HiFi Speaker Kits

[Si600]

A bit out of scope for BC, but to save creating a login for a propeller headed audiophile forum I thought I'd ask our own propeller heads.

Has anyone any experience, advice, or knows of any kits for making speakers for a hifi, a Quad 33/303 setup. I'm looking for BBC Ls or Roberts type of thing I suppose.

Or, something updated that would be compatible. Or possibly it would be cheaper and easier to just buy some?

[Balcro]

This is the place to start looking:-

https://www.wilmslowaudio.co.uk/speaker-kits-1-c.asp

 

 

[bartelby]

Wilmslow Audio are great. They helped my dad when he designed his own Hi-Fi speakers and crossovers. He had previously spent quite a bit of money with them mind...

[naxos10]

Wilmslow Audio are good. I have built their BBC LS3/5a equivalents and have partly built a pair of their floorstanders.

I might be open to discussion on the LS3/5a if you are interested Si600. We did a comparison between 3 sets of speakers at HiFi Wigwam hifi show a few years back, my 'LS3/5a, a pair of BBC LS3.5a and a pair of Rogers 149's. It was an interesting exercise as each had their positives over the other but there were no negatives.

[Dan Dare]

Wilmslow are very good. Have a look at IPL and Falcon, too.

[Phil Starr]

21 hours ago, Si600 said:

A bit out of scope for BC, but to save creating a login for a propeller headed audiophile forum I thought I'd ask our own propeller heads.

Has anyone any experience, advice, or knows of any kits for making speakers for a hifi, a Quad 33/303 setup. I'm looking for BBC Ls or Roberts type of thing I suppose.

Or, something updated that would be compatible. Or possibly it would be cheaper and easier to just buy some?

I used to build and design hi-fi speakers before i started playing bass and moved to building my own gear for bass. interestingly Wilmslow, IPL and Falcon are still with us. I had a look at the Wilmslow kits out of curiosity and to me they seem expensive. Looking at the HB2 for £285 for just the components and £435 for the flatpack kit. £150 for a bare MDF flatpack looked expensive so i looked at the kit, the speakers are £45 for the bass mid and £24 for the tweeter so they are charging £127 for a crossover,port and a binding post on the back of the cab. I'm sure they have the design well worked out but the drive units are modest so I'd be pretty confident that a commercial built unit for £285 would be at least as good. If you paid for the flatpack I think a commercial speaker for £435 would be better. If you went for a used speaker then potentially you'd get best value for money. For example I found a number of Quad electrostatics on eBay for around £400, now they'd go nicely with your 33/303 if you have the space.

Of course we don't just build for financial reasons, there's real pleasure in building your own kit and a lot of satisfaction when it works out well which you'd never get just buying something. My experience was that at the cheaper end mass production wins every time, but as you move up the quality range you start to make savings by self building. If you think you'd love to self build then I'd be looking for a published design and source the components separately. It probably would be cheaper and easier to buy something.

Incidentally I think that things have moved on since 1975 and though the LS3/5A was a revelation at the time to me it was quickly overtaken.

[stevie]

You live in Germany, @Si600, which is the centre of the universe for speaker kit building IMO. Check out the next issue of Hobby Hifi, available at your friendly kiosk in about two weeks' time. It should contain a complete design for an 'updated' version of the LS3/5a using modern components. I assume you speak German.

Falcoln and Wilmslow are stuck in the sixties, but IPL have some very nice transmission line designs, and Ivan knows his stuff.

[Chienmortbb]

Sadly:

PLEASE NOTE ; IPL ACOUSTICS ARE CLOSING NOW FROM 08/03/21 ,FOR A PERIOD OF AROUND 2  MONTHS  IN ORDER TO TAKE STOCK AND ACCESS THE SITUATION.

MANY THANKS TO ALL MY CUSTOMERS FOR YOUR PATIENCE , all current orders will be processed normally, please check on this website for updates.

During this time I would be grateful if you would not attempt to contact us, as phone numbers, email addresses, etc may change.

Many Thanks

Kind regards

Ivan Leslie

[stevie]

Oh dear. Not sure what's happened but it doesn't sound good.