DIY Speaker Kits, a good idea?
Looking at the high quality of drive units in DIY loudspeaker kits like from Madisound, GR Research, SEAS, etc., it easily looks like a sonic bargain.
However, the typical audiophile mantra is to demo for yourself to find what subjectively “resonates” with you. Can’t do this with a kit. But a kit could be a sonic jackpot for one on a tight budget. Also seems fun to build.
What’s your opinion?
For those so inclined, here is a thread discussing a $1000 DIY speaker build (exclusive of cabinets). The thread leans technical, but that's pretty typical of DIYaudio and also that's a start-from-scratch project. If you purchase an established kit you don't have to deal with any of that. Hope it feels inspiring! https://www.diyaudio.com/community/threads/the-1000-budget-build-begins.430013/ |
I have built/assembled the Seas A26 and Satori Helios Textreme kits available from Madisound. In both cases I concluded the resulting performance is on par with commercially available speakers that retail for >3X the price of the assembled kit. They are indeed a bargain in that sense. The Helios performs better, but it’s also the more expensive kit with costlier drivers. That said, for those who want a complete speaker that gives similar performance value, look no further than the Philharmonic HT Tower speaker—stupidly good value in the world of finished speakers.
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I built a speaker for the same reason I build amps — to understand better how they work. At the same time, I’ve been pleasantly surprised how well they work. I’m talking Pass diy electronics and a Parts Express-sourced speaker. All the Pass diy stuff is fairly low power, from 8 watts to about 15 watts. That meant the diy speaker needed to be high sensitivity, and I went with a full range driver rated at just under 95 dB, then put it in an appropriate box that came as a precut flat pack. I’ve done woodworking, but I can’t match CNC machinery precision. You can find everything you need regarding internal volume, ports, resonance, stuffing and other specs online or in one of the speakers building books. A member of our local audiophiles club has the X-Otica speaker kit from GR Research and it is outstanding, not to mention a beauty. (He had it painted Ferrari red — just the paint cost more than my speaker project!), Finally, a word about Mark Audio. Nelson Pass himself is a diy speaker maker. He has designed a small EQ circuit aimed at fullrange drivers aimed at improving frequency response, and I use it. But in a post on DIYAudio, he noted that if you’re using a Mark Audio driver, don’t bother with EQ. They don’t usually need any help, he said. Quite a compliment, I’d say. |
Hello kennyc! By all means build a kit! If you choose an open baffle kit,you don't even need to build a box! In a "bought in a showroom" or from a catalog speaker, you are paying for the finish, the labor, the shipping, the dealer mark up - all those considerable expenses. About 20%. if you are really, really lucky, is for the parts that make the sound. There is an ad running in the back of the audio mags: XXXROGX speaker, kit $350 Built $2800. That speaks volumes. It costs more to get that "piano black finish" than it does to buy the drivers (at wholesale - large quantity prices). I have built the Pluto, LX Mini, LX 521-4 kits from Madisound. No conventional cabinets, easy-peezy! Truly excellent performance. Buy the best crossover parts (get them fully assembled if you can't solder). It will make a big difference. You may have heard that manufacturers tend to skimp on crossover parts. I'm always on the lookout for discarded speakers in the trash (in good neighborhoods) and thrift stores. The owners might not have thrown them out if they had high quality parts in them. The best drivers in the world cannot make beautigful muisic if the music never makes it to the driver! Use at least Mudorf KRP capacitors and 14 gauge copper open air inductors. There are better parts but a $200 capacitor does not sound 4X better than a $50 capacitor (but it might sound twice as good). I bought the same driver (5" coaxial, $175 each) used in a very well regarded speaker (reviewer said "the best small speaker I ever heard" - $3500/pair), got the manufacturerer's suggested plans for a suitable cabinet (free), got the crossovers assembled with the best parts ($110/each, Madisound), spent less the $100 for plywood and had a better sounding pair the $3500 would buy (my crossovers were better) with a painted cabinet for less than $700. 'Nuff said? |
