Infamous DIY Monitor Thred

[Alex Specht]

Hi all,

What are your thoughts / experiences with DIY studio monitors?

[Alex Specht]

I would like to revisit this topic, as I expect to have it burried alive due to all the heavy math and physics calcs required, but here it goes.

I have a pair of Yamaha NS-344 which have one midrange driver blown. I like the cabinets, and the LC networks seem to be high quality. The midrange drivers are NLA from Yamaha.

I was looking into 3-way DIY kits which driver/tweeter dimmensions match the NS-344 cabinets.

I have designed speakers for PA use before, but monitors seem to be much more of a task. Would retrofitting the 344 cabs with a DIY kit such as one from Compare Speaker Kits from Madisound Speaker Components, Inc. be feasilbe, or worthwile?

[iangomes]

i personally wouldn't do it, I'd rather just buy a new pair of speakers or replace the driver, but you're not me...

[Duke]

Hi Alex,

My suggestion would be to replace the driver if you can get an exact replacement.

If you can't, but you can get a very close replacement (and the folks at Madisound can probably help), then replace both midranges. It might even be worth your while to send the good midrange to Madisound so they can measure it, if they don't have access to the specs on it. Parts Express is another possible source.

If you don't really like the Yamahas and want new speakers, and if you want to DIY, then I suggest you DIY the box as well instead of trying to adapt the Yamaha box (unless that box truly is a great match for the kit you really want). Limiting yourself to kits that can be kludged into the Yamaha box is sort of like the tail wagging the dog.

Be the dog, own the tail.

Duke