1st speaker project - was: New Idea For a Small Business, at age 15! (Moved) (1 Viewer)

[MarkHastings]

Don't those screen also help keep dust off the cones?

 

[bobbyg2]

Don't matter to me. The dust flies off of it at the volume I listen to it at.

 

[MarkHastings]

I don't think that's the point.

 

[bobbyg2]

Do you guys know a good place to read how to start a DIY speaker project? I'm not that good at finding information, and the information I do find isn't very good. Know a good web page explaining how to build a speaker? I want to build the speaker myself. And, I'm sure my uncle knows how to do it. I told him that I wanted to start making speakers, and if he wanted to help. He said that he would be happy to help and he has made speakers before. I just hope he's good at making them... He does kitchen cabinets, wood flooring, molding (the pieces of wood in the corners of your walls), home entertainment centers, and other carpentering.

 

[MarkHastings]

See if he knows about air flow and speaker size to cabinet relationships.

Anyone can build a speaker cabinet and it will work...hell, the speaker will still work if it isn't in a cabinet, but the key is to get the most out of the speaker you are installing. If the cabinet is too small, you might not get proper bass out of it...if the cabinet is too big, the bass might get too boomy.

Again, I don't know exactly what goes into speaker cabinet building, but the audio engineer (at my work place) once told me about how air flow and space plays a big role in how a speaker sounds and it sounded a lot more complicated than throwing a speaker in a wooden box.

 

[Bryan X]

Just ask someone at Bose....

 

[SethH]

Well, you will definitely want a crossover in a three-way speaker. The the chances of you making one yourself is pretty slim without some sort of training (e.g. engineering degree or vocational training). Thus, a pre-made crossover is about the only thing that makes sense.

 

[MarkHastings]

Exactly! tiny cubes my ass!

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I applaud your initiative, but I too think that you are being naive.

Building a speaker that actually sounds good is a lot more than constructing a box and putting components in it. Speaker design is a science as well as an art form. If you plan on engineering the design yourself, you better have a firm grasp of acoustic properties and electronics. The size, dimensions, and materials all have an effect on the frequency response. Do you know how to maintain phase coherance or how to filter frequencies to make the best use of the speakers you are installing? How about rating components for power consumption? Do you know the difference between parallel and series wiring, or how to create a load that an amp can actually use?

There are a lot of decisions that go into engineering ANYTHING that is well built and functional, and they aren't based on just winging it. If you can't be bothered doing the research you are just wasting your time and money. No harm in trying, but assuming you can just throw together a bunch of parts and make a commercially viable product is not reality. Even with the finest product imaginable, the likelihood of turning that into an income generator is marginal without a solid background in marketing and business management.

I'm not saying this to be mean, but I (like most others here I would hazzard a guess) had a lot of great ideas when I was your age, and they all required a lot more education and hard work to achieve than I had ever imagined. I spent thousands of dollars building and engineering projects that turned out to be unuseable, from mixing consoles to speakers. The process was educational and fun, but not much more.

My advice would be to get yourself some books from the library on speaker design, and/or use preexisting plans to start with. At least then you will have some proven informaion to base your design decisions on.

 

[Henry Gale]

delete

 

[MarkHastings]

I think it's great that he wants to create speakers and he can probably make some up that sound ok. And he can also probably sell them to friends and family, but where the skepticism comes into play is how one can create a business out of successfully selling speakers without a ton knowledge in speaker technology.

No offense to bobbyg2, but as was mentioned, the material alone can have a major influence on how the speaker sounds. As a DYI project, you probably can find enough info on the internet, but any type of business would require at least (IMO) some sort of audio engineering knowledge.

 

[Chris]

The biggest thing you'd have to come up with is a manufacturing process. And a way to buy components at a lower cost. If there isn't profit in it, it's not a great business plan

 

[Bryan X]

There's one important issue that no one has brought up. How is he going to pay for the white van?

 

[RichP]

Ah, to be young and clueless again...

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I think the first thing is to be able to come up with a product that actually works and people are willing to buy. Given the thousands of manufacturers already servicing this market who have the technical, marketing and distribution expertise, it will be an uphill battle.

The white van can come later - he'll need a driver's license first.

 

[Bryan X]

I hope you don't take all the ribbing the wrong way, Bobby. We were all there one time too. There's probably not one of us here that didn't have some grand plan when we were your age. I think it's great you are motivated to do something like this. And if it doesn't work out, take it as a great adventure and learning experience.

 

[Steve Felix]

I started a business when I was nineteen -- I wish I'd done it when I was fifteen. The experience will be great. You need to have high expectations and yet not get discouraged if you miss them completely. It's a tough balance.

Until you reach a point where the next step is to spend vast amounts of money, I'd be very skeptical of reasons not to proceed. Worst case scenario: you discover your weaknesses while you still have time to correct them.

 

[bobbyg2]

Thanks. But, where did you guys learn how to make speakers? Any specific website I can pay a visit to? I want to fill me head with knowledge!

And about the white van, how's a big white pick-up truck? I want a '95 Ford F-150, extended cab, long bed. And if I'm transporting components I'll put one of those caps on the top to keep them dry and keep the wind from blowing them over.

*EDIT*
Hows this crossover?: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=294-326

Input: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showd...number=260-314 (hey, when the best is

 

[Jimi C]

You seem to be ignoring the posts from people telling you that it is much more complicated than you seem to want to believe. Just throwing those drivers you randomly selected from the parts express website into a wooden box will not create a good sounding speaker. In fact, it won't work at all. There is much science that goes into creating a speaker that sounds good. There is more to those Duals you own than meets the eye.

http://www.lalena.com/Audio/FAQ/Speaker/

http://www.diyaudio.com

 

[bobbyg2]

Ah, I see why the tweeter and woofer weren't separated, the tweeter is independently sealed. I have a couple of questions.

1. Would I be able to put 2 woofers in the same chamber if I add the dimensions of the two together?

2. Should I make it a front firing, or a side firing. I'll have 2 woofers so probably front firing would work out around for the 40" of hight required for the tweeter.

3. Now that I know a little bit more, hows this look? (please excuse my inartistic speaker-drawing talent!


(whoops, forgot that the tweeter didn't need a chamber! ah, whatever. dismiss that. it'll share the mid's space.)

I'll size them according to the recommended enclosure size that comes with the drivers. I'll get the drivers from the same company and call them up and ask them which sound good together. I'll have two 8" woofers (woofer port), 1 mid (mid port) and 1 tweeter (combine the mid and tweeter ports, I messed up while drawing).

How's that look so far? Should I make it more round inside? I know, I'll cross-brace it too. Thanks for the links. I didn't post anything in the second link because I don't have to time to sign up right now.

Thanks guys!