[Gouie]

So, I am really leaning towards DIY for my 7.2 setup. I would consider myself to be a pretty handy guy equipped with most of the woodworking tools of the average amateur. I'm not sure what kit I will be going with but from an electronics perspective it will have to be "plug n' play". What concerns me as of late is reading statements suggesting DIY can sound as good if not better than many retail products with the right amount of tuning. I am an absolute noob when it comes to the inner workings of the electronics involved and would not have the ability nor desire to play around with said speakers for days/weeks on end to get the perfect configuration. Are the kits readily available complete with the inner-electronics to produce quality output or will I be forever frustrated seeking the perfect configuration?

 

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

I am an absolute noob when it comes to the inner workings of the electronics involved and would not have the ability nor desire to play around with said speakers for days/weeks on end to get the perfect configuration.

There's no need to. You can do everything from working with detailed plans that leave no room for error to building flat pack kits to assembling cabs that are already finished, just installing the drivers and pre-assembled crossovers. Playing around with them for weeks and even months on end to get them right is only required of the persons creating the designs.

 

[Gouie]

Fantastic, I appreciate the quick response Bill. Now, if only there were a DIY formula for making our own noiseproofing compound.

 

[asarose247]

^ +1
more likely than not, you will exert more effort/resources taming/controlling/tuning the room to allow the speakers to be heard
so do the homework, ask the deeper questions, pick up a pencil and doodle / visualize
buy the "best" that will fit the budget/room, WAF, wrt to size etc. (the "size" of the WAF can be the toughest!)


some have found this
"inspiring":
In my small room < 10' x 11'
in the right front cornerstanding up, a 30" THTLP, loading distance to the ceiling20+"
in the left rear corner standing up, a 24" THTLP,distance 21+" (because I could make it fit, that's why)
usinga Denon X4000 and its separate sub EQ thru 2 BASH 300's, xo80
immersive and most authorative to say the least,
the LCR,Surrounds, 1 rear surround and top highs are all small ,XT32 doesnicely using PlIIx for music and movies
but not exclusively
and4 Aura shakers with a PE 250 amp on the seating for good measure
anda 73" mitsy dlp for visuals
total black-out and a backgroundlevel of 37-38 dB
go for it


the walls are covered in middle weight drapes , some lined
there are some mid/hi freq traps in the corners that are left over
no front wall treatment . . .yet

 

[G-Money1572]

. Are the kits readily available complete with the inner-electronics to produce quality output or will I be forever frustrated seeking the perfect configuration?

If you are the type of person that likes to keep making tweaks, than you are going to be forever frustrated seeking the perfect configuration regardless of DIY or store bought. It doesn't sound like you are that person, and neither am I. I like to build and enjoy.

In many regards, I'm you. I'm a generally handy guy that is good at woodworking. But I have no desire at this point to learn about the inner workings of a crossover. A year ago I didn't even know such thing as a crossover existed. I figured a wire just went into the speaker and the AVR did all the work. The good news is that there are some incredibly talented people that work on designing the speakers and do all the hard work for you. You just need to follow the instructions.

My advice is to read up not only on the kits but also the designers and understand their philosophies and how they voice speakers. In my simple mind, it's a lot like betting on horse racing. You just don't bet strictly on the horse, you also want to take the jockey in consideration.

 

[asarose247]

To "yoda" you can/should listen and learn , grasshopper


I had listened to my first build ever, a BF 24" THTLP for a whole 10 minutes , just plopped behind my couch, in the small room, no eq or anything, BASH 300 and an Onkyo 160


I had just returned from a cruise and was thinking about his "better than a theater" claim while I sat through the entertainment,
and said , uh-huh, we'll see
So after that 10 minutes, I shut it down for another (!) trip to HD and more plywood so I could build the 2 30"s for my living room
It's all true
some pics are :williamtomkiel.imgur.com

 

[Gouie]

If you are the type of person that likes to keep making tweaks, than you are going to be forever frustrated seeking the perfect configuration regardless of DIY or store bought. It doesn't sound like you are that person, and neither am I. I like to build and enjoy.

In many regards, I'm you. I'm a generally handy guy that is good at woodworking. But I have no desire at this point to learn about the inner workings of a crossover. A year ago I didn't even know such thing as a crossover existed. I figured a wire just went into the speaker and the AVR did all the work. The good news is that there are some incredibly talented people that work on designing the speakers and do all the hard work for you. You just need to follow the instructions.

My advice is to read up not only on the kits but also the designers and understand their philosophies and how they voice speakers. In my simple mind, it's a lot like betting on horse racing. You just don't bet strictly on the horse, you also want to take the jockey in consideration.

Really good advise everyone. It sounds like we are very much the same. My issue is I enjoy a lot of "hobbies" but aren't good at any of them because I don't have the time to devote to a craft. As I get older I have realized that I simply want things to work.


Regarding the room it's modest, 21' long, 17' wide and 9' tall, your typical 3' behind an AT screen to hide the magic. I learned long ago that the WAF is by far the most critical path to success! To that end I will be hiding all equipment and speakers within pillars and behind screen. That's what put me down the DIY path. I have spent numerous hours over the last few months talking with high-end shops and the beauty of the cabinet was emphasised with every speaker I was shown. Yes, they are beautiful but I would rather spend my dollars on the performance when they will be out of site anyway.


I am leaning towards the 1099 as there are many raving reviews throughout this forum. I have not looked at surrounds, I assume there are similar DIY options. Any thoughts on surrounds and rears that match well with the 1099's?

 

[BassThatHz]

not have the ability nor desire to play around with said speakers for days/weeks on end to get the perfect configuration.

It's the room that you are correcting, not the speakers and subs.
The speakers and subs measure flat when outside or anechoicly.

For subs an nu3000dsp has everything you need.

For speakers the only thing that is electronic is the crossover.
Inductors filter out high frequencies, capacitors filter out low frequencies and resisters just resist... that's it. (You now know the voodoo-magic Q-Level top-secret sauce CocaCola formula.)

DIY sounds good even without any tweaks, especially subs.