To Buy or to DIY, here is my question

DIY is a process. And the process is it’s own reward. 
 

Since COVID hit, I’ve built several dozen pairs of speakers. DIY speakers are like potato chips. Once you start, it’s very difficult to stop after just one.

Tuning a speaker will help teach you how to listen. Tiny changes in damping, stuffing, crossover components, crossover design will all show you what is, and is not possible to do.

I would suggest starting, as others have suggested, with something simple. If you are handy and can build a square box with accurate dimensions and a couple of holes in it, there is no need to buy a flat pack. And start with an inexpensive design. Use inexpensive components. Think of this as a sketch, a playful experiment. Don’t expect it to be a showpiece out of the gate. Do expect to be surprised to find how little it takes to have something sound decent. That, and how difficult it is to make something truly exceptional. Keep it manageable, both from a technical build part and from an expenditure standpoint. The less stress you place on yourself for the first build, the more enjoyable it will be. What you learn from listening to the build will forever change how you listen to your system. You will literally be put inside the gear.

Perki,

Great advice. What effects a build is stress and rushing it, Sometimes you need to step. back until all the pieces if the puzzle fall into place, 

I'm in production and time is money but sometimes you have to abandon that thought to get the end result you are wanting. 

These were the second pair of speakers I built. They were built for a friend. He was needing to keep himself busy while dealing with cancer. I convinced him to get a new pair of speakers so as to inject some new interest in his system and thereby reconnecting with his music while dealing with his health issues. He wanted a three way speaker, something akin to his Spendors. I convinced him to try something completely different - something he would never in a million years have access to commercially. If he bought the wood and drivers, I would build whatever speaker he wanted. He agreed to these. My feeling was if was getting me to build something, they should be a new sonic experience. If he didn’t like them, he would likely be able to sell them and at least get a chunk of the money back. He has had people wanting to buy them, but he has not parted with them yet :)

Telling this story because DIY allows for new speaker types to be tried, with comparatively little in the way of money being required. And if the building provides joy, then it’s not work, its pleasure. They are the big double backloaded horns.

Buy the Proac D40Rs.

Or Living Voice OBX and a sub.

chorus,

You obviously have more experience and knowledge than I did when starting audio DIY stuff, so I’m sure what you do will be a success.

Given how many acoustic panels you built, I image you have some on the ceiling.  Since I had horns for the upper frequencies, I figured their vertical directional control would be sufficient.  But bass traps in four corners and first and second reflection point treatments making the type of difference you experienced, added some for the ceiling’s reflection point.  It was so helpful I added two more behind them - not as much of a difference, but still worth it.

I don’t have experience with sealed cabinets, but did appreciate the ability to tune the ports on mine - I used two 4” round ports with adjustable length tubes vs. the cutout in the baffle Altec used on the Model 19.

“perkri" offered some good advice and port tuning is another way you can tailor things to your taste you can’t do, (or nearly as easily), with store bought.

With the Altec Model 19, some said raised the tuning frequency of the Altec 416 woofer enhanced the midrange with a just a little sacrifice of low frequency reach.  Sounded good but preferred the balanced sound with cabinet tuned to Great Plains Audio’s suggested 29 Hz - just 4 Hz difference.

You’re right on the mark about multi-directional bracing in the cabinet, especially front to back in the center.

You may already know which capacitors you'd use, but in case you didn’t see this article: https://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Cap.html.

After trying 3 different caps, the descriptions he gave were quite consistent with what I heard and a noticeable improvement over stock grade.  

There’s snow on the ground here, but my JBL 29AV speakers do a decent job taking care of outdoor music.  Still, you’re right, there’s nothing like a large, high efficiency speaker with proper power played outside, especially with a well recorded live album.  So enjoy your music indoors and out.