The audiophile community enjoys an avid DIY contingent. The allure of the DIY loudspeaker is that for any given price point, with technical skill, proper loudspeaker design and testing, a loudspeaker of surpassing quality can be made for a fraction of what the equivalent commercial design would cost. A DIY'er can take pride in the sonic and visual fruits of their labors, and the knowledge that Joe Smith down the street doesn't have the same pair in his listening room.

DIY loudspeaker designs are especially prolific, and there are many online sources for speaker components, plans and kits. Commercial and freeware software is available to assist DIY'ers with enclosure and crossover design. One site I would like to point readers toward is Troels Gravesen's excellent page devoted to his loudspeaker designs. Troels obviously takes his projects quite seriously, as evidenced by the beauty of his enclosures and the premium drivers and crossover components he uses. Troels spends quite a bit of time ensuring that his crossovers are just right for the drivers and enclosures. His published plans are easy to follow, and aren't a bad read, even if you won't be building your own loudspeakers anytime soon.

Readers interested in learning more about DIY loudspeakers and DIY audio in general can head over to the forums at diyAudio.com and engage in conversation with the community of knowledgable, dedicated enthusiasts there.