DIY Speakers for my 2-channel room?

[Squishman]

There are obviously large bookshelf (or smallish floor-standing) speakers that cost multiple thousands and sound way better than my Infinity RS-3000's. I think I want to build something and eventually sell these. I understand you can make some great sounding speakers that would rival some high-buck ones for around $500. They need to be 24" high, max. 2-way or 3-way. If 2 way, I'd prefer 8". Is 10" impossible with that limited height? So probably 6.5 if 3 way. I'd have to ask @TLS Guy if a midrange driver seems up to snuff before I built a 3-way design. I can solder, as long as I have a diagram with what goes where to build a xover if needed. As far as cabinets, I'd prefer a knock-down because I am no woodworking guy and they don't have to win any awards for looks. So does anyone have a recommendation on a kit that is bona-fide fabulous? Or if I get parts ala-cart, that's perfectly fine too. Amp in that room is a Yamaha A-S501. Speakers sit high in the room in the far wide corners. Fabulous imaging in that room. The other option is to use my RS-3000 cabs. The current woofers are these: https://www.simplyspeakers.com/replacement-speaker-woofer-w-8024.html
These are sealed cabs but I'd be willing to cut ports if the design required it.
These Infinities do sound great. But heck, I want to go one step beyond great.

 

[Squishman]

What about this kit? Would it kick the snot out of what I have now? https://www.parts-express.com/Orian...ith-Knock-Down-Enclosures-300-7186?quantity=1
One thing nice about this kit is the co-ax drivers allows for a larger woofer considering my max height.

 

[Squishman]

Some kits here to consider too.

https://www.css-audio.com/online-store/DIY-Speaker-Kits-c29751664?srsltid=AU7gw4V4Z-pGdtzbqprTcqTsEzzP8Nn7UTS1DJiA8XQmSGUnxwOjmKlF

 

[Squishman]

Maybe $750 to 1k would be more reasonable.

 

[TLS Guy]

Maybe $750 to 1k would be more reasonable.

My in wall speaker design could easily be adapted for your needs. I bet the C & C shop still has it in their software. You have heard those speakers and really liked them. Come back and give them another listen. Drivers are Morel and Scanspeak. The crossovers are bult to a much higher standard then you will find in almost any commercial speaker. I use decent gauge copper wire on the woofer inductors for a start. Not a lick of Chinese junk in any them at all.

 

[ski2xblack]

Couple thoughts. Could you improve on the current Franken-Infinities? Probably. Given the somewhat compromised placement, you may want to assess how much you want to throw at this. Yeah, I know you like how the high placement works in your room, but it's not ideal.

As for specifik kits, know that all coaxial drivers are not created equal. I don't know crap about the coax in the Dayton kit, it may be decent for all I know, but it may not be worth working with.

I wonder what @TLSguy could cook up for you. I'm thinking of a scaled down version of his speakers that use the Morel dome mids and hivi ribbons, although unsure if those domes are still being made. Maybe using a different woofer to get a cab size that would fit your space limitations.

 

[Squishman]

My in wall speaker design could easily be adapted for your needs. I bet the C & C shop still has it in their software. You have heard those speakers and really liked them. Come back and give them another listen. Drivers are Morel and Scanspeak. The crossovers are bult to a much higher standard then you will find in almost any commercial speaker. I use decent gauge copper wire on the woofer inductors for a start. Not a lick of Chinese junk in any them at all.

What about the cabs? I have no desire to build them from scratch. Knock downs or already built are more up my alley.

 

[Squishman]

Couple thoughts. Could you improve on the current Franken-Infinities? Probably. Given the somewhat compromised placement, you may want to assess how much you want to throw at this. Yeah, I know you like how the high placement works in your room, but it's not ideal.

As for specifik kits, know that all coaxial drivers are not created equal. I don't know crap about the coax in the Dayton kit, it may be decent for all I know, but it may not be worth working with.

I wonder what @TLSguy could cook up for you. I'm thinking of a scaled down version of his speakers that use the Morel dome mids and hivi ribbons, although unsure if those domes are still being made. Maybe using a different woofer to get a cab size that would fit your space limitations.

It'd be nice if I could use these infinity cabs. You are correct, I do like the current placement.
@TLS Guy C & C made your cabs? I probably misunderstood who they are and what they do.

 

[ski2xblack]

I like TLS suggestion of a version of his in-walls, but in freestanding cabs rather than literally in wall (I don't think thats what you had in mind).

An issue may be that a speaker optimized for your unconventional placement (thinking bass tuning and bsc with quarter space loading) will not work in other circumstances, should you sometime down the road move to a more conventional, free standing placement. Of course if you don't alter placement, that's not a concern.

 

[Squishman]

Perhaps if I got some dimensions from Mark, I could lower the placement. Definitely keep them wide though.

 

[Squishman]

Mark, could we play a USB stick on that system? I have this recorded from an LP. It would be a great test.

 

[Squishman]

I was just in there on my exercise bike and I think the placement is pretty good for that.

 

[Squishman]

I betcha these would be great too. The tweeters are made in China unfortunately. But the price is certainly up my alley. https://www.parts-express.com/Tritr...-with-Knock-Down-Cabinets-300-7128?quantity=1

 

[Squishman]

I have plans to stop by Mark's on Wednesday to take another listen to his in-wall speakers.

 

[TLS Guy]

Mark, could we play a USB stick on that system? I have this recorded from an LP. It would be a great test.

Yes, that AV 30 has a front USB port.

 

[ski2xblack]

Planning any subwoofage? Doc's got that in-wall transmission line sub, crossed pretty high if memory serves. (This is why I was first thinking of his three way floorstanders, the ones with the kef woofers. An exact replica of those wouldn't fit I don't imagine, but a smaller interpretation of them might be just right.)

 

[Squishman]

Planning any subwoofage? Doc's got that in-wall transmission line sub, crossed pretty high if memory serves. (This is why I was first thinking of his three way floorstanders, the ones with the kef woofers. An exact replica of those wouldn't fit I don't imagine, but a smaller interpretation of them might be just right.)

Yes, there is a subwoofer in the room it's a 10-in floor firing Klipsch.

 

[TLS Guy]

Planning any subwoofage? Doc's got that in-wall transmission line sub, crossed pretty high if memory serves. (This is why I was first thinking of his three way floorstanders, the ones with the kef woofers. An exact replica of those wouldn't fit I don't imagine, but a smaller interpretation of them might be just right.)

That is because of wall reflections. At 150 Hz crossover, I found it minimized the problem. The speakers can easily be crossed at 80 Hz. Fs of the drivers is 42 Hz, which puts F3 in sealed configuration at 80 Hz with second order roll off which agrees with measurements. Bass/mids are Morel from Israel, and the tweeter by ScanSpeak of Denmark.

Nothing from China.

 

[Squishman]

Mark, I was wondering, if your wall speakers are better than my Kef Q11's? If so I'd want them in my primary system instead of the 2 channel room. And then I'd shuffle things around and move my Ascend (21" tall) MTM's into the 2 channel room. In fact, I am going to try those in there this morning. I am thinking that your plan is well out of my budget, but I'd hate to miss the opportunity to have such great speakers at a great price.

 

[Squishman]

The Ascend MTM mini towers are far, far better than the infinities. The detail is better and has more depth. I first hooked one up and panned a couple of mono selections left and right to compare. Not much of a contest.