Cheap DIY Computer Speakers

Since my KRK's have way too much bass for late night listening in my apartment I built a small pair of computer speakers to replace them for the time being. I wanted to keep this project cheap, but still have good sonics of course. With that in mind I decided to simply go with some 4" wide-range drivers, something I've always wanted to try anyways. I went with the Tang Band W4-1052SA and I'm powering them with my modded T-amp. Overall I'm pretty impressed with their sonics. My only complaint is that the top end doesn't extend as far as I'd like, but I expected that based on the driver's frequency response chart. Still not bad for $25 each though. For my next pair I want to use the W4-1320SD drivers since they have much more top end extension as well as cast frames.

Since I live in an apartment I couldn't build these out of MDF using power tools so I just used 1"x6" and 1"x8" pine boards to make it easy as possible to construct. They are built tall in order to get the center of the drivers up to ear height at my computer desk. I cut the cabinet pieces to length by hand using a hacksaw with an 18-TPI blade and the the braces were done using a coping saw. To supplement the two shelf braces I used 1" hard wood dowel in between them from bottom to top and 1/8" thick vinyl floor tile with adhesive backing from Home Depot provides a bit of dampening and mass loading to the low density pine wood. General purpose epoxy was used to bond the cabinet together. I still need to round over the front edges and sand things flat. The total project cost was about $100. Pics:

I just wanted to keep this project as simple as possible. I'm going to try the Bamboo drivers next due to their much better treble extension.


Thanks guys.



The inner walls in my apartment have no insulation in them and the elderly upstairs neighbor stays up late reading. In previous apartments I've had inconsiderate neighbors watching movies with their sub turned on keep me up late on work nights. I don't want to one of "those" guys.


I've been looking at both of those drivers too. The FE 107E looks like it's more controlled in the treble range than the FE127E. I've been debating between the 107 and the Bamboo since they're around the same price. It's a shame places don't have loaner drivers to lend out to potential customers to see if they like the sound before buying. But at only $40 each I wouldn't mind getting a pair of both for comparison.


I assume the amp that powers the little cubes is in the subwoofer unit? If so then you'd probably be better off just building new cabinets for some new drivers and then using the amp in the sub to power them.