Why are there so many wooden speakers?


I have noticed a problem within the speaker industry. 99% of speakers that come onto the marketplace are wooden, i.e MDF.
 
This is true of old speakers and new speakers. This is true of Dynaudio, B&W, Elac, Kef, revel, PMC, Focal, ATC the list goes on and on. This is a longstanding problem that has been deceiving audiophiles for decades and it requires a solution. 

The problem with a wooden box is that no matter what crossover or drivers you use, it will still sound like a wooden box. 
There is a limit to the sound you can get out of a wooden box so it is not possible to improve the sound just by using different drivers. Despite this, every year or two, the aforementioned companies put new speakers on the market claiming that they sound even better than what came before. In conclusion, we are being misled. 

I have no problem with MDF boxes per se. MDF is a good material to use. But if you want to make an even better speaker then you obviously need to use a better material. You cant use the same material and say you have made a better speaker. Thats false. 

Let's take the B&W 600 series for example. This is a series that has been going on for decades. 

Here is the latest speaker from their current series

https://www.bowerswilkins.com/home-audio/607

There is no mention of what wood is used but I'm pretty sure its MDF. All they talk about is their continuum woofer and dome tweeter that goes up to 38khz. No mention of even improvements to the crossover let alone the cabinet.

I believe that this has gone on for long enough and audiophiles deserve better treatment. I don't know if a class action lawsuit is the answer but something needs to change.
kenjit
Choosing to focus on one element of speaker design (while ignoring the vast myriad of other variables) is playing to the lowest common denominator of forum membership by dumbing down the plot so much. Well done as always @kenjit
Choosing to focus on one element of speaker design (while ignoring the vast myriad of other variables) is playing to the lowest common denominator of forum membership by dumbing down the plot so much

That's exactly what the speaker companies are doing. They focus on the drivers and use the same old MDF boxes over and over again. They are the ones playing to the lowest common denominator and I'm here to teach the forum that its wrong but it seems nobody agrees.
Its as if they choose to ignore the fact that Dynaudio, B&W, Revel, Kef, ATC and many others use the same old MDF boxes over and over again with no improvements made to the boxes whatsoever all the while claiming that they have produced a better speaker. 

The box is the biggest variable so if you're not upgrading the box, the overall sound is not going to be an upgrade. 
Geeee kenjit, I agreed. I didn't use disappearing ink either. It is the standard, and a lot of the manufactures still use it, plus inflation to justify the triple dip polymer unchippable paint jobs in a country where it's legal to use the crap on your back porch, but not here in the US.  It's considered a controlled substance, and need permits to be in possession of it...Much less use it. There is a reason for off shore manufacturing of certain parts. 
It's always a money issue, a gread issue, and I think I'm a speaker builder issue.

I love the guy that says "I bet I can make your speaker sound better"

Well no sh&t, so could I. Time and money, more time than money though.

A lot of that out there