[Brad]

I found a good deal on a Sharp SD-HX500 system for his birthday.
It's a digital amp and dvd/cd/sacd/dvda player in a two piece set.
We mounted it on his wall - it came with brackets.

Audioquest speaker cables I had laying around, connecting to a pair of
Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo Ones.

Sounds pretty darn good.

We're going to set it up for him to play his iPod through one of the analog inputs.

The speakers are on a shelf, high on the wall, almost directly against the wall.
Problem is they are rear ported, so it gets a little boomy mounted that way.

I think we'll keep an eye out for a small bookshelf speaker kit (either sealed or front ported)
that we can build together.

He is eleven, so this should set him up through his teen years   
Plus later on he can connect the Sharp to a TV - it's also a DVD player and the amp can do 5 channels.

[S Clark]

I think we'll keep an eye out for a small bookshelf speaker kit (either sealed or front ported)
that we can build together.

Sounds like a fun father/son project.  If you are looking for easy, I'd look at Danny R.'s  GR-Research AV-1.  For something smaller, you could look at http://www.rjbaudio.com/Microbe%20SE/microbe%20SE.html.  Let us know what you build at send pictures!

[Brad]

Looks like both of those designs are rear ported - am I seeing that correctly?

[miklorsmith]

Nice Brad, you must be so proud!   

[S Clark]

Looks like both of those designs are rear ported - am I seeing that correctly?

They are designed for rear ports, but you could offset the tweeter just enough to move the port to the front.  One of my students has done a similar variation that worked out fine.

[frustrated]

The BR-1 kit at Parts Express looks like a good project for a father/son Saturday afternoon.  Part #300-640 @ $150.

[B.A.S.S]

check out these http://www.gr-research.com/insignia.shtm

[hdspeakerman]

Look at the Recession Buster kit at Madisound for only $59.  It  is a great place to start.
Howard

[JackD201]

I'm green with envy! My son is only a year and a half. I can't wait till the day he asks me to help him build up his starter rig.   

[BillB]

I got my wife's son one of those SLS Q-line gold systems that BB was blowing out for next to nothing. Pretty cool having 5.1 in your bedroom if you ask me. 

[macrojack]

The hobby is dying. Growing our own audiophiles seems like a good way to keep it alive. Good for you.

Both of my boys have the bug- sort of. Certainly they've got a love of music and a lot of exposure to fine equipment but I think they take it for granted. I'm not sure they'll pursue it on their own later.

Building speakers from a kit is a great idea that never occurred to me. I'm sure he will be thrilled to hear the results of his "craft". Good Dad!

[SharkyRivethead]

  I was about to say I was jealous of you guys. But I just had a "eyes just opened up" moment.  I have 2 little girls, 2 and 4 years old. My 4 year old loves watching movies. She will sit down and watch dramas. She loves to dance to music and watch me play video games. I guess I never thought about if she would be interested in my A/V hobby.  But she has sat with her daddy and helped him fix his speakers. She is always asking what is that, or what do you use that for?
 I think I can cultivate something here.