I done built me some noise-makers.
 

Regular readers will know that I'm a fan of kit speakers.

They're not the only way to go if you want quality audio on the cheap, but they're a very good bet.

You just buy a kit, and devote a few hours to putting it together using no tools more complex than glue and a screwdriver, and then you've got a good set of new speakers that cost you, generally, half what they would have if you'd bought them assembled. At the very least.

The bargain isn't quite as good as it seems at first, because the basic version of kit speakers usually leaves you with plain MDF boxes without even paint on 'em, but (a) some people don't care, and (b) there are various finishing options, some very easy, and I'll talk about them later.