John Sayers' Recording Studio Design Forum Archive

So, rather than buying an inadequate pair of M-Audio or KRK monitors, I thought I'd look around and see if there are any DIY-able options out there. I came across these pages on Zaph Audio:

http://www.zaphaudio.com/audio-speaker16.html

This first is a sealed MTM design, using a prefab enclosure from Parts Express, which would help me out a lot. I realize that that reduces the ideal performance of these speakers some, but I still think that with a good amp pushing them, they would sound better than the M-Audio actives.

The problem is my room size. My room is approximately 10 x 12 x 8 (with a drop ceiling and wood floor), which for mixing only, would be doable, but I want to shoehorn a small drum kit, guitar amp, and some didges in here, too. Of course, I plan on acoustically treating it, and I suppose the right treatments would help with speaker placement. The wood floor and drop ceiling are godsends here.

With all of that in mind, here's the other option:

http://www.zaphaudio.com/audio-speaker17.html

This one would be about $200 cheaper. It also uses a prefab enclosure. The bass response wouldn't be as good, and this is a ported rather than sealed design, and I like the tighter bass that sealed designs give. But on the plus side, it is cheaper, and it would more than likely be easier to make work in my small room.

Any advice or opinions? Am I completely off my rocker switch? I'm leaning toward the MTM design, because I think I can make it work here, and it will still work great once I can trade up to a bigger space.

It seems to me that, through all of my investigations on the Internet, and all the advice given, that, in the end, any good speakers will do the job if I take the time to get used to them. Heck, I've heard great mixes come from guys using those small Wharfdales.

Thank you all for your time.

I would go with the L18 design. I have worked with those Vifa drivers and the L18 and definitely prefer the L18. The tweeters used in either are very comparable (basically the soft and aluminum dome versions of the same tweeter). Bass quality in a properly tuned vented cabinet won't be a problem. Also you can ask Zaph himself, I'm sure he would be able to recommend one.

Thank you for your reply!

Actually, Zaph has his email blocked off right now, due to a huge volume of messages.

Well, to be honest, I'm concerned about my ability to do a properly vented enclosure. A sealed enclosure is so much easier in that regard. He does offer information for how to do a sealed version of the MT monitor, but I don't understand half of what he says. Remember, I'm good enough at this to follow a recipe. On the plus side, he does describe exactly how to do the port, and what parts to use.

All of this, of course makes me a bad candidate to try making my own monitors, but I'm also under a money crunch, so one does what one has to. Or, maybe I can snag a used pair of Tannoys from someone...

Ported enclosures are very easy, people make it out like they're hard but they're not. Don't worry about not getting a ported enclosure right, it's almost impossible to mess it up, even for a speaker newb, given today's design software. Plus all the design work is done for you, so I would be hard-pressed to imagine how you would botch it. Just follow Zaph's instructions and don't stuff it like you would a sealed box and you'll be OK.

Thank you for your help!

Hrm, you do make some good points, and he does give all the information necessary. Plus, the MT design is $200 or so cheaper to accomplish. I can put that into a good power amp. Besides, you have real speaker-building experience, and if you think the L18 design would be better for my purposes than the MTM, then I can't really argue with that, can I?

I'm also thinking about building a pair of Barefoot's Killatones as a secondary reference. On one hand, I can see where having such a monitor would help find problems in the mix, but I also think there's merit to Brad Blackwood's axiom that "a man with two watches never truly knows what time it is." Of course, he's referring more to mastering than mixing, but I would think many of the same principles apply.

It's something to think about, anyway.

No prob man. Just make sure if you build one of Zaph's designs, to follow it exactly. He doesn't give help to people if they modify his designs and then have problems.

PS - the prefab enclosures are awesome. Go with the gloss black.

Believe me, I would be the last person to deviate from a set of plans for speakers. Thank you again for the help!

i built a pair of the L18's great speakers very clear and have a flat responce. i really need to upgrade my amp. i would totaly go with these i love them zaph is a tallented man every speaker i have built he has designed and they all sound great! dont let the porting scare you its not hard! i would post pictures but i dont know how to.
good luck and if you get stuck give i would be glad to help out in anyway.

enjoy!!
Robert

Sweet! Thank you for the reply. It'll likely be a few months before I can embark on such a project, but I'll definitely keep you aprised.

Sorry, but I thought I'd bump this with a question:

On his site, John Krutke, aka Zaph, mentions he has a "reduced baffle step" crossover design available (I have the schematic for it) for the all-Seas L18 design (project 17). On another message board (diyaudio.com), there's a guy who says that for studio monitor use, I would want the reduced baffle step crossover.

What is baffle-step, and how do I know which one I want?

Thank you for the help!