I've dabbled in this area too, both for home audio and musical instrument use. The thing I like about building my own is that I know exactly what I'm getting. I can either do my own analysis to my heart's content (of course at my own risk) or plug into the DIY community. Some of the design articles I've come across indicate that there are some very serious hobbyists out there, with interest in understanding both theory and measurements. And no marketing hype.