Can I build my own speakers and is it worth it?

**Chris Gardner** · 02-13-2004, 04:18 AM

OK guys,

As most of you know I live in Peru South America. Here I can get the following 2 powered monitors. Alesis and Behringer. Pretty much everything that I have in the studio I have to bring down here in a suitcase from the states. I have brought a pair of Event PS8's down here already, but that is about as big of an undertaking that I am willing to undertake. I really do not want to try and bring another set of monitors in and I was wondering if it would be possible to have an audio engineer from here build them for me? He says that he can but I would hate putting a lot of money into something that wouldn't be worth while. If so should I look for them to be flat or what? I am definitely looking forward to some answers on this, as I know that there are some pretty smart cookies that hang around here. Thanks.

**Jim Dugger** · 02-13-2004, 04:54 AM

I think the biggest problem you face is finding good components. Many manufacturers achieve their quality standards not only through good suppliers but by a very selective testing and selection process after that. You are going to find that hard to do.

Surely someone can just ship you a pair of Genelec?

**Chris Gardner** · 02-13-2004, 05:01 AM

Well the problem with that is that customs is horrible here. I just got Lynn's CD's today and had to pay 177 bucks in customs. Also it took quite a few hours. That was better than normal. In other words they cost me in customs almost what I paid for them. Here we can get the JBL pro components, that is as high as they get but according to the guy that wants to build them those are very good and something that I would be interested in. He seems to know a lot about speakers. He builds 5.1 systems from the circuit board up and does a great job. Some of the best that I have ever heard. Thanks

**Jim Dugger** · 02-13-2004, 05:16 AM

Hmm. Customs, eh? What a pain.

Good luck. I'd ask to listen to some of this guy's speakers. Take recordings you are familiar with and know well. Listen, listen, listen.

I've heard some really, really good home built systems before. There's a computer program out there that will design the optimal rectangular box for a given woofer component given certain speciications for the woofer. One set I have listened to was built this way and I was quite impressed.

I'm not saying it can't be done. It's just really hard.