So I am rather handy with some fine woodwork and more even more skilled with electronics and car audio...

I am trying to identify some sources for speaker components and keep failing the Google-Fu test (results always seem to show HOW to build a wood box, not where to buy the components).

Anyone here know of a site or three who sell components?

Try "Speaker Builder" magazine

Parts Express has a decent selection.

I use Parts Express and sometimes Madisound for my speaker projects.

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
I use Parts Express and sometimes Madisound for my speaker projects.

How do you like their sound and could you compare them to anything?

I've used Parts Express. Good selection. Good quality. They are easy to do business with.

I've used Part Express too for replacement parts.
But you do know that making a speaker system is much more than just putting components in a box, right?
There is quite a bit of engineering and testing to get it right.
Every bit an art as well as science.
Good Luck

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
I use Parts Express and sometimes Madisound for my speaker projects.

How do you like their sound and could you compare them to anything?

Please accept my apologies for the misleading reply. My “projects” entail restoring and upgrading vintage speakers. I haven’t built anything new.

You may or may not know this but if you want good sound you can't just build any old box and throw a speaker in it. The acoustics of a good speaker cabinet are pretty complicated.

Just to give you a quick idea.

http://audiojudgement.com/seal...nclosure-closed-box/

https://www.udemy.com/acoustic...nd-enclosure-design/

Single driver folded horns driven by a small SET amp.

I can send a pair of ECL86's that'll rock your world.

quote:

Originally posted by Chance:
You may or may not know this but if you want good sound you can't just build any old box and throw a speaker in it. The acoustics of a good speaker cabinet are pretty complicated.

Not to mention pairing drivers ("speakers" in non-speaker-tech-geek), and crossover network design.

Drivers, crossover networks and enclosure design all influence one another, too.

I blew up the tweeters in my Paradigm speakers, playing around with a test CD and sound meter, one day. (Really, really numbskull move.) Luckily I was able to find the exact replacement drivers somewhere. Could've been Parts Express. Don't recall. That was 10-15 years ago, I think.

If I hadn't been able to find the exact replacements I might've been without speakers for a good long while, while I first tried to match the drivers I blew up closely enough or saved up to replace the speakers with as close a match as I could. (Necessary as there's a matched center-channel speaker.)

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
I use Parts Express and sometimes Madisound for my speaker projects.

How do you like their sound and could you compare them to anything?

I've built several sets of speakers, Infinite Baffle subwoofers.... over the years. Still listen most every day to a pair of monitors I built, Seas midwoofers and Focal tweeters. Worked in a High End audio store, around some of the best stuff available. The kits Madisound offer would be easily comparable to commercial speakers costing 4 times or more as much. Commercial speakers in general under $1000 range are using very low quality drivers/crossover components. For me as a woodworker and a audio hobbyist, very rewarding building my own speakers. Madisound has been around for a long time, great company to deal with.

quote:

Drivers, crossover networks and enclosure design all influence one another, too.

AND ....room acoustics, type and volume of program material aka music as well.

Back in the day before my IT career I worked at an Audio Store.
Video was just in it's infancy, as well as pre-digital era (CD) ... two channel audio in it's finest.

Speakers were a MAJOR part of our business.
A couple of reasons 1) It was "sellable" ~ back then we actually "sold" based on customer needs, did a demonstration and then asked for the sale.
2) It was profitable! 40% or greater gross profit percentage. When you sell a lot of a product you get to know about it as well what customers want.

You may not hear a difference in electronics but you sure can tell speakers apart.

We had great relationships with many speaker manufacturers.
Through the demo process we learned that all speakers and customers are not alike.
Different sounds, prices, finishes etc ... much to differentiate for the customer.
Bass Reflex, Acoustic Suspension, Planer Designs, horn-loaded, high or low efficiency > all exhibiting different characteristics.

So building your own can be done but it is much more than the components themselves.
Ultimately no one can ever finitely define a speaker until every aspect is controlled including room acoustics.
It would be a fun project but could be difficult nonetheless to perfect.

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
I use Parts Express and sometimes Madisound for my speaker projects.

How do you like their sound and could you compare them to anything?

I've built several sets of speakers, Infinite Baffle subwoofers.... over the years. Still listen most every day to a pair of monitors I built, Seas midwoofers and Focal tweeters. Worked in a High End audio store, around some of the best stuff available. The kits Madisound offer would be easily comparable to commercial speakers costing 4 times or more as much. Commercial speakers in general under $1000 range are using very low quality drivers/crossover components. For me as a woodworker and a audio hobbyist, very rewarding building my own speakers. Madisound has been around for a long time, great company to deal with.

Offgrid,

Thank you, that is what I was looking for.

Finding and building the correct shape box, baffle(s), and port(s) is actually the easier part for me, it was a source for [home stereo] components causing my frustrations.

I am a fan of 2 channel systems. I have two McIntosh setups. Using speakers separately or in combinations, McIntosh, Klipsch, JBL, B&O, and recently, ELAC. There is a world of difference in sound.

The Madison’s and partsexpress recommendations are spot on but I have a another one as well: eBay. Certain Volvo’s from certain years came installed with Dynaudio drivers and passive crossovers. I’ve bought a bunch from salvage yards through eBay overvthr years at dirt cheap pricing.

The easiest way to know if it’s dynaudio or not, if you’re not familiar with “the look”, is to check the country of origin on the driver itself. You’re looking for those made in Denmark, not Sweden.

For instance, retail on this is about $200 a pair.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-C...e:g:FpQAAOSw3v5YqGwP

This is a great option to build a killer sounding bookshelf speaker. Passive filter for the tweeter is built right in. Design and make a box and you’re and potentiall you have a $1000 speaker for $100.

https://m.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-O...9:g:BE4AAOSw8FRZrWRp

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
I use Parts Express and sometimes Madisound for my speaker projects.

How do you like their sound and could you compare them to anything?

I've built several sets of speakers, Infinite Baffle subwoofers.... over the years. Still listen most every day to a pair of monitors I built, Seas midwoofers and Focal tweeters. Worked in a High End audio store, around some of the best stuff available. The kits Madisound offer would be easily comparable to commercial speakers costing 4 times or more as much. Commercial speakers in general under $1000 range are using very low quality drivers/crossover components. For me as a woodworker and a audio hobbyist, very rewarding building my own speakers. Madisound has been around for a long time, great company to deal with.

Offgrid,

Thank you, that is what I was looking for.

Finding and building the correct shape box, baffle(s), and port(s) is actually the easier part for me, it was a source for [home stereo] components causing my frustrations.

You're welcome.

If building a subwoofer is a interest to you, dig around for Infinite Baffle (IB) subwoofers, design.... As I mentioned I worked at High End audio store, listen to 50K plus two channel systems every day, cost no object home theater systems.... A properly built IB will easily exceed ANY commercially available subwoofer for output and pitch control. Need the right room and adjacent space. Very simple to build.

Have fun!

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by offgrid:

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by Wayniac:
I use Parts Express and sometimes Madisound for my speaker projects.

How do you like their sound and could you compare them to anything?

I've built several sets of speakers, Infinite Baffle subwoofers.... over the years. Still listen most every day to a pair of monitors I built, Seas midwoofers and Focal tweeters. Worked in a High End audio store, around some of the best stuff available. The kits Madisound offer would be easily comparable to commercial speakers costing 4 times or more as much. Commercial speakers in general under $1000 range are using very low quality drivers/crossover components. For me as a woodworker and a audio hobbyist, very rewarding building my own speakers. Madisound has been around for a long time, great company to deal with.

Offgrid,

Thank you, that is what I was looking for.

Finding and building the correct shape box, baffle(s), and port(s) is actually the easier part for me, it was a source for [home stereo] components causing my frustrations.

You're welcome.

If building a subwoofer is a interest to you, dig around for Infinite Baffle (IB) subwoofers, design.... As I mentioned I worked at High End audio store, listen to 50K plus two channel systems every day, cost no object home theater systems.... A properly built IB will easily exceed ANY commercially available subwoofer for output and pitch control. Need the right room and adjacent space. Very simple to build.

Have fun!

This is a long term wish project for me. Our upstairs loft is our tv/entertainment room. On the other side of the back wall is the attic over the garage, just begging or a few 18’s IB’d and a Crown K2.