In my experience, the one thing I would wish for is obtaining drivers which were matched very closely. For example, if a manufacturer specs a +/- tolerance of 1.5 dB, you very well could end up with 2 drivers which are up to 3 dB apart. Thankfully, North Creek offers perfect matched drivers. Have yet to try any.
Apart from that, I must say that while I agree that a DIY cannot achieve the ultimate, how many loudspeaker manufacturers do?
Most DIY designs can compete with most audiophile products. Start with the wisdom of those who came before us. Some simple, cheap tips that people a lot smarter than me have always stressed to me:
1)Remember that mid level drivers in a good box normally sound better than great drivers in a mid level box.
2) Instead of going crazy getting the "best" drivers, think about doing the little things that add up to good sound. - Use really good glue, lay a bead of glue or caulk inside all of the cabinet's outside joints.
- Always use a gasket in the driver/cabinet interface
- Don't put a lot of money in wire. Use good copper(cheaper than you think), and stay away from the cable companies
3) Crossovers are important...
- Despite what a lot of people say, it's harder to mess up a simple topology than it is to get a complicated one right. Keep it simple
- Series crossovers are very forgiving of the tolerances one finds in drivers, caps, and coils. Series crossovers also seem to have a coherence between drivers that is hard to match, glossing over a lot of what you or the component manufacturers did wrong
- If you don't feel comfortable designing a crossover, use a designer's. Nothing flatters them more
And finally, we are normally more critical of ourselves and our work than we are of that of others. When we do a project, we know the mistakes we make, and dwell on them always. When we buy something from others, we assume it is perfectly designed and put together. Not always so.
Apart from that, I must say that while I agree that a DIY cannot achieve the ultimate, how many loudspeaker manufacturers do?
Most DIY designs can compete with most audiophile products. Start with the wisdom of those who came before us. Some simple, cheap tips that people a lot smarter than me have always stressed to me:
1)Remember that mid level drivers in a good box normally sound better than great drivers in a mid level box.
2) Instead of going crazy getting the "best" drivers, think about doing the little things that add up to good sound. - Use really good glue, lay a bead of glue or caulk inside all of the cabinet's outside joints.
- Always use a gasket in the driver/cabinet interface
- Don't put a lot of money in wire. Use good copper(cheaper than you think), and stay away from the cable companies
3) Crossovers are important...
- Despite what a lot of people say, it's harder to mess up a simple topology than it is to get a complicated one right. Keep it simple
- Series crossovers are very forgiving of the tolerances one finds in drivers, caps, and coils. Series crossovers also seem to have a coherence between drivers that is hard to match, glossing over a lot of what you or the component manufacturers did wrong
- If you don't feel comfortable designing a crossover, use a designer's. Nothing flatters them more
And finally, we are normally more critical of ourselves and our work than we are of that of others. When we do a project, we know the mistakes we make, and dwell on them always. When we buy something from others, we assume it is perfectly designed and put together. Not always so.