Fixing your cable problems forever.


Gang, out of a deep desire for camaraderie I have deleted a discussion I had about cable issues because I did so ignorant of how the first three words fit into history. My apologies if anyone could have misconstrued or been offended by it. My ONLY point was to wish everyone well for the holidays and talk DIY.

Please continue discussing here.

As I was saying, making your own speakers and DIYing your own cables is a permanent fix to the cable merry go round.


erik_squires
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.
In a word..NO. Not now, not ever.
I would never trust myself to make my own cables for goodness sake!! And SPEAKERS????
I like my free time, I like my sanity, and I prefer spending that extremely limited time listening to music on equipment designed by professionals with the appropriate experience.

Some of the speaker kits are designed by professionals. Meticulously in fact. And this is often reflected in the price of the kit. But as mentioned above, making your own speakers and cables is not just a way of acquiring gear. Some people, like myself, enjoy building stuff. The work is part of the pleasure. The reward is a well done project.

But I completely understand it isn't for everyone. And even as a project guy I'm putting the idea of building my own speakers and cables on hold until some other projects get completed and when I have more money for higher level speaker components.
I would never trust myself to make my own cables for goodness sake!! And SPEAKERS????

And this is exactly the problem. We rely so much on others that we have no idea what is bs and what is truth or what is worth a certain amount of money. We trade speakers and amps endlessly.

My goal in suggesting you make your own cables or speakers at least once in your life is not because I think you'll save money or stop buying speakers from a retail store but because you'll become an educated consumer.

The more educated consumers we have in this hobby, with first hand experiences, even when they disagree with mine, the better off audiophiles will be as a culture.

Of course, there are some for whom the real part of the hobby is spending money or feeling satisfaction in the accolades of others who also spend money as a hobby. Nothing here stops you all. Go right ahead.
Best,
E