Looking for a DIY monitor/speaker project

[TheOfficialRas]

Hey everyone, I'm looking to build myself some nice studio monitors. Some friends of mine have built this kit:

Dayton Audio BR-1

I've heard these monitors once, and from what I remember, I liked how they sounded. I'd like to hear other people's opinions though; I'm wondering if there are any other recommended DIY projects where I could potentially build a better pair of monitors.

If that's the case I might just build this kit for my vinyl setup at home then

 

[mhelin]

For sure there are better DIY projects but not many DIY kits if that's what you are after. Those BR-1 speakers are not bad, the tweeter can be crossed over at quite low frequency (1800Hz) but I would still use a WG 148 R type waveguide with it and cross at 1500Hz. That would require changing the crossover, I think the L1 inductor could be just removed but you should be able to measure the frequency response and tune the other tweeter part components if needed. Also with a waveguide the tweeter can be centered. There are also better means to reduce diffraction other than offsetting the driver, I mean it can be done like in this DIY plan:
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/SBA-741.htm
Anyway, for a vinyl setup you don't propably need (or want) a studio monitor, I think a Pro Audio driver based loudspeaker would be the best one. It can be The Loudspeaker (The-Loudspeaker) or some Econowave based desing which is much cheaper. Google for the word econowave to find example projects like this: https://www.avsforum.com/threads/econowave-sr-compact-build-thread.2696729/ .

 

[ubxf]

I'm trying to understand waveguides. what is the difference between WG 148 R and MONACOR/ WG-300.
Instead of passive crossover could you use bi amping and a minidsp active crossover.
I like crossing over the tweeter at a lower frequency in terms of imaging a giving more of a 3d feel but the draw back is a lack of presence on vocals

 

[TheOfficialRas]

For sure there are better DIY projects but not many DIY kits if that's what you are after. Those BR-1 speakers are not bad, the tweeter can be crossed over at quite low frequency (1800Hz) but I would still use a WG 148 R type waveguide with it and cross at 1500Hz. That would require changing the crossover, I think the L1 inductor could be just removed but you should be able to measure the frequency response and tune the other tweeter part components if needed. Also with a waveguide the tweeter can be centered. There are also better means to reduce diffraction other than offsetting the driver, I mean it can be done like in this DIY plan:
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/SBA-741.htm
Anyway, for a vinyl setup you don't propably need (or want) a studio monitor, I think a Pro Audio driver based loudspeaker would be the best one. It can be The Loudspeaker (The-Loudspeaker) or some Econowave based desing which is much cheaper. Google for the word econowave to find example projects like this: https://www.avsforum.com/threads/econowave-sr-compact-build-thread.2696729/ .

Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of this! I'll definitely look into all of it!

 

[Flatpicker]

Here are some other sources for good speaker kits here in the US:

https://meniscusaudio.com/product-category/speaker-kits/https://gr-research.com/https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/index.php?p=home
'Flat-packs' are available for some of these kits (sometimes from a third party), and so you don't necessarily need a woodshop to build them, if you don't have access to one.

I went down this rabbit hole about 7 years ago and ended up building a set of "Mandolins" from Meniscus Audio and they turned out unbelievably good!

I just recently ordered drivers and parts from GR Research to build a pair of their X-LS Encores, which supposedly sound better than the Mandolins (and are cheaper), so we'll see how they stack up once I get the parts and get them built. Flat-packs are available for the X-LS Encores.

 

[ubxf]

Parts express is another one
https://www.parts-express.com/speaker-components/Speaker-Subwoofer-Cabinet-Enclosuresi got the cabinets from them and it worked out well

 

[mhelin]

I'm trying to understand waveguides. what is the difference between WG 148 R and MONACOR/ WG-300.
Instead of passive crossover could you use bi amping and a minidsp active crossover.
I like crossing over the tweeter at a lower frequency in terms of imaging a giving more of a 3d feel but the draw back is a lack of presence on vocals

There is no huge difference between those waveguides, both are fine. WG 148 R is a little bit shallower and smaller so it's not good below 1k5 or so. DSP crossovers are fine, they are easier to tweak but require an amp per driver. For the tweeter it is good anyway to have a capacitor there to protect from accidental transients (low freq) and a passive L-PAD to lower the sensitivity and power amp noise due to quiescent current.

A waveguide basically adds tweeter sensitivity at lower frequencies and at the same time adds directivity so that it ideally matches with the directivity of a mid/-woofer at the crossover frequency and thus you will get a better off-axis response and power response. That's what top monitors like Amphion use this day, and it happens they have also a paper written on the subject here:
https://amphion.fi/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Advantage_of_using_waveguides.pdf

 

[mhelin]

Here are some other sources for good speaker kits here in the US:

https://meniscusaudio.com/product-category/speaker-kits/..
I went down this rabbit hole about 7 years ago and ended up building a set of "Mandolins" from Meniscus Audio and they turned out unbelievably good!

The SB Acoustics drivers used on Mandolin 2 (current version?) are great. There is open source waveguide design for 3D printing the waveguide for the SB26 tweeter here:
https://www.somasonus.net/sb-acoustics-sb26Good reading on WG's:
https://www.somasonus.net/waveguides

 

[ubxf]

There is no huge difference between those waveguides, both are fine. WG 148 R is a little bit shallower and smaller so it's not good below 1k5 or so. DSP crossovers are fine, they are easier to tweak but require an amp per driver. For the tweeter it is good anyway to have a capacitor there to protect from accidental transients (low freq) and a passive L-PAD to lower the sensitivity and power amp noise due to quiescent current.

A waveguide basically adds tweeter sensitivity at lower frequencies and at the same time adds directivity so that it ideally matches with the directivity of a mid/-woofer at the crossover frequency and thus you will get a better off-axis response and power response. That's what top monitors like Amphion use this day, and it happens they have also a paper written on the subject here:
https://amphion.fi/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Advantage_of_using_waveguides.pdf

Thank you so much for your response, and sorry for the sidebar to the original thread.