Which material sounds better for speakers construction? Wood, Ply or MDF?

I laugh when reading threads like this.  It's as though there is an absolute or holy grail.  All materials have different properties.  All speakers have compromises.  

Designers figure out what they want for their sound and build/design accordingly.  They do a ton of R&D if they are large enough and will use all different materials.  They can do modeling and figure out most of it on a computer.  I think this is one reason the DIY groups started to grow again after they were kind of losing steam a bit in the early 2000's based only on what I've been told (I may be wrong).

Folks will find fault with all speakers.  We all hear differently.  I'm glad that folks who have Magico's love them, but to many they do ring and are fatiguing.  I feel that Wilson's and their polymers and choice of drivers lose much of the micro and macro details, but boy are they dynamic.  I love listening to Harbeths, but again, they too lack much detail, but man are they enjoyable.  All use different cabinet materials.  

I own Vandersteen's and I choice them over nearly everything I could possibly audition that was under 35k or so.  He went the carbon fiber way years ago from house made cones to the cabinet.  I also know that he 'auditioned' all the different weaves of carbon fiber that he could get and choice a specific on based on it's sound quality. It's a very expensive cloth as it's teh same one used in my ultra high end walking poles (I have MS and have poles to get around inside buildings when I can't use my rollator).  

the bottom line is that some will find fault wiht the sound of the Vandersteen 7's as they will focus on his compromises, just like I get fatigued listening to Magico's as he's lifted the treble to make them sound more open on top etc... (if you measure speakers, many of them are lifted up to 3db in the high end to give them a more 'detailed and or larger soundstage".)

Again, it's all implementation and compromises.  There is personal preference, which makes this hobby a blast, but no 1 correct answer.  

Someone used concrete years ago for a small cabinet.  Forget who.  It may have a resonance that doesn't work. Can be measured of course.

Actually aluminum is fairly inexpensive in the scheme of things.  It's how it's implemented and tooled that adds any expense.  Vandersteen had it right IMHO years ago when he went 'baffle less'.  It still works in todays market, but many don't love the look of the sock covering.  Teh Treo was basically the 2 in a full cabinet. form.  He was able to make it sound works better though as he had a better price range to work with and is able to use better drivers and components.  

Dave, have you heard all of them? I highly doubt it. Not sure what price ranges you are talking about, but I'd love to hear your conversation with Richard Vandersteen or Alon Wolf about this, lol.  Sorry, but you can't make that statement unless you have heard all of them.  I promise you my Vandy Quatrro's are plenty organic adn alive like real music in my room.  Plenty of speakers I've heard are outstanding and sound like live music and they are made of all different types of materials.

Totem are also nice speakers and I've enjoyed most of them at a local dealer as well as a dealer in NYC.  There is no best.  It's all design and implementation.

Daveb, sorry, I really misread your post, but those who know me, know that happens at times.  It's the MS to be honest, so sorry if my post came off wrong.  I agree, if you get a good feeling, that's what it's all about.  I could easily live with Harbeth as they are just musical.  Not the last word for detail or extension, but very nice speakers for anything.

I agree on natural wood and ply.  It really is a big deal too.  Especially when the cabinets aren't close to identical.  Worse than not matching your caps and resistors in the crossover. lol

Dave, none of us have said that Totem doesn't make a nice speaker.  Many of you enjoy it's sound and feel it's a good value.  I auditioned them often as my local dealer has the line.  They weren't for me, but they were nice.  

Not sure why you jumped on helmomech like you did.  All he said was that you made a false claim.

BTW, I checked out most of their speakers on their site to see what hey are made of and they all seem to be MDF.  I haven't seen solid wood on any of them.  Which ones do you own?  The problem with solid wood, other than movement, is that each wood as a specific density and sounds totally different.  I have had many headphones.  My favorite material for cups so far has been Purple Heart and Boccote (my ZMF Ori's are the rare Boccote).  Sorry, not trying to get us off track on cabinet materials.

Even MDF, if not fully covered, will change character in high humidity or dry conditions.  most companies cover their MDF with veneer and or paint to make sure this doesn't happen.  

They are using a ton of marketing terms.  I don't think there are any other companies out there that don't as they need to sell, lol.   It's all good. They make a nice speaker.  Some love them and some don't just like anything else.  

@dav, the only question I have of you is what model do you have that is made of all wood?  I can't find that on their site. Just MDF cabinets.  Maybe I misread but I thought you said that your speakers are made of wood???  Curious, that's all... thanks Pete

All companies believe they have the best approach.  Implementation still matters the most.  You can have the most inert cabinet, but if your speaker is bright and fatiguing or can't image or has terrible bass, it won't matter. 

Ton's of approaches to building a cabinet and lot's of great speaker choices.  We are lucky to be in a great age of audio where we have so many options.