# Complete Noob needs Help



## Guest (Dec 14, 2007)

First, let me thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and offer feedback.

Ok...let me clarify that I am a car audio freak and have been doing custom SQ installs for years. However, I have been doing it for so long I can't even think about Home audio. In fact my brain just shuts off?

So please help me out. I want to build a center channel and two bookshelf speakers using some left over drivers, tweets and cross overs I have from past car builds.

I have a set of Focal Utopia 165W (see specs) http://www.precisioncarsound.co.nz/focalutopia.htm

And a set of focal Polyglass v2 (see specs) http://www.focalaustralia.com.au/Polyglass V2 tech specs/165V2.pdf

So the questions should start with...should I do this? or just buy new drivers

And if I do make a center chanel, should I do a MTTM design or just use one tweet? 
Can I use the supplied crossovers or should I build my own? (they can be bi wired and bi amped)

And what about box design? 

Any thoughts, ideas, suggestions, or recommendations would be more than helpfull. 

I just want to get these speakers out of the garage and doing something.

Thanks,
Ryan


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## JCD (Apr 20, 2006)

Initial general Question:

Does the 165w come with the mid and tweeter? 
I also didn't see the T/S specs for that particular driver. Any idea what they are?

Responses to your questions:

*Should you do this? *
I think so.. I've heard that Car Audio drivers don't usually do so well in a home audio application, but if you've already got them and are willing to experiment a little.. I say try it and see what you think. Buying new drivers, especially from a well established DIY design, specifically for home audio will probably give you better performance though. The final answer will really depend on what you're looking for.. If it were ME, I'd probably slap together a quick and dirty box and see how it sounds with the crossover you've got. If it sounds good, build a "proper" box.

*Should you do a MTTM design?*
No. I don't have the authority to back this one up, but I've heard that a dual tweeter produces some fairly bizarre sonic charateristics. Stick one or go with many.

*Use Crossovers or design a new one*
If the crossovers are designed for the specific drivers, they may work out fine. Are they active? Or Passive? Active will almost surely work out fine. Passive -- I don't know. Again, I'd try a quick and dirty build with the crossover on the outside of the box and see how that goes. Given your backround, I'd assume you'll know if the crossover works with the design or not.

*Box Design.*
Unibox or WinISD are two freeware programs that will help with the box design. Plug in the T/S parameters and it'll give you the dimensions of the ideal box.

JCD


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