# DIY, Who is it for?



## kilgoretrout (Jun 2, 2008)

I'm interested in starting a DIY project, but I'm not sure what exactly it entails. I think it could be a great experience, but only if it makes sense from an economic perspective. Will I save money with a DIY project as opposed to getting something commercially available?

I expect that I don't have the proper equipment either. What tools will I need, and how much will I expect to spend on equipment? How difficult is such a project for someone who has no real experience with woodworking?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Hi and welcome to the Shack,

Your above post is a loaded question, there are pros and cons to doing DIY speakers the main pro is simply the knowledge that you built it yourself and can be proud of what you have done.
DIY speakers take a fair amount of time and as you mentioned proper tools are must have. a good router, drill and bits along with a good table saw with the proper blades, some nice long clamps to hold the box together when drying as well as a Dremal and sander.

The cost is usually more but in the end can be very rewarding. Its always best to start with a pre designed kit so you get a better idea befor you dive into doing one yourself from the ground up as crossovers and driver matching is a must.


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## kilgoretrout (Jun 2, 2008)

Thanks. So I can typically expect DIY speakers to under-perform similarly priced speakers that are commercially available? Can you recommend a kit for a pair of speakers and a subwoofer in for approximately 300-400 dollars?


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## mgboy (Jan 17, 2007)

I would state quite the opposite if you know what you're doing. The costly part is your time. If you take the time, and knowledge to design something that fits your wants/needs, you can beat out the commercial competition.


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## ISLAND1000 (May 2, 2007)

I say you can take any of the top (5) DIY 18 inch drivers put it in a home built ported box and with the Behringer 2500 amp best the performance of many of the commercially available powered subs AND for less money.


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## bobgpsr (Apr 20, 2006)

Agreed. But you must be willing to end up being a halfway decent carpenter in the process. A rewarding project that turns into a hobby. And some power tools (router, etc.) gained in the process. A good saw guide with a power circular hand saw (Skilsaw) can substitute for a table saw.


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## ISLAND1000 (May 2, 2007)

bobgpsr said:


> Agreed. But you must be willing to end up being a halfway decent carpenter in the process. And some power tools (router, etc.) gained in the process. A good saw guide with a power circular hand saw (Skilsaw) can substitute for a table saw.


I had Home depot make all my MDF cuts for me. I had to pay for some of them, .50 cents each. Or . . . . you can buy 2x4 panels already cut and just glue and screw them together. I used strap clamps to hold the pieces together while the glue dried. I added some 1 x 2 bracing inside at strategic locations to make the box more rigid. That left the driver hole to cut. I did that with an inexpensive sabre saw and a heavy duty rip blade. Drill the screw holes with another tool an inexpensive electric drill, buy some mounting bolts and away you go. It might not turn out to be the most esthetically pleasing subwoofer you've ever seen but the performance will be there.
I Guarowntee.


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## mayhem13 (Feb 2, 2008)

I think the OP was talking 2-3 way systems which are much harder to design and execute than subs. I've been doin subs for a while now and still haven't attempted a design for pile of drivers i've bought for mains-really scary stuff, lots of math,measuring,etc. If the goals is to build one set of speakers one time then don't do it. But if this appeals to you as a potential hobby then jump in both feet first. I myself find ripping through plywood and MDF quite relaxing. If i could only build a sub with a chain saw LOL


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## JCD (Apr 20, 2006)

I'll throw in my thoughts..


Designing a speaker from the ground up, if you have no prior experience, is probably not going to yield the results that you're looking for. There is just SO much that goes into the design, that it'd be unfair to think anyone could get it from the get go.
Building a speaker from an already established kit, however, I think will give you a product that will generally beat the commercial products at the same price point
This all assumes that you don't put a price tag on your time, i.e., you're doing this for fun.

At the very bare minimum, I think the following tools are required:

Circular saw (table saw would be better -- and assumes you want to make the box yourself)
Clamps (a whole lot of them)
Multimeter
Plunge router (to cut the holes for the drivers)
Wood glue
Sand paper (and a lot of elbow grease)
Drill (to attach the drivers to the box)
Soldering Iron (to solder the various parts of the crossover)

There are some short cuts you can take if you don't have the tools. For example, most of the places you buy your parts from will also sell you a pre-assembled box. It of course will eat into the overall savings that you would have had by building it yourself.

I would think that most people willing to take this type of project on would already have everything but the plunge router and maybe big enough clamps for the project. If this is going to be a project you continue with, there are a whole slew of other tools that I'd recommend, but that's for another thread..

JCD


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## drf (Oct 22, 2006)

If your comfortable with steep learning curves then why not read up and learn the skills/theory before you commit money to a project. You can always change your mind after reading upteen hundred websites. As for the pros of DIY, there is one that cannot be beat, And that is when you get someone with their jaw hitting the floor absolutely amazed at the sound your $300 DIY design makes compared to their $3000 european gear. I would hazard that 80% of the cost of new speakers is the design cost.


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## Bob_99 (May 8, 2006)

From my point of view, in addition to all that has already been mentioned, factor in age and money. If you're older and don't want to invest in a lot of tools for a one time project, then buy something commercial that you can afford. If you're younger, then try DIY and chances are very good that this will be the first of many projects and you'll learn something with each one that you do. 

Bob


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## 1Michael (Nov 2, 2006)

Go here for some excellant designs. http://www.htguide.com/forum/forumdisplay.php4?f=39


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## eyekode (Jan 19, 2008)

+1 to JCD's comments. I was already to type up something similar, but he hit the nail on the head!


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## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

kilgore, what exactly did you have in mind? If you are just looking for a project to get you started in DIY, and want to test the waters, while getting yourself something nice at the same time, start out with a sub. I didn't know much before I started, but I read a lot of the forums, followed other projects, and learned what I could about enclosure design, speaker parameters, and finishing options. In the end, I was quite happy with my sub, and I'm pretty sure the output would best that of anything available for what I spent building it. Plus there's the satisfaction of having something functional and impressive and being able to say "I made that".

On the other hand, if you are looking for a pair of speakers, I'd go with a kit for sure, because designing one from scratch is SUPER complicated, and even if all your simulations and models go right, there is still a lot of trial and error involved. Let someone else's proven design get you started on that front.


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## Bob_99 (May 8, 2006)

> Let someone else's proven design get you started on that front.


OJ,

Are there reliable sources as to which kits are really good? I've always wondered how much work was put into these kits before they get sold.

Thanks.

Bob


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## Owen Bartley (Oct 18, 2006)

Bob, I think the best source will be the experienced guys on the forums. I'm not really up on what's out there now, but designs like the Natalie P, maybe the Modula, and I think Statements all seem to ring a bell. I know others can make suggestions and correct me! Browse around here and a couple of the other well regarded forums and you'll get a ton of ideas.


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## Tristanc1 (Jul 5, 2006)

http://www.zaphaudio.com
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/Diy_Loudspeaker_Projects.htm
http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/
http://www.rawacoustics.com

I've built one design from each of the above sites(with the exception of Rawacoustics, just heard good things) and have found them to vastly outperform their commercial equivalents at or anywhere near their price. Just as an example, I recently built zaph's ZD5 and compared them to my recently departed Sonus Faber Concertino(my last pair of commercial speaks) and the ZD5 mopped the floor with them IMHO. The zd5's cost me $800 to build, after I picked up the drivers used compared to the concertino's with an MSRP of around $3k up here in Canada. The Hatt MKIII also performed very well, and only cost me about $400...the upfront cost is expensive in terms of tools etc(also don't forget a good respirator and shop vac MDF dust is nasty stuff) however if you're the kind of guy that 'upgrades' his system relatively often then diy can be very cost effective.

A common mistake a lot of people make in my opinion when the get into DIY is to not put effort into the aesthetics. It doesn't matter how good the design is, if it's just stuck haphazardly in an unfinished MDF box you won't be satisfied in my experience. If you do decide the DIY route is for you, then don't skimp, do it right and you'll end up with a fantastic product, some new skills, and chances are you'll have a tonne of fun in the process.

Just as a bookend, here's some of my favourite DIY projects....
The LGT...near the bottom, it'll blow your mind if you haven't seen it yet...
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=93218&perpage=10&pagenumber=121
http://www.miwis-bastelbu.de/Galerien/Leistungsdruck/index.html
http://www.miwis-bastelbu.de/Galerien/Hinkelsteine/index.html
http://www.humblehomemadehifi.com/Humble_Statement.html


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## FlashJim (May 6, 2006)

If you want to jump into DIY, find a buddy. Woodworkers generally love to help out novices and LOVE to get new people in the hobby. Don't be surprised if you leave with some free wood and/or tools.

I did a sealed subwoofer project a while back to show that you don't need expensive tools to complete a project. I used a circular saw and router.


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