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Bengal
03-02-2005, 06:49 AM
HellllllllllllllllllllllllllllO :D
Next week should be a fun week for me...I'll be starting my first ever DIY speakers...Ed's AR.com DIY's. I'll be building them completly by scratch....no already built x-overs or enclosures. I'm as happy as I am nervous I'm going to screw them all up. So, if any of you builders have any tips, hints, advise or cautions it would certainly help. I think I know what I'm doing but since I'm a DIY virgin I can't be sure.
The one thing I am sure about is how I'm going to finish them...in Rust-Oleum hammered black enamel finish. When I saw Tim Robinson's Dayton 8 MTM's finished in this stuff I really fell in love with the look. This stuff is so cool :cool: And it seems so easy and inexpensive. You can check out Tim's speakers here...
http://members.interfold.com/tedrobinson/
Happy building and listening
Later............................................. .................................................. .................... ;)

bcass
03-02-2005, 08:39 AM
HellllllllllllllllllllllllllllO :D
Next week should be a fun week for me...I'll be starting my first ever DIY speakers...Ed's AR.com DIY's. I'll be building them completly by scratch....no already built x-overs or enclosures. I'm as happy as I am nervous I'm going to screw them all up. So, if any of you builders have any tips, hints, advise or cautions it would certainly help. I think I know what I'm doing but since I'm a DIY virgin I can't be sure.
The one thing I am sure about is how I'm going to finish them...in Rust-Oleum hammered black enamel finish. When I saw Tim Robinson's Dayton 8 MTM's finished in this stuff I really fell in love with the look. This stuff is so cool :cool: And it seems so easy and inexpensive. You can check out Tim's speakers here...
http://members.interfold.com/tedrobinson/
Happy building and listening
Later............................................. .................................................. .................... ;)

Good luck, and be sure to post some pictures when you're done. I looked at that web page and he really built some nice looking speakers. I will be building the AR.com DIYs in a couple months myself, but I am still leaning toward buying the assembled crossovers and cabinets from Madisound.com.

Bryan

Bengal
03-04-2005, 04:34 PM
Gee...I see the Athena Tech FS-2's are now only $399 on the web. That is a great price for a REALLY good sounding speaker. Don't let the fact that these are sold in major chains fool you. With good electronics they are fantastic and have very very deep and powerful bass to boot. Their reviews are also all very good and are a Stereophile recommended speaker. I'm not sure I can do better than this in a DIY speaker. Once you add everything up a good DIY speaker is going to cost about the same but still will need a sub for deep bass. With the Athena you get it all....good bass, mids, highs, great soundstage and decent imaging. For that price I don't think you can beat'em. What do you guys think?
Mark

kexodusc
03-05-2005, 07:01 AM
The electronics in the Ar.com DIY's are far superior to the inexpensive drivers and components in the Athenas. Also, the Athenas aren't made from 3/4" MDF, but instead a softer particle board. Not excatly the most sturdy cabinet.
I have no doubt the Ar.com DIY's are better than anything in Athena's catalog. Much better. Consider that the cost of the parts in the DIY's is more than than the price of some of Athena's bookshelf spekers (which use the same electronics as their larger speakers).
The Athena's are good inexpensive speakers,but really outclassed by the DIY's in every category. And don't be fooled, these have a impressive bass.
For what it's worth, I replaced $1100 Paradigm Studio 40 v.2's with my Ar.com DIY's...so yes, a $300 DIY speaker can sound better than a $1000 commercial speaker.