Every audiophile desires to have the best speakers for their sound system. However, getting reliable and powerful speakers is not always easy. For instance, it may be challenging to find a speaker that has all the desirable features you want. But did you know you can build your own speakers? Well, building your own speakers comes with numerous advantages over buying already-made speakers.
Building speakers at home will allow you to include all the components you want. You’ll also build speakers that deliver the kind of power you want. Besides, it’s cost-effective since you’ll be able to choose DIY speaker kits within your budget. Also, it’s a satisfying experience to build your own speakers. In this article, we’ll review the best DIY speaker kits available today.
Top 6 Best DIY Speaker Kits
There are tons of DIY kits to choose from when building speakers. However, some are not very reliable. We have shortlisted the best DIY kits for both advanced users and beginners. Most user-friendly kits don’t require any soldering. On the other hand, some kits are more complicated and are ideal for advanced DIY users. Let’s review the best picks in detail.
1. Design Engineering 050330- Best for Reducing Vibrations
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When installing car speakers on the car panels, the speakers may be prone to vibrations. Vibrating car panels will affect the sound quality of the speakers. Fortunately, you can prevent this problem by installing speaker baffles. These speaker baffles from Design Engineering are specially designed to isolate speakers from vibrations.
Tops Features
- Reduces vibrations- These speaker baffles are designed to keep speakers isolated from vibrations. When the baffle is installed in a speaker opening, it ensures the speaker mounted inside the baffle doesn’t suffer from panel vibrations. As a result, you’ll get improved sound quality due to reduced vibrations.
- Closed-cell polyethylene material- These pair of speaker baffles are made of premium closed-cell polyethylene material. The material dampens reverberation coming from the panel. Thus, the mounted speaker produces a cleaner sound.
- Standard 6.5 speaker opening- The baffles have an opening measuring 6.5 inches in diameter. The opening is circular. It’s ideal for fitting round 6.5-inch car speakers.
- Effortless installation- Another top benefit of these baffles is that they easily conform to tight mounting locations. Thus, you can easily fit them in most cars, even those with limited space. Also, their conformability allows for a neat installation.
- Added protection- Additionally, these baffles are ideal for adding protection to the speakers. They are especially great for protecting exposed speakers from damage. By protecting your speakers, you’ll extend their life.
Pros
- Thin baffle material for a cleaner installation
- Effective in reducing road noise
- Protects speakers from dirty and moisture
- Affordable price range for a pair of speaker baffles
- Lightweight material that doesn’t add significant weight to the panels
Cons
- The slightly reduce low frequencies
Verdict
If you’re building a DIY speaker system for your car, these Design Engineering 050330 speaker baffles are suitable DIY speaker kits for reducing vibration from the panels.
2. CYOEST100 DIY Bluetooth Speaker Box Kit- Best for Experiments
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CYOEST100 is designed as a Bluetooth speaker box kit with complete components to build a Bluetooth speaker. The kit is designed for both teens and adults who want to experiment with building a wireless speaker.
Tops Features
- Simple to assemble- One of the most outstanding features of this speaker kit is its ease of assembly. You don’t have to solder any components. For instance, the wires for connecting different components only require plugging them into place. Also, it comes with screws for mounting the speaker and Bluetooth board on the box.
- Battery-powered- The Bluetooth amplifier board is battery-powered. You’ll only need to insert 4 AA batteries to power the Bluetooth amplifier circuit. Thus, you can use the Bluetooth speaker box almost anywhere. You don’t need mains power to use the speaker box.
- Bluetooth functionality- It comes with a Bluetooth amplifier board that makes the speaker box wireless. As a result, you can stream music wirelessly from a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
- Two full-range speakers- The kit comes with two full-range speakers. Each speaker has an impedance rating of 4 ohms and 3 watts of power. You don’t need an external amplifier to provide the speakers with enough power. The Bluetooth amplifier board offers enough power to drive the two coaxial speakers.
- Laser-cut wooden box- The speaker box comes with laser-cut wood boards. Laser cutting allows for accurate dimensions for all adjoining edges. Thus, you don’t have to trim any edges when assembling the box.
Pros
- The speakers deliver high-quality stereo sound
- The speaker box is painted and doesn’t require further coating
- Simple instructions for connecting the components
- The Bluetooth connection is very stable
- The wooden boards do not contain any chemicals or toxic compounds
Cons
- You’ll need to buy batteries separately
Verdict
Want to learn how speakers work? Want to experience the process of building speakers? If so, this user-friendly CYOEST100 DIY Bluetooth Speaker Box Kit is the best pick for you.
3. Pyle PLG6C- Best Component Speaker Kit
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Besides making complete speaker systems and other audio equipment, Pyle also makes some of the best DIY speaker kits. The Pyle PLG6C comes as a kit for building a complete component speaker system for enhanced sound customization.
Tops Features
- Two 6.5 speakers- One of the reasons why we selected this speaker kit is that it comes with two 6.5-inch woofer drivers. The woofer drives feature a yellow woofer cone and speaker basket. These colors are suitable for any audiophile who loves brightly colored audio equipment. Also, the speakers feature black butyl rubber surrounds for enhanced cone movement.
- Two tweeters- The kit comes with two 0.5-inch tweeters. They are made of silk dome tweeter for non-fatiguing high frequencies. Also, the tweeters feature neodymium magnets for more powerful and loud highs.
- Powerful speaker magnets- Each speaker comes with a 40 oz. magnet to create a more powerful magnetic field. The strong magnetic field allows the cone to move more air for deeper bass. It also allows the speakers to reproduce full-range sound within the frequency range of 90 Hz to 20 kHz.
- Speaker grilles- The tweeters are covered with grilles for enhanced protection of the interior components, especially the silk-dome driver. Also, the speakers come with grilles to keep the surround and woofer driver protected from damage.
- Two crossovers- Another benefit of this speaker kit is that it comes with two crossovers. By connecting the speakers through the crossovers, they’ll only receive the frequencies within their frequency range. For instance, the crossover directs higher frequencies to the tweeters and lower frequencies to the woofer drivers.
Pros
- Produces superb mid-bass
- There’re several options to mount the tweeters
- The 6.5-inch speakers fit in factory mounting locations
- High-temperature voice coil for reduced distortion and rich sound
- 400 watts power output for loud and powerful sound output
Cons
- You need to use a manual since the positive and negative wire terminals are not labeled
Verdict
Any audiophile who prefers customized sound for their music system should consider this Pyle PLG6C component DIY speaker kit.
4. Gikfun 8541737907
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The Gikfun 8541737907 amplifier speaker kit is a smaller version of the previous Gikfun model but comes with an improved circuit design and reliability. The speaker box casing is transparent to allow you to enjoy viewing the interior circuit and LED lights upon assembling the kit.
Tops Features
- Illuminating LEDs- One of its most unique features is the illuminating LED lights. The LED lights illuminate with the changing music spectrum. Their illumination is visible from the outside since the speaker box is transparent.
- Easy to assemble- The kit comes with screws, nuts, and all the needed parts to assemble the components. You won’t have to buy any components separately. A PDF user guide is provided to assist you with details on how to assemble the components.
- Offers a learning experience- The kit comes with a PCB, speakers, and various electronic components. These components offer you a learning experience on how to assemble and solder electronic components.
- Compact size- Another advantage of this kit is that it features a very compact size. Thus, you can use it in a small working space. You don’t need a large working space to assemble the components.
- USB support- Another top feature of this kit is that it comes with support for USB. It comes with a USB cable that’s attached to the PCB board. You can connect the other end of the USB to your laptop or computer.
Pros
- Comes with a user manual
- Features both USB and 3.5 mm cables
- Two 3 watts speakers with a 4-ohm impedance
- Lightweight and compact design
- Great for professional learning about electronics
Cons
- A little complex for some beginners
Verdict
The Gikfun 8541737907 amplifier speaker kit is ideal for practicing how to solder speaker wire and for use as a mini speaker box.
5. MiOYOOW – Best fully-featured speaker kit
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The MiOYOOW is designed as a speaker kit with numerous desirable features and functionalities. It comes with two speakers and a transparent box for housing all the speaker components after assembling them.
Tops Features
- Remote control- One of the reasons why we included this kit in our best DIY speaker kits review is that it comes with a remote control. The remote control makes it easier to control various functionalities from a distance. The remote has functionalities such as power on/off, mute, mode, play/pause, next, previous, volume up, volume done, and EQ among others.
- Bluetooth functionality- Another top feature of this kit is that it comes with Bluetooth functionality. You can switch the mode to Bluetooth to pair with Bluetooth-enabled devices. Thus, you can stream music wirelessly.
- USB interface- Additionally, the speaker kit comes with a USB interface. The USB interface is connected to the PCB. You can connect USB devices such as a USB stick or USB cable via the USB port.
- TF memory card- Also, there’s a TF memory card slot on the speaker kit. Thus, you can insert a TF card loaded with music and use the onboard buttons or remote control to play the songs.
- LED lights- The kit comes with dozens of LED lights. They feature several colored lights. They illuminate decoratively for a disco-like experience, especially when using the assembled speaker kit at night or in a dark room.
Pros
- Automatically switches to USB or TF card when Bluetooth is disconnected
- Bluetooth amplifier with a long Bluetooth range
- Two 3 watts speakers with an impedance of 4 ohms each
- Transparent speaker box for easier visibility of the LED lights
- Comes with a downloadable PDF user manual
Cons
- Needs some skills to solder the components
Verdict
The MiOYOOW Bluetooth speaker kit is ideal for learning in school and at home. It has numerous components that are educative on soldering and assembling electronics.
6. Degraw PAM8403
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The Degraw PAM8403 is yet another great amplifier speaker kit. It features a mini amplifier and two speakers. Let’s review it in detail.
Tops Features
- 3.5mm plug- To start with, this kit comes with a 3.5 mm plug. You’ll connect the naked end of the cable to the amplifier board. The other end of the cable features a 3.5mm plug that can be connected to a 3.5mm port on your smartphone or laptop.
- Class D amplifier- The kit comes with a mini class D amplifier. It works digitally for enhanced reliability. The amplifier is small such that it doesn’t take up a lot of space on the PCB. Also, it doesn’t need a lot of power to drive it.
- Two speakers- Also, you’ll get two speakers in the kit. Each speaker has a power rating of 3 watts and an impedance rating of 4 ohms. Thus, they require little power input to produce decent sound.
- Volume/power knob- Additionally, the kit features a combined volume/power knob. These controls are combined to reduce the size of the PCB. Also, they allow for easier control. You can turn it on by rotating the knob clockwise. Then increase the volume by turning it further clockwise. To reduce volume, you’ll turn it anticlockwise. Turn it off by turning it further anticlockwise until it stops rotating.
- Easy to assemble- The design behind this speaker kit makes it easy to assemble. The soldering points on the PCB are marked to make it easier to differentiate the correct terminals for the power input, right and left speakers, and the input signal.
Pros
- Very compact design
- Affordable price range
- The components feature a sturdy construction
- Few components to assemble, making it easier to work with
Cons
- Requires external power supply
Verdict
The Degraw PAM8403 is a great choice for anyone who needs a simple-to-assemble amplifier speaker kit, including beginners.
Factors to Consider When Choosing DIY Speaker Kits
The kind of speaker kit you choose will largely determine the DIY experience you’ll get when making your own speaker system. Regardless, making a speaker system at home can be a fun experience. To make it more fun, we’ll help you with the most important factors to consider when choosing a DIY speaker kit.
Ease of Assembling
The first factor to consider is the ease of assembling the speaker kit. In this case, the ease of assembling will largely depend on your experience in assembling electronics. If you’re a beginner or buying the kit for your kids, choose a kit that’s easy to assemble.
For instance, a kit with components that only require plugging them in place without any soldering is ideal for kids and some beginners. If you’re more skilled or you want to learn how to solder electronic components, then you can choose a kit that requires soldering to learn more.
Components in the Kit
Different speaker kits come with different components. Thus, choose a kit that has the components that can build the kind of speaker system you want. For instance, if you want to build a speaker box that has support for Bluetooth, then ensure it has a Bluetooth amplifier board. Similarly, if you want USB or AUX connectivity, then ensure the kit has those components.
Quality of the Components in the Kit
When choosing a DIY speaker kit, consider the quality of the components. They should be durable for longevity. Also, they should be sturdy enough to ensure they don’t get damaged when working with them.
Conclusion
Whether you want to learn more about assembling electronic components, or soldering electronics, or you’re a DIY handy audiophile who wants to build a speaker system at home, consider investing in a DIY speaker kit. However, ensure you choose from the best DIY speaker kits depending on your needs. Hopefully, our reviews will help you find the best speaker kit for your needs.
Michael Evanchuk is a San Francisco-based sound engineer with 20 years’ experience installing, troubleshooting, and repairing commercial, automotive, and household sound equipment. Evanchuk owns an auto stereo center, where he offers highly competitive car audio installation and repair services. He has written dozens of articles on different sound engineering topics, all of which have been published in leading journals, blogs, and websites.