[shenlon]

Just thought I'd start a thread to hear some of the responses. I was looking at building my own sub as a beginning into DIY speakers, but I have neither the time, space, nor tools to do it right now so I picked up an MFW-15 and plan to see how that fairs in my house and then build a companion for it.


I wanna know why everyone here does DIY though. Do you tinker with all your ****, or specifically HT? Don't like paying retail? See something and think you can do it better? Just curious, there's no wrong answer here.


I thought about making a poll but thought free response would be better.

 

[mikieson]

I did it to have the satisfaction of doing something myself. The same reason I do tons of things myself.


PLUS when people ask if I did something myself and I say yes...They trip out and think im the smartest and most talented person ever.

 

[robertcharles]

DIY allows us to use what we want and put it together how we want.

For me, I know that I could, in no way, have gotten the quality of components and build from a commercially available sub- period.

 

[LTD02]



Quote:
Originally Posted by shenlon /forum/post/16898349


Just thought I'd start a thread to hear some of the responses. I was looking at building my own sub as a beginning into DIY speakers, but I have neither the time, space, nor tools to do it right now so I picked up an MFW-15 and plan to see how that fairs in my house and then build a companion for it.


I wanna know why everyone here does DIY though. Do you tinker with all your ****, or specifically HT? Don't like paying retail? See something and think you can do it better? Just curious, there's no wrong answer here.


I thought about making a poll but thought free response would be better.

several reasons that you will see in the following posts (in no particular order):


1. performance vs. $


2. flexibility to upgrade various aspects over time


3. tired of being fed "advertising speaker monthly" bullcrap


4. it's fun to design/build a system


5. it's an escape that takes our minds of the politics that are splitting our country in two


6. aesthetics


7. the pursuit of knowledge/pushing boundries/engineering a better mousetrap


8. we are humans, give us a break


9. cuttlefish are very smart animals


10. desire to belong to a group


;-)

 

[chucky08016]



Quote:
Originally Posted by LTD02 /forum/post/16898545


several reasons that you will see in the following posts (in no particular order):


1. performance vs. $


2. flexibility to upgrade various aspects over time


3. tired of being fed "advertising speaker monthly" bullcrap


4. it's fun to design/build a system


5. it's an escape that takes our minds of the politics that are splitting our country in two


6. aesthetics


7. the pursuit of knowledge/pushing boundries/engineering a better mousetrap


8. we are humans, give us a break


9. cuttlefish are very smart animals


10. desire to belong to a group


;-)

Agreed with everything LTD02 said including #9!!!

 

[kgveteran]

I DIY'd my house. I didn't need no damn builder. I got three quotes for every job.Took five months. The floor plan was drawn on a .... you got it napkin.

 

[LTD02]

since you posted a pic of your home, i will assume that you are very, very proud of your accomplishment.


my preferences may be a little different from yours, but you know what...props on your place! the american dream is that each of us can find what makes us happy. your home appears to be very nice home. a pic with your family around the bar-b-q on a cool fall day would lock it up! not sure if i am on topic, not sure if that matters, not sure if you know what i am saying...not sure if any of that matters! lol. nice place.

 

[BowerR64]

Yeah i built my own for a few reasons.


I think most powered subs are WAY over priced

They all use little woofers i like a 12 or larger

I didnt want the amp inside the cabnet i wanted it in a different location then the cabnet.

I wanted the sub to fit in a certin location which has an odd demension.


Im glad i built my own because i dont think i could of bought a sub that sounds as good as mine for what i have into it.

 

[penngray]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kgveteran /forum/post/16898778


I DIY'd my house. I didn't need no damn builder. I got three quotes for every job.Took five months. The floor plan was drawn on a .... you got it napkin.

Very cool KG!


I built my house two years ago but one of my good friends is a contractor so I used him and his business to do it (Bank needed his name on the builders loan), he gave me all the connections and I was at the house daily to make sure everything was done and I chased down the different subs over the year it was being built (that world is crazy). Cost of doing it yourself saves 20-30% back in the day

My next house will be done the same way, if the market ever recovers

I hoping in 2 years! I need a bigger HT room and a full woodworking shop

 

[vasyachkin]

i DIY because i think i am smarter than everybody else and i don't trust anybody else to design my speaker.


now suppose somebody else designs a better speaker than me - that doesn't matter because i won't be able to understand that the other design is better than mine anyway.


that's the satisfaction of DIY ! you get to think your sh1t is the best even if it isn't !


people pay a large premium to drive a Bentley over BMW even though BMW is better. but Bentley is exclusive. DIY speaker is even more exclusive.

 

[Montekay]

Don't know why I started DIY speakers, I started too young to remember. I was playing with speakers out of old TVs' from my dad's TV shop when I was still well within single digit age. Started actually studying, designing etc in the mid late 70's. These days I know there are no commercial products that are built the way I think they should be built. No commercial speaker sparks any serious interest whatsoever other than what I could hock them for if they were given to me.


Commercial is just too limited. Many non DIY'ers believe that DIY can not match the resources of a "big company" with "professionals". Actually the reverse is true. These "professionals" have their hands tied by these "big companies" with the ultimate goal always being profitability over sound quality. They are also limited to their own technologies or those they pay others to use. Additionally they have to target the larger market, not the specialized fanatic that wants the N'th degree of quality. That's why they usually use passive crossovers etc to keep it simple enough for that larger market. If they do target the fanatic it becomes such a limited specialized product the price may exceed six figures. It's just not practical for them to even attempt to accomplish what can be accomplished in DIY. DIY just has too many unfair advantages.


mk

 

[brandonnash]

My main reason for diy is cost effectiveness. I probably make considerably less money than most that are on this board but have a love for higher end audio/video. For me it is a means to get a taste of the high end at pabst blue ribbon prices.


My system was put together comepletely at discounts.


55" crt Rptv bought used from a friend.

Athena mains bought from a discount overstock store

Receiver bought used from a friend a couple years ago

Blu ray bought from a friend

Diy sub. Driver bought during a sale


Etc etc

 

[LTD02]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Montekay /forum/post/16899584


Don't know why I started DIY speakers, I started too young to remember. I was playing with speakers out of old TVs' from my dad's TV shop when I was still well within single digit age. Started actually studying, designing etc in the mid late 70's. These days I know there are no commercial products that are built the way I think they should be built. No commercial speaker sparks any serious interest whatsoever other than what I could hock them for if they were given to me.


Commercial is just too limited. Many non DIY'ers believe that DIY can not match the resources of a "big company" with "professionals". Actually the reverse is true. These "professionals" have their hands tied by these "big companies" with the ultimate goal always being profitability over sound quality. They are also limited to their own technologies or those they pay others to use. Additionally they have to target the larger market, not the specialized fanatic that wants the N'th degree of quality. That's why they usually use passive crossovers etc to keep it simple enough for that larger market. If they do target the fanatic it becomes such a limited specialized product the price may exceed six figures. It's just not practical for them to even attempt to accomplish what can be accomplished in DIY. DIY just has too many unfair advantages.


mk

points taken. generally agreed.


now, take the jbl prx512m. what is better for a main in a thx system?


okay, it is a little narrow in the horizontal dispersion, but for $800 or so, one gets a pair of pretty good drivers, a horn, the enclosure, a pair of amps, and a system that doesn't need a whole lot of futzing with.


i actually think they look pretty good, but since that is subjective, let's kick that out.

 

[vasyachkin]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Montekay /forum/post/16899584


Don't know why I started DIY speakers, I started too young to remember. I was playing with speakers out of old TVs' from my dad's TV shop when I was still well within single digit age. Started actually studying, designing etc in the mid late 70's. These days I know there are no commercial products that are built the way I think they should be built. No commercial speaker sparks any serious interest whatsoever other than what I could hock them for if they were given to me.


Commercial is just too limited. Many non DIY'ers believe that DIY can not match the resources of a "big company" with "professionals". Actually the reverse is true. These "professionals" have their hands tied by these "big companies" with the ultimate goal always being profitability over sound quality. They are also limited to their own technologies or those they pay others to use. Additionally they have to target the larger market, not the specialized fanatic that wants the N'th degree of quality. That's why they usually use passive crossovers etc to keep it simple enough for that larger market. If they do target the fanatic it becomes such a limited specialized product the price may exceed six figures. It's just not practical for them to even attempt to accomplish what can be accomplished in DIY. DIY just has too many unfair advantages.


mk

which is what i said many times. DIY is only a better value once you're in the "exotic" or at least "highly specialized" price range.


a DIYer cannot compete at this price point:

but a DIYer CAN compete at this price point:

 

[Favelle]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ltd02 /forum/post/16898545


several reasons that you will see in the following posts (in no particular order):


1. Performance vs. $


2. Flexibility to upgrade various aspects over time


3. Tired of being fed "advertising speaker monthly" bullcrap




;-)

this....#1 ftw.

 

[kgveteran]



Quote:
people pay a large premium to drive a Bentley over BMW even though BMW is better. but Bentley is exclusive. DIY speaker is even more exclusive.

Yup, it's exclusive to just what you need. It's also a good point, that the higher you set your goal the more the pay off is in price to the commercial market.


I always have to give them the nod and say they have a business to run with real overhead, but none the less, there are huge payoffs to the DIY guy.

 

[LHD21]

Well after evaluating what I could of the commercial speaker market I just got disgusted with my options. The big companies are designing to a niche. That means you get the best they have to offer in components from their product line in the price range they're targeting. DIY has the option of any driver available and at a significant cost incentive. No marketing bs, no advertising and most of the big designs are peer reviewed. For a technical minded person its a pretty easy decision to make the jump.


I've been particularly disgusted with most of the service industries in this country for some time. If the auto service industry is any indicator how a modern company is run, I dont want 99% of the commercially available products.

 

[penngray]

I just like that I can tweak my speakers to what ever I need.


I had a need for speaker to perform well up against walls, commercial options are limited. DIY gave me all the flexibility in the world. Besides that I can pick how my speakers look to match my rooms.

 

[NJTEX]

It's an involved and very satisfying type of fun.


The DIY speaker hobby is also supported by a healthy array of quality manufacturers so it's easier than ever to get great results no matter what your final goals. Think of it like the PC building/modifying hobby, you can integrate any system level that your heart desires. On top, you can recycle your existing parts into additional or new systems as you will. Isn't that better than just buying a new Dell every 12 months?

 

[A9X-308]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kgveteran /forum/post/16898778


The floor plan was drawn on a .... you got it napkin.

Nice house, huge block. In most parts of Sydney the land alone would be >$1M.


I was once asked in a job interview for an engineering position if I was familiar with all the latest CAD programs (mid 90's). I told them I was an Italian Napkin Engineer: I got my best ideas over lunch and they were usually scribbled on a napkin. Uptight corporate types didn't get what I meant, but for 20 years I've carried a notebook with me everywhere as ideas come from nowhere and I scribble them down so I don't forget.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Montekay /forum/post/16899584


These days I know there are no commercial products that are built the way I think they should be built. No commercial speaker sparks any serious interest whatsoever other than what I could hock them for if they were given to me.


Commercial is just too limited. Many non DIY'ers believe that DIY can not match the resources of a "big company" with "professionals". Actually the reverse is true. These "professionals" have their hands tied by these "big companies" with the ultimate goal always being profitability over sound quality. They are also limited to their own technologies or those they pay others to use. Additionally they have to target the larger market, not the specialized fanatic that wants the N'th degree of quality. That's why they usually use passive crossovers etc to keep it simple enough for that larger market. If they do target the fanatic it becomes such a limited specialized product the price may exceed six figures. It's just not practical for them to even attempt to accomplish what can be accomplished in DIY. DIY just has too many unfair advantages.


mk

Pretty much sums up what I would have typed. None of the drivers I'm using (AE, JBL, B&C, Emilar) are used in commercial domestic gear and most of the commercial stuff just sounds so bland and ordinary to me. Plus I'm a big hater of bling and name dropping so beloved of audiophiles.