DIY Audio Projects Forum

I need to do something about my PC's speakers. My current setup (Logitech Z4, got them on sale) has been serving me well for years, but I require more.

Basically what I want as of right now is just a 5.25" woofer (I'll go to 6.5" if need be, but that's getting a bit large for the space I have available), and then a tweeter. The woofers should provide adequate bass until I get around to getting a subwoofer. At this point in time, it's probably best I don't have a sub, as I'm renting an apartment while I go to school

I listen to mostly metal. I really like sound quality. I don't care much about how loud they get, but they have to sound good. And the tricky part, they have to be cheap. School doesn't give me a lot of wiggle room when it comes to my budget. Obviously they don't have to be the highest quality out there, but I want something that's enjoyable to listen to.

I had a friend suggest THESE. I'm shooting for <$100 for a pair of mids and a pair of tweeters, but I don't know how realistic that is. I'll probably just incorporate a small gainclone or something into each enclosure. I'll worry about the amps after I have speakers picked out.

So I'm just looking for suggestions. If I'd be better off buying something pre-built such as what my friend suggested, then I'm more than happy to go that route. Mind you, I would love to have a little project to work on as well. I can go a bit above my budget if you can convince me that it'll be worth it The setup in general can change as well under the same circumstances.

Thanks,
- Jesse

Hi Jesse,

Are you listening nearfield ?
To save on $$, I'd go with a small 3-4'' fullrange driver, and supplement the bass with an 8'' sub.
The small fullrange drivers will only occupy a fraction of the space and you can place the sub under the table. Also you get to enjoy building your own speaker. An example is the FOuntek FR88EX.

When I was in uni in Melbourne, we had a large living room and my housemates loved watching movies.
So naturally I built a large 3 way =)

For amplification, very simple - build a chip amp. It is cheap and sounds decent.

_________________
Kind Regards,
Dinesh

Some of my diy audio projects:

• Elliot Sound Products - P3A 100W Amplifier
• TMM 2.5 Way Loudspeaker with Scanspeak 18W8546
• 2-Way MTM Loudspeaker with Scanspeak 21W8554 and D2904-7100

I assume by nearfield you just mean I'm physically close to the speakers themselves? If so, then yes, they're ~2ft. away. If not, well, please explain yourself

So a pair of those 3" fullranges with the addition of a subwoofer will give me accurate reproduction across the entire spectrum? Man was I over-complicating things

One thing I'm worried about is the aluminum cone. I always associate metal cones with harshness. Do you have any personal experience with these drivers (or something similar)?

Thanks for the input

Yup that's correct. Even large bookshelves with 6.5 or 7'' woofers will sound like they lack bass when listened to nearfield. That's why I suggest a sub.


Yup fairly accurate. The small drivers are good to about 100Hz and that's where the sub takes over.
2 way speakers will require crossovers and that increases costs.


Unfortunately I haven't but there are many reports on diyaudio.com on the great sound.
Generally metal cones have an unmatched clarity over paper or kevlar.

PS: Some subwoofer plate amps may even have connections for the front speakers so you may not even need to build an amp for the speakers. So basically all you need is a pair of the fullrange speakers, one 8'' subwoofer driver, subwoofer plate amp and of course your enclosures for the 3'' drivers.

Let's wait for the rest to give some opinions ;P

_________________
Kind Regards,
Dinesh

Some of my diy audio projects:

• Elliot Sound Products - P3A 100W Amplifier
• TMM 2.5 Way Loudspeaker with Scanspeak 18W8546
• 2-Way MTM Loudspeaker with Scanspeak 21W8554 and D2904-7100

Awesome, thanks a lot for your help! While I do trust your input, I also vote to wait for some more suggestions. It's too late for me to think right now, so I'll worry about it in the morning

Thanks again,


- Jesse

I can't imagine spending over $100 for those Cerwin Vegas when you can get powered(built in amplifier) Audioengine 2s for $199. They have received glowing reviews, and are specifically made for the task you describe.

http://www.stereophile.com/standloudspeakers/1207ae/

Cheers,
Greg

Wow, that review did a fantastic job at convincing me those are stunning speakers. I'll definitely take those into consideration, although it's definitely in the higher end of my budget.

Thanks,
- Jesse

EDIT: I'm still really wanting to build something myself, so help a noob out? What kind of specs should I be looking for in a driver? I know sensitivity is a pretty important one, and Frequency Range is useful as well, but the rest is really gibberish to me. Any tips/reading material/etc.?

Jesse,

If DIY is your path, then you'll need to come up with a creative enclosure idea to stay anywhere near $100. That is especially true if sound quality is one of your goals. If you don't take care to match drivers, enclosure, and crossover, you may end up with something that won't sound as good as even the Logitechs.

$100 is a tough price point for a DIY bookshelf type with good sound quality unless you have some donor enclosures or some such thing to help with the cost. There are lots of mass produced, 2-way bookshelfs under $100, as can be seen on the site where the Cerwin Vegas are shown. But, again, are they that step up you're looking for?

I've been in this situation before, where I wanted to "upgrade", then in the process decided to cut costs in some ways, and ended up with a result that was inferior to what I already had, and was a waste of my time and money.

Having said all that, a good DIY result makes for a great feeling.

Cheers,
Greg

Jesse,

Here's something else to consider if you decide to not go DIY. Swan speakers are very highly regarded. I have heard their really high end stuff, but can't comment on the PC monitors. But I would think they're well worth the price. The M10s look very promising with the inclusion of a subwoofer.

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/manufact ... p?mPath=10

Cheers,
Greg

On a tight budget you may want to consider the Dayton B652 6-1/2" 2-Way Bookshelf Speaker Pair which are about $35 / pair! Plenty of reviews that the bang for the buck is pretty good. But since you are in Canada, you need to look at shipping and taxes and customs fees if they are shipped UPS/FedEx/DHL. See this thread (Hidden UPS Shipping Fees (US to Canada)).

I see PE has a brief video on these speakers.



Not much valuable info in the video but there is a pair of Tang Band D4-1 DIY Back Horn Speakers in the background.
Cheers

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