I've been putting together sound and speaker systems for yonks now, and have a reasonably good main system at home (KEF Reference, Audiolab, 4kTV, etc), and have used this for some time to listen/watch tv with some decent sound - not least BBC Proms, Blue Planet, and all sorts.
To give the big system a bit of a rest from daily use (Classic fm most of the day), I decided to build a couple of not-too-large speakers for all this routine stuff. Wanted to keep cost down, but also to achieve really good quality sound.
The result is in this PDF document, which gives all the details of construction and parts...
https://mega.nz/#!HhoQWYKL!cp9kO-5HXjz- ... kvxb20A0Kc.
Cost was under €90 all-in. All the main woodwork is in 19mm MDF, with dimensions of the cabinet and ports taken from web-published formulæ to match the chosen drive units.
It is unusual for piezo tweeters to be used in better-quality systems, on account of their reputation for harshness. However, a couple of web authors have reviewed this, and come up with a simple crossover circuit to smooth out the HF transition, and to present a better load on the amplifier. This simple circuit replaces the single resistor traditionally used to limit the piezo output.
I must say, the proof was always going to be in the pudding, and the finished units offer a really rewarding stereo image, an open sound with plenty of presence, but not fatiguing, and some really excellent bass - not something you'd obviously expect from 5" drivers.
The units sound far better than the cost would suggest. For cd, broadcast, online and dvd video, I find it possible to completely forget what it is that's actually relaying the sound: it's just there, and very enjoyable - listen to the sound, not the system! Cinema levels of sound (increasingly used in good tv drama) power through nicely . . . and all I'm driving the pair with is a 12+12Wrms amp.
Essential to lift the units off the floor (one suggestion in the paper), and not park them in a corner. Open-space jobbies they are.
I hope someone else might have some fun and enjoyment from this little project.
