy to build high end speaker kit that involves almost no woodwork or soldering??
bbchem
Bbchem,

What you see in the factory assembled Hawthorns is not really an enclosure. It is a baffle (board), but it has a frame over which the grille cloth is stretched. This makes it look a bit more like a conventional speaker.

You could ask on the Hawthorn forum or on the Open Baffle speaker forum at www.Audiocircle.com . You may find someone who will cut a baffle for you or someone that is moving on to a new baffle and may sell their old one to you.

The Hawthorns are a high efficiency open baffle speaker. Depending on your taste and depending on your point of reference, the Hawthorns could be the best speaker you've ever heard. But it is unlikely that the Hawthorns will win any beauty contest. Really, most people simply take a board, cut a hole in it and mount the driver and crossover. The beauty is in the fact that you can get true audiophile sound quality for well under $400 (driver kit, plus wood for baffle).

Enjoy,

TIC
Your best bet, especially if you don't want to build crossovers is to buy a madisound kit. Parts express has finished enclosures you can buy, but you still need to route the driver holes.

As Mitch2 pointed out, Mensicus audio will design speakers for you. They can actually provide you with a completed speaker. Enclosure finished and everything. You can choose one of their kits or have them design something custom for you. They are more than happy to build the crossovers as well.

Are you looking at DIY to save money or because you have interest in it? You won't be saving any money having someone build the crossover, and cabinet for you.
Let me explain, I have had 30 pairs of high end speakers. Now I would like to see the internal working of the speaker in as simple a way as possible. I want to save money because if I make a mistake it won't have that much of an impact.
You might look at the Audio Note Kits. I've not heard the speaker, but I built the dac 2.0 signature kit and, to me, it is fabulous and bettered my modified Wadia 301 by a large margin. The speaker kit does not look too complex and you can order the cabinet too - and I found Brian to be patient and helpful. Jeff