What to buy/build on $1000-$1500 budget?

[dprice]

There are some awesome DIY and restoration projects on here. However, the really cool ones look like they can be some real budget busters for the less than totally obsessed. The new JBL high end stuff looks like it far beyond what most mere working mortals can afford...and I'm not event sure where to hear it if I wanted to. The consumer stuff at Best Buy...looks like plastic, and pretty expensive for what it looks like you get.

So what do you think are the best bang-for-the-buck DIY or restoration projects? I don't mean the "I found a B460 for $20" specials. I'm talking about more or less go out and find it and buy it budget costs. $1000 only goes so far so lets call it $1500 if that means new or rebuilt drivers. Of special interest to me are which of the newer drivers are a bargain, compared to the classics, and deliver similar performance. The budget numbers are just a suggestion since a little luck while shopping can go a long way.

Basic criteria the way I see it - (feel free to ignore these as you wish)

- must be superior to L100 in numerous, if not all, areas (got to start somewhere)
- WAF important but less critical than SPL (pretty and loud)
- main use will be HT, audiophile perfection greatly compromised by great-room layout
- driven by yamaha HT receiver...upgrade certainly likely in future
- have equipment and skills for serious DIY construction or restoration
- brother plays guitar and often runs across JBL pro-audio gear in various states of destruction
- cloning an existing design where possible

I appreciate all the work done by the folks on this site. It is an amazing, and often overwhelming, collection of good stuff. A search for "budget" didn't seem to help much... I do apologize for starting what must be a well-worn topic.

[Mr. Widget]

HT

Yamaha DVR

$1000-$1500


I'd look for a pair of 4430s... and perhaps clone a center channel if you can fit one in.


Widget

[eso]

I recently saw a pair of 4430s on craig's list in LA asking $1500 OBO.

I'm going to have about $1400 into my DIY Urei 813Bs, and closer to $2K if I charge Couple the crossovers. Granted that is not a JBL project although here are JBL components therein.

eso

[dprice]

Yamaha DVR? I've already got the Tivo and the Yamaha 7.1 DD HTR so that's covered. But a stack of amps for real power would be nice.

4430 isn't one I had thought of. I'll keep it in mind. If only there were a way to build the poor man's version for 1/2...

Building the speakers into the entertainment center may be part of of the plan. Actually I am sticking a pair of sort-of L100/4311 clones in there now. But the more I look at it I realize that if I rearrange and get rid of some components (goodbye VCR) that I could come up with 5-10 cubic feet on each side to work with.

Luckily this is a multi-year project so I've got time to think it through.

[Mr. Widget]

Yamaha DVR?Sorry... typo. I meant Yamaha AVR.

I suggested 4430s as much more refinement would be overkill considering room, application, and electronics. Moreover, they are also typically easy to find closer to the $1K mark... especially if the cabs could use some TLC. Really hard to do much better than that in a DIY context if you place any value on your time... then again, if you need a new avenue to burn through some extra time...


Widget

[dprice]

Thanks Mr. Widget! That's the kind of advice I need. I also have homebrewing as a habit, er ummm, hobby. And I'm attempting to build a houseful of furniture. I have been accused of being a little crazy on my DIY projects. So the DIY speakers are a possibility but restoration is more realistic.