DIY full range bookshelf kit for a beginner?

Gridslayer

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Ok guys. I've been looking for small, efficient bookshelf speakers to go with something like http://www.musicalparadise.ca/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=54 , but I'm looking in the $300 range and DIY seems the best bang for the buck. I've looked at Madisound, but don't see anything in that price range. I have a large room with hardwood floors, and will be using the speakers as near field monitors on my desk, with the speakers being 4 inches from the wall. I assume they need to be front ported or sealed enclosures. I'd like the kit to come with cabinets, but as long as there are instructions, I can build the cabinets. It's the electronics I'm not comfortable with.

Full range drivers would not need a crossover, so I'd be doing minimal or no soldering, correct?

Do you guys know of something that would meet these requirements? I've seen some fostex-based ones but not in my $ range. BTW, they should be around 12 inches high or so.

Do you guys know of something that would meet these requirements?

Thanks!
 
You could get one of these PE speaker enclosures and mount a 4" Fostex driver in the baffle. The enclosure comes with an uncut front baffle so you can cut to the size of driver used.

FWIW, I built these .4 cu. ft. cabinets in a couple of hours. I cut the holes in the front baffle with hole saws and drill instead of using a router. The driver is a Fostex FE108 Sigma. You could model any other full-ranger using Winisd and adjust the enclosure by using foam block or such and come away with a great sounding nearfield speaker.

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The Fostex recommended single bass reflex enclosure for the FE127e is 10 liters, .35 cu.ft., very close to the PE enclosure. The recommended BR enclosure for the 126en is 10.5 liters, 3.70 cu. ft., a perfect match to the PE cab. I wouldn't even install a port, initially, tuning the box lower to get as much bass as possible. The Fostex can handle all the power of the smaller tube amps and a port tube can be installed later, if necessary. If you build these you can patent the name...Infignia, lol.
 
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Again, I'd like to just put something together that is an established design so I don't have to worry about enclosure physics etc. The amps I am looking at are like 6 watts...
 
I'm not really a fan of "full-range" drivers, nor would I power a small speaker with 6W, but lots of people seem to like the markaudio alpair drivers, and there are plenty of cabinet plans available, via the mfg. website & the associated diyaudio forum. Even the more expensive models come in under your budget.
 
So if I'm going with small bookshelves, should I look for a tube amp with more power? I'm not committed to any amp in particular, just want a good amp/speaker combo. I've assumed from my limited research that I need high sensitivity speaker if I have low wattage amp. I am, however committed to a small monitor and about $600 for the combo. I want to get the speakers first, then the amp.
 
that is a great little amp. I am powering a set of Wharfedale Rosedales + a sub woofer and it fills a very large room.
 
Did you check meniscus audio? They have some kits with premade xovers that might fit the bill. Honestly though, if you can build cabinets you can probably do xovers too; it's really not that hard.
 
Did you check meniscus audio? They have some kits with premade xovers that might fit the bill. Honestly though, if you can build cabinets you can probably do xovers too; it's really not that hard.


Well I might check this out also...
 
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