Help a first time builder please

[DewChugr]

Hello,

I am interested in building a pair of speakers and I need some advice. I have some electronics experience, butnot design, more construction. I have a good friend that is a master woodworker I hope to get help from. I don't think building will be a problem. The problem I have is what to build and what to expect from the speakers. I have no test equipment other than a Fluke meter and no dsign software. I listened to a pair of Klipsch RB-81s, but $700!

This is what I want to do. I want to build a smallish pair of speakers for my 15 year old son. He's into the linkin park and hip hopish type stuff and likes too much bass. I bought him a pioneer receiver, it's a couple of years old, digital surround, not elite series. He listens to cds, nothing fancy and radio.

This is what I'd really like in order of importance.

Cheap, $100-200 for a first project.
Decent bass and overall sound.
work in teen bedroom, placement wouldn't be ideal I'm sure.
reasonable size, the klipsch were about as big as I'd want to go.

I'm not looking for a kit, but rather plans that have been built and with known results.

Here are a couple of projects I have seen that may work.

Dayton 3 http://www.speakerbuilder.net/web_fi...D3/dayton3.htm

Parts Express BR-1 http://murphyblaster.com/content.php?f=pe_br1.html but I'd rather build the cabinets

Zaphaudio Silver Flute http://www.zaphaudio.com/audio-speaker13.html

Modula MT http://mysite.verizon.net/res6vgmm/danspage/id8.html

I'd like to know if anyone has a recomendation for a project that might fit what I'm looking for.

I'd really appreciate any advice or opinions anyone has.

Thanks,
Steve

[chasw98]

I have built 4 of the Modula M/T's you mention. With careful budgeting you could probably get them built for under $250.00 for a pair. The bass response is quite exceptional for the small cabinet and driver size. They do need to sit away from the wall to get the full response though. You can read all about the design and the variations here http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=13154 . You might also want to mention where you live and see if anybody lives near you that would be willing to let you come over and listen to a finished project.

Chuck

[DewChugr]

Thanks for the information.

I live in central Illinois.

[Jim Holtz]

Thanks for the information.

I live in central Illinois.

Come to the Iowa DIY Speaker Event this Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa and you'll have a chance to hear Modula M/T's, Natalie P's, RS 3-ways and a whole lot more. Email me if you're interested and I'll send you the info about the event.

Jim

[DewChugr]

Unfortunately I won't be able to make it there, it's a bit far for me.

Do you have a feel for what commercial speakers would be on the level as the Modulas? I'm looking for a way to get an idea of what to expect from a pair of speakers like this.

Thanks again

[wildfire99]

Honestly, I'd think that if these are going to go in a teen's bedroom and be belting out Linkin Park and Eminem all day, the Modulas are a bit high-class. Personally if I was going to abuse a bedroom system I'd start out with that Dayton D3 kit. The cheap Dayton drivers are kind of fun to work with because you're not afraid of messing them up. They cost less to replace also when the equally-abused amplifier decides to roll over and die.

What would be even more fun (speaking in terms of SPL output), albeit way out of the budget, are the refined BR-1's with a sub. Thump thump.

Here's today's Wildfire adventure: For my temp computer system, I had picked up a set of Polk Monitor 30's ($200/pr) that are ported 5.25" bookshelf units. They had no low-end extension at all, not even what you'd normally expect from a smaller bookshelf unit. They also had no soundstage, and a sweet spot that measured in millimeters.

So while eating lunch the other day I picked up a pair of 3-way plastic-encased boom box speakers made by Aiwa for $5 from a nearby thrift store for fun, and after doing the usual swap and waiting for my ears to adjust, they sound better than the Polk's. Why? Because they have such a forward and congested sound, with a terribly overblown low end, that for hip-hop style music that is already engineered for that kind of playback, they seem full, authoratative, and lively. It's all in what you want, and for this application, $5 beat out $200.

Along the same vein, I bet the Modulas, or any reasonably well-built DIY system over $150, will cream anything you could buy at Circuit City or Best Buy (and I say that having just trolled around both places looking for something quick and easy for audio). Generally speaking, I think the ratio is 10:1. Every dollar in a DIY system matches against 10 from a retail system, thus your $250 modulas would be put up against $2,500/pr units.