The XMechanik Mechano23 DIY ranks #6 out of 60 total Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers for sound quality. See Top Recommended Speakers By Attribute for all the top speaker suggestions.
#6 XMechanik Mechano23 DIY: ~$48 each Madisound (Tweeter) Madisound (Woofer)
Pros: The bass alignment is unusually well damped, with a measured Q of 0.336, among the lowest of any speaker in this catalog, so the -3dB point at 77.6Hz rolls off cleanly instead of building into a resonant bump the way many small ported designs do. On axis deviation measures a tight 0.195dB average, and Audio Science Review’s independent Klippel NFS review called the predicted in room response nearly perfect, with directivity matching that beats some commercial designs costing many times more, all from about $200 in parts.
Cons: This is a true DIY project. There is no assembled unit to buy, drivers come from Madisound, the crossover kit comes separately from EZ Speaker Solutions, and the birch plywood cabinet has to be built and finished by hand. Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.47 and the sound power directivity index has more variation (standard deviation 4.02) than the tightest speakers in this catalog, so off axis energy isn’t quite as evenly controlled as the excellent on axis figures suggest.
How it compares: Just above it: Ascend Acoustics Luna V2 Mini-Monitor Ribbon - $1200 more, 3.1Hz lower bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: Arendal 1961 Monitor - $1102 more, 0.8Hz higher bass extension (-3dB).
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 42.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Cabinet Material | 18mm Baltic birch plywood |
| Country | Design origin: United States (ASR forum); assembled by buyer |
| Dimensions | 11.4"H x 6.9"W x 10.4"D (290 x 174 x 263 mm) (11.4 x 6.9 x 10.4 in) |
| Drivers | Scan-Speak Discovery H2606/9200 1" horn loaded textile dome tweeter, SB Acoustics SB13PFCR25-4 5" fiber cone woofer |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Port Tuning | Approximately 45Hz |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB @ 2.83V/1m (measured, Audio Science Review) |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.