lyeerluna Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I was thinking of trying to build a Forte II clone. Would it be possible?(Or even worth the money to do so?) Does anyone sell comparable components. I've seen a few actual Klipsch components on a couple of websites, but they were quite expensive. Maybe I could mix and match components from more than one model(Forte II, Cornwall, Heresy, etc.)to make my own version. Also, would it be difficult to make a crossover for such a speaker? Where's a good place to get parts and what's a good design software to use? I don't have a lot of technical knowledge or speaker building experience. I've made a couple of sub boxes for our cars and they turned out really nice, but they didn't need crossovers(used the amplifier's). Ideally, I would just like to buy a pair of Forte II's or other model, but they are not that easy to come by. In fact, someone outbid me on e-bay for a pair for $336, but I didn't have the money at the time to fight for them. Anyway, it's just a thought I've been entertaining lately. Any help is much appreciated! Thanks, Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael hurd Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 IMO, unless you have intimate knowledge of construction techniques, had the available parts and materials at your disposal, it would be a lot easier and cheaper to buy a set. Have you priced out veneered plywood at all? I know where I live, in Ontario, veneered 3/4" ply goes for $ 60 + a 4'x8' sheet. My advise: be patient and check the local newspaper and free bargain finders. You may find a good deal within close driving distance, and you do not have the problem of receiving a damaged set from a shipping company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwhaples Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Brian, Welcome to the Forum! Good luck on your quest. Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daddy Dee Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Brian, Welcome to the forum. Building klipsch klones can make for interesting projects. There are a number of just such projects through the pages of this forum. People have various levels of satisfaction with the projects, depending on their skill levels, knowledge of design, and budget. In my own experience, I found the forum with a DIY LaScala project in mind. All the speaker components are floating through Ebay all the time. One thing I found out was that people part out Klipsch speakers to sell them because the sale of the parts exceeds the sale of the whole as one. Thus, it is actually more economical to find a good deal on a whole unit than to purchase the parts piecemeal and assemble them in a diy cab. That being said, there are many possibilities for deep satisfaction in a diy project. For example, if you love carpentry and cabinet building, there are some trashed units around that could use someone to use TLC to move the drivers out of a cab that's been over rough roads at high speeds.... then to nestle them in a nice diy cab for their new life of being appreciated in your system. Other speaker pairs that could use some refinishing for new looks. Anyway, lots of fun opportunities. The Forte is an excellent speaker design, too. Enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dflip Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 They seem to be running $500 -700 on eBay or Audiogon at the moment. For that price, it is better to buy a pair that are original. You can't make a pair with good parts for much less and since you don't know what you are doing the cabinets will look... homemade. Save up and buy a used pair, you won't regret it in ten years when you still have the speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yesfan70 Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Have to agree with the others. Unless you are wanting something like a bookshelf or center channel version of the Fortes (or other floorstanders for that matter), or just building a new cabinet due to abuse from a previous owner, I would stay with getting a used set of originals. I have always wondered about the Fortes. Nice looking speakers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyeerluna Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 Thank you to all who replied. That's pretty much the conclusion I was coming to as I sat here looking at Klipsch compnents on e-bay and such. I do like working on those types of projects, but one of the main reasons I wanted to build my own was to try and save money. I think I'd rather wait to be the proud owner of a pair of classis Klipsch's and save some dough(and possibly some heart-ache, too!) I really appreciate everyone's input on this! I probably would have been able to pull it off reasonably well, but it doesn't seem to really be worth the effort. Thanks for the advice! I'm back in the hunt for some Forte's again. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.