Has anyone built the Ar.com DIY speakers?

[jay]

I know that a vintage dominated forum consists mostly of people who prefer large floorstanding speakers but I'm very curious about the AR.com Diy boofshelf speaks. They have 6.5 inch woofers and use good quality parts.

Most intriguing of all is the phenomemal reviews given. Most reviewers give a 5-star rating. Can these be that good and are they worth risking the $330 bucks to find out?

Jay

[WildWest]

Say there Jay...

Here's some "food for thought" info for ya. Might help anyway. If I were you, I might be inclined to go for it. Typically if you are hearing "phenomemal reviews" from people in reputable forums etc. then it is likely that this product is a winner. Do some more asking around about the speakers in question if you can. Buying speakers based on quality parts, provin designs and construction materials won't do you wrong IMHO.

The reason I say this is I never got to audition my main speakers but they came with all the parts that I knew would combine into a strong performer. I mean really, 1.5 inch thick MDF cabinet, Focal drivers, Raven Ribbon tweets. Add it up and oh baby oh baby! By the way, I am into vintage audio gear but my main system speakers are designed to work properly with a sub woofer (SVS sub, no floorstanders for me). I don't like having the orgy of bass sound pressure levels in my main speaker cabinets. All it can do (even if it is small) is muddy my mid range and top end. My main system is powered by vintage tubes and a vintage pro level pre amp. But my speakers needed to be modern to achieve the right sound.

Anyway, not sure if that helps but thought to throw it out there at cha. I will go over to AR and take a peek at what you are talking about. If I have more to add then I will post it here.
Food for thought. Go to http://www.zalytron.com/ and snoop around. This guy makes a DIY cabinet that no one else provides. I am a BIG believer in a dead cabinet.

Have fun and Good Luck!

[jay]

Hey, thanks WW, you sound like someone who knows what he's talking about!

I should have included the link to the AR site so to remedy that, here it is:http://www.audioreview.com/Learncrx.aspx

I'd be grateful for any further opinions--after all, for the cost of these DIY's someone could score alot of vintage stuff!

Jay

[WildWest]

Hey ya Jay...

I looked at that speaker. Saw it when I was shopping for DIY a while back. When it says under parts, Cabinet Model L-6 what does that mean? Do you know? Is it explained elsewhere on that site? I would want to know the exact materials used in the cabinet build. No doubt it is something like 3/4 MDF but I still would like to know for sure with the big bucks that one must drop on this thang. I also would wonder what brand the capacitors are. Some are better than others. Also, are these speakers gonna be placed close to a wall?

[jay]

You're right West, they AR's are made with a generic cabinet, with walls that are 3/4" and has a rear-facing port. I guess that means they would have to be at keast half a foot from the wall, right?

Oh, and L-6 refers to the model# from the vendor, Speakercity.
I've got a link to it here: http://www.speakercity.com/bookshelf_enclosures.shtml

Jay

[WildWest]

Ohhh ok that's right. Speaker City supplied gotcha, it was on the tip of my tongue. I might be inclined to keep them a healthy distance off the wall. My mains are rear ported and they are about 14" off the wall. Now I have read in some forums where it does not make any differance what so ever. But you know, I have heard all to often that it does, and it makes sense to me that having your port firing right into a wall can't be that good.


"Most intriguing of all is the phenomemal reviews given. Most reviewers give a 5-star rating. Can these be that good and are they worth risking the $330 bucks to find out?"

Where are you reading these reviews? Only in that one AR forum? If so, I would be wary to a certain degree. You know Jay, there are tons of kit speakers out there. I myself believe a kit speaker gives you the best bang for the buck and I think you are smart for going in that direction. Also they are just plain fun to put together. I am sure that speaker is a fine speaker. If you feel that you have exhausted all the time that you can in researching this then I say...Go for it!

:cool:

[geespot]

I built them about a year ago. I use them in my workshop, never have tried them anywhere else. Nice bass coming from them when I teamed them with a Marantz 2216B.

Very simple to assemble. I have them on speaker brackets mounted to the ceiling. I wouldn't give them a 5 star review maybe a 3.5 or 4.

g

[jay]

You've got these speakers in your workshop, G? How are the acoustics? I merely ask because if you have a metal skinned resonant sort of a shop, then any speakers would sound poor. Have you taken the AR's inside and given them a fair test? I have to believe that you banished them there because they didn't measure up somehow. Can you elaborate, please?

Jay:confused:

[geespot]

My workshop is cement on 2 sides and unfinished walls on the other 2. I built them to try a DIY speaker project since the only bookshelf speakers I have are Klipsch SB-3, not exactly a small bookshelf.

I haven't banished them to the shop because of the sound, I just have them mounted and never had time to audition them in a different setting.

Right now they are hooked to a Pioneer receiver (not vintage) and the sound isn't like it was with the Marantz ( strong bass, clean crisp highs).

I said a 3.4 - 4 stars because I am more of a CV, Klipsch fan. I have listened to them all my life.

g

[bully]

being lazy and loaded on pain pills,
if those are the speakers I remember, I've had email with the guy that designed them, and he seems to be a square shooter all the way. A real audio guy all the way.
But, that said, that kinda money will get a super set of speakers off'n ebay.
I wouldn't hesitate to put either my PL-530's or the HPM-900's up against anything in the under $2K category, and 'cause I'm such a hard case, probably would stretch that up a ways.
Now listening to the big JBL's pushed by the cosmetically challenged Onkyo TX-8500 MkII.

pete

[THOR]

My speakers an your speakers were hanging out the clothes my speakers punched your speakers right in the nose :D

[carolinabirdman]

I built a pair of these ar.coms. Desighed by Ed Frieas of efi technologies. I bought the kits from Madisound in Madison Wi. (Madisound.com). I have them in a rather small living room. They are on 30" stands, about 18" from the wall.
They sound great for the classical music I listen to. When I had questions I emailed the designer and he was very helpful. By the way, I did not build them to save $. I drive them with a MAC 4100 and mc7005. I am very happy with them.

[carolinabirdman]

I built the AR.com speaker kits. Bought them from Madisound in Madison WI. The speakers sound is as good as the people are saying on Audioreview. I did not build them for their low price, but for the rather small room I have for listening. I drive them with a MAC 4100 hooked up to a MC 7005. My previous system included Klipschorns when I lived in a home with a very big listening room. People are afraid of these small speakers because of their modest price. Try them, you will probably like them.

[Paul C]

I don't seem to be able to find a speaker kit from the link.

???

OK, found them at Madisound's site.

[bakes]

Food for thought. Go to http://www.zalytron.com/ and snoop around. This guy makes a DIY cabinet that no one else provides. I am a BIG believer in a dead cabinet.

Have fun and Good Luck!
I'll second the cabinets that Elliott puts together at Zalytron. VERY solid, VERY dead - they do a good job.

[Nat]

I had a lot of dealings with Eliot Zalyet (sp?) when I had a speaker building club at the boarding school where I teach. I was very impressed by his helpfulness, straight shooting, and excellent products and prices. We built our own cabinets, but the ones he advertised back then looked first rate. I recommend him and his company highly.