Thinking about doing DIY speakers need opinions.

[Kerpeth]

Thinking about doing a tower speaker off parts express. I have zero experience with this stuff and was wondering how hard this one would be for my first try. Also is this worth the money or should I just keep hunting garage sales for vintage stuff? Like for this plus the cost of veneer I could get something like boston acoustics a200 and I am not sure if its worth it. I would add some value for the experience and knowing I made them but I still want good speakers.

https://www.parts-express.com/tritrix-mtm-tl-tower-speaker-components-and-cabinet-kit-pair--300-702

 

[Harvestor]

My suggestion... vintage

Hunt Garage sales, Craigslist Facebook marketplace etc...
Rebuild a set New Foam Surrounds new capacitors and then you have something cool

 

[Kerpeth]

What should I be looking for to make sure the speakers are worth fixing?

 

[Harvestor]

What should I be looking for to make sure the speakers are worth fixing?

Brands to look out for...

Ohm acoustics
JBL
RTR
Rogers
Cerwin Vega
Infinity.... Only if it has real wood veneer!
Paradigm

And I'm sure there will be more suggestion by others from here..

I suggest something with 8-inch woofers or bigger... I suggest avoiding tall thin speakers with small woofers..
I suggest avoiding any speaker that doesn't have Deep cabinets... .
Stay away from Kabuki white van garbage speakers

 

[rickb119]

With zero experience, and wanting good speakers, I don't think I'd go the DIY route just yet. Most people have at least some experience and do it as a hobby. Hobby's often come with a negative ROI (return on investment).

What should I be looking for to make sure the speakers are worth fixing?

Everyone's ears, and preferences are different. I've gone through several sets of speakers looking for what I like (and my tinnitus will tolerate). Finally found what I like with ADS speakers. That doesn't mean I won't find something that I like better in the future, but for now, and for the price, I'm very happy. Here's a good, but long thread about them. https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/a-d-s-line-pecking-order.44406/ Most have rubber surrounds, which last for many years, and also quality crossover components. I have 2 pair (L620's and L710's) and haven't felt the need to do anything to them.

Many people do like the larger BA speakers (a200 & a300). I had a pair of a70's several years ago and thought they sounded very nice.

 

[Kerpeth]

Yea all I have found at the local thrift stores is over priced white van garbage or stuff that is straight busted.

 

[ConradH]

If you're at all handy, kit speakers can be great fun and often a good value. Google "speaker kits" as there are various companies offering them, some probably much better than PE. Your odds of getting good vintage speakers that don't need surrounds and crossover rebuilds are low. You also don't know how much abuse they've had and what shape the voice coils are in.

 

[Kerpeth]

Yea thats one of the things I was worried about. I find the vintage ones I want and it ends up being a whole project to get them up and running. Was thinking if I was going to do a project I could just go for a kit and build my own. It's just with the time and money invested in a kit I want something better than what I could just buy fora similar price.

 

[Kerpeth]

If you're at all handy, kit speakers can be great fun and often a good value. Google "speaker kits" as there are various companies offering them, some probably much better than PE. Your odds of getting good vintage speakers that don't need surrounds and crossover rebuilds are low. You also don't know how much abuse they've had and what shape the voice coils are in.

Any thought on the kit I linked?

 

[ConradH]

The PE kit is a transmission line design and I don't have any real experience with them, though TLs have a large following. Do you have any specific goals for the speakers? Few speakers excel at every single thing, especially if price is a concern, so you have to choose what's most important.

 

[Kerpeth]

The PE kit is a transmission line design and I don't have any real experience with them, though TLs have a large following. Do you have any specific goals for the speakers? Few speakers excel at every single thing, especially if price is a concern, so you have to choose what's most important.

I am a total rockie when it comes to this stuff. I listen to rock/rap and I want something that sounds goods and has a wood veneer. So I want some good bass and some good highs.

 

[RTally]

Thinking about doing a tower speaker off parts express. I have zero experience with this stuff and was wondering how hard this one would be for my first try. Also is this worth the money or should I just keep hunting garage sales for vintage stuff? Like for this plus the cost of veneer I could get something like boston acoustics a200 and I am not sure if its worth it. I would add some value for the experience and knowing I made them but I still want good speakers.

https://www.parts-express.com/tritrix-mtm-tl-tower-speaker-components-and-cabinet-kit-pair--300-702

Building a kit is a good way to end up with a good sounding speaker system. As long as you are handy enough and have the necessary tools, the kit you linked may work well. But if you are looking for some deep, chest thumping bass, those speakers would not be my first choice.

What is your experience level with different speakers? I listened to many different speakers to learn what good sound really sounds like. Now I am in the mode of finding even better speakers. I doubt that I would appreciate some of the nuances of good speakers without the learning curve I followed.

I suggest you spend more time cruising Craig's List and Facebook Marketplace instead of garage sales. I suggest looking for 10 to 30 year old speakers. Speakers of that age should not require any work to make them listenable. And the original seller has taken the hit so you can pay very little for some expensive speakers. If your budget is $300 for those kit speakers, you can find some good used speakers for the same amount of money. I would avoid the older "vintage" speakers at first because, although you can find some really good ones, they will invariably require work to reach their potential.

Where are you located? You may want to put that info in your profile. Knowing at least what country and what part of that country you are located will help us provide suggestions of what is available in your area.