9221mac@hou2f.UUCP (06/14/85)
It's been quite a while since we discussed speaker building on the net. In answer to a recent query; the book by Colloms is an excellent introduction to speaker building. The next step would be to read all the back issues of Speaker Builder magazine (Petersborough, NH). If you're still interested, the Audio Engineering Society publishes a two volume set on loudspeakers which is excellent, albeit technical. Can an individual build speakers to compare with commercial offerings? You bet. My advice? Buy the best drivers you can afford. Buy the best crossover parts you can find. Do a careful design. Buy the cabinets pre-made from a speaker supply house or build them yourself. You don't need a table saw, a circular saw and a "Cutters Edge" will do the job just fine. A router with a trammel point attachment makes short work of cutting perfect round holes and recesses. I've built fancy tri-amped designs and passive crossover designs too. Unless you're a pro, buy drivers with very flat impedance curves. Usually the ferrofluid damped mids and tweeters are best in this respect. Use Zobel networks where required, and try the new three way crossovers by Bullock (see JAES or Speaker Builder). Where to buy drivers/parts? See the back of any of the stereo rags. A&S, Audio Concepts, Madisound, and Mc Gee are good dealers. In my experience the best mids and tweets are Dynaudio and Morel. There are a lot of good inexpensive woofers. I like the Audax, SEAS, and Peerless. If you want to spend gobs of money you can, but a good 12" woofer needn't cost more than $50.00. Steve Johnson (borrowing account)