ChrisLazarko

Build my first own speaker, please help!

Well i'm looking to build my first speaker (preferably a center channel) and I am looking to not spend much. As this will be my first project I was looking to spend somewhere around perhaps $35-40 not more than that and maybe have 2 drivers and a tweeter... If anyone could suggest anything from radioshack I would appreciate it.

http://www.radioshack.com/category.a...9%5F004&Page=2

That is the link for the speakers I was looking at, although I am not sure I want to spend $9.99 on a speaker for my first attempt, as well as I would like to build a crossover and such. Could someone suggest how this is done or a website that would explain the whole process.

Thank you!

TimForman

I suppose you could start by reading this. The usual recommendation for someone building their first speaker is to use a kit. There's only one kit I know of in that price range and that's the ELF 1.5 from Creative Sound.

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Dave Poehlman

Chris, I would steer clear of Radio Shack for drivers... for what you'd get, they're overpriced. Check the sales at www.partsexpress.com or www.i-mcm.com for some cheap drivers.

Building a center channel for $35-$40 isn't impossible. I built a set of mini bookshelves for probably around $60-$70 (would've been cheaper if I hadn't finished them in oak veneer). I found a set of 5 1/4" poly-coned drivers with rubber surrounds on "ultra clearance" at mcm for $7.99 (they've been discontinued since, however... sorry)

MCM has since changed their website and they don't seem to cater as much to the speaker builder anymore.

I too was leery about building my first speakers... I didn't want to spend a bunch of cash to have them sound terrible. But, I bit the bullet and built a set of Georgia Tech 2-ways that cost probably a total of $200.. they sound great and really built up my confidence to tackle a couple of self-designed projects.