Schumakubins Conclusion
The Schumakubins are $30 (plans only) to $670 (completed cabinet)
kit speakers. They are not $10,000 or $5000 speakers and it’s not fair to try
to compare them to speakers of this caliber.
I don’t personally think there is great value in the completed version
because they still need to have a finish put on them. Whether it is vinyl or veneer there is still
work to be done after spending $670. With that said, as a kit they indeed
perform very well for the value. I
personally prefer speakers that are more open and transparent but where the
Schumakubins shine is their smooth midrange and tight bass. Also remember that I only reviewed one
configuration of the kit. The other configurations may have some qualities that
these didn’t and it comes down to your own preference. An email to Pete
explaining your own preference would certainly get an honest response and
recommendation. If you are interested in
building speakers but a little reluctant the Schumakubins are a great
opportunity. I recommend buying the kit
with the precut front baffle. You will
be on your way to getting the best sound for the least amount of money and
work. Kit speakers are a great and fun way to get some really good sound
enjoyment and the Schumakubins are a great way to start.
For more information, visit:
http://www.theaudiologic.com/
MSRP: $30- $670
The Score Card
The scoring below is based on each piece of equipment doing the duty it is designed for. The numbers are weighed heavily with respect to the individual cost of each unit, thus giving a rating roughly equal to:
Performance × Price Factor/Value = Rating
Audioholics.com note: The ratings indicated below are based on subjective listening and objective testing of the product in question. The rating scale is based on performance/value ratio. If you notice better performing products in future reviews that have lower numbers in certain areas, be aware that the value factor is most likely the culprit. Other Audioholics reviewers may rate products solely based on performance, and each reviewer has his/her own system for ratings.
Audioholics Rating Scale
— Excellent
- — Very Good
- — Good
- — Fair
- — Poor
| Metric | Rating |
|---|---|
| Build Quality | |
| Treble Extension | |
| Treble Smoothness | |
| Midrange Accuracy | |
| Bass Extension | |
| Bass Accuracy | |
| Imaging | |
| Soundstage | |
| Dynamic Range | |
| Performance | |
| Value |  |
Recent Forum Posts:
With the prices of copper these days, keeping the price of a passive crossover low almost mandates the use of iron/steel/ferrite as an inductance booster to lower the amount of copper required to achieve the desired result. The lower in frequency you go, the more it matters since the part values become quite large and expensive. Price out a 6mH air core inductor of 15ga or lower and you'll get a real shock.
The kit comes with many options, including one with no crossover, allowing the builder to simply use the accompanying schematic to construct the crossover with the parts they like the best. Low gauge air core inductors, boutique caps and metal film resistors may, or may not help in the overall production of sound, but it's a sure bet that the wallet will be a lot lighter.
The intention of the Schumakubins is bang for the buck, and a big sound in a small footprint at a low price. On that account, they really do shine. Crank them up and you'll really get a shock when you realize that those smallish 7" woofers are producing that full range sound.
wadeh911;411033The common belief is that air core inductors are better than any other kind for speaker crossovers is generally true, but not always. In 3-way speakers, or in this case a 2.5-way speaker, air core inductors are usually used everywhere in the crossover, except for the low-pass filter of the woofer, without significantly impacting the overall sound quality.
Surprised to see iron core inductors still used, what was the crossover designer's explanation for this rather than air core?
Iron core inductors use less copper wire, and as a result have much less resistance than equivalent air core inductors. For low-pass crossovers used with bass drivers, the lower resistance of an iron core inductor is worth it. The higher resistance of a large air core inductor would have a greater negative impact on the sound of a woofer that is probably already less sensitive than the other drivers in the speaker.
