New to Home Audio

[Smondo17 0]

Basically being at college sucks because i cant use my car and enjoy my car audio needs, so i am looking to get into some home audio. I want something i can build myself. Nothing to fancy yet, just a nice beginning build with great sound quality and a reasonable price for all materials, drivers, and amp.

Edited January 28, 2008 by Smondo17

[Duke 0]

Basically being at college sucks because i cant use my car and enjoy my car audio needs, so i am looking to get into some home audio. I want something i can build myself. Nothing to fancy yet, just a nice beginning build with great sound quality and a reasonable price for all materials, drivers, and amp.

You have a budget?

[Smondo17 0]

The number i have in my head right now seems to be around $800 - 1000 for amp, building materials, drivers but if i can reach great sound quality for $500 thats fine to- just not exactly sure prices yet on everything i know more car audio.

I understand that home audio is almost limitless in quality and price - since its my first build i probably will go with 2 bookshelf speakers - 6.5 mids and 1 inch tweeter. Ideally i want a 3 way setup - 8 inch woofer, 4.5 inch mid, and 1 inch tweeter. Price difference? A lot better performance?

Edited January 28, 2008 by Smondo17

[///M5 2,833]

Don't start with a 3 way. Way too complicated for a first shot. I would recommend building someone elses plans the first time out.

[Smondo17 0]

Yeah i agree with you m5, i was waiting for your response. I came to appreciate your advice as you seem to always be helping with my car questions. What are some good plans that you have maybe had some experience with for a simple 6.5 mid and 1 inch tweeter?

[JimJ 11]

http://www.zaphaudio.com.

If you really want to go balls-out on a two-way, check out the ZD5

As for amplification, I'm a separates whore so I would probably recommend a solid power amplifier like an Adcom, Rotel or Parasound...coupled to a tubed preamp or solid state pre. Just a question of how much is left, I would definitely put the money into the monitors first.

[Smondo17 0]

That plan looks nice JimJ. Is that a relatively complicated build? Doesn't look to bad. Is that plan a lot more expensive then the other 2 way shelves on that site? I feel that for my first build i maybe shouldn't go all balls out but if it just comes down to them being better drivers thats not very difficult for my to understand and justify the price.

[///M5 2,833]

Realize when you look at the plans that the crossovers usually cost as much as the drivers, sometimes more.

[Smondo17 0]

Thats what i've been learning in my research. The crossover is basiclly the most unknown territory that i am in. I am not worried about building the enclosure etc. So going witha certain plan sometimes just means building a better crossover

[Smondo17 0]

Decided to start with something simple and cheap yet sounds like a very good start

http://www.zaphaudio.com/ZBM4.html

what you guys think?

[JimJ 11]

It'd be a start, good first project to get under your belt...

[///M5 2,833]

Good to start cheap, work your way up from there.

[Smondo17 0]

Yeah i agree, where is a good place that i can learn more about crossovers. The picture confuses me a little. I need to build 2 crossovers right? and on that picture the line coming off the negative of the speaker is a ground? (5 of them?)