Help me spend my vacation

[lexiphanic]

Both time and money. A week and a half and about a thousand dollars.

I'm torn between what I want to accomplish with a week and a half of time off work I'm taking at the end of march. The way I see it, I can build some speakers: Either some new monitors for my project studio, or the TMWWs that have generated such a massive thread.

Or...

I could spend my money on software for designing speakers and do something like building a set of components for my car and getting that going. It'd be nice to finally get into the creation side of things as opposed to just building other peoples designs.


Currently in my studio I am using Dr. Ks MTMs listed on the Parts-express site. I've had my eyes on the studio monitor project outlined by Vance Dickason as a good replacement. Other designs that would work in a nearfield treated hobby studio environment would be appreciated. (if it was a 90% performance for 60% of the cost, that would be convenient) Ideally I want to get away from a ported cabinet for my studio as I have a very capable sub setup already in place to handle the lower octaves. I'm planning on working a behringer processor in there somewhere as well to fine tune the lower registers.

Obviously the TMWWs are tempting because they are huge. And despite what my ex-girlfriend always told me, I'm pretty sure that bigger *is* always better. These would be neat just because at some point in my life I need massive mains that I can drag around with me for the next 20-30 years.

Natalie P's have caught my eye because I might already have several of the parts for them if I scrapped my current studio monitors.

So maybe I could scavenge some parts off my current setup for the Nat. Ps and also build studio monitors....

Anyway, I appreciate any and all input.

(oh noes, the dreaded 'a usersfirst post is a thread')

[augerpro]

Man I can't even complete the finishing of an enclosure in a week and half! Much less design AND build the speaker. Do you not sleep? :lol:

[crackyflipside]

Build a DIY sub first to get yourself aquanted with the router and other woodworking tools.

If you already do have some experience with woodwork then go for the TMWW design, if you liked making them then go and get some speaker building reading material and do one yourself.

My 2 cents. :T

[lexiphanic]

Man I can't even complete the finishing of an enclosure in a week and half! Much less design AND build the speaker. Do you not sleep? :lol:

For this week, perhaps not.

There are several reasons for this vacation: need to get out of my WOW hibernation. I have all of the parts that I need for a router dust collection system and need to get it set up and running.

I've built four different speakers setups so far, not including sub boxes for my last car. The lytle five points, Dr. Ks MTMs, my studio subs that are built into the walls, and my current HT sub.

I totally dig building speakers, but hate the dust.

[Dennis H]

Currently in my studio I am using Dr. Ks MTMs listed on the Parts-express site.

First project, upgrade the crossovers in the speakers you have. The Natalie P (better) and Modula MTM (best) speakers in the Missions Accomplished section use the same drivers but sound better with the improved crossovers. Get ready for some sticker shock with the price of the crossover components.

[joecarrow]

I second what Dennis says. The Modula MTM crossover would be best- definitely better than the Dr. K version. Maybe if you're lucky you can re-use some of the resistors and capacitors from the old crossover.

Chris B has a good point, too- there's an awful lot to learn if you haven't built speakers before.

If you want sealed instead of ported, there's absolutely no reason that you can't run any one of the MTM designs as sealed- just make sure that there's a good active crossover between the sub and your monitors.

[cjd]

Heck, while you're at it add a bass bin, go for the WWMTM towers. you already have the mids and tweet for this one so it would be within budget quite comfortably I think.

C

[lexiphanic]

Ok, so a rebuild of some sort will definitely be in order. Maybe I'll even build both. I have a friend that was quite impressed with the original MTMs. I could build him the Natalie Ps, and build myself two of the WWMTMs. That way I would get to hear both.

Hmmm...