Need a new build suggestions

[jus24112]

Hey guys kinda new to this forum, was looking around a lot in the DIY Showcase ect. I need a new DIY towers. I currently have a full 7 Vifa BIG AV kits and they sound great but I really don't have anything to compare to. What fronts would match up with the rest of that system for HT / Music... Have about 1500 for Drivers and all ready have a lot of MDF 1" and 3/4"

Any suggestions would be great...

I also have 2 BIC PL-200r 12" Subs and 1 Velodyne DEQ-12R Sub


Thanks :P

[Wheels]

I've only heard the statements, so I don't know how well they would match up with what you have, but I don't see how you could go wrong with them. they should fit in your budget pretty easily.

[baniels]

Admittedly, I'm biased, but I finished my Clearwave 4TSE pair a few weeks ago. The kit fits your budget and they sound amazing. $1,360 for everything - drivers, assembled crossovers, foam, etc. You just build the cabinets and make it happen.

A friend of mine built the Statements, but I haven't heard them yet so I can't speak to a comparison. Does your listening room allow for ample space behind the speakers? The open back mid tunnels in the Statements require more distance from the back wall. I don't recall the exact recommendation, but it might be something like 18". That was out of the question for me.

[Generic George]

It's not important to match surrounds to the mains/centers. The mains and centers should be similar or ideally identical.

$1,500 for the drivers I assume includes the costs of the crossover components? Because that can add $100-$300 to the cost of each speaker, especially for a 3 way design. So that would be kind of tight for a really good pair of mains + a center channel. So I would be inclined to just build the mains for now and save money for the center while you are building the mains which is likely to take a while anyway.

The best overall guide to available DIY speaker designs I've found is right on this web site and includes at least a rough price guide for most. Also unlike a lot of DIY designs there are at least some with associated center channel designs.

Prices have often gone up on drivers recently due to increased rare earth prices that get used in neodymium drivers.

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=28655

Selah audio has kits available for a number of their speakers and he does have center channels available to go with a lot of them. His 3 ways are basically above your price range, but most of his 2 way designs do fit your budget.

http://www.selahaudio.com/id268.html

One possibility is to also just build a set of good MTM (mid-tweeter-mid) large bookshelf speakers and then sit the two "mains" on a pair of subwoofers, like with these.

http://www.selahaudio.com/id187.html

This site has a number of interesting designs. Though there aren't many (any?) dedicated Center Channel designs to go with mains.

http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/Diy_Loudspeaker_Projects.htm

These are Madisound's kits.

http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/speaker-kits/

[jus24112]

Thanks for all the comments I would be able to get the Fronts / Center prob about 2ft away from the wall with out looking weird. So I guess its between these kits.

1. Clearwave 4T RS with the matching Center

2. Statements With matching center

3. Zaph|Audio ZRT 2.5-Way, Revelator Towers from Madisound with (what center)?

4. Seas Thor Kit via Madisound http://www.seas.no/index.php?option=...d=27&Itemid=40 with again (what center)?


Thanks again for the comments

[Generic George]

Thanks for all the comments I would be able to get the Fronts / Center prob about 2ft away from the wall with out looking weird. So I guess its between these kits.

1. Clearwave 4T RS with the matching Center

2. Statements With matching center

3. Zaph|Audio ZRT 2.5-Way, Revelator Towers from Madisound with (what center)?

4. Seas Thor Kit via Madisound http://www.seas.no/index.php?option=...d=27&Itemid=40 with again (what center)?


Thanks again for the comments

There is a 2 way version of the ZRT. That you could build and use as a Center channel I suppose. Though it does not seem to mention being able to buy just a single one, only the pair.

The Odin kit uses the exact same drivers as the Thor only in a (large) bookshelf MTM and you can order a single set for half the price of a pair (still about $750). It's mentioned at the bottom, though it's unclear exactly where you specify that you want only a single set and not the pair. BTW I think it is still intended to be mounted vertically and not sideways like a lot of MTM Center channel speakers. AFAIK, the crossover is not going to be identical for a vertically and a horizontally mounted speaker, since you have changes in the radiation patterns.

Some people have been displeased with the stock crossover for the Thors IIRC. I think there's a thread around here somewhere on a revised crossover.

http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/mtm-speaker-kits/new-odin-kit-pair/