(Moderators: If this belongs in Off-Topic rather than Hardware please nuke it, I wasn't sure where it belongs).

I am looking at building a set of bookshelf size speakers, more as an experience than anything else, but if they sound good at the end then I won't be complaining. I have done a fair amount of cabinet making before and know some of the theory, so I am pretty convinced that this isn't a crazy endevour.

I have done a fair amount of research, but would really appreciate the input of people who have done this before. Please tell me your favourite (net or dead tree) resources suitable for a speaker building beginner.

Thanks

From my experience, it is almost impossible to suggest dedicated web resources on that topic since there are way too many websites covering the issue of self-building speakers.

Since you want to build a bookshelf-sized set, your cabinet of choice will most likely be a ventilated one (bass reflex, I guess) to guarantee proper reproduction of lower frequencies or a "low-end" extension (often at the cost of bass precision when being compared to closed cabinets, that is) ... therefore, "bass reflex calculus" should be one of your primary search topics.

I do not know whether you know about Thiele-Small-Parameters (TSP's), Q-Factors and all that mathematical stuff needed for proper cabinet and crossover calculation so do a query on these topics as well - some websites offer calculation software that will do the math for you (but you better try different pieces of software and compare their results) ...

Parts Express carries components and some kits you can assemble.
SpeakerBuilder looks like he knows what he's doing.

I'm not sure if this is the sort of thing you had in mind though...
edit: LSK is AUS only

Radioshack has a book or two about speaker building, and I second Parts Express for drivers and all asociated hardware (crossovers, cables, etc).

Parts Express is a good resource and parts source.. Check their tech message board, but read and search back for a while so you don't sound too much like a clueless one.

Madisound is another good source of parts and such, and has a similar (slightly more pro?) message board.

Dennis Murphy has a site that has good designs, rather well thought of.

It depends on what you want to do.. you can find books like Vance Dickeson's and a few others at Parts Express if you want to go into the theory.. get some of the software that will measure the speakers and so forth.. but design is a long learning process to doing good work.. It's said you will build several speakers till you get good at it.

If you want to build a pre existing design.. (and that's the very reccomended path for a newcomer) check the sites like Speakerbulder (Wayne) and Dennis's.. The Dayton budget 2way, and the MTM are fairly well thought of.. and for under $200 of parts pretty cheap. Dennis' various designs are good, though some go above $200.

Remember, spending $200 on a good diy design can give you a speaker quality that would sell for $400-800 or even more. And that ratio holds up pretty much as you spend more money...

And then there's full kits, though with some woodworking experience and probably tools, you sound like making cabinates wouldn't be a big hurdle for you.

So check the discussion groups, and follow some links.. many people have sites, and there are DIY meets where speaker designs get judged by peers that you can read results of..

Have fun... and as they say in other circles, sorry about your wallet!

Jon

http://www.loudspeakers101.com/
Good site for calculating everything about loudspeakers.