New 2.1 speaker setup, advice?

[klocwerk]

Hey all, long time lurker, rare poster.

Background:
I built my first DIY speakers way back when I was 13 (around '93) with my dad's help. 8" 2-way's with a 12" passive subwoofer. (It's been a LONG time and I have no recollection of where the kit came from, I think it may have been a Dayton though.) They lasted me through college, and in fact I was still using them until about 2 years ago. Now they've migrated to my basement workshop where I can only hear them when I'm not running power tools.

Currently I have a pair of Fostex fe126e's in the recommended bass reflex cabinets paired with the sub mentioned above. (Mains on channel A of my receiver, sub on channel B.) The full range drivers sound really great for most music, but they lack any top end for HT usage. I could just add outboard XO's and tweeters, but I also want a bit more oomph from the system than those little drivers are capable of.

Usage:
2.1 audio for music and TV/Movies.
Might add a center-channel down the road.
No surrounds on the agenda any time soon, space issues.

Considerations:
- I don't have huge amounts of money to throw at this project.
- Happy to build my own cabinets, would rather not get into designing XO's and modeling boxes.
- Space and WAF are both major concerns, but I can shuffle some stuff around and probably fit floor-standers with a small footprint.
- I want fairly flat to 41hz (bassist), and just something present from 20-40hz for HT movies stuff.

Current thoughts:
$225+sub: Tritrix TL kits, paired with a small deep sub and crossed around 70-80hz.
$120+DIY cabinets+sub: Tritrix sealed, paired with a meatier sub and crossed around 100hz.
$257+cabs+sub: Zaph ZA5.3 MTM's paired with a solid sub, crossed 80-100hz.
? : Aviatrix with small deep sub. Kit price unknown for now, and not quite released yet.

What sub would fit those options?
Crossing low and not needing huge SPL I'd like something small and deep...
Crossing higher for the sealed might need a more "real" sub.
Looking at the Fostex buyout sub-amps from http://home.comcast.net/~jhidley/

Help? Advice on which route to persue? Is the ZA5 option really worth the significant upcharge on the Tritrix?

[LouC]

The Fostex amps look really good for the money. I bought 3. Stout, 12 lbs in the box. If you want to diddle with the slopes throw a Dayton RSS265HO into about 1 cu ft sealed with a 1-2db boost at around 30-35 and you'll have a clean little sub that'll last awhile.

If you are willing to build boxes, and size is an issue there are a lot of smaller designs out there. Especially if you go with a sub. The Overnight Sensations, my own Amethyst, C-Killas, or Nugget 2 are some small size budget boxes.

If I can force myself out to the garage (107 tomorrow) I'm planning a buyout special MTM that ought to come in at $100/pair

[klocwerk]

The Fostex amps look really good for the money. I bought 3. Stout, 12 lbs in the box. If you want to diddle with the slopes throw a Dayton RSS265HO into about 1 cu ft sealed with a 1-2db boost at around 30-35 and you'll have a clean little sub that'll last awhile.

If you are willing to build boxes, and size is an issue there are a lot of smaller designs out there. Especially if you go with a sub. The Overnight Sensations, my own Amethyst, C-Killas, or Nugget 2 are some small size budget boxes.

If I can force myself out to the garage (107 tomorrow) I'm planning a buyout special MTM that ought to come in at $100/pair

Thanks for the tips Lou!
I don't need to stay QUITE that small, and I want something that can still feel punchy at moderate volumes which is why i'm currently leaning MTM.
Sadly that sub driver's out of stock, I'll keep an eye on it though.

[LouC]

Those Fostex FE126 have probably spoiled you a bit for 150-5000 hz. Most I've heard are pretty articulate. If I had do full range, I'd do a pair of Audio Nirvana Super 8s a wee bit edgy at the top end, but very livable.

IMHO, if I were going to do a sub anyway, I'd take the money for the extra 2 woofers and invest in a more refined TM. Even if it's not one of my designs

The C-Killas will get down to the 40's. The Shticks to the mid 30's. (No sub needed for music). Most of what people feel as "punch" is more like 50-60 hz for music. FX for HT are another matter... Your budget doesn't give you a lot of wiggle room.

If you will run this off of a receiver with bass management, then the sub will add the punch and you can opt for refinement.

[andykriech]

If you have the room (you need to be a little ways back from them to let them sum nicely) LouC's Shticks are the way to go. No sub needed for music and add a smallish sub for HT, excellent midrange. Very small footprint and high WAF.
The Shticks:


I just built a RSS265HF sub in about 1.1 cf w/ SA240B amp and it is great for a small footprint sub. I have also built a RJB Cerberus sub and that is really nice too, much smaller, but not as big of audio presence as the RSS265HF.
RSS265HF sub with the RJB Cerberus sub on top:


LouC's C-Killas are really nice and sound bigger than they are (especially when crossed to a sub).
The C-Killas:


RJB's Microbes are another really nice design for a 2.1 setup. Here is my pair that go with the matching Cerberus sub:


HTH, Andy.

ps - I really like LouC's designs!

[klocwerk]

Thanks again guys!
Will reconsider the 2-way designs since you say so.