# Incredible Builds by the DIY'ers here !!!!



## Badbob (Sep 21, 2010)

I am new here and have been looking over many of the Speaker and Subwoofer builds that many of you have posted. I am to say the very least, quite impressed by the quality of work as well as the well thought out process of the builds from beginning to end. 

I don't know if any of you have thought of this or maybe you have even tried this before but I got to ask. 

I have been subscribing to woodworking magazines for years, many, many different magazines such as Wood, Woodworkers Journal, The Family Handyman, etc, and have yet to see a good suggestion of a project for a Speaker/Subwoofer build. I have seen plenty of Home Theater Cabinet builds, but nothing for the Speaker novice. I believe they pay a small amount for the project if it is accepted and I think the feedback and interest would be so great that there would be an instant demand for more projects.

I know it sounds a little far fetched also, but maybe there are some rich invester types here that may even consider starting up a magazine of your own. You already have sponsors that would probably back you since people would more than likely buy their parts to build the DIY projects with.

Anyway, I know I would have built speakers much earlier, (or at least tried to), if I saw some of the DIY projects that you guys have done.


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## 1Michael (Nov 2, 2006)

Diy speaker builders are a very small community. The majority of builders come, build, then leave and don't come back. I would imagine if there was any money to be made with that sort of magazine, it would already be available...


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## Lucky7! (Jan 7, 2008)

Badbob said:


> I am new here and have been looking over many of the Speaker and Subwoofer builds that many of you have posted. I am to say the very least, quite impressed by the quality of work as well as the well thought out process of the builds from beginning to end.
> 
> I don't know if any of you have thought of this or maybe you have even tried this before but I got to ask.
> 
> I have been subscribing to woodworking magazines for years, many, many different magazines such as Wood, Woodworkers Journal, The Family Handyman, etc, and have yet to see a good suggestion of a project for a Speaker/Subwoofer build. I have seen plenty of Home Theater Cabinet builds, but nothing for the Speaker novice. I believe they pay a small amount for the project if it is accepted and I think the feedback and interest would be so great that there would be an instant demand for more projects.


I actually think this is a great idea and would probably be a great project if you could find someone technical to collaborate with on the design of the speaker, and you contribute your skills in approaching it from the woodwork side. Subs are fairly straightforward to do, but a multiway main speaker is a much more elaborate project from the electrical/design side.

Not sure you'd have much success with a dedicated magazine, except as a free online journal as there is already a ton of info available for free already.



buggers said:


> Diy speaker builders are a very small community. The majority of builders come, build, then leave and don't come back.


I wouldn't agree with that on the whole; many build multiple projects over the years.


buggers said:


> I would imagine if there was any money to be made with that sort of magazine, it would already be available...


Speaker Builder was around for a long time from at least 1980 until it was rolled into one publication with it's sister mag, Glass Audio to become AudioXpress in about 2000.


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## fbov (Aug 28, 2008)

Badbob said:


> ...I have been subscribing to woodworking magazines for years, ...and have yet to see a good suggestion of a project for a Speaker/Subwoofer build. ...
> Anyway, I know I would have built speakers much earlier, (or at least tried to), if I saw some of the DIY projects that you guys have done.


This niche is already filled in the internet age. Go to any of the component vendor web sites (Parts Express and Madisound are two I can recommend, but there are many others) and you'll find a project showcase that does what you describe. Add in the many vendor-related and independent web sites and forums and I don't see a market need. Granted, the onus is on the prospective DIYer to go find things, but there are some summary web pages that will point you to other sources:
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=219617
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?t=211558

Just don't be surprised if you get lost in all the options...

HAve fun,
Frank


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## Lucky7! (Jan 7, 2008)

I agree with the above Frank, but I think you may have missed a point. People who are interesting in building projects in wood, might be more likely to tackle a speaker build if such a design were presented in a journal they are likely to read. Most woodworkers would probably have never even considered a speaker construction project because the technical side of it is intimidating whereas in my own case the opposite is true. I can design the speakers, but making something good looking out of wood is a challenge, and likewise, I don't read wood working journals.

Further thought for BB might be to take an existing proven DIY design and beautify it with a new cabinet design that still functions like the original, but has improved aesthetics over a simple rectangular box. For example, Jim Holtz's Statement Monitor made into something with the aesthetic wow of some of the Sonus Faber speakers. This presents a well sorted project on one level, ie a woodworker knows they are going to get a good sounding set of speakers, with something that would challenge the woodworker's skills far more than a 6 sided box. Appropriate permissions would need to be worked out if you used someone else's design of course.

Even if you didn't do it in a magazine, many here would love to read about it and learn different techniques in woodworking.


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## Badbob (Sep 21, 2010)

Yeah I agree that the internet is chalk full of everyone's way of doing these kinds of projects. It just dawned on me after I joined this site that as long as I have been doing woodworking as a hobby and subscribing to all the magazines, (I'm even a life member with one of them and a product tester), I have NEVER!!! seen a project in the magazines that I get about a DIY'er building his own speakers. And that really surprises me with the day and age we are in. I know if I had seen an article about a speaker build it would have sparked my interest right away. I just was putting the idea out there as food for thought.


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## peterselby7 (Nov 29, 2008)

I agree, I think the best way to get the word out on this subject through the internet. True, more folks would hear about it if there were some advertisements in some of those magazines but generally people that are interested will do a search in Google for what they are thinking about. At least that's what I do.

I do think you have a point though in that maybe we need to do a better job of getting the word out on how much easier speaker building is today than it has ever been before. With the use of digital crossovers like the Behringer unit you can do about anything imaginable. 

Personally, I love it when the light comes on and someone realizes that they can build their own speakers too. But as others have mentioned it is more of a hobby for us. It's difficult to make any money doing DIY speakers. Most of the demand is filled by the very vendors that sell the speaker drivers (as Frank mentioned) This forum certainly goes a long way toward filling that niche too! If you found it others will too!


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## Zilch (May 18, 2010)

buggers said:


> Diy speaker builders are a very small community. The majority of builders come, build, then leave and don't come back.


Nah, more like a "lifestyle" for some....


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## 1Michael (Nov 2, 2006)

The key operating word being "some". The majority leave as can be seen by the lack of logins after their project is done...


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## Theresa (Aug 23, 2010)

I've completed building a few speakers in the past 20 years. I have no woodworking skills and don't have any desire to acquire them. What interested me was the sound quality compared with mass market speakers. I stayed away from listening to high end ones since I could not afford them and the few I heard didn't seem to be worth the money. My most recent speakers are semi kit with one pair of Eton 7s and a ScanSpeak Rediscovery but all with miniDSP electronic crossovers. Their SQ certainly exceeds almost all speakers anywhere near their cost, at least of those I've heard.
What I would like to find is someone who could cut/route a pair of baffles for me. With the Etons I had a local cabinet maker cut the holes for the drivers and ports and he charged $100 plus $7 tax and did not do a very good job. The baffles would be for Parts Express curved .5 cf boxes and the ScanSpeak Rediscovery drivers from Madisound. Any takers?


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## bknights (Apr 17, 2010)

A9X said:


> For example, Jim Holtz's Statement Monitor made into something with the aesthetic wow of some of the Sonus Faber speakers.


Sorry for being off subject but where can i find veneer like jim holtz statement monitors


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## BuddahX (Jan 6, 2010)

that looks like he painted it with a high gloss paint. I could be wrong But I was able to get that Piano gloss black finish by doing a few layers of primer on the MDF then sanding it smooth. then Doing a bunch of coats of Gloss black Lacquer spray paint. Then finished it off with a few coats of clear coat. I did it to the top and bottom plates I made for my Def Tech BP6s. and a sub box with two 10"s subs for a friends car. Hope that helps.


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## bknights (Apr 17, 2010)

BuddahX said:


> that looks like he painted it with a high gloss paint. I could be wrong But I was able to get that Piano gloss black finish by doing a few layers of primer on the MDF then sanding it smooth. then Doing a bunch of coats of Gloss black Lacquer spray paint. Then finished it off with a few coats of clear coat. I did it to the top and bottom plates I made for my Def Tech BP6s. and a sub box with two 10"s subs for a friends car. Hope that helps.


he says that he veneers it, i've been looking for piano black veneer.


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## Jim Holtz (Feb 18, 2009)

bknights said:


> he says that he veneers it, i've been looking for piano black veneer.


Hi bknights,

The Statement Monitors are finished with gloss black Crystalac. It's a water based spray on finish that is easy to apply and extremely durable. It's applied the same as a car finish. 

The Mini Statements were finished with red oak veneer then topcoated with clear super premium Crystalac. The Statements were sprayed with Target Finishes gloss black water based lacquer. 

I've piped air from my garage compressor into my basement and built a temporary spray booth so I can paint or spray on top coats in my basement. It still goes everywhere! I use an automotive HLVP spray gun to shoot them with. The gloss black speakers are fine sanded after painting down to 2000 grit and then rubbed out with automotive compound. 

Yes, it is a LOT of work and I swear I'll never do another one after each build. :rolleyesno: Crystalac is my topcoat or paint finish of choice now. It's really good stuff!

BTW, if you don't do rounded corners you can get vertical grade gloss black formica from a home or builders store. I've finished several speakers with that and had good results. It's a bit pricey and you have to use contact cement to attach it. My line arrays were finished that way.

HTH

Jim


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## bknights (Apr 17, 2010)

Wow straight from the horse's mouth, thanks Jim for clearing that up. I will look into that formica.


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## grn1969c10 (Sep 18, 2008)

I'm not sure I'm motivated enough to go through all the sanding and surface prep for a glossy paint job. I wonder how the laminates compare to paint in terms of durability and resistance to scratches? I have seen some cool builds using black laminate and do suffer a bit of envy.


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## Jim Holtz (Feb 18, 2009)

I've had excellent luck using laminates. I'd compare the scratch resistance/durability to be at least as good as painting. The downside is you can't do roundovers on the front cabinet edges with laminate so you really should paint the front baffle and angle cut the vertical edge or do it in hardwood etc. 

Here are a couple pictures of my Selah Audio designed linearrays that I had prior to the Statements. They were finished with laminate except for the front baffle.

Jim


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## ojojunkie (Jun 23, 2010)

wow! that's cool build! how do they sound? 

wish I have same skills as you guys!


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## Dodger66 (Jan 3, 2011)

Mat,

Did you build those speakers in your picture?
Those look very nice.
How do they sound?
Who makes the drivers?
Did you desighn your own xover?

Cheers


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## grn1969c10 (Sep 18, 2008)

Dodger66 said:


> Mat,
> 
> Did you build those speakers in your picture?
> Those look very nice.
> ...


I have the drivers and crossover parts for the build in my closet but haven't begun cabinet construction yet. I have been collecting pictures of various finishes to showcase options to my dad when I badger him to help me with the woodworking. A large number of them have been built and I have yet to read a negative review by any of the owners. (Do note that by design they need to be placed 18" out from the wall.) If you google the URL under picture properties you can find the picture location. The speakers are called the "Statements" and the DIY build information is kindly made available for free by the designers at speakerdesignworks.com. I would love to win the SVSound speakers from the HomeTheaterShack giveaway, but if I don't (and historically I haven't faired well at raffles/giveaways) I will replace my 20 year old JBL's with these.

Matt


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