Fixing your cable problems forever.

So I keep going back and forth in my head about making a set of speakers.

What stops me is two things:

1. I just don't see the exact kit for me in terms of price and configuration. I do not want cabinet components.

2. I get the feeling that if I spend $300 to make a set of small towers that a $200 used set of small towers will look and sound better.

Still, every time I come to the conclusion that this makes no sense my mind keeps going back to putting a set together. So now I'm thinking about putting my own components together based on some of the kits out there.

My single biggest question is the crossover. I know there is a lot or art and science in crossover design and selection. I'm just looking for a ballpark frequency cutoff for a small two-way tower with a 1" tweeter and 6-7" woofer. Is there such a number?

I made my power cables....Accrolink and top Furutech plugs.....work fabulous for me.  For those that are interested...look at the Doug Schroeder suggestion of doubling up....   I did and find them much better than any store bought items.

No purchase will ever give you the learning and self improvement building will.

So keep that in mind.

Next, retail markup on speaker drivers is 10:1 or more! So if you spend $200 on drivers,  you would have to sell the speakers for $2k to stay in business.

Best,
E

I agree. That’s why I get into this sort of thing. Some have heard me mention the cabin that I have....which is where these home-made speakers would go. I built it too. From a log cabin kit. Did everything but the foundation. Had help with electricity. Did all the plumbing myself.

From what I’ve researched this should not be a difficult project at all even if I build the crossovers myself. The woodwork is fairly simple. The challenge there would to be make a cabinet that looks really fine. I’m not inclined to go that route per se. In other words, I won’t be making deep lustrous piano black cabinet with multiple curves etc. Chances are the front will be a nice piece of wood with a basic satin finish. The sides will likely be hardwood faced plywood and likely be painted a dark color.

I’ve got more research to do. Even if I use cheap-ish drivers and crossovers I do want them to be properly matched.

Two of the best things you can do to diy your speakers is download WinIsd and Passive Crossover Designer.  They’re both free and an absolute necessity if you’re going to design something that will sound good.  WinIsd models the frequency response for a given driver and cabinet volume and PCD models frequency response for drivers and crossover slopes. There’s a learning curve, but absent these tools, you’re just putting speakers in a box.  Another option would be to buy a kit.  I found designing from scratch to be much more rewarding though.