Journey of starting a hobby speaker company!

[IPL PRO Build]

You might know me as Boggit on here, and I thought id share my idea with you.

So after building my own pair of IPL Acoustics M1 kit, and being pleased with the natural, yet precise sound and huge soundstage I thought it would be a good idea to get them built and finished professionally and offer them for sale, as a little hobby to start with and who knows. Also if anybody wants to get involved and would be happy to demo them in their own house, form a network of enthusiasts who would enjoy the experience and be rewarded.

So after speaking to Ivan, he agreed in principle to the idea. I’m building the website as we speak and the first pair of cabinets has been made. Now ready for foam and then spraying in Piano black gloss. So unless this is frowned upon I thought I’d write a blog of my adventures so far and as we progress in this little project of how to start a “little” speaker company. I’ll wait with baited breath

 

[RobinKidderminster]

I have built a few -years ago and have.often been tempted again. Im sure some would like your website addy. Where are you?

PS. I first built some boxes around 12in bass and tweeter. Later Goodmans Mezzo twin (10in). I often wonder how they would sound some 40years later xompares to my 'lounge friendly' modern towers. Good luck.

 

[drummerman]

So, how much would a set of your IPL's, readily built, finished and shipped cost?

 

[iQ Speakers]

I have asked John if its OK to post by the way, website nearly there but packed full of spelling and grammer errors! Price not finalized yet but i intend to do special intro offers to get some reviews feedback on build quality. The M1 final price is likely to be around the £1200 mark with real wood veneer of your choice or high gloss finish. Intro price might be £999.

 

[Covenanter]

I have asked John if its OK to post by the way, website nearly there but packed full of spelling and grammer errors! Price not finalized yet but i intend to do special intro offers to get some reviews feedback on build quality. The M1 final price is likely to be around the £1200 mark with real wood veneer of your choice or high gloss finish. Intro price might be £999.

Very enterprising! I'd like to wish you all the best with your venture.

Chris

 

[CnoEvil]

I have asked John if its OK to post by the way, website nearly there but packed full of spelling and grammer errors! Price not finalized yet but i intend to do special intro offers to get some reviews feedback on build quality. The M1 final price is likely to be around the £1200 mark with real wood veneer of your choice or high gloss finish. Intro price might be £999.

Very enterprising! I'd like to wish you all the best with your venture.

Chris

Absolutely.

 

[matt49]

I have asked John if its OK to post by the way, website nearly there but packed full of spelling and grammer errors! Price not finalized yet but i intend to do special intro offers to get some reviews feedback on build quality. The M1 final price is likely to be around the £1200 mark with real wood veneer of your choice or high gloss finish. Intro price might be £999.

Very enterprising! I'd like to wish you all the best with your venture.

Chris

Absolutely.

Thirded. And I'm looking forward to hearing the speakers sometime in the next couple of months.

Matt

 

[jonathanRD]

Good luck Boggit - shame you didn't start this a few months ago before I purchased a pair of floorstanding speakers - I might have taken that introductory discount - never mind!

 

[ifor]

Will you build all IPL speakers including the ones that Ivan doesn't do a "total kit" for? Would you consider making "total kits" available of the designs that are not available as "total kits" from IPL?

 

[iQ Speakers]

In short Yes. All kits my chap can machine the MDF as well.

 

[ifor]

Having followed you build and another IPL build recently on the web, it seems, to me, that kits leave a bit to be desired. Aligning the panels doesn't seem straight forward. Compare them to the FH3s that I built and the FH3s just fit together and you can't go wrong. I don't think it's the same with the IPLs. The point in stating this is that I could be interested in a kit, rather than a full build, of an IPL speaker that is better contstructed than a kit from IPL. I suspect I haven't expressed what I'm trying to say particularly well, but maybe you'll know what I mean.

 

[Vladimir]

Finally something remarkable and positive to hear on this forum. *drinks*

Can't wait for the website to go live! *clapping*

 

[steve_1979]

Finally something remarkable and positive to hear on this forum. *drinks*

Can't wait for the website to go live! *clapping*

+1

Good luck with your new enterprise.

 

[JMac]

Having followed you build and another IPL build recently on the web, it seems, to me, that kits leave a bit to be desired. Aligning the panels doesn't seem straight forward. Compare them to the FH3s that I built and the FH3s just fit together and you can't go wrong. I don't think it's the same with the IPLs. The point in stating this is that I could be interested in a kit, rather than a full build, of an IPL speaker that is better contstructed than a kit from IPL. I suspect I haven't expressed what I'm trying to say particularly well, but maybe you'll know what I mean.

There's no reason why you couldnt do that. I for example was contemplating a build using solid woods rather than mdf and veering. Also, I've seen a few people on the web using biscuit joints rather than just butt gluing to make a better, stronger fit. The driver choice interests me. I've been doing a bit of reading on the web and scanspeak seem to be the best drivers for a DIY project but the ones IPL use are well respected as quality chinese copies of European drivers e.g. dynaudio. I'd love to see a 'no compromise kit' using the best drivers available.

 

[ifor]

Finally something remarkable and positive to hear on this forum. *drinks*

Can't wait for the website to go live! *clapping*

+1

Good luck with your new enterprise.

+ another.

 

[iQ Speakers]

Cheers guys, just got in from the pub and I was expecting a bit of a backlash, I'll try and answer all the questions tomorrow when I'm a little more sober! Just a quick answer If you decide to build it yourself the kits are highly accurate, no worries on that score. Edit I should also say if you want to give it a go I'm more than happy to pass on tips I learned just email me when the website is up, Ivan is also very approachable, if little reserved just don't be put off!

 

[dim_span]

there could be a very good market for copies/clones of (good) older speakers

There is currently a pair of Electro Voice Patrician speakers on ebay ... currently standing on £6 100 with 3 1/2 days to go

"The Patrician", was a five-way speaker with a 18" woofer and 12" mid-woofer plus a multicell horn and T10 tweeter, as well as with the parallel-connected 8 inch SP8BT element. In 1953, E-V made the Patrician as a four-way design: T35 replaced the T10 and the T25 was equipped with the 6HD horn. A couple of years later came the Patrician IV and then Patrician 600.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171655356721?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

IMF TLS80 is another good one that could sell well (transmission design). There's loads more. Excellent for main speakers for a cinema setup

 

[IPL PRO Build]

Once again thank you for the encouragement, i was expecting a little negativity.

No the kits are highly accurate cut wise and easy to align wither by screwing or hot glueing wooden blocks and clamping. My carpenter has made jigs and has used biscuit joints about 100 a pair! Im glueing the foam as i type now thats time consuming, fiddely and messy.

IPL used to use SEARS drivers but switched to Hi Vi Reasearch as he thinks they are better. They have cast chasiss details like glue on the back od the cones help reduce the spring back effect to aid damping. They have huge magnets.

Hopfully later i can start the blog, tale of the start, the ups and downs so far and meeting Ivan who is a perfectionist tp a fault.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Finally something remarkable and positive to hear on this forum. *drinks*

Can't wait for the website to go live! *clapping*

+1

Good luck with your new enterprise.

Good luck too.

 

[ifor]

I don't doubt that they are accurate, but faffing about with little chocs of wood seems a bit too much hassle. I think not having them fully rebated so that they slot together (as FH3s and Wilmslow Audio) is missing a trick, but it's a bit off topic anyway since your enterprise is full build rather than kits.

Why did you expect negativity? You IPL build thread was the most enjoyable here in a long while and I think people are inspired by another's enthusiasm.

 

[IPL PRO Build]

Hi ifor, yes he misses a few tricks and it would be a dam site easier but he seems to concentrate on sound alone, i would like to see some thinner deeper ones for the asthetics alone, some of the larger ones are wide!

Negativity in terms of it could be seen as promotion of an commercial enterprise, no everybody has been extremly supportive and thank you. Do you have yours finished? I want to see those outriggers.

 

[tonky]

The previous build thread was very good - informative, entertaining and great publicity for the IPL kits. Were you thinking of setting up a prebuilt service before you posted your very detailed efforts or did you decide afterwards following discussions with IPL?

tonky

 

[IPL PRO Build]

Hi tonky, No! It never entered my head, and in fact when sombody sugested I build them i said not a hope in hells chance. I already run my own business and work ever other weekend! Perhaps I could employ Gel to stick the foam on? Ive been doing it all day and i have about 2 hours more to do, my back is aching. They are 120% neater than my first effort.

 

[Vladimir]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171655356721?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Church inventory aesthetics might not appeal to most people. To me the IPLs are gorgeous and I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[tonky]

Rather you than me! - But your original build thread does make me more inclined to buy a kit from IPL. I built a subwoofer from Wilmslow audio ( 27 years ago approx) It did the job! Wilmslow aren't too far from me so I might pay a visit in the near future. I have pre - owned epos es14 (bought for 100£ - a bargain!).

It would have to be a good return (in terms of vfm - sound per pound!) to get me to change the epos.

cheers - tonky