DIY 5.1 Speakers

kylew · 16 Mar 2009 at 14:19

I've been intending to buy myself a new set of speakers for my room I've been doing up along with an Onkyo A/V Receiver/amp.

I've been looking at getting Mordaunt Short Avant 900s but each time I look at them they seem to get a little bit tacky until I've gone off the majority of the speakers in the set.

So now I've been thinking about making my own speakers, I've got most of the tools, and I've got a lot of MDF left over for it. 1 Board that is 3m x 1.22m x 18 mm and another board about 1.5m x 1.22m x 18mm.

I haven't started at designing anything yet, but I was wondering if anyone else has done the same and has any tips or advice?

I'll start a WIP in this thread with designs that I am going to make up in CAD.

My budget for the Mordaunt Shorts was about £1000 so I'll keep that as my upper budget for DIY speakers for additional things I may need like the drivers and other components.

fornowagain · 16 Mar 2009 at 14:22

It gets quite involved matching driver to volume and ports etc. I'd think twice tbh, but you'd not be the first, quite a few DIY sites on the subject. You might want to look into getting the free REW software (Room Eq Wizard) working along with an SPL meter to test your efforts.

kylew · 16 Mar 2009 at 14:57

fornowagain said:
It gets quite involved matching driver to volume and ports etc. I'd think twice tbh, but you'd not be the first, quite a few DIY sites on the subject. You might want to look into getting the free REW software (Room Eq Wizard) working along with an SPL meter to test your efforts.

The trouble wouldn't be a problem for me, money is more important than time for me at the moment.

Would you have any links to sites with info on them about it?

9designs2 · 16 Mar 2009 at 15:09

First the DIY idea is a great idea, and can work well...... or can be a disaster that will never end.... I am not expert, but I have a lot of experience over the years, and done a lot of reading and built my own speakers.

Unless you want to make it a life long project and qualify as a speaker designer, DON'T start from a clean sheet of paper. It's both science and Art, and to get a really good design will need a lot of work. Calculating and testing and reworking the design. If you want to read up, to understand why find a copy of the "The Loudspeaker Design Cookbook"

Ok it's not all bad news, the way I have done it, and I strongly recommend to do the same, is either buy a Kit, look at Wilmslow audio, (they will have everything you need) or buy a kit and learn how to tweak and customise it.
This way someone else has done all the difficult cal's and design in the box to driver matching and crossover work. But you get to finish it off in the veneers and colours your want.

Plus as you learn more, you can find ways to improve it.... but you start with a good basic design you know works, and can always return to.

kylew · 18 Mar 2009 at 09:26

Hmm, would you know of any already existing designs that I could follow for the cabinet dimensions and driver types?

I'd like to keep away from a kit type really as well as I've got a lot of MDF I'd like to use up.

9designs2 · 18 Mar 2009 at 11:23

Have you looked at Wilslow Audio yet ?
https://secure.wilmslow-audio.co.uk/catalog

My kit was without "wood", and often you have the option as how much you buy, basic kit of drivers and crossover, or full with cabinet..... Basically buy as you want it, or copy a kit, and buy all the parts less wood...

There are also sites over in the US that feature designs to follow, and parts to order, hit the google page and you will find loads.

I bought mine without MDF, as I wanted to restyle the cabinet.

kylew · 19 Mar 2009 at 14:39

Looking at wilmslow, the kits seem pretty expensive but the drivers themselves don't.

Though I understand the kits have all the important stuff done for them, but they're too much money for me to justify them.

I'm looking at the drivers now, don't really know what to look for in a driver though.

kerrgreg · 19 Mar 2009 at 14:45

if you dont no what you are looking for in a driver then i think you should go and demo as much as you can and the ones you really like look at the spec sheets and try to improve apone that im not so great with home audio but no my car audio and i wouldnt dream of building an home audio encloser other than a sub and box

hope this helps

9designs2 · 19 Mar 2009 at 20:09

kylew said:
Looking at wilmslow, the kits seem pretty expensive but the drivers themselves don't.

Though I understand the kits have all the important stuff done for them, but they're too much money for me to justify them.

I'm looking at the drivers now, don't really know what to look for in a driver though.

Then really you need to go say Richer Sounds and buy something ready made.
This isn't a quick and easy thing to make, it IS NOT about buying a pretty driver and making a box, just doesn't work that way...sorry. Plus you can't tell from spec sheets.
Give the Wilmslow a call, ask if a kit is possible with plans, drivers and crossover parts. Plus you will want veneer, and box stuffing... Still will work out more than a ready made I think.
Some 5.1 set up these days are sold off so cheap, DIY is going to cost more.