Now here's where it gets interesting.the same line of drivers used in the JM Labs loudspeakers, can also be purchased from Zalytron. JM Labs uses affiliate company Focal brand drivers. The only catch is that back in those days, the speaker sold for $40,000, and now the updated model, equipped with a Beryllium tweeter, costs even more. Since then, it's been widely agreed that the Grande Utopia are among the best sounding home audio speakers in the world. At the end of the day, after the votes were in, we both selected the JM Labs Grande Utopia's as our favorite model, hands down. I recognized all of the drivers from the DIY catalogs, wondering which one would reign supreme. We listened to just about every manufacturers flagship model. We had the intent to build the best speakers that we possibly could. The images below show just a few of the speakers that I've built over the last 10 years.īack in 1997 I attended the Home Entertainment Show with my father. This Instructable will cover the entire process, from sourcing components, to tips and tricks, to exotic and inspiring finishing options.

So, if you've got access to a table saw, a jig saw, a drill, some wood glue, clamps, and a place to make some sawdust, then you've got the opportunity to build your own custom speakers. Regardless of how much you choose to spend on your speakers, you'll likely be building something that will sound as good as commercial product that off the shelf would cost as much as 10 times more. Budget speaker kits start around $100, while top-of-the-line kits and components can add up to several thousands of dollars. Some speaker projects can be complete in a weekend, while others can go on for years. I'm absolutely shocked that it hasn't had a larger presence on Instructables and in the community.well, until now of course. Building your own custom speakers has got to be one of the most rewarding, straightforward and cost-effective DIY activities I've come across.

Speaker enclosure design basics