Speakers

[Russell]

I just finished refinishing some old speaker boxes and I am now looking to replace the actual speakers in them (as they are blown) anyone know a good place to go?

[Kor]

Re: Speakers

I just finished refinishing some old speaker boxes and I am now looking to replace the actual speakers in them (as they are blown) anyone know a good place to go?

Do you mean for your car, or are these speaker cabinets for your home?

Car... Audioconcepts?

[Stonewall]

Re: Speakers

For home Parts express is the only one I can think of that sells raw speakers.

[Kor]

Re: Speakers

For your home... dunno if this even a good idea... but I am a bit of a speaker snob :(

I think a lot of home speaker DIY'ers use Dayton drivers. Look into them maybe?

http://www.parts-express.com/webpage...on_loudspeaker
http://www.speakercity.com/Merchant2...Code=DaytonRef

IMO not worth it, I would just buy speakers.

Check out this forum for DIY home speaker questions:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=155

Typically you need to match the volume of the enclosure to the driver you are using. Since you already have the boxes you should calculate the internal volume and try to find a driver that it suitable. If your boxes are ported, you will probably be screwed, since the ports will mess up some frequencies and I doubt you can find a driver to match. You could plug the ports with foam plugs (thats what I would do).

GL!

[Russell]

Re: Speakers

Yeah they are for my house.

That is the problem that I am running into, the raw speakers are worth so much money that it really does not make it worth it seeing as I would need 2x12", 2x6", 2x3"... starts to cost a lot of money

[Billip]

Re: Speakers

I'm also a bit of a speaker snob (like Kris) and not sure this is a great idea. Designing and building good speakers is pretty difficult, which is why most of the speakers on the market are absolute garbage. We are lucky to live in Canada because there are a few very good Canadian speakers companies (Energy/Paradigm/etc.)

[Russell]

Re: Speakers

Do they sell raw speakers?

The reason for all of this is because these are really good sold speaker boxes and they look great (nice wood finish) so I wanted to try and use them, but it is cost a little more $$ then was thinking to fill the boxes with speakers.

[Kor]

Re: Speakers

Do they sell raw speakers?

No

The reason for all of this is because these are really good sold speaker boxes and they look great (nice wood finish) so I wanted to try and use them, but it is cost a little more $$ then was thinking to fill the boxes with speakers.

Honestly the Dayton stuff is as cheap as I think you will find that will actually possibly sound alright. Yeah they add up :(

You might be able to find something cheaper but with speakers you get what you pay for? How bad do you want them to sound? :P

[Kor]

Re: Speakers

Do you still have the crossover circuitry for the speakers?

If you only have cabinets and they each need multiple sizes of drivers, you realize you usually need crossovers to send the different frequencies to different speakers right? 3-way crossover might be required too, they have them on that parts express site too.

Those sizes you quoted don't even really seem to follow modern speaker conventions, not sure if you will even be able to buy a 3" speaker? I think most companies make 5" and larger midrange cones and tweeters are 1" domes.

I am guessing these are kinda old cabinets?

[Russell]

Re: Speakers

The size could be way off, I am just going by what I remember seeing last night, the cross over is still there and in good condition. I guess I will wait and see what I end up doing, next pay day I may go for it and pick up the parts.

[Kor]

Re: Speakers

They have even cheaper ones at parts express but sound will get worse and worse, some of the very cheap speakers you can buy are not even meant for playing music through, they are made for like, intercoms or things like that, they are such bad quality. If you get those and don't realize it, you are gonna be disappointed!

If you calculate how much its gonna cost to buy all your parts, post it up here as a budget first, I might be able to just make some recommednations of new speakers you can buy for that much. Probably sound just as good if not better. Although some people do swear by DIY speakers. I don't.

[Stonewall]

Re: Speakers

I think for the price you will be able to build yourself some very nice speakers for a fraction of what they may cost you in store. I just don't buy into the fact that they are hard to build, there is so much info and forums out there that you should have no problems. I would do a google search as I am sure there are some raw speaker sellers in canada.

[Billip]

Re: Speakers

I think for the price you will be able to build yourself some very nice speakers for a fraction of what they may cost you in store. I just don't buy into the fact that they are hard to build, there is so much info and forums out there that you should have no problems. I would do a google search as I am sure there are some raw speaker sellers in canada.

Speakers aren't necessarily hard to build, but they are certainly hard to design. Getting drivers/enclosure types/enclosure sizes/insulation/bracing/crossovers/etc. all singing well together is not easy.

And as for price, if you are shopping right, you can pick up some real bargains. For example, a year ago I picked up some discontinued Energy C3 bookshelf speakers for $150! When they came out they were $600/pair.

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...s-11-2002.html

[Stonewall]

Re: Speakers

There is software out there where you can put in all speaker specs to calculate everything from resonate freq to port lengths. As for crossover and bracing etc you guys are kidding yourselves if you think energy etc are using the components that even comparable to what you can make yourself, they do have to make money by cutting costs wherever they can.

[Billip]

Re: Speakers

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one. There is no one "magic" formula to building great sounding speakers, so this software you speak of may or may not be of any use.

Unless you are going to install an anechoic chamber in your house and test your designs for frequency response, linearity, efficiency, etc., I highly doubt you'll get the same performance as a quality designed speaker. I'm not advocating buying B&W Nautilus' or anything, but you really don't need to spend that much money to buy a quality designed speaker.