Are diy bookshelf speakers worthwhile on a budget?

How about this one at Solen?

It includes everything except the wood.

You will have to get your own wood locally and

either build the box yourself or have one built.

Solen has many other kits too but most are several

hundred to over a thousand dollars.

For wood you can use readily available MDF or if

you want to get really fancy you can try this stuff.

The North American distributor for this stuff is

not far from me.

I had to look again, but yes, you are right...price is to build one speaker.

I guess they will all be too expensive then....sorry...

If you want to really cheap out, you can go to the local auto wrecker and get some

stock 4x6's from a wrecked car...you might even be able to get them for free...and

just build a good, solid cabinet for them.

Have been looking at building some speakers myself, have a look at these or have a look over at diyaudio

http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/mtm-speaker-kits/curts-sten-ii-mtm-speaker-kit-pair/

http://www.planet10-hifi.com/fonken.html

Slightly over your budget but worth considering. I've built and own three GR kits and can't recommend them enough. 

http://gr-research.com/av-1.aspx

There are also X-LS and X-LS Encore kits which are essentially the AV-1's predecessors. There are more details at the link.

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=90911.0

definitely build from a kit with their recommended enclosure and crossover, or for a first time build you are in for a world of pain and worse sound than just buying some used bookshelves

Since your price is in dollars, I guess you're in the US, in which case I recommend that you build some simple enclosures for some Audio Nirvana fullrange speakers. If you're not familiar with FRs, they're a single driver designed to reproduce the whole audio spectrum (full range). Other famous brands include Fostex and Lowther.

This avoids the complexity of a crossover and a multi-way box and the result is very efficient (loud for the power input) and also results in the best stereo imaging.

A pair of Audio Nirvana 'Super 8's or 'Super 6.5's should fall within your budget,  you'll get better bass with the larger ones of course and I really recommend you find the cash for the '8's, even if it does push you slightly overbudget. Go for the biggest enclosure you can accommodate, they'll send you plans with the speakers.

qusp's advice is good, but fabrication from MDF in this case is cheap and easy, you can get the shop to make all the cuts for you apart from the holes for speakers and ports. Failing any other solution you can cut those with a jigsaw. Don't breathe in the dust. http://www.commonsenseaudio.com/. 

w

I have no connection with Commonsense Audio.

DIYA is where you want to be.

Depending on what you want, have a look at a Martello enclosure, and FR88EX (3" full range driver). You can build it for about $140, using 1/2 sheet of Baltic birch (Rockler highly recommended for this). It will let you get your feet wet without going insane on angles, or cabinetry skills, and is pretty forgiving. A lot bigger sound than you would think, but, predictably, not bass monsters.

I happened to have some scrap cocobolo, but that's just me.

Then, add a Mighty Midget, now that Pete has added boards for it.

A bit bigger than the Martello's that pabbi1 made, but still quite tiny, I have completed some mMar-Kel70's and you could do that for 200 bucks all in.  Pretty hot little speakers - uses a single 4 inch full range driver with a paper cone.http://www.creativesound.ca/pdf/mMar-Kel70-1v0-map-231009.pdf  There were rumors of flat packs being made available so I would check with CSS to see if your concerned about your ability to cut straight. Also as pabbi1 said, your question belongs on diyaudio -  you can spend weeks reading speakers and projects - i did.