DIY Huge Floor Speakers

The migration toward unobtrusive audio systems and home theater has resulted in the extinction of the giant tower speakers of the pre-digital era in music. They were capable of realistic sound reproduction at high volumes with hard rock material but were less capable to render very complex and subtle music, such as a violin concerto. With modern components, huge floor speakers can handle the rigors of digital systems and excel in larger rooms and outdoors. Virtually any music will shine with high-end component kit DIY speakers.

Overall System

Speaker component-only kits supply carefully matched and tested components--individual drivers, a tuned crossover network, and mounting accessories--that allow the speaker builder to integrate the parts into an enclosure of their own design. The kit approach virtual guarantees that the end product will turn out great at very nominal extra cost over individual components. For the very large speaker, you can find a kit for a very large system. You may also consider putting a complete subwoofer system in the bottom of each enclosure, and a large speaker kit for the top end of the speakers.

Enclosure

The large system kit supplier will recommend enclosure dimensions. Use 1-inch thick medium density particle board to construct the enclosure. Rough-cut the 4-by-8-foot sheets with a circular saw, then do the fine cutting on a good table saw. Precise cutting and careful assembly are the most important aspects of do-it-yourself speakers. All joints should be glued with quality wood glue, precisely aligned and clamped. Pneumatically-driven finishing nails will help prevent creep while the glue dries. Assemble the rear, sides and front first, leaving the top and bottom until last. The front board where the drivers go should run the full width of the speaker. Once the glue sets for one day, cut out the holes for the drivers in the front board and the terminal connector on the rear according to the templates supplied with the kit. The woofer is always best mounted at a height representing one-third of the way between floor and ceiling in a regular room setting. Midrange and tweeter should be above the woofer in a straight line, one directly above the other, about two-thirds of the way to the top. Always mount the tweeter at least 5-inches down from the top of the enclosure. Take the extra time to rout out the speaker holes so that the speakers are completely flush with the front of the wood. Remove the drivers to a safe place. Glue and nail diagonal cross-bracing between the middle surfaces within the cabinet at several places along the height of the speaker. Finally glue diagonal beams across both bottom and top openings and let set overnight.

Final Assembly

Fill the voids in the cabinet with loosely placed polyester fiber-fill. Glue and nail the top and bottom plates to the speaker and allow another day to set. Mask over the speaker holes round all edges with a corner router, and finish the cabinet. A satin black works well over well-sanded particle board. Carefully connect and mount the drivers per kit instructions when the paint dries.

References

• JBL Speakers: Professional Cinema Series
• Klipsch Speakers: Cinema Series

Resources

• Eminence: Professional Grade Speaker Drivers
• Parts Express: Speaker Building Guide