Post your setups, what you've built, and discuss...
Who's using DIY speakers wth their Mac gear?
- Thread starter techguy0192
- Start date
Interesting there have been zero replies. Let look at it from the angle of why not. McIntosh is obviously a top brand, so does everyone feel that they must have a speaker from a manufacturer that's on the same tier? I
MACKIE1975
Super Member
3 Reasons not to build your own speakers.
1. Aesthetic
2. Crossover
3. Never sound right
1. Aesthetic
2. Crossover
3. Never sound right
Can't say I agree with that. There are some very talented DIYer's that build very aesthetically pleasing speakers. A wealth of known good sounding design plans are available. The crossover and other parts can be as nice as the budget allows. I have not taken the plunge into DIY, but I have done plenty of research. I find it interesting what people are able to build.
Velocityboat
Super Member
Running all Roger Russell designed McIntosh speakers in home system. XR290, XRT20 and XR19.
However getting ready to pull trigger on the 50 Vivfa Drivers needed to build a set of IDS-25 clones. The 4 ohm unshielded magnet drivers are down to 14 dollars and change a piece so around 700 dollars for 50 . Lot better price wise than the 68 dollars a driver for the 8 ohm shielded version he used when he designed them. The Frequeny Response is identical and even a bit better off axis at 30 and 60 degree at higher end of the spectrum using 4 Ohm versus 8 ohm. I figure my unused MC2500 has power to spare driving a four ohm version of IDS-25. It would 6 bucks a driver more to use 8 ohm unshielded Already have a MQ107 like he used when he did his 2nd set. Roger published the capacitor and knob set up for MQ107 equalizer to get near flat 20 to 20kHz. Have the audio express cabinet plans Going to get some estimates from local cabinet makers. i may do a base to match my XR290s and possibly identical finish. That leaves me with only having to do internal wiring and soldering, since full range no crossovers, and fiberglass stuffing as DIY.
Having heard how fantastic these sound. I want a set and already know they are more than worthy of McIntosh gear. Just have to settle on a finish. Figure around a $2k outlay perhaps including the cost I already have in a unused MQ107. Only thing missing is a grill and full balanced equalizer which I can always try later
But I love Rogers's Line array and I will be able to test two of the best side by side.
However getting ready to pull trigger on the 50 Vivfa Drivers needed to build a set of IDS-25 clones. The 4 ohm unshielded magnet drivers are down to 14 dollars and change a piece so around 700 dollars for 50 . Lot better price wise than the 68 dollars a driver for the 8 ohm shielded version he used when he designed them. The Frequeny Response is identical and even a bit better off axis at 30 and 60 degree at higher end of the spectrum using 4 Ohm versus 8 ohm. I figure my unused MC2500 has power to spare driving a four ohm version of IDS-25. It would 6 bucks a driver more to use 8 ohm unshielded Already have a MQ107 like he used when he did his 2nd set. Roger published the capacitor and knob set up for MQ107 equalizer to get near flat 20 to 20kHz. Have the audio express cabinet plans Going to get some estimates from local cabinet makers. i may do a base to match my XR290s and possibly identical finish. That leaves me with only having to do internal wiring and soldering, since full range no crossovers, and fiberglass stuffing as DIY.
Having heard how fantastic these sound. I want a set and already know they are more than worthy of McIntosh gear. Just have to settle on a finish. Figure around a $2k outlay perhaps including the cost I already have in a unused MQ107. Only thing missing is a grill and full balanced equalizer which I can always try later
But I love Rogers's Line array and I will be able to test two of the best side by side.
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damacman
Resident Psycho
I've built numerous subwoofer systems over the years and used Mc amplification - does that count?
Dual Kicker C18 4 Ohm 18", isobaric 4th order band pass - MC2300 (circa '92)
Dual Cerwin Vega LE18 4 Ohm 18", huge ported boxes in the attic - MC2300, MC2500 (circa '95)
Dual Rockford Fosgate HX2 DVC 4 Ohm 18", even bigger ported boxes in my office - MC2300 (present)
Single Rockford Fosgate T2 DVC 4 Ohm 12", very large ported (tuned to 20 Hz, my HT sub) - MC7300 (present)
I was happy with all but the last combos. I need to revisit the last combo with the 8 Ohm taps - then I'd be stoked I'm sure.
Dual Kicker C18 4 Ohm 18", isobaric 4th order band pass - MC2300 (circa '92)
Dual Cerwin Vega LE18 4 Ohm 18", huge ported boxes in the attic - MC2300, MC2500 (circa '95)
Dual Rockford Fosgate HX2 DVC 4 Ohm 18", even bigger ported boxes in my office - MC2300 (present)
Single Rockford Fosgate T2 DVC 4 Ohm 12", very large ported (tuned to 20 Hz, my HT sub) - MC7300 (present)
I was happy with all but the last combos. I need to revisit the last combo with the 8 Ohm taps - then I'd be stoked I'm sure.
jayvis
Super Member
I've heard a few DIY speakers over the years and was always underwhelmed. They never sounded any better than the legions of what I considered to be mid level speakers available on the market and they always seemed to be at least a decade behind the latest technological advances. If you really want to extract the full range performance capabilities from your McIntosh gear, you have to spend the money on speakers designed and built by one of the tried and true speaker companies. Just my honest opinion.
MACKIE1975
Super Member
Amen
The closest I've come to diy with my Mac electronics is 2 pair of ML1C's wired in parallel. Normally I'm not a fan of running 2 pair of speakers like this. But being that one pair of ML1C's is such an easy load I decided to try it and sure enough to my ears the stack seems to be better sounding and my Mac amps handle the lower impedance without a problem.
twiiii
Lunatic Member
When I bought my Grands bi-amping was a rumor , but with in a year the passive crossover was gone and I was using multiple SS amps. When I changed to Crown amps I rewired the woofers to be all in parallel, 2 ohms and added 4 Celestion super tweeters per box and tri amped. I upgraded crossovers 3 times, and added parametric equalization. That was in 1977. I have changed amps 6 or 7 times, each being a step up. The Symphony's are now bi amped, with super tweeters being added with passive crossover components. The side speakers are still as new. All the passive crossovers have up dated capacitors. M&K and Boston speakers are as new.
DIY can be great fun, I have built amps, phono stages, preamps, speakers etc. I haven't done any in the past five years, mainly because, no matter how great they sound, when you get tired of it you are stuck with it. Very hard to sell unless its built from a well known kit. Like the Audio Note M3 preamp I did.
robertgalka
Member
I have a MAC 4100 running my DIY JBL Hartsfields in my living room. In my basement I have a MC2500 and a MX130 running these home made creatures. The horn is a DAS D401, a JBL 2395 copy. They sound good, but I don't care for the way they look.
damacman
Resident Psycho
Yeah I bet they do. Look how SWEET that black gear looks racked that way. I've been thinking of rack mounting my MC2600s for a while now to free up space in the main rack.
miniman82
Go Navy!
Do clones count? I came across some Heresy that had bad cabinets, so I built new ones and replaced the bass drivers. They sound as good as original ones, but with better bass from the upgraded woofers (no longer paper cone but poly).
I'm also building a line array center channel speaker for use in the home theater, but I also have the facilities to sense and correct for frequency response. Therefore, my results are bound to be better than another persons half assed attempt at just throwing a box together.
DIY stuff can sound just as good as big name stuff, just depends who is doing the work. To say otherwise would be dismissive of the talents of a whole lot of people, some of whom may in fact be retired engineers in the same field. True they may not always look as good, but we're talking about sound here. What important is what you hear, after all.
I'm also building a line array center channel speaker for use in the home theater, but I also have the facilities to sense and correct for frequency response. Therefore, my results are bound to be better than another persons half assed attempt at just throwing a box together.
DIY stuff can sound just as good as big name stuff, just depends who is doing the work. To say otherwise would be dismissive of the talents of a whole lot of people, some of whom may in fact be retired engineers in the same field. True they may not always look as good, but we're talking about sound here. What important is what you hear, after all.
jayvis
Super Member
Give me a vertically integrated speaker company that designs & manufactures every part, and has a state of the art test facility over a DIY workshop product any day. I'm willing to pay the cash.
miniman82
Go Navy!
Some of us have expensive taste but not the cash to be able to afford that stuff, but I know what I like to hear and am fully capable of putting something pleasing together. There are some really good sounding drivers available for low cost at places like parts express these days, building myself saves me money and gets me within a hairs breadth of some really expensive stuff. Unfortunately the only way to prove this to people is let them listen to it themselves, you can't explain how good something sounds on the internet.
Tim 700
Active Member
Did you build them?
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