DIY mid to low end speakers. Worth the price?

I've built a couple of speakers kits from Meniscus Audio, which unfortunately is no longer in business.  As stated above, the price of drivers and crossovers will yield a result that is greater than the sum.  Instead of using MDF I used 3/4" Baltic birch.  For one pair, after carefully selecting the panels and which veneer to put on the outside, I stained it which looked nice.  The second pair I painted to a high gloss white.

There is something very rewarding about listening to speakers that you build yourself.

Right now the best sources for DIY kits are :

• Madisound
• Parts Express
• Solen.ca

Also, not for you but for others, Solen has an excellent wood shop available and can design cabinets from sketches. 

But again, head over to DIYaudio where you’ll get all sorts of help. 

Go for it!  Have fun and experiment!  You will be just fine!

As a 40+ year furniture builder and having built many speaker projects here are a couple of notes...

MDF is widely used for a reason. It doesn't 'ring' like wood does. I would NOT use solid wood of any sort, and yes, it expands and contracts. This is the reason veneer over MDF is used. 

So, building a box isn't hard. However if I can buy a kit with an already machined flat pack ready to simply glue it together I'd do it. I don't get excited about building a box and would rather focus on areas that DO matter. For example, higher end speaker manufacturures not only use internal bracing but double thick walls of MDF. Years ago I had a discussion with factory manager from ProAc. He told me they use one layer of 3/4" mdf and then glue a second layer of 1/2" on top. They use a soft glue to sandwich them together. This creates a superior box that has NO sound. THIS makes a better speaker and where I would spend my time and effort.

I see the biggest problem area DIY'ers have, IMO, is finishing the outside of the box. It usually looks amatuer. Yes, you can put a nice color stain and clear coat I'm sure but it doesn't have the proffesional high end look. Amatuers don't know about wood grain fillers and proper sealers so they end up with a grainy look. They also try to get good results from little spray cans. It looks awful to me. Spray can paint is thinned out so it can spray but has a very low solids content and results in a low quality finish.

The problem is most diy don't have access to a spray booth. The high gloss finishes you see on many speakers are very specialized catalized urethanes and polyester laquer with special sealers. This is WAY beyond what most people can handle. Then there's all the wet sanding and buffing that require special skills.

So the DIY'er usually goes with the standard oak veneer. Square sharp edges. Ho hum.

One method I did on my last set of speakers was to use Pre-finished plywood flooring glued to the MDF. The front panel was flat black (from a can) and rest was laminated with 'African Tiger' wood. I got from 'Floor & Decor'. It not only looks good but adds additional stiffness being 3/8" plywood. Cut and fit...you're done. No finishing!

Another idea was My subwoofer box was finished in high gloss granite. (I've got a wet tile saw.) They have a wide selection of marble/granite that can be applied using urethane glue directly to the MDF. Very nice looking. WAY better than paint!

There are also automotive wraps in all kinds of finishes such as carbon fiber or brushed Titanium etc... 

A kit I'd highly recommend is the Swan 3.1. It's been featured at shows and also tested by Amir at ASR and highly recommended. The entire kit is only $374 and that includeds everything you'll need for BOTH speakers! It's not a tower speaker but has a BIG sound that is really excellent. The best value in all of audio IMHO. (They're not bookshelf and require stands.) If you can stand Zeos, he has a You tube video where he builds and reviews them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlucy7JkVnQ

Amazon sells them...

https://www.amazon.com/HiVi-Swans-Passive-Bookshelf-Speakers-Pair/dp/B09XGYJFRQ?th=1

Good luck and have fun!

Typically DIY kits offer great performance for the money, and a lot of them are really good.  CSS has a solid reputation. .  There’s no retail markup, so you can save nearly 50% off MSRP vs buying a new brand name at retail. The downside is resale value should you ever want to sell them, as the market is  more limited.

The building experience is a rite of passage for a woodworking audio buff!  Mostly only basic soldering skills required, and the critical crossover, box size, and driver selection has already been worked out for you.  I would choose any parts upgrades available because it matters at some point.  I say jump in and go for it! It’s a rewarding experience that’s like no other.