Mavin Speaker kits on Ebay?

[TDWesty]

Has anyone had experience with the parts kits sold at http://www.mavin.com?

He also sells on ebay, and the prices seem a little too good... are they?

I'm thinking of the kits using a Boston Acoustics 4.5" woofer for small bookshelf or centre channel speakers. Any ideas for speakers on a budget are appreciated. Most of the articles I have seen online seem to be based on $200-300 worth of driver components, more than I want to spend...

Thanks.

 

[Jeff Hyder]

mavins stuff

Has anyone had experience with the parts kits sold at http://www.mavin.com?

He also sells on ebay, and the prices seem a little too good... are they?

I'm thinking of the kits using a Boston Acoustics 4.5" woofer for small bookshelf or centre channel speakers. Any ideas for speakers on a budget are appreciated. Most of the articles I have seen online seem to be based on $200-300 worth of driver components, more than I want to spend...

Thanks.

I bought a set of car tweeters from him off of ebay and when I hooked them up to listen to them I decided to throw them in the trash. the cerwin vega crossovers 3way and 2 way both work well but are generically crossed and need lots of changes to match any speakers I have used. In my opinion after25 years of speaker building, I think its really inexpensive stuff for the most part. the dual 8 woofer and one tweet for 49 dollar can be smoked for about 50 bucks at parts express with better drivers by dayton if you can build a crossover. or buy a two way from him but you will wish you had made your own. Its low end stuff at a low end price. but when you order you get it quick ,. Hes on time and cheap. Maybe some of the other components are worth it. Like the 5in two way with cab and x over kit. but dont expect spectacular audio for that price. Later. just my two cents worth. or the little boston acoustic drivers. I will probobly get two to test out and see if they are really boston or not. Ill post when I do.

 

[Swerd]

I agree with Jeff Hyder. At $30.50 each this is low end, real inexpensive stuff. The midwoofs might be useable, but only with a custom designed crossover/filter. I wouldn't trust the simple crossovers or the el cheapo tweeters included in that kit.

The lowest cost, most widely recommended kit that I know of is the Parts Express BR-1, sold at $150 a pair unshielded (part #300-640) or $160 for the shielded version (part #300-642). They occasionally go on sale for about $125 a pair.

A well-known DIY designer, Dennis Murphy, has designed an improved crossover for the BR-1. For about $50 more his revised crossover smooths out the lower treble better than the original. See the two frequency response curves at the link and look for the differences at 2000 to 30000 Hz.

 

[Swerd]

Whoops. Make that 2000 to 3000 Hz, not 2000 to 30000 Hz!

 

[johnplemons]

Mavin Speakers....

Just a word so you know a bit more about us.. We're not out to change the speaker world, our kits are not cheap, although our prices are very low. Our intent is pretty simple, across the world guys are interested in building a speaker at one time or another in their life, our kits are there to help fit that need. For less than $50.00 in most cases you can build either a center channel or bookshelf set of speakers. Are they state of the art? Of course not, but they are tested and proven to sound pretty good. They sound much better than the $50.00 price would make you believe they should, better still, it was something a newbie could do without breaking the bank or having a great deal of knowledge.
As far as components, we prefer to stay with brand names, Klipsch, Foster, Boston Acoustics, Polk Audio, Cerwin Vega, AR etc...
Now to reference a couple of remarks. For the guy who felt the tweeters he bought were crap, simple if you don't like them you could have returned them. Also if I put something up as a Boston Acoustics speaker, you can bet it is a Boston Acoustics speaker. We don't play games or lie about what we sell, after being in business 50 years why should we.
I have the audio bug, I like speakers and I like speakers that sound good, never equate price to quality, and never think of Electro Mavin as your normal dealer. We buy deals, look at the market place and then set our prices below what is the norm, our policy is make them compete with us.
So to answer the question if you are looking for a low cost good quality speaker kit, then We're for you, if you believe low cost can't sound good, then pay much more from someone else.

 

[leo1058]

lets get ready to rumble!!!!!!

 

[jamie2112]

Well there you have it I guess. Straight from the horses mouth. You get what you pay for and at 50 bucks you are not getting much. Geeeez didn't you know you have to spend AT LEAST 60 dollars for a good set of speakers.

 

[jamie2112]

50 bucks

What the hell does pretty good sound like anyway? Oh yeah 50 bucks....sorry my bad.

 

[johnplemons]

What the hell does pretty good sound like anyway? Oh yeah 50 bucks....sorry my bad.

You know I only seem to get to this forum about once a year... And 50 bucks can sound pretty good if you have someone selling you quality product at a great price.
I don't know if $50.00 means much to you, but I know plenty of people who are very cost aware. Getting a good deal doesn't mean you are buying crap, it just means you got a good deal. I recently bought a top of the line 7.1 THX and Dolby receiver, it factory new and the last one the dealer had which was discounted 45% off. I didn't buy crap but did get a great buy.
Mine is a simple goal to sell quality material and give you a great deal at the same time. Of course you're going have the purest chime in,, they are always going to put a shadow of doubt into any good deal. Many times just for the sake of casting doubt.
I'm not going to sit here and blow smoke up your behind and tell you that you are going to get high dollar top of the line, pay through the nose components. What I do sell are nice middle of the road quality components for a nice price, no games, no cute little $50.00 jokes. Components made for Cerwin Vega, Polk Audio, ESS Labs, Foster made for Klipsch, Boston Acoustics, Acoustic Research and the last of the true M&K 12" replacement woofers. With a goal of selling all for a true deal of a price.
I have sold components to people who believe that they would have had to spend several thousands of dollars to outfit their 7.1 home theater instead of the $400.00 they spend with me. Value is subjective as is sound quality from ear to ear, so if you have tried our product honest comments are welcomes, but to speak of something you have never tried or know first hand about is being pretty silly and lacks any real truth.

John Plemons
423-746-2846

 

[lsiberian]

Why are we digging up old topics?

 

[jamie2112]

I will say it again....you get what you pay for.....except DIY which can give you much better performance to cost ratio.......but $50 sounds like $50......

 

[Alex2507]

Why are we digging up old topics?

So that Jamie can continue being cantankerous.
So that I can find stuff like this!

A well-known DIY designer, Dennis Murphy, has designed an improved crossover for the BR-1.

I have a pair of these BR-1's coming. I have seen this link before but who knew that I would be my own pair to toy with. This is going straight into my DIY Subscribed thread file. Thank you!

 

[lsiberian]

I will say it again....you get what you pay for.....except DIY which can give you much better performance to cost ratio.......but $50 sounds like $50......

I think in a year you will have to repeat yourself. They should have a DIY bose kit would only cost 10 bucks. lol