Newbie needs help

[fire01]

Hey guys,this is my first thread on this great forum I m on the verge of starting my first DIY speaker projet and i was wondering on what type of speaker to look at first?Those statements are really nice but also very big for a first projet.

What dou think about Eton 8.1 or 8.2?I want something with alot of low tight bass,clear and detailed sound.

Can anybody help please

[topp]

fire01,

Ryan created a nice post that list most, if not all, the speakers that have been done on this forum. You might want to check it out. http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=28655

You also might want to check out http://www.zaphaudio.com/, he has some nice designs.

Topp

[Hdale85]

How low of bass are we talking? If your looking for 2 channel music mostly then most music doesn't stray too far below 40hz (although more and more lately seem to push this) so just about any of the tower designs would be great for this sort of thing. We really need more info though what kind of space are the speakers going in? Is it a large room? What are you listening preferences? Its more or less going to be something you find interesting and want to build.

[fire01]

The room is open its my living room where my HT is going to be.Its about 14x16 feet and its the main living room.The problem i have is the wall that my tv is on is about 6.5 feet long theres about a 1.5 feet on each side.One of the sides is a corner.

Main use 40% music and 60% HT.I would like a design with a amplified sub so i wont have to add a seperate one even if i have room for it close to my couch.Maybe a MTM design with a 10 inch sub or something.

Thanks

[Hdale85]

Well you could do the NatP's with a bass bin or even the Neo D CC's with a Bass Bin which is how Thomas is running (or will run) his Neo D's. I can't remember if he has the bass bins built yet or not.

I also forgot one important question. What's your budget? How much do you want to spend?

[fire01]

under a 1000$

[topp]

When you say the Statements are very big for a first project, do you mean their overall size or the design complexity?

Topp

[Hdale85]

Hmm....might be hard to build a design and have subs in the bottom with amps. Going to spend like 200 bucks or more on an amp for the 2 subs. Figure 500-600 at least for a set of speakers. Then whatever else you plan on. You CAN do the NatP's for around 500-600. Then you have finishing supplies.

[fire01]

When you say the Statements are very big for a first project, do you mean their overall size or the design complexity?

Topp

Both i guess,i m just afraid in spending alll of that money and i can t get the finish looking good.For the crossovers Solen can build them for me i guess.

The Statements are huge!I wonder what they sound like.I m used to Totem Hawks but i sold everything i had in my old home,so im stuck with a crappy Harmon Kardon AVR147 amp that dishs out like 45 watts or something.All probably go back with Emotiva sooner or later.

Is there enough bass in the Statements to satisfy HT fans?

[impala454]

Is there enough bass in the Statements to satisfy HT fans?

I do not have the full sized statements, but have seen Jim and others mention for HT they roll in a subwoofer. HT bass is a different animal from music bass.

[topp]

I would think you need a separate sub for HT no matter what speakers you build. To me, just being able to place the sub in different spots so that your seating does not fall into the sub dead spots is worth having the separate sub. Just my opinion. Plus in relation to everything else, a DIY sub is cheap.

I have the same concern as you about spending all the money, and time, building the speaker only to mess up the finish. But, I tell my self practice makes perfect. If I mess up the finish, I can build another cabinet. Or just keep the finishes simple, textured paint or just clear poly over veneer.

Personally I would love to build the Statements, but the matching center is too tall for my TV stand.

Topp

[Hdale85]

Hey DIY is not always cheap. In fact we tend to go so overboard with stuff sometimes that it can be more expensive. But it almost always performs better then commercial counterparts.

[ahaik]

I would think you need a separate sub for HT no matter what speakers you build. To me, just being able to place the sub in different spots so that your seating does not fall into the sub dead spots is worth having the separate sub. Just my opinion. Plus in relation to everything else, a DIY sub is cheap.

I have the same concern as you about spending all the money, and time, building the speaker only to mess up the finish. But, I tell my self practice makes perfect. If I mess up the finish, I can build another cabinet. Or just keep the finishes simple, textured paint or just clear poly over veneer.

Personally I would love to build the Statements, but the matching center is too tall for my TV stand.

Topp

In most cases you can refinish the cabinet. I just refinished my Mudula MT, this was my first DIY speaker that wasn't really meant to be a Modula MT, I didn't have a router back then and in order to make the recessed holes I made the through hole on the baffle with a jig saw (a real crappy one) and then laminated an extra 1/4" hardboard with the recess hole, well you can imagine how that looked like . Also the tweeter I used was bigger then the seas so there was almost a 1/4" gap around it.
Last week I closed the tweeter holes, routed new ones with the correct offset and used putty epoxy to fix the woofer depth and recess, then sanded the whole cabinet, re-laminated the baffle restained (with a different stain) and 4 coats of polly and now I'm very happy with the results.
My suggestion is build it (take your time and to it right) and if you don't like the finish you can always refinish.

Just my opinion ...

[fire01]

Nice job ahaik,i like the color looks very stylish and high end.Im on the verge of taking a shot at those Statements but before i m gonna look at some other possibilites that are not as big.Five feet tall speakers are kind of scary on a 6.5 foot wall!! :T

[ThomasW]

IMO the full size Statements are too large for that room. In addition they must be operated well out from the wall.

If you want a smaller 2-way Zaph's SR71 kit is a better design and has better drivers than the 8.1

http://www.madisound.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35_40_402_408&products_id=8306

These will play low enough to match up with a sub. You could make a couple boxes each containng a single 10" or 12" driver and use those as stands for the SR71 boxes

Zaph has a reduced baffle step version of the crossover, this is probably the best option unless you an place the speakers 2' or more away from any wall...

http://www.zaphaudio.com/SR71.html

[topp]

If the Statements are too big you could always build the Mini Statements. http://htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=27552

Topp

[ahaik]

Nice job ahaik,i like the color looks very stylish and high end.Im on the verge of taking a shot at those Statements but before i m gonna look at some other possibilites that are not as big.Five feet tall speakers are kind of scary on a 6.5 foot wall!! :T

Thank you for the kind words fire01.
BTW I was only talking about finishing cabinets, did not speak of any specific design.
It sounds to me like you are looking for something to use for many years (maybe I'm wrong) If so, think for the long run... different house/room etc.
When I built the Statements they where meant to be used as my mains for many years (and still are as I'm very happy with the decision), so even if their placement is not ideal at the moment they will see other placements rooms in the future (very near future ).

[fire01]

Thank you for the kind words fire01.
BTW I was only talking about finishing cabinets, did not speak of any specific design.
It sounds to me like you are looking for something to use for many years (maybe I'm wrong) If so, think for the long run... different house/room etc.
When I built the Statements they where meant to be used as my mains for many years (and still are as I'm very happy with the decision), so even if their placement is not ideal at the moment they will see other placements rooms in the future (very near future ).

Your right ahaik,i do have another room over my garage where my billard room is gonna be.But i might go with a smaller design to start with and then build bigger.What do the Statements compare too in commercial speaker anyways?

Thanks

[Hdale85]

What do the Statements compare too in commercial speaker anyways?

Bose for sure :B

[ThomasW]

What do the Statements compare too in commercial speaker anyways?

Not sure about other DIYers but I don't pay attention to what retailers are offering. Generically speaking something on par with the largest Statements would cost $8-10,000 at retail.