Building your own custom speakers has got to be one of the most rewarding, straightforward and cost-effective DIY activities I've come across. I'm absolutely shocked that it hasn't had a larger presence on Instructables and in the community...well, until now of course.
Some speaker projects can be complete in a weekend, while others can go on for years. Budget speaker kits start around $100, while top-of-the-line kits and components can add up to several thousands of dollars. Regardless of how much you choose to spend on your speakers, you'll likely be building something that will sound as good as commercial product that off the shelf would cost as much as 10 times more.
So, if you've got access to a table saw, a jig saw, a drill, some wood glue, clamps, and a place to make some sawdust, then you've got the opportunity to build your own custom speakers.
This Instructable will cover the entire process, from sourcing components, to tips and tricks, to exotic and inspiring finishing options.
The images below show just a few of the speakers that I've built over the last 10 years.
Some speaker projects can be complete in a weekend, while others can go on for years. Budget speaker kits start around $100, while top-of-the-line kits and components can add up to several thousands of dollars. Regardless of how much you choose to spend on your speakers, you'll likely be building something that will sound as good as commercial product that off the shelf would cost as much as 10 times more.
So, if you've got access to a table saw, a jig saw, a drill, some wood glue, clamps, and a place to make some sawdust, then you've got the opportunity to build your own custom speakers.
This Instructable will cover the entire process, from sourcing components, to tips and tricks, to exotic and inspiring finishing options.
The images below show just a few of the speakers that I've built over the last 10 years.
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Back in 1997 I attended the Home Entertainment Show with my father. We had the intent to build the best speakers that we possibly could. We listened to just about every manufacturers flagship model. I recognized all of the drivers from the DIY catalogs, wondering which one would reign supreme.
At the end of the day, after the votes were in, we both selected the JM Labs Grande Utopia's as our favorite model, hands down. Since then, it's been widely agreed that the Grande Utopia are among the best sounding home audio speakers in the world. The only catch is that back in those days, the speaker sold for $40,000, and now the updated model, equipped with a Beryllium tweeter, costs even more.
JM Labs uses affiliate company Focal brand drivers. Now here's where it gets interesting...the same line of drivers used in the JM Labs loudspeakers, can also be purchased from Zalytron. My father and I purchased an extremely similar set of drivers, from the same product lines that JM Labs uses, including "W" cone woofers and audiom inverted metal dome tweeters, and built our own "DIY Grande Utopias" for only $3,000. I would never claim that they are an exact copy of the Grande Utopias, but they do sound absolutely amazing, and at less than 1/10th the cost, it's hard to argue. That, my fellow Instructables users, is why I think everyone should build their own speakers.
At the end of the day, after the votes were in, we both selected the JM Labs Grande Utopia's as our favorite model, hands down. Since then, it's been widely agreed that the Grande Utopia are among the best sounding home audio speakers in the world. The only catch is that back in those days, the speaker sold for $40,000, and now the updated model, equipped with a Beryllium tweeter, costs even more.
JM Labs uses affiliate company Focal brand drivers. Now here's where it gets interesting...the same line of drivers used in the JM Labs loudspeakers, can also be purchased from Zalytron. My father and I purchased an extremely similar set of drivers, from the same product lines that JM Labs uses, including "W" cone woofers and audiom inverted metal dome tweeters, and built our own "DIY Grande Utopias" for only $3,000. I would never claim that they are an exact copy of the Grande Utopias, but they do sound absolutely amazing, and at less than 1/10th the cost, it's hard to argue. That, my fellow Instructables users, is why I think everyone should build their own speakers.
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http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/How-to-build-a-simple-speaker-circuit
for an idea on how to connect speakers
However, as a first project I was thinking of doing something a little different. I have an abundance of scrap Fire extinguishers due to my work, and was thinking that these might make interesting speaker cabinets for my office to use during presentations.
Perhaps a woofer in the bottom of a 9 litre Water extinguisher would work well as a floor facing unit. They're desinged to hang on walls, so brackets and stands are easy to make/re-purpose.
Would the cylindrical nature of the extinguishers make them sound rubbish though? or indeed the materials they're constructed from, either thin stainless steel or reasonably thick aluminium?
I might have to try it with some cheap old computer speakers I've got kicking about and see what happens.
:)
Theres a ratio for horn speaker to developing the curve and length to make the flare. one of the most common methods for modern horns is to use a circle of r radius suspended in air at n distance with a set of ropes or chains. R and N affect the horns distortion sensitivity and frequency range. there are quite a few different types of horn enclosures. there are folded horns that are built inside of a square box with a large opening. then you have your traditional cone horns and of those you can have front loaded (the front of the speaker fires into the horn) back loaded (the horn is attached to the back of the speaker) and then you have your special cases such as the unity horn and off axis push pull systems.
anyway back to how to make them once you have the dimensions of a straight conical horn that you need you suspend the circle and then tie the chains or whatever from a center point to the outer ring of the circle. gravity will create the natural curve for the horns flare. from there you can shape wire frames to the shape of the chains ect put a spacing brace between wires to retain the ratio of expansion and then fold it up so to speak to make the overall dimensions and footprint smaller. at this point you have your mold then make the actual horn from anything you want, paper and resin, fiberglass,aluminum ect ect
plug low watt speaker on a bigger amp....
im using a real wood vanier cut at 45 deg ( miterd corners ) and glued over 3/4 " chipboard. clasic box design. deep rarther then wide. 1 ft 2 ft 3ft with 10" driver
should be good
One day I am going to get myself a decent kit speaker and build, not primetime yet but the advice here is top notch.
Thanks for your time.
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adım fatih istanbulda oturuyorum benim ingilizcem pek iyi değil o yüzden sana ingilizce yazamıyorum :(
acaba senin bu kabin yapımı hakkında bilgin var mı. bende kendime özel bir kabin tasarlamak istiyorum.ama bu işi profesyonelce yapmak istiyorum bana yardımcı olabilirmsin ?
ilgine şimdiden teşekkür ederim
I usually use polyfill which doesn't need to be attached to the sides of the box, but if I use something that does I'd recommend spray or brush/roll on contact adhesive, since it stays soft and rubbery and thin so there is no potential for making noise.
Whatever you use be careful that it doesn't have solvents in it that will attack the suspension material of the drivers.
If you're going with a home made design based on calculations using TS parameters make sure that account for whatever you use for sound deadening since it can have some interesting effects, instead of taking up volume it slows the waves in the box causing it to act larger than it actually is. Also, many calculators out there assume a loose plyfill filling in the numbers they calculate.
If I get stuck doing them in the order that you're doing them, then I either use a set of the quick grip clamps like you have in a few of the pictures or pipe clamps with the jaws reversed to spread/slightly bow the box sides. I'd bet that would give you enough room to use the small biscuits that you're using.
Also, for most speaker designs you'll want to ease the hard corners of the support braces to minimize chances of wierd wave reflections in the box/standing waves/weird tuning issues.
This is also probably the fastest way of making cutouts for terminal cups (if you choose to use them) and round ports.
Most people use drywall screws, which is fiddly and ugly, and unless you predrill everything you're just asking for split pieces and stripped holes (If you're going to do that at least use coarse threaded drywall screws).
I usually use glue and 18ga brads (2" unless there isn't room for some reason). You get a tight fit up, hold incredibly well (try pull one out that you missfired, it's just about impossible) and a clean look, and I bet that assembly is MUCH quicker than with biscuits. I even have some boxes that ended up bare MDF covered in tung oil and once you sand them you can't see the brad holes at all. Another advantage with them is that they are so thin and soft that metal working tools, saws, router bits... will cut right through them without catching or dulling, so even if you fire one through an area which will get cut later they don't get in the way like screws will.
Secondly, I usually cut them with the faces already mounted on the box, that way you have something with some size and weight to it keeping the thing steady instead of just the front baffle (usually the front baffle isn't big enough to clamp down and clear a circle cutting jig, especially with smaller speakers.