Overview of Euraudio DiY loudspeaker designs
The listed loudspeakers in order of construction complexity:
Consonus: A 2-way closed box satellite speaker
Vivace: A small, 2-way vented bookshelf speaker
Origo: A 2-way vented floorstanding loudspeaker
Charisma: A 2-way vented low distortion nearfield monitor
Lumina: A 2.5-way closed box low distortion floorstanding loudspeaker
Lumina II: A 2.5-way vented low distortion floorstanding loudspeaker
Essentia: A 3-way vented floorstanding loudspeaker
Quick specs comparison:
|
|
Noise power |
Sensitivity |
Impedance |
Frequency range |
Ways |
Vented |
Floor-stander |
Low distort. |
Material costc |
|
65 W |
83 dB/2.83V/m |
8 ohms |
80-23,000 Hz +/-3 dB |
2 |
|
|
|
€80e |
|
|
35 W |
85 dB/2.83V/ma |
4 ohms |
65-25,000 Hz +/-3 dBb |
2 |
X |
|
|
€90d |
|
|
75 W |
80 dB/2.83V/m |
8 ohms |
33-24,000 Hz +/-3 dB |
2 |
X |
X |
|
€175e |
|
|
90 W |
84 dB/2.83V/m |
4 ohms |
37-25,000 Hz +/-3 dB |
2 |
X |
|
X |
€190e |
|
|
110 W |
87 dB/2.83V/m |
4 ohms |
65-25,000 Hz +/-3 dB |
2.5 |
|
X |
X |
€370d |
|
|
110 W |
87 dB/2.83V/m |
4 ohms |
38-25,000 Hz +/-3 dB |
2.5 |
X |
X |
X |
€385d |
|
|
100 W |
87 dB/2.83V/m |
4 ohms |
47-24,000 Hz +/-3 dB |
3 |
X |
X |
|
€280e |
a @ 1 kHz
b With +5 dB bass boost
c Per loudspeaker. Moderately priced crossover components specified in building instructions. Surface finish, e.g. paint or veneer is not included.
d 2018 approximate prices
e 2019 approximate prices
Additional note to the material cost calculations: Shipping costs are not included and may significantly add to the total of expenses.
Consonus
A 2-way closed box satellite speaker
Designer
István Gerencsér
Design goals
My goal was to design a cheap satellite speaker with smooth frequency response, which can be used with a subwoofer.
Advantages
- smooth frequency response
- high performance/cost ratio
- very cheap
Disadvantages
- subwoofer is needed
- stand is needed
Material cost
Consonus utilizes two very low priced yet quality Peerless drivers. In this way the material cost of one loudspeaker is about 80 EUR only (2019 prices).
Technical data
Impedance: 8 ohms
Frequency range +/- 3 dB: 80-23,000 Hz
Rated noise power: 65 W
Sensitivity: 83 dB SPL/2.83V RMS/m
There are two crossover options, CS-XO1 and CS-XO2, refer to the building instructions for the circuit diagrams. CS-XO1 is a bit simpler and has less group delay distortion but is more uneven in the 1 kHz to 5 kHz frequency range than CS-XO2.
Listening setup
It's recommended to complement Consonus with a subwoofer with 12 dB/octave cutoff slope (preferably Linkwitz-Riley alignment), set to 80...95 Hz cutoff frequency, with phase inversion, and so placed that the listener's ears are at equal distance from the main speakers and the subwoofer.
The recommended listening position of the Consonus speaker is: place it at least 1.5 meter from all walls and sit close up at 80...100 cm from the speakers. The listener's ears should be vertically at around the midpoint between the tweeter and the midwoofer.
Building
Consonus building instructions
Vivace
A small, 2-way vented bookshelf speaker
Designer
István Gerencsér
Design goals
My goal was to design a cheap, small bookshelf speaker with smooth frequency response, for listening to background music.
Advantages
- smooth frequency response
- high performance/cost ratio
- very cheap
Disadvantages
- bass boost is needed when placed far from walls
- stand is needed when not placed on bookshelf
- low sensitivity and low power rating
Material cost
Vivace utilizes two very low priced SB Acoustics drivers. In this way the material cost of one loudspeaker is about 90 EUR only (2018 prices).
Prospective technical data
Impedance: 4 ohms
Frequency range +/- 3 dB: 65-25,000 Hz (with +6 dB bass boost)
Rated noise power: 35 W
Sensitivity: 85 dB SPL/2.83V RMS/m (@1kHz)
Listening setup
Vivace features the "boostable rolloff" frequency response characteristics, which I generally adopt in my cheaper two-way designs, that is sound pressure gradually falls off from 1 kHz to 100 Hz. When this loudspeaker is placed far from the back wall, the bass needs to be boosted by 5...6 dB to reach flat frequency response. For more information on "boostable rolloff" CLICK HERE.
The recommended position of the Vivace speaker is on a bookshelf surrounded by books and far from the side wall. In this position, there is no need for a bass boost.
Building instructions
Origo
A 2-way vented
floorstanding loudspeaker
Designer
István Gerencsér
Design goals
My goal was to design a hi-fi floorstander with deep bass using the Dayton DA175-8 aluminum cone midwoofer that is known to have a favorable price/performance ratio.
Advantages
- high performance/cost ratio
- relatively cheap
- capable of deep bass, no subwoofer needed with moderate listening volume
Disadvantages
- very low sensitivity
- the smoothness of frequency response is mediocre
Material cost
Origo utilizes two low priced drivers and a relatively simple crossover. In this way the material cost of one loudspeaker is about 175 EUR only (2019 prices).
Prospective technical data
Impedance: 8 ohms
Frequency range +/- 3 dB: 33-24,000 Hz
Rated noise power: 75 W
Sensitivity: 80 dB SPL/2.83V RMS/m
Listening setup
The recommended listening position of the Origo speaker is: place it at least 1.5 meter from all walls and sit close up at 70...100 cm from the speakers. The listener's ears should be vertically at around the midpoint between the tweeter and the midwoofer. If the speaker is far from walls, then the bass must be boosted by about 3 dB.
Building instructions
Charisma
A 2-way vented low distortion nearfield monitor
Designer
István Gerencsér
Design goals
My intention was to design a nearfield monitor with transparent sound using low distortion drivers.
Advantages
- audiophile grade
- high performance/cost ratio
- low distortion
- smooth frequency response
Disadvantages
- stand is needed
Material cost
The material cost of one loudspeaker is about 190 EUR (2019 prices).
Prospective technical data
Impedance: 4 ohms
Frequency range +/- 3 dB: 37-23,000 Hz
Rated noise power: 90 W
Sensitivity: 84 dB SPL/2.83V RMS/m
Listening setup
The recommended listening position of the Charisma speaker is: place it at least 1.5 meter from all walls and sit close up at 70...100 cm from the speakers. The listener's ears should be vertically at around the midpoint between the tweeter and the midwoofer.
Building instructions
Lumina
A 2.5-way closed box low distortion floorstanding loudspeaker
Designer
István Gerencsér
Design goals
My goal was to design a very low distortion loudspeaker with clear, detailed sound, which has a very smooth frequency response in its entire passband and has neither partial cone resonances nor standing wave resonances that disturb its sound reproduction.
Advantages
- audiophile grade
- high performance/cost ratio
- very smooth frequency response without standing waves or partial resonances
- low distortion
Disadvantages
- subwoofer is recommended, which needs to be set up carefully
Material cost
The material cost is about 370 EUR per loudspeaker (2018 prices). Aluminum diaphragm SB Acoustics drivers were used, which have a very favorable price/ performance ratio, thus a medium priced, yet outstanding quality loudspeaker can be constructed.
Prospective technical data
Impedance: 4 ohms
Frequency range +/- 3 dB: 65-25,000 Hz
Rated noise power: 110 W
Sensitivity: 87 dB SPL/2.83V RMS/m
Listening setup
It's recommended to complement Lumina with a subwoofer with 12 dB/octave cutoff slope (preferably Linkwitz-Riley alignment), set to 60..75 Hz cutoff frequency, with phase inversion, and so placed that the listener's ears are at equal distance from the main speakers and the subwoofer.
The recommended listening position of the Lumina speaker is: place it at least 1.5 meter from all walls and sit close up at 80...100 cm from the speakers. The listener's ears should be vertically at around the midpoint between the tweeter and the top midwoofer.
Building instructions
Lumina II
A 2.5-way vented low distortion floorstanding loudspeaker
Designer
István Gerencsér
Design goals
My goal was to design a ported enclosure version of the Lumina that doesn't need a subwoofer, yet maintains its low distortion properties.
Advantages
- audiophile grade
- high performance/cost ratio
- smooth frequency response without partial resonances
- low distortion
Disadvantages
- a moderate standing wave forms along cabinet length
Material cost
The material cost is about 385 EUR per loudspeaker (2018 prices). Aluminum diaphragm SB Acoustics drivers were used, which have a very favorable price/ performance ratio, thus a medium priced, yet outstanding quality loudspeaker can be constructed.
Prospective technical data
Impedance: 4 ohms
Frequency range +/- 3 dB: 38-25,000 Hz
Rated noise power: 110 W
Sensitivity: 87 dB SPL/2.83V RMS/m
Listening setup
The recommended listening position of the Lumina II speaker is: place it at least 1.5 meter from all walls and sit close up at 80...100 cm from the speakers. The listener's ears should be vertically at around the midpoint between the tweeter and the top midwoofer.
Building instructions
Essentia
A 3-way vented floorstanding loudspeaker
Designer
István Gerencsér
Design goals
My goal was to design a high power, quality loudspeaker that has a high performance/cost ratio, and all its speaker drivers work in their optimal frequency range.
Advantages
- high performance/cost ratio
- high power
- low standing wave resonances
Disadvantages
- not recommended to be listened from a short distance (thus room acoustics play a more expressed role)
- complicated and expensive crossover
Material cost
The material cost is about 280 EUR per loudspeaker (2019 prices). The drivers used in this design have a very favorable price/ performance ratio, thus a low priced, yet quality loudspeaker can be constructed.
Prospective technical data
Impedance: 4 ohms
Frequency range +/- 3 dB: 47-24,000 Hz
Rated noise power: 100 W
Sensitivity: 87 dB SPL/2.83V RMS/m
Listening setup
The recommended listening position of the Essentia speaker is: place it at least 1.5 meter from all walls and listen it at about 2 meters from the speakers. The listener's ears should be vertically at around the tweeter.