# Kit / DIY Main Speakers



## Bstloukal1 (Nov 25, 2012)

Looking to upgrade my current front main speakers. Over the past few months I've built a few DIY subs and all completely overpower my current mains all be it not a hard thing to do as they are paradigm mini monitors. So I am looking at doing a kit or DIY front stage that will supply me with anything better than I have know. The one thing about going DIY on this is the crossovers. Never built one nor put one together so to me that is a big hiccup. So that being said I guess I'd like to start there. Driver size not limited but would like to stay at 8" or under. Don't mind doing multiples in a single enclosure. Tweeters? I see a lot of ribbon tweeters don't know on that either. So I guess I'm starting on a blank page. I guess this is another go around for me as it was when I started the DIY sub thing. All the input on those projects was a great learning experince and I'd like to carry that over to this project. I guess it's a little contagious. I started the sub to save a little money but that didn't happen. I built one then Wanted to one up it than one up it again so something I started to save a little probably cost me about 10x more than buying one. So let me know you thoughts on kits or ground up build. Thanks.


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## fusseli (May 1, 2007)

Your sub overpowering your mains means that your levels aren't set correctly or your mains are particularly bad when turned up loud. My recommendation is that you start with a proven design, that is, build someone else's kit instead of designing your own. Properly executed DIY speaker design from the ground up is a lot of work and takes a lot of know-how to get right the first time. Check out:
http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/speaker-kits/
http://www.parts-express.com/cat/speaker-kits/286


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## Bstloukal1 (Nov 25, 2012)

I have looked at both sites and may go that route. My current mains arent great but i do not beleive they are horrible. They are paradigm mini monitors. It was also suggested that i may have a calibration issue. That's what I have thought but that brings up a different issue as I may be limited on what I can do with my receiver as it is a bit older I know I'm due for an upgrade but that is a little lower on my audio list right now. Its a sony str-k502p. Maybe it shouldn't be! Ideas on upgrade?? I bought it a bit ago before i really had any inowledge on the AVR side. It was marketed as 100x 5 but in reality its only putting out 100 x 2. when i hook up a center and surrounds i beleive im only pushing around 36w through the system. When i recogonized that i pulled all the other speakers and only kept the mains. Still they were over powered. I played with the frequency for bass, treble and gains and boosts also still to no availe. Thoughts there?


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## fusseli (May 1, 2007)

I'm guessing power isn't your problem, but it could be a small part of it. I would also suggest staying away from large amounts of boosting of any kind if you are going by ear. If you get a cheap SPL meter to set your levels with that would acheive the same thing as the most basic level of calibration that newer receivers do.


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## Bstloukal1 (Nov 25, 2012)

I have a radio shack meter that I have been using


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## fbov (Aug 28, 2008)

Bstloukal1 said:


> Looking to upgrade my current front main speakers...guess it's a little contagious. I started the sub to save a little money but that didn't happen. I built one then Wanted to one up it...


Welcome to the asylum. You've followed a well-worn path. 

In DIY, there are "working" designs, "proven" designs and "commercial" designs...

You don't want a working design as it's not finished. This can be fun to work along with someone else, but you can also end up SOL if they drop the project. There are a lot of these, so be forewarned. 

Proven designs are stable, built by others successfully, but the "kit" is still DIY - all you get is a bill of materials (BOM) telling you what parts are used, a schematic of the crossover circuit, and perhaps details of a box design. You need an ability to read a schematic, construct simple circuits from that schematic, and solder the whole thing together. You also need to design (if not provided) and build a box. 

Commercial kit designs take out a lot of the work. XO's are frequently pre-assembled (from a custom design - avoid "off the shelf" crossovers), addressing some of your concerns, and boxes are sometimes included, either finished or as a knock-down kit. They give you a wide range of choices to match a wide range of customer skill sets. 

Minimal assembly example: "all you need is a screwdriver"
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=302-972

Modest assembly example: all you need is glue, finish, solder and iron... and a screwdirver
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-702

Proven design example: just a schematic, BOM (linked near end), pics and diagrams, you provide the parts. (Note that he's using a pre-made box in the example.)
http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php?13969-Natalie-P

I chose the minimal and proven examples on purpose, as they use the same drivers, so a large part of the cost is common, and I've built 5 NatP's. The kit I linked is $350, my parts cost $200, plus wood and my time. That's the only place you can save money is on box construction as your time is free (you do this in your free time). It's also where you can best the commercial products as they're not as well made, IMHO.

HAve fun,
Frank

PS The master list of proven designs; don't get lost. 
http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?211558-Links-to-existing-DIY-speaker-designs


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