3 things I (inadvertently) learned building DIY speakers | HIVI SWANS 

Thanks... I did have a moment where I wondered how I would put together this video, knowing the build was basically a fail. My wife suggested just keeping it real, and it was good advice.

@@Channel33RPM Remarry her!

True. I would be devastated. I did build these tho. And they sound and look amazing. I can’t believe how good they sound.

Radio shack Madisound, Parts Express etc... I have even bought parts from eBay and bulot with that.

You're Dad's an awesome guy. Hopefully he prefers using SB Audience drivers for his speaker builds. (hint hint. lol) Better than 99% anything else out there. One of the few vertically integrated companies in the world. They do not outsource parts but make "everything" in house! Good stuff. And affordable. It's just they are not as big here in America as Europe, so there is only one distributor. Madisound. Thankfully they carry them at all I guess. If you are not familiar with the brand I highly recommend you check them out. They "build" the drivers for other major speaker makers (contract), plus have several lines of their own brand of speakers. Producing like a million speaker drivers a year. Just no "completed speakers". They are in Indonesia, not China too. Happy New Year. "Life without music would be a mistake!" (Parts Express luckily is about an hour away from where I live. They have just about ended up a monopoly. It's hard finding a distributor you can get all the parts you need for a speaker build other than Parts Express). Take care!

I am building these now!

Not only do you get to save a few bucks, but you end up with quality speakers as good as speakers that cost 3 times as much from the "retailers". Not to mention the sense of "accomplishment" you get building something. You should also check into some Amp and Receiver repairs. Simple stuff like if it goes into "protect" mode, or one of the "knobs" go bad. You'll find you don't need to be an electrical engineer, just need to learn a few tips and tricks because when amps go into protect mode 90% of the time it's a "hidden" fuse, or one of the output transistors (or just a transistor that blew from overheating). We're talking a couple dollar part, and people toss them into the landfill and go buy another one. How crazy. I've already fixed 2 amps people just have me for free because they said "they didn't work". One was an Onkyo, the other a Pioneer Elite. And I'm an accountant not an electrical engineer, so if I can do it, anyone can! I don't know about you, but I listen to usually 4 hours of music a day (also a musician) and I get attached to my equipment like you do your pets. LOL And I hate to get rid of them, especially because of a $5 part and some solder, if that. Well, that's it, it might ne a $1 resistor, but you have to buy 10 in an order. Still cheap. Just make sure you use "the exact" make and brand of part. That's very important, yes even the brand if you want you receiver to sound like it did before it went out on you. LOL Happy New Year and best of luck in 2024. (we're probably gonna need it. lol) (something else you can do, is find some higher end speakers that don't work and simply replace the drivers instead of building cabinets from scratch. Some companies make beautiful cabinets, and if they don't work you can usually get them for like $20 a pair at a garage sale etc.)

Awesome man, glad you took on the project and it turned out well for you. Definitely something to be proud of! I use to be into the car stereo/boat stereo install game when I was younger. And even though I'm an accountant, I'm getting back into it, and the thing is, hardly anything has changed. Seriously. My trick was to always use Marine grade products in my build because they are 3rd party "certified" and built to last. But what's also cool, is it goes hand in hand learning about a cars electrical system. And ya know what? There really isn't anything to a car's electrical system, except they are being "overengineered" today. Did you know car batteries "never" really wear out? You can "refurbish" your own car battery, and make it last like 15 years or more. Check on RU-vid here on how to refurbish your own car battery if you want to save some $$. But 12V is nothing, and you will relaize with a little research how to learn how to bypass certain components and help your car run better, and last longer. Car engines are usually around 25% efficient, and they can be made to be so much more efficient, and if were made that way would pollute a great deal less as well. (Life's too short to drive cheap cars. lol) We really are not getting the best tech for cars these days is what I have realized installing car stereos. And why car manufacturers do things like have the wiring for the windshield wipers go through the stereo. Just stupid stuff like that all day long by every manufacturer!. So if your stereo breaks down you lose your windshield wipers too. crazy. Hey, have you seen someone with an EV truck, have a generator in the bed, it's running and plugged into the truck so it always stayed charged? I think it is hilarious, and damn smart of people. Though, kinda defeats the purpose I think too, but people will always find ways to get the tools that they need, and in a much easier way than "expected". What kills me about electric cars (and nothing against them except one thing) they're silent. There's nothing like a properly tuned V-8 with some good headers and exhaust on it! Music to the ears! LOL take care and congrats on the amp build! That's cool shit!

Glad you enjoyed it!

Good info, thanks.

Haha, indeed!

Go for it! The cabinets are the hardest part. You'll have no problem. Just take your time and be methodical with the electronic part. As a woodworker you don't have to confine yourself to kits that include cabinets. There are lots of great designs and kits that supply just the electrical components and have plans for the cabinets.

@@thatguy6054 I can build my own cabinets just not sure where to look for plans and crossovers/speakers.

I look forward to finishing these... I'm hoping for positive ending to the story. Glad they worked out well for you.

pressboard and basic speakers . no. these have the supplier laughing all the way to the bank!

Thanks 👍

I thought the same thing, any markings/model/branding on the back of the drivers did say HiVi Swans on my very same kit. They sound great, get down to 30 Hz easily, can even hear 25 Hz ;)

Good tip! I will open the one speaker up in the coming weeks and see what's going on (just need a break from it right now...). I figure I should get bonus points for trying something new in front of an audience, haha.

👍

Appreciate it

Thanks 👍

I am going to go back and check. Thanks for the info.

Good info. Thanks

I royally messed up a guitar build a few years ago as well... and of course had to do a video about it :) Those would definitely be fun shops classes though!

That sounds like a great advice - to bench test everything prior! I did however follow the instructions for these very same speakers, finished them with an Amzon vinyl veneer, soldered and put all the speaker drivers in, placed them on stands, hooked them up and all worked perfectly great. ;) It did take 2-3 weeks to complete it. I'll follow your advice next time, don't want to be unscrewing and resolder anything after. ))

Me neither... I will fix it at some point.

You can buy your own speakers for that price but building the yourself you can put whatever driver and tweeter in to make them sound how you want

Haha, indeed!

I got frustrated... they are still sitting unfinished.

:)

I am ok at building big stuff... I built that whole bar area where the vid was shot (it used to be a roughed in bathroom, which we used as a storage room). I guess I just need more patience for the small stuff. You are right though, my day job does not involve working with my hands... I work in communications and media relations.

I don't know... I think I proved I can mess up a speaker build, haha. Hopefully, this will have a happy ending at some point. Cheers man!

Well... I'm not sure yet. Some folks are saying they sound like much more expensive speakers. I will report back when I eventually finish this.

You don't understand, if you've watched GR Research channel where he explains that by DIY you are saving about 4-5 times the value. Meaning this $250 kit is as good as the speakers you buy already built and finished for over $1000. That's what $1000 finished speakers cost in parts - just $200! The rest is labor and retail markups at dealers or online stores. When you play music through these speakers and realize that these speakers sound like a pair of $1000+, you'll be extremely satisfied. These get down to 30 Hz easily, can even hear 25 Hz as well. I built these very same speakers in January, took 2-3 weeks taking my time. Also Amazon had them for $170 on black friday last year, the deal lasted about a month, just FYI ;)

@@HiFiMods I get it,still not worth it. You screw up game over. I bought a Korg MS-20 desktop that saved me around $1000.00 and assembled it myself....came close screwing it up too.