First off, I want to preface with the fact that I'm a bit embarrassed that I'm starting this thread because I can tell that there is a huge amount of knowledge already posted on these forums and I know that with enough searching I could probably find what I'm looking for. The problem I'm facing is that I'm so new to the world of home audio, I really don't even know the correct terminology to point me in the correct direction.
I have a fairly discerning ear and would like to put a quality "starter" loudspeaker/amplifier/DSP set together myself. This would need to be a "source to ear" setup, with the source being my PC. I'm only looking for two "towers" and a subwoofer or two with the required amplifiers and signal processors/crossovers. I don't have a specific budget in mind yet but I know that any advice you may give me without one is rather useless so I'll peg my initial investment at ~$2000. I'm very new to this and have no problem building speakers, but I think I want to minimize any electronics work this go around. I also want this to be something that if I decide to expand later, I don't have to toss components. I really hate buying the same thing twice because I bought a poor version of it.
My desire is for the system to be extremely accurate in reproducing sound as it was recorded, and hopefully a quality "sound stage" They will end up being used for music, movies, and games; however, accurate music reproduction is the most important piece to me.
I started looking into dipole/open baffle speakers as I frankly just didn't understand them, having previously understood the options of either sealed or ported enclosures only. I find them intriguing and may want to pursue an open baffle speaker design. Siegfried Linkwitz has some interesting arguments for that setup on his website, and I think if I were to purchase high quality speakers, even if I can't make the open baffle work system work for me, I could always put them in larger enclosures as well.
Here are my questions though:
A) If I'm starting with nothing (no receiver, EQ, speakers, etc) How much of the signal processing could I do digitally? I hate soldering, and all of my sources are digital and from my computer, so I would think it should be possible to use the computer to fully separate and control all signals out to a simple amplifier, or set of amplifiers which could then just go directly to each speaker. If not with my motherboards 7.1 outputs, at least with an add on soundcard I would hope. Ideally, I would build zero crossovers, and yet still be able to fully control the signal level output so that all I need to do
B) I know I'm going to end up tinkering... So I'd like to know what cost effective tools will give me the ability to really fine tune the system? For example, I'd ideally like to be able to really fine tune frequency response based on the actual listening environment, and I'll probably do it several dozen times as I tinker with baffle designs and crossover parameters. Having software that utilizes a microphone to help me do this would be ideal. Any suggestions?
(just found this software Bodzio Software which may help me with both... perhaps.)
C) If I can't fully separate outputs natively, could I use the optical SPDIF output from my computer and some other singular device to do the same? For example, could I purchase an "all in one" receiver that will allow me to use the computer to set up active crossovers...
EDIT: It seems like www.minidsp.com has at least the DSP options covered here, with the SPDIF input and a variety of options for outputs... The price is a bit steep, at $500 for the 4in10out in a box version, but this really does seem like it would do everything I might want as an external solution...
D) Actual Speaker selection/ building etc: I'm somewhat drawn to the strange and, in my opinion, counterintuitive design of the linkwitz LX521/Orion and would like to perhaps put my own "mini" version of it together, however probably as a 3 way, or even two way with separate sub. I may want to upgrade to the real deal at a later date, and from what I've read, I believe you can't really go wrong with well matched SEAS speakers. I haven't really spent time researching whether the speakers spec'd for open baffle designs would also work well in enclosures if I decide to go that route later.
Are there other SEAS based open baffle DIY designs out there that I can reference?
Thank you for your time, and I'm sorry for the long post. I appreciate it greatly that you made it this far.
I have a fairly discerning ear and would like to put a quality "starter" loudspeaker/amplifier/DSP set together myself. This would need to be a "source to ear" setup, with the source being my PC. I'm only looking for two "towers" and a subwoofer or two with the required amplifiers and signal processors/crossovers. I don't have a specific budget in mind yet but I know that any advice you may give me without one is rather useless so I'll peg my initial investment at ~$2000. I'm very new to this and have no problem building speakers, but I think I want to minimize any electronics work this go around. I also want this to be something that if I decide to expand later, I don't have to toss components. I really hate buying the same thing twice because I bought a poor version of it.
My desire is for the system to be extremely accurate in reproducing sound as it was recorded, and hopefully a quality "sound stage" They will end up being used for music, movies, and games; however, accurate music reproduction is the most important piece to me.
I started looking into dipole/open baffle speakers as I frankly just didn't understand them, having previously understood the options of either sealed or ported enclosures only. I find them intriguing and may want to pursue an open baffle speaker design. Siegfried Linkwitz has some interesting arguments for that setup on his website, and I think if I were to purchase high quality speakers, even if I can't make the open baffle work system work for me, I could always put them in larger enclosures as well.
Here are my questions though:
A) If I'm starting with nothing (no receiver, EQ, speakers, etc) How much of the signal processing could I do digitally? I hate soldering, and all of my sources are digital and from my computer, so I would think it should be possible to use the computer to fully separate and control all signals out to a simple amplifier, or set of amplifiers which could then just go directly to each speaker. If not with my motherboards 7.1 outputs, at least with an add on soundcard I would hope. Ideally, I would build zero crossovers, and yet still be able to fully control the signal level output so that all I need to do
B) I know I'm going to end up tinkering... So I'd like to know what cost effective tools will give me the ability to really fine tune the system? For example, I'd ideally like to be able to really fine tune frequency response based on the actual listening environment, and I'll probably do it several dozen times as I tinker with baffle designs and crossover parameters. Having software that utilizes a microphone to help me do this would be ideal. Any suggestions?
(just found this software Bodzio Software which may help me with both... perhaps.)
C) If I can't fully separate outputs natively, could I use the optical SPDIF output from my computer and some other singular device to do the same? For example, could I purchase an "all in one" receiver that will allow me to use the computer to set up active crossovers...
EDIT: It seems like www.minidsp.com has at least the DSP options covered here, with the SPDIF input and a variety of options for outputs... The price is a bit steep, at $500 for the 4in10out in a box version, but this really does seem like it would do everything I might want as an external solution...
D) Actual Speaker selection/ building etc: I'm somewhat drawn to the strange and, in my opinion, counterintuitive design of the linkwitz LX521/Orion and would like to perhaps put my own "mini" version of it together, however probably as a 3 way, or even two way with separate sub. I may want to upgrade to the real deal at a later date, and from what I've read, I believe you can't really go wrong with well matched SEAS speakers. I haven't really spent time researching whether the speakers spec'd for open baffle designs would also work well in enclosures if I decide to go that route later.
Are there other SEAS based open baffle DIY designs out there that I can reference?
Thank you for your time, and I'm sorry for the long post. I appreciate it greatly that you made it this far.