New to DIY: What Do I Need to Know?

[Ender]

Could anyone give me some general pointers or tips to building audio components? I am particularly interested in amps, speakers, stands, and headphones.

Also, could anyone point out books, websites, or magazines I could read to increase my knowledge about any skills I need to DIY? Woodworking, soldering, electrical engineering basics, etc.

Thanks! I have been reading you guys for a few months and I love the community!

Now that I have a job (thank god for college) I can finally afford to purchase to parts to work with DIY (I like making things... I have made computers plenty of times).

[Early B.]

Google "DIY audio" and you'll be flooded with info.

My advice -- buy before DIY.

[strider]

Being pretty early into DIY'ing myself, I think the hardest lesson I've learned is this: just when you think you start to understand things and have it under control, you'll find something that'll completely skew everything you think you just conquered.

Have you checked out diyaudio.com? They have a wiki with some pretty good info in it. They also have stickies at the tops of most of the forums (at least the ones I frequent) that have good links to sites with general info, etc. Just don't start reading the 1000+ post build threads, some of them are enough to dissuade you from ever picking up a soldering iron again....:D

[cnh]

This is not something I've ever done but I have to say that it might be better to start in baby steps then get more serious.

parts-express.com sells entire speaker kits that have everything you would need to assemble a speaker or a sub, parts and instructions. They also sell individual drivers and crossovers so you could by a kit and decide to switch out some of its parts.

I think that if you went through one kit it would be a good education, at least, for future speaker building?

cnh

[zingo]

One thing I have learned is the old adage: The more I think I know, the less I actually know. I would start with a great DIY book to build a foundation of knowledge. The one below is the one I have and it's a great mix of beginner and advanced knowledge.

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/88/1b/b005b340dca055e777309010.L.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Loudspeaker-Design-Cookbook-Vance-Dickason/dp/1882580109)

[Ender]

Wow. That's awesome. Thanks for the advice so far, guys! If possible and/or warranted, keep them coming!

[Ender]

Just as an update: DIYaudio.com has an insane amount of information and their wiki page is alright, but overall, there is a severe lack of content. What little content actually exists on their page is good, but otherwise, DIYaudio.com is a terrible place for a beginner, imho.

[Early B.]

DIYaudio.com is a terrible place for a beginner, imho.

Well, it's a terrible place for a beginner if you don't know where to begin. You've already been provided with some great advice by Zingo. Start there, then take cnh's advice. Once you do those two things, re-visit DIYaudio and you'll be in hog heaven.

[ben62670]

Just as an update: DIYaudio.com has an insane amount of information and their wiki page is alright, but overall, there is a severe lack of content. What little content actually exists on their page is good, but otherwise, DIYaudio.com is a terrible place for a beginner, imho.

That is one of the best sites to read and learn. To ask questions right off the bat it is not like here, but there is a wealth of knowledge there. What do you want to get into the most.?

[Ender]

Right now, amps and speakers, but probably speakers. I would love to make beautiful wooden enclosures like those I have seen around here and there.

Welp, first, I will go out and grab a book on woodworking and maybe one on intro electrical engineering and maybe one more specifically for building speakers and/or amps.