Uncompromising DIY loudspeakers

[Adi777]

I would like to know your opinion on uncompromising loudspeakers. What are your ideas for such speakers and why do you consider them the best.

 

[Adi777]

Really? Nobody, nothing? Maybe my question is not fully understood. I mean, is an open baffle a better idea, or maybe a sealed column, or a bass reflex? And why? What about the size of the bass drivers, which configuration - 2 way, 3, 4, 5, or 6 way?

 

[Digby]

I feel like your question is too broad, everything depends on the space and purpose of the speakers.

Personally, I feel like small speakers are pretty well wrapped up these days. Large speakers are much more expensive to buy (as they sell few units and are more expensive to ship), so this is what I would try my hand at building, hoping to save a fair bit of money along the way, for similar performance. Say something like 10" or 12" bass reflex with CD horn.

 

[mightycicadalord]

I just can't think of any designs that aren't a compromise in some way. Without context it's hard to say which design will have the least amount of compromises for the user.

 

[Rednaxela]

Is this the same as the ultimate DIY speaker? Because that has been discussed quite recently, and may be a reason for the limited response so far.

 

[Rednaxela]

What's your DIY speaker 'ultimate design'?

For me? It would be a 3 way speaker with a 4-5 inch midrange and a 1 inch tweeter (concentric/coaxial design) with a 6-8 inch high excursion woofer, in a bookshelf style, with the mid/tweeter separated into two separate chambers.. with a quality crossover, and hermetic seals all over the place...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Adi777]

Czy to to samo, co najlepszy głośnik do majsterkowania?

I think no, it's not the same.
Okay, let's say I'm building a house and in a while I'll be completing a living room audio system, so I think the DIY option seems very interesting. Of course, I wouldn't build loudspeakers, but a company that deals with such things.

I just can't think of any designs that aren't a compromise in some way. Without context it's hard to say which design will have the least amount of compromises for the user.

Okey, what if money are not problem, also dimensions of speakers, and I don't now, what is WAF?

 

[gene_stl]

WAF= wife acceptance factor
My wife once said laughingly "Love me, love my stereo" She does too because she has gotten the opera bug pretty badly.

 

[Adi777]

WAF = współczynnik akceptacji żony

I now what is WAF, I wrote - I don't now, what is WAF as like a joke

I heard that large - 15 - 18 inch woofers are better because they have less distortion, because they deflect less, especially at high volume. Is it true?

 

[gene_stl]

I am sure that there are smaller subs that many folks could not pass an ABX comparison test if they are properly integrated.

 

[Rednaxela]

Perhaps this for the subwoofer part?

'+'

 

[LTig]

Really? Nobody, nothing? Maybe my question is not fully understood. I mean, is an open baffle a better idea, or maybe a sealed column, or a bass reflex? And why? What about the size of the bass drivers, which configuration - 2 way, 3, 4, 5, or 6 way?

There is no such thing as a non compromising loudspeaker, since a perfect speaker does not exist yet. Depending on the size and treatment room, the number of listeners and other factors one needs to choose a speaker/design with the least number of compromises.

That said, a set of active speakers like the Neumann KH310, KH420 and the Genelec 8351 and 8361, together with 2 or more matching subs and room EQ will give you a system which is very hard to beat for almost all home uses.

 

[DVDdoug]

Every speaker is a compromise and I wasn't trying to build "the best" but I have an 8-foot "speaker stack" in my living room, along with my 8-foot "VU Meter". (Actually a VU meter effect that automatically adjusts to the signal level so it doesn't measure anything.)

The speaker project got "interrupted" and the cabinets were never finished. The tweeters are "louvered" and they rotate so they can be pointed-down and toward the center.

Compromises - The multiple tweeters & midranges probably create phase problems and I've never measured the speakers. The high tweeter position is "unnatural" and the wide vertical pacing probably fouls-up the "imaging", but I mostly listen to rock and roll!

I originally built a version of these in the 1970s based on a manufacture's recommended design (Phillips-Norelco). The bass was a little weak (even with the 12-inch woofers) so the next generation was a larger cabinet. This is the latest version with the 15-inch subwoofers added, the louvered tweeters, and the stacked trapezoid design. I suppose the biggest compromise was re-using the drivers I already had (except for the added sub) but they are still in good shape and I didn't have any complaints.

I have neighbors so I really don't "take advantage" of these things...

 

[HammerSandwich]

I mean, is an open baffle a better idea, or maybe a sealed column, or a bass reflex? And why? What about the size of the bass drivers, which configuration - 2 way, 3, 4, 5, or 6 way?

If I were building an AV room on a realistic budget, I'd do something like Follgott's at avsforum.com/threads/follgotts-build-24-subwoofers-motorized-riser-curved-screen.1507428/ And I'd probably follow Geddes' construction/noise-control tips fairly closely (see Whole Book here.)

If that's not best bang per buck when you're already building a room, it's close enough & reasonably practical. If you really want to drop an extra $15k on a surround system, add a Trinnov.

 

[OWC]

It's a bit like asking, what is the best way of cooking, without knowing what you're cooking for, what you taste is, what your skills are and even what the context is?

Apparently people don't seem to understand the idea of "context" and "situation" and assume things are always only just "better".
Don't even know what that word better even means.
All systems have compromises.

 

[morpheusX]

For me, this is what "uncompromising-diy" looks like

Source: https://www.avsforum.com/threads/javs-modular-tower-wmtw-15fh520-beyma-12p80nd-v2-tpl-150h.2858234/

 

[OWC]

For me, this is what "uncompromising-diy" looks like

Source: https://www.avsforum.com/threads/javs-modular-tower-wmtw-15fh520-beyma-12p80nd-v2-tpl-150h.2858234/

To me it looks rather excessive, especially considering the room size.
But if that makes you happy, go for it. Goes to show how important context is.
Can't judge about the actual quality of the system(s) and if there is any room corrections and such.

 

[JeffS7444]

I've been very happy with Linkwitz Pluto, so if I were to upgrade, LX Mini, LX Studio or even LX521 would be very interesting to me, depending on the size of my room.

 

[Adi777]

Gdybym budował pokój AV przy realistycznym budżecie, zrobiłbym coś takiego jak Follgott na avsforum.com/threads/follgotts-build-24-subwoofers-motorized-riser-curved-screen.1507428/ I prawdopodobnie bym podążał Wskazówki Geddesa dotyczące konstrukcji/kontroli hałasu dość dokładnie (zobacz tutaj Cała książka ).

Jeśli to nie jest najlepszy zwrot za złotówkę, gdy już budujesz pokój, jest on wystarczająco blisko i dość praktyczny. Jeśli naprawdę chcesz wydać dodatkowe 15 000 USD na system surround, dodaj Trinnova.

Hey, I meant the stereo system for listening to music, not cinema room.

 

[voodooless]

I would like to know your opinion on uncompromising loudspeakers.

They don’t exist. Everything is a compromise. You’ll just need to figure out what you want to compromise on.