Thought starter: -Building better Audio - The HFV DIY repository

[kapvin]

Hello Fellow DIYers,

I have been seeing a lot of activity in this section of late and am thrilled to see so many people getting into DIY.

What's even better is that many first timers are coming in with fantastic quality of workmanship. But I see a lot of questions about how to measure drivers (and that's fairly critical, even if one is going in for a kit.)

Buying equipment to measure for a one off can be expensive and wasteful, and it got me thinking that if we could have a virtual repository where people could borrow equipment for their use and then return them when they are done.

I could volunteer to get things started by offering up my woofer tester for loan.

WT3 Woofer Tester Software Status Page

WT3 Woofer Tester software status and downloads

trueaudio.com

Its good for measuring Theile-small parameters; rub & buzz as well as passive components like resistors, capacitors and inductors. At a later stage, If things go well, I also could also offer up my audio measurement rig (focusrite+EMM6) which allows loopback measurements. this might encourage people to design their own stuff in India

At this moment its only at a thought stage. I may have misread the context and It may be a solution, searching for a problem.

Or it may be useful to many in which case we could figure out modalities (there will be many concerns to be addressed). and maybe other people can also contribute their tools, which otherwise lie idle.

I would welcome your thoughts.

 

[Hiten]

Good Initiative. Building speakers is little expensive in India. Without measurements we are shooting in the dark. Procurring drivers and kits of already established designs is expensive also. How about India's own Speaker project. where we buy local drivers measure and design HFV's own nice multiway speaker. (3 way I would be interested in) (Affordable would be icing on the cake)
Regards.
addition : Sorry I dont mean to derail main purpose of the trhead just a little next step.

 

[Bhaskar Jyoti Talapatra]

At the very outset I would like to say humbly that I always stay away from DIY simply because I don't have that skill. But I have respect for those who are into DIY. Having gone through two posts here an idea suddenly hits my mind. In our forum we have so many serious DIY guys and also some knowledgeable FMs. So I think HFV can promote DIY. Let me explain. FMs from different places of India and also members living in the same state can start a new venture and make speakers, amplifiers and some other rigs which may be sold in our forum. That can be a make in India venture also. Just my thoughts.
Regards

 

[Hari Iyer]

Nice initiative @kapvin , would like further clarification about how to manage logistics and share skills. Most DIY equipment that I use are required by me regularly and am not sure if they can be loaned for longer period as I believe building a good DIY project takes lot of time. If you have multiple items then there is no problems in loaning imo.

 

[kapvin]

Nice initiative @kapvin , would like further clarification about how to manage logistics and share skills. Most DIY equipment that I use are required by me regularly and am not sure if they can be loaned for longer period as I believe building a good DIY project takes lot of time. If you have multiple items then there is no problems in loaning imo.

thanks Hari. its just a thought right now. bringing it alive would require cooperation and support of senior DIYers like you. for everything, there is some level of workaround, and we could trial this and see how it goes.

Good Initiative. Building speakers is little expensive in India. Without measurements we are shooting in the dark. Procurring drivers and kits of already established designs is expensive also. How about India's own Speaker project. where we buy local drivers measure and design HFV's own nice multiway speaker. (3 way I would be interested in) (Affordable would be icing on the cake)
Regards.
addition : Sorry I dont mean to derail main purpose of the trhead just a little next step.

hi Hiten, there is no derailing. just Some ideas to get DIY on HFV to critical mass given so much stuff is already happening. your perspective is welcome and yes, I believe that we should have designs using stuff available in INR in India. all ideas welcome

At the very outset I would like to say humbly that I always stay away from DIY simply because I don't have that skill. But I have respect for those who are into DIY. Having gone through two posts here an idea suddenly hits my mind. In our forum we have so many serious DIY guys and also some knowledgeable FMs. So I think HFV can promote DIY. Let me explain. FMs from different places of India and also members living in the same state can start a new venture and make speakers, amplifiers and some other rigs which may be sold in our forum. That can be a make in India venture also. Just my thoughts.
Regards

that would be an outcome we can all be proud of, if HFV can catalyse that.

 

[captrajesh]

I see a lot of questions about how to measure drivers (and that's fairly critical, even if one is going in for a kit.)

Kits usually, cost more than components because the seller also factors in the cost of design and ensures matching specs of components. Ex: GR Research, Meniscus Audio etc. Then what's the need for measurements? I'm asking because, I've built 5.1 kit from the former and wondering if measuring is required.

Buying equipment to measure for a one off can be expensive and wasteful, and it got me thinking that if we could have a virtual repository where people could borrow equipment for their use and then return them when they are done.

I could volunteer to get things started by offering up my woofer tester for loan.

(there will be many concerns to be addressed). and maybe other people can also contribute their tools, which otherwise lie idle.

I would welcome your thoughts.

Nice initiative @kapvin but a couple of issues come to my mind which need to be addressed.

1. Logistics for loaning to outstation members. I have bitter experiences with the courier guys. But yes, insuring it could ensure better care in handling of package by the courier guys.

2. Ensuring that the equipment doesn't go to a clueless member and ends up getting damaged. To address this, we need to group the DIYers of each city where, the team leader would be a senior DIYer, who knows what's he doing.

FMs from different places of India and also members living in the same state can start a new venture and make speakers, amplifiers and some other rigs which may be sold in our forum. That can be a make in India venture also. Just my thoughts.
Regards

I think this is already happening. FMs @Aniket @shaan @sadik @Hari Iyer are already into it.

 

[kapvin]

Kits usually, cost more than components because the seller also factors in the cost of design and ensures matching specs of components. Ex: GR Research, Meniscus Audio etc. Then what's the need for measurements? I'm asking because, I've built 5.1 kit from the former and wondering if measuring is required.


Nice initiative but a couple of issues come to my mind which need to be addressed.

1. Logistics for loaning to outstation members. I have bitter experiences with the courier guys. But yes, insuring it could ensure better care in handling of package by the courier guys.

2. Ensuring that the equipment doesn't go to a clueless member and ends up getting damaged. To address this, we need to group the DIYers of each city where, the team leader would be a senior DIYer, who knows what's he doing.

I think this is already happening. FMs @Aniket @shaan @sadik @Hari Iyer are already into it.

Hi Captain,

thanks for your response.

On kits -

1. While the design is normally spot on, depending on the driver choices, there could be a lot of variation in TS parameters between drivers. While universally a possibility, this is especially more likely with cheaper kits (cheaper drivers). of course, possibly someone like meniscus might check and validate specs before despatching, in which case this might not be necessary.
2. However while doing box design, especially vented boxes, one does need to validate the tuning, and a good way of doing that is eye balling the impedance graph where again this would be useful.
3. Finally, if you are an advanced kit maker, you may want to tweak the design by ear. Minor differences in passive components can make listenable difference in tonality. here again something like this could help as it can measure L, C and R and also dcR

Of course, you are perfectly right and the need for measuring equipment while making kits really depends on how nitpicky one is, but I hope those points above indicate the circumstances where it could help

on your points:

i also know about how variable couriers are. and one can never isolate if its courier fault or an issue at sender or recipient. i really cherish these objections, because if we get a holistic idea of all the can go wrong, we can work to mitigate all those issues. For eg, if the issue is that someone borrows and spoils it one method could be to put down a deposit. I personally don't think its the right solution, but it would address that point

as I hear the issues, i am also getting some thoughts and clarity on the possible shape and form of this. The target for this would be someone who has working knowlege but no access to these tools. Someone who is looking to build a set of speakers (and is willing to share the design build thread to encourage others to take up the hobby. and while we can always hope that this will encourage someone to take it up professionally, its not geared toward those who are already doing it professionally (i would hope that they have tools)

i do hope some other DIYers chip in with their thoughts.