To Buy or to DIY, here is my question


If I buy the speakers that appear closest to what I desire

they are $11k new and $8k used.

If I buy the raw speakers and build it 

the speakers alone are $2.2k.

That is a 3 way system.

Still must add costs of XOs and cabs.

 

Assume the total custom build cost would be about $3k.

The $8k speakers used are Proac D40Rs.

The raw components would be from ScanSpeak and SB acoustics

and include 10" woofer, 4.5" Mid and a planar ribbon tweeter.

MadiSound provides XO advice. 

 

Comments???

 

chorus

Is this from The Onion?

Jason actually got it right.

The same with knotscott.

As an experienced DIY speaker builder, I say you are valuing your time at $2/hr. Or buy a cabinet kit and adjust your outlay price accordingly. Either way you will end up with nothing to show off.

Nissan makes trucks?

 

 

Don't forget to consider the used market value for when you decide to change.  I think you might find the cost of the Proacs is not that much different than the DIY speakers.  

Some people can build speakers as good or better than factory. I am a big believer in the old maxim, "if you want something done right, sometimes you have to do it yourself".    However, what you can't do yourself, in one iteration, is all the research and development to get all the components and electronics matched, tested, built, tested, rebuilt, tested, .... until your speaker is just right.  Fixing or modifying my car, the formula is clear and I can do it first time every time.  Building a speaker set, I'd only put the time and effort into it if I had a proven design that I had heard, loved the sound, and could duplicate it.

I asked this very question in a thread DIY speakers.

If the design and xover are proven then that leaves building the cabinets to the CAD or drawing specs. 

Not all DIY have someone that makes them and ships them as flat panels for end user to assemble. 

I'm a US manufacturer with high end CNC routers that can knock out cabinets relatively easy. Building tings is what I like to do and was reaching out to members who were also interested in a certain DIY model and we could get a few members as it would reduce CAD, programming and set up time by distributing that cost amongst 3-5 pairs rather than just one. 

 

You'll have to build the speakers to get the answer to your question!

It's like refurbishing an old car; estimate the time and money it'll take and multiply by x, where x is between 2 and 20.