Confused wether to build a short tower or bookshelf speaker

[MichaelPhile]

Ello Friends, this is my first post on here so if you need more info let me know. But this is what’s going on: I’ve had my vizio soundbar for awhile, while it has kept up to time and the imaging and sound is still better than a new bose 300 soundsbar. I want better sound, the only way to do this, go from a soundbar to speakers. However, I’m unsure if I want to build a bookshelf speaker or a short tower speaker. I spend a lot of my time listening laying down on my bed so if I did go bookshelf, my tweeter would have to be below the woofer. Allow me to provide some dimensions:
my Room(L:W:H): 124.5 Inches, my current setup is on wall 1 which is 77 inches/wall #2 is 109.5 inches,103 Inches
my Speaker stand (L:W:H): 48.750 inches, 15.875 inches, 17.250 inches tall(height of speaker/tv stand is on par with the height of my bed where I lay down and usually listen to audio)
my T.V(Length:Height): 51.125 Inches, 30.125 Inches. ( it is wall mounted)
my bed is your standard double


I provide my room incase it helps with choosing if I should move my stuff around and utilize the bigger wall for tower speakers, or if I can use bookshelf on my Tv/Speaker stand.

My Goal out of this build is to build a 2.1 or 3.1 channel speaker system in my room. It’s music first priority which is difficult because amps don’t usually carry a sub output so if I need a recover I might need your guys’s help.

Whilst I have taken a look on parts express at the Br-1 component set, which seems like a perfect fit (I don’t have experience with saughtering but my friend does, and I have good enough skill in wood working). I feel like there are better drivers on the website that I’m unable to discover because I don’t know how to design a crossover or create a cabinet to compensate the speaker with enough air.

[Chris Roemer]

What about the Samba, Classix II, Hitmakers, or C-Notes?
If I was listening prone in bed, I'd rather have the tweeters higher up, "aimed" downward.

[djg]

Yeah, make some normal speakers from kits as mentioned by Chris R. Then arrange them to point at your listening position. That way the speakers can be used elsewhere when and if your venue changes.

[Wolf]

Or you can build an actual DIY soundbar too. There are a few out there...
Wolf

[MichaelPhile]

I appreciate everyone’s suggestions with building a kit, which I would’ve done if it weren’t for me being bedridden right now after getting my wisdom teeth out. However, I discovered this beautiful website: https://www.diyaudioandvideo.com/Guide/BuildSpeakerBox/
for assistance with designing a box volume capable for speakers, so my next step was “hmmmmm, let’s find some drivers and tweeters”. Did some more research, and because this would be my first build, I settled on a 2 way design, with a crossover at 3,500hz. The Woofer I chose for the build is https://www.parts-express.com/dayton...oofer--295-355
it’s got great reviews and is good up to 3500hz. However with tweeters is where i get stuck. I spotted this one originally https://www.parts-express.com/dayton...eeter--275-075 , however then I stumbled upon this oen with the waveguide https://www.parts-express.com/peerle...eter--264-1028. Crossover will be one from the site as well: https://www.parts-express.com/dayton...00-hz--260-146 . Like you guys suggest, which thank you for all so much the wonderful advice, I’ll probably build a separate mdf chamber to angle the tweeter down from on top the chamber that will house the woofer. Probably at a 10* or 15* (degree) angle. And Wolf, (which nice name cause that’s my last name😂) while I understand why you would suggest building a custom sound-bar. It’s a great experience in a short length, I enjoy the aesthetically pleasing aspect of two separate speakers. Though that does not mean if you can prove a good Hi-Fi oriented soundbar then I will not turn it down. But I am set on building a sort of larger bookshelf type enclose to house the woofer, which will be sitting on legs as to be more in line with my ears, and then another separate chamber above it, angled downwards towards my ears for the tweeters. I know dome tweeters don’t require their own chamber as they are already enclosed. I don’t want to deal with designing a curved piece of MDF. Once again, thank you everyone with your responses!

[chocolate_soymilk]

As for amps, check out the DTA 2.1BT - it has a sub channel that could easily power a small passive sub like a Voxel. In my bedroom I have a pair of OS + sub using this amp and I've been quite happy with it.

[MichaelPhile]

Hey chocolate, thank you for the suggestion. But I believe when I add a sub to my setup it would be as you say “active” I think. It’ll probably be an 8” or 10” sub that I will source from a family member or from kijiji. The Speakers I’ll start off diy, then I’ll buy a branded sub until i can make my own. I’m worried if that amp won’t be able to srive it since you mention passive. Aswell, do amp such as that one have features like dts:x or dolby digital on them? This might sound dumb or do I add them on after? Or do these types of speakers not need it. Thank you for checking out this post!

[Millstonemike]

I appreciate everyone’s suggestions with building a kit, which I would’ve done if it weren’t for me being bedridden right now after getting my wisdom teeth out. However, I discovered this beautiful website: https://www.diyaudioandvideo.com/Guide/BuildSpeakerBox/
for assistance with designing a box volume capable for speakers, so my next step was “hmmmmm, let’s find some drivers and tweeters”. Did some more research, and because this would be my first build, I settled on a 2 way design, with a crossover at 3,500hz. The Woofer I chose for the build is https://www.parts-express.com/dayton...oofer--295-355
it’s got great reviews and is good up to 3500hz. However with tweeters is where i get stuck. I spotted this one originally https://www.parts-express.com/dayton...eeter--275-075 , however then I stumbled upon this oen with the waveguide https://www.parts-express.com/peerle...eter--264-1028. Crossover will be one from the site as well: https://www.parts-express.com/dayton...00-hz--260-146 . Like you guys suggest, which thank you for all so much the wonderful advice, I’ll probably build a separate mdf chamber to angle the tweeter down from on top the chamber that will house the woofer. Probably at a 10* or 15* (degree) angle. And Wolf, (which nice name cause that’s my last name😂) while I understand why you would suggest building a custom sound-bar. It’s a great experience in a short length, I enjoy the aesthetically pleasing aspect of two separate speakers. Though that does not mean if you can prove a good Hi-Fi oriented soundbar then I will not turn it down. But I am set on building a sort of larger bookshelf type enclose to house the woofer, which will be sitting on legs as to be more in line with my ears, and then another separate chamber above it, angled downwards towards my ears for the tweeters. I know dome tweeters don’t require their own chamber as they are already enclosed. I don’t want to deal with designing a curved piece of MDF. Once again, thank you everyone with your responses!

Using a pre-built XO based on high level driver specifications is a C$%p shoot with typically poor to mediocre results.

There are three basic levels of DIY speakers: (1) Kit with flat pack enclosure; (2) Kit with no enclosure (or w/pre-drilled baffle) or known design; and (3) Design your own from scratch. The first requires minimal woodworking experience and zero speaker design knowledge. The second requires woodworking skills/tools and zero speaker design knowledge. The third requires woodworking skills and speaker design knowledge. It's the speaker design knowledge that will trip you up as a novice.

Speaker design using modeling s/w is no easy undertaking. I'm a formally trained EE and it took me 2 years to arrive at a custom design - all of that time getting experience with speaker design and the relevant S/W. BSC, .frd, .zma, baffle diffraction ... any of those terms mean anything to you? Tilting a tweeter on a baffle can also introduce issues. BTW: most all tweeters do not need a chamber of their own as they are sealed in back.

If you want to do woodworking, I suggest a kit or a known design. There are too many choices in those categories to list. Many from well regarded designers with members here able to give their listening impressions for each.

If you like the RS180, there's likely more than a few known designs using that woofer as well.

As for a sub output, many subs have their own amplifier built in and can use a line level stereo feed from the source. If that line level feed is not available, a fair percentage of those sub amps can take a speaker feed and derive the signal from that.

Given your room size (smaller) there are a myriad of kits/designs that will work. I'd start with Chris's list and go from there ...

[MichaelPhile]

Thank you millstone for the information. As you spoke about S/W, BSC, etc....the idea of a simple custom speaker disappeared. I’ll take up your advice for searching for a prebuilt design for the RS180 and build form that. Originally I thought that if I used the calculators provided on the website to calculate the required internal volume, then from there adjust the thickness of the MDF and the exterior widths/heights/depth to output the required volume then it would be a-okay. But I guess as a novice there is still much needed experience that i must discover first before engaging in a more advanced project such as that. The Tweeter too I was more concerned about the angling on it than anything without considering the idea of the construction distorting the sound. I’m just really wanting to build something that will sound phenomenal for it’s price and definitely be of higher quality then store bought speaker that claim to be of that level. I was also unaware about subs having included amps so thank you for the clarification of that. Clearly I still have a lot to learn, so I’ll search up some prebuilt projects people have done and work from there. If I intend to do any modifications on those projects then I’ll seek advice on those posts instead of coming back here. But one last question I have is: if I build a speaker cabinet so that it was raised on legs, could I have the port for the woofer face down/can you just install a port into a box as long as you know the required length and diameter of the port needed. Once again, thank you all for your generous help!

[Chris Roemer]

There's PLENTY of bad (only misleading, actually) info on that site.
You would be happy building a pair of "Overnight Sensations" (kit). They're full range, yet small enough that you'll be able to mount them where they'll sound best for you.

[Ray Tremblay]

If you like the RS180's (great choice BTW), you should consider the Amiga speaker kit with knock down cabinets through Parts Express. It takes all the guess work out of driver selection, crossover design, and cabinet design. It's a great way to get your feet wet and build something that will be a success. Then you can move on to your own design later down the road as you learn more.

[Ray Tremblay]

Link to the Amiga kit.......

https://www.parts-express.com/amiga-mt-tower-speaker-kit-with-knock-down-cabinet--300-7124

[dynamo]

To answer your title question with no consideration for application, I always look at it like a bookshelf speaker on a stand takes up no more floor space in your room than a tower of the same footprint, so I lean toward tower for the added volume (size) and better low frequency output. Although the room taken up is the same between the two, a bookshelf on a stand can be less visually obtrusive and more universal for future other uses.