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[Ted_Polzin]

Good morning all. I have just finished my Tempest sub. Pictures and impressions will follow. I am waiting until tonight to let the caulk dry to listen to it.
Now that I firmly have a DIY bug in me I want recommendations for some DIY self mains. More specifically I want to do the front three speakers. I was looking at the Eros http://www.partsexpress.com/projectshowcase/eros/ using the updates crossover http://speakerbuilder.net/web_files/...ct/neweros.htm This looks like a good project for my main speakers.
Here are my questions. How are these speakers? Has anyone else here built them? If so how do they sound? Would they sound better than if I went out and bought some Paradigms ( ref 60-100's) or B&W's?
Or is there anything else in the same range give or take a few hundred for the pair.
Next, what would be a good timber matched center speaker? Would using the same drivers and crossover with a center box yield good results? I plan on taking my time and using good quality plywood .. like maple or cherry .. simply for aesthetics reasons. I do have access to a good cabinet maker who is more than willing to help and teach me. Also my father is exceptionally good with electronics for assembling or even modifying a cross over should not be too much trouble. I am looking at building the last speakers I need to for quite some time and want to get it right.
Thanks for all your time.
Ted

 

[Anthony_Gomez]

Ted, I think the PE forum would be able to give you a better idea on the EROs since there are a lot of "Wayne Creations" builders over there
www.pesupport.com/cgi-bin.config.pl

 

[Ted_Polzin]

Update to the above. Right now I own Fluance speakers. As I will take my time for the above project and I plan on giving these speakers to my Dad when I am done. Would it be possible to upgrade the crossover. I hear again and again how the cross over is the most important piece of a speaker and how cheap drivers can be made to sound good with a good crossover. Where could I look to begin. I really do not mind spending $15-20 for each crossover if it would make a nice difference. I would like to build them myself rather than ordering a completed one from someone else.

Any ideas? Any crossovers already designed that would be a good place to start.

Thanks

Ted

 

[Chris Carswell]

If they use cheap elec. caps you could start there by replacing them (since the value is usually marked on the side anyway) with Axon or Solen poly caps with a Theta bypass cap for an extra little kick. Try some Mills, Eagle, or Axon non-inductive wire wound resistors in place of the standard sand cast jobs. I wouldn't mess with the inductors unless you know the values & exactly what you're doing. By going with bigger ones (lower awg wire) it might change the DC resistance too much & alter the xover slope.

Are you set on a MTM design (my favorite)? Must they be towers? What are you looking to spend on your DIY speakers? The Eros will cost you ~$550 depending on finish. Can you get a pair of new Paradigms or B&W's that sound as good for that much? Probably not. Wayne puts out some great stuff.

 

[Robert_J]

I really do not mind spending $15-20 for each crossover if it would make a nice difference.

I added up the crossover components that PE had listed. It was more than $30 each. Dayton and Solen caps and Mills non-inductive resistors. There's not much upgrading to do there without spending major money.

Like Chris said, Wayne sqeezes out every last drop of performance that he can from cheap drivers. The Eros doesn't use cheap drivers so it's a step above his other designs. His other designs aren't bad either. I built a pair of DII's with a DIII center for a friend and I'm just finishing up three DIII's for myself.

-Robert

 

[Ted_Polzin]

Yeah I can spend up to around $700 on the drivers and crossovers for the mains. Another $350-400 on the center The cabinets I will make out of a hardwood plywood like Maple or Cherry. I hope to keep the cabinets for the 3 fronts with finish to around $250-300. I really want to make some decent speakers.
Oh and size is no matter. I like big speakers
On another front would changing the caps and resisters make a noticeable difference? If so I'll take a stop by Active and see what they have. Fortunately my dad is big time in to this kind of electronics as a hobby so I can ask him all the questions I want and he will give me all the help I need. Including figuring out values.
Thanks
Ted

 

[Pete Mazz]

I've built the Eros. They are a great speaker. Very detailed and smooth. The SS9500 is a very nice tweeter. I built the parallel as well as the series xover. The parallel measures better. Both sound great. Not sure which way I'll leave them. I use one currently for a center channel and it does a great job. Better than anything I've used before, even laying on its side. If you build a dedicated CC, I'd just move the Vifas closer together and offset mount the SS in what's left. Maybe even a taller(wider in MTM thinking) baffle.

You won't be dissappointed!

Pete

 

[jeff lam]

Thats a $1400 budget just for 3 speakers. You have ton's of options with a budget like that. Look at kits from Adire and GR as well, you may see something you like. The GR AV1+'s should compare to those Eros in every category except bass extension. If you are looking for quality crossover components, GR has the best I've seen with their all foil inductors and custom axon caps. Those Eros do look nice however with those 7" drivers. WOW!

 

[Chris Carswell]

Did you want to upgrade the xovers on your Fluance speakers?
That's what I thought you meant when I wrote that original post. If you are talking about upgrading the components on the Eros xover, Robert J laid it out there for ya .
Jeff made a good point about the AV1+'s. I personally would stay away from the Adire stuff. Good speakers don't get me wrong, but I don't think that are as refined as GR's stuff. I have not had a chance to listen to the "new" AV1+ yet (Brian, you better bring them to ATL DIY) but the old were great. I also haven't listened to the Paradox's but they are to be better than the AV's. Look at the Paradox 3 & a Paradox 1+ for the center. If you want something more exotic then look at his R1 & R2 custom kits. The R2 will probably be over budget though. I'd give Danny a call. He's a good guy to work with & will get you squared away.
I also would look at some of the Seas stuff; Thor, Odin, or Froy to name a few. I'm going to listen to the Thor's next weekend so I'll know 1st hand how they compare. The Thor & Odin might be a little $$$ which brings me to another option. I've noticed that those EX woofers mated with the Hiquphon tweeters yields more than spectacular results for $100 less a pair over the T25CF002. It even favors as good as if not better than the SS 9500 in other projects. I'm currently examining this. I am considering a "Froy" of sorts for the center but using the Hiquphon OWII. The OWII is +3 db more sensitive which is what is needed for an MTM due to the addition of the extra woofer. I'll be working with Dennis Murphy or David Ellis for this. Both are avid Hiquphon fans & more than respected speaker builders. There are 2 projects already available using these drivers. 1st is the well known Ellis 1801 but I don't think that is something you will go for since it is a TM, not a MTM or tower. Here is a pic:

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Second would be the Zeus, which I think is more your (and my ) style. Here is a pic as well:

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That should give you some ideas. I hope I've been helpful. I'm off for a beer. Cheers!
-Chris

 

[Jeremy Stockwell]

Well, have you posted any pics anywhere? I'm interested b/c I'm building almost the exact same Tempest sub now for a similar room, powered with an old ProLogic receiver (Kenwood, right?). Just wondering how it looks, but more importantly how it sounds. So, how does it sound? Music? Movies?

JKS

 

[Ted_Polzin]

I will very soon. I am still waiting to pick up my piece of carpet to go around it. I have a friend who installs the stuff and will supply and help me install it.
As to how it sounds. What can I say that has not already been said. It sounds great and very low. I really can not compare it to anything else except a Velodyne ct 80 since that is what I had. It is 4 or 5 leagues higher
As to my next project I have shifted a little bit. My dad is big time into electronics and when we went amp shopping last week for something nice he looked at it and told me there was only 3 or 4 hundred dollars worth of parts in it. I then spent a little time on line at www.diyaudio.com and sound.au.com and decided to try to build my own (project 03a) and I will try to build my own active crossover (same site project 09) this will enable me to not have to worry about passive crossovers when I build my speakers
Thanks a lot. I'll post pics when I have them. Probably later this week.
Ted