Wayne and I are cooking up plans for a group build line array project. We haven't drawn the plans yet, but we have agreed on some general guidelines. These are oriented toward the objective of designing an array that's easy to build, very affordable, tube friendly, uses readily available drivers (no "buyouts" that won't be available later), reasonably sized, and sounds good. Here are the specifics:

Easy to build - can be built by a person with no previous woodworking experience using a circular saw, a jigsaw and an electric drill.

Very affordable - Target cost to build is $300-$400. This will require the use of inexpensive midwoofers (but better than NSB quality) and a single point source tweeter at the center of the array. (The single tweeter is a compromise, but it's the only option with our target price). The target price also requires that each enclosure can be built from a single 4X8 sheet of mdf or plywood.

Tube friendly - Eight ohm or higher nominal impedance, 94dB or greater sensitivity.

Readily available drivers - We've already decided on the midwoofers because the Parts Express 5-1/4" classic is on sale for $11, and I ordered a bunch of them. We're leaning toward the Vifa DX25 tweeter because it's one of the few that will cross over low enough and has the needed sensitivity.

Reasonably sized - Not too much over 5' high with a reasonably narrow baffle. Line arrays can't be Bose size, but no 7' monsters either.

Sounds good - Of course that's very subjective, but the sound quality should be comparable to or better than some of the single woofer two-way's others have built using PE classic and similar quality drivers and good crossover parts - much better than most of the speakers at the big box stores. We're also planning to use a ported enclosure whose bass extension will make a subwoofer unnecessary/optional.

The plan is for me to build the enclosures, install the drivers, and get them to Wayne, who will do the final tuning and design the crossover. I plan to document the enclosure construction on my smugmug photo site for others to use in building their arrays.

I've already chosen the Parts Express #295-301 midwoofers based on size and cost limitations. They're regularly $13.60 in quantities of four, currently on sale for $11.00, and we hope to negotiate that sale price for others who participate in the group build. I plan to use eight per speaker to achieve the needed sensitivity, 16 ohm impedance, and reasonably small interior volume.

Comments and suggestions about any other aspects of this project are welcomed. Now's the time before I start pushing wood throught the saw in November.

I about passed out when I heard Jim's arrays at GPAF last year. I'd never heard line arrays before. You're right about the $$$ though for a setup like he had. But just to get a little inkling of that would be special. I'll have to start pushing this agenda and see how far I get with the Mrs.

Needless to say, the group build arrays will not be in the same league as Jim's, but their sound should offer many of the characteristics of well designed line arrays. I've built a few using budget drivers, including $25 Vifa woofers and $15 Silver Flute woofers, with a point source tweeter, and have been pleased with the results. The pair that comes closest to the design Wayne and I are considering used 5.5" Silver Flute woofers with the Vifa DX25 tweeter, and to my ears it sounded the best of all. I might have chosen the Silver Flutes for the group build, but they were $11.75 last time I bought some and the price has since increased quite a bit. Also, I have had such good experience buying from Parts Express that I wanted to use their Dayton house brand this time. See the link to a picture below.

We plan to build and tweak the prototype pair, then to get some feedback from a group of qualified listeners who know how a good speaker should sound. Probably the Tulsa and or Dallas Audio Club members. If the feedback is positive we'll document and post the project.

• Silver Flute Line Arrays

Been working on digital for a while. Small parts, soldering iron with a needle tip. Need lighted magnifier and reading glasses just to see where I'm soldering.

After we’re done, maybe we can talk to the boys in the Craftsman forum to add a little WAF to them. Make them living room worthy….

The prototype will be built with an eye toward low cost and ease of construction rather than cosmetics, but other builder are encouraged to build speakers that are also nice to look at. Here's an example of a speaker that isn't a line array, but it's one of the most beautiful examples of fine craftsmanship I've seen.

• Salk HT3

I was less asking about the 'beauty' of the project then suggesting that those of us who can, or wish to, take it the next step forward. This, assuming that we get a sonic result that is worthy of the living room.

Wish I could see the Salk HT3 but I'm at work and so much is blocked here. I'll check them out this evening.

Thanks for your response.