Updated ‘Custom Build’ Rates from 1st of October 2025

I can say with confidence that every customer who has had more than just a transactional relationship with us would vouch for the fact that we live up to our name, NB (No Bullsh*t) Audio. Our entire business has always been built on a foundation of exceptional service and genuine transparency. The idea for NB Speaker Cables was born over seven years ago out of frustration with an industry flooded with dishonesty, snake oil and misapplied/pseudo-science. When NB Speaker Cables evolved into NB Audio 18 months ago, that commitment didn’t change, and it never will.

Keeping in line with our commitment to transparency, I wanted to update customers on what our rates will be increasing to and why.

We won’t sugar coat it - things are busy. Too busy. Honestly, way too busy. And when I say “we,” I really mean me, Jeshua Miller, the main brother behind NB Audio. Micah, the other brother, is still part of NB Speaker Cables and NB Audio, but we also have another business in a completely different industry. That one is his baby. This one is mine. Which means, for the most part, I’m a one-man army (with the wife jumping in to help when she can).

Demand and enquiries have absolutely exploded over the past 6 months. There are days where I’m up before sunrise working on our other business, then jumping straight into NB Speaker Cables and Audio, and by the time the sun has set, I’m still at it, often spending another few hours replying to enquiries for custom projects. As thrilled as I am by the demand and how far it has pushed me over the last year, the reality is it’s not healthy, and it isn’t sustainable. As much as I love everything audio and I’m often guilty of getting carried away, I have made huge sacrifices in relaxation and family time to focus on NB Audio projects.

Because of this, I’ve decided to make two changes to ensure NB Audio remains sustainable.

1. We’ll be streamlining our quoting process to focus on genuine enquiries and reduce time spent on casual or non-serious requests (coming soon).
2. The rates shown on the ‘Our Services’ page has been increased as of the 1st of October 2025 to help manage demand and reflect the value of my time.

Streamlined Quoting Process:

We receive a huge number of enquiries for custom projects. Because every project is unique, pricing can vary a lot depending on the complexity and exactly what the customer wants included or left out. In some cases, I spend over two hours just preparing a single quote because I need to explain all the available options. That time has to be accounted for somewhere. To help with this, I’ll be putting together a guide that outlines what we typically include and exclude in our custom work.

Updated Rates:

I feel that most underestimate just how much work is involved in custom project. I know I sure did when I did my initial pricing! I went in thinking "oh, I know roughly how long it takes make to build XYZ, I'll multiply that by my desired hourly rate and off we go!". The reality is much different...

• Design & planning takes as long as the build – from the first conversation to sketches, simulations, measurements, parts sourcing and back-and-forth emails, the groundwork often takes as much time as the hands on part of the projects.

• Every custom build doubles as R&D – unlike mass produced speakers where R&D is spread across hundreds of units, in a one off project all of that design, measurement, and refinement time happens within a single build. That means you’re not just paying for a product, you’re effectively paying for the research and development it takes to meet the expectations of a refined speaker.

• No jigs or streamlined processes – unlike mass production where templates, jigs and 'assembly lines' save time, custom builds require starting from scratch every step of the way, which makes everything slower and more hands on.

• Prototyping and problem solving are unavoidable – no two projects are ever identical, which means unexpected challenges crop up. Sometimes a driver won’t measure the way the datasheet claims, or a concept just doesn’t come together as planned and that can mean a full redesign, or in the worst case, scrapping the build and starting over (yes, we have had this happen!).

• Testing and fine-tuning are non-negotiable – proper measurement, tuning and verification substantially increases the time you’d expect compared to just “building it and sending it out.”

• Communication with customers is a job in itself – explaining trade-offs, giving updates, sending through photos, or even just answering the “what if we tried this?” messages takes real time, and it’s part of what makes the process genuinely custom.

• Safe packaging is practically it's own project – Everyone’s heard a nightmare shipping story, and the last thing we want is to be part of one. Because every speaker is unique, safe delivery means creating custom packaging every time which can be surprisingly time consuming.

At the end of the day, these costs have to be accounted for somewhere.

The alternative would be to stop offering custom builds altogether, but I genuinely enjoy the work and the chance to create something different. We’ve also discovered there’s strong demand for these projects, and plenty of people are willing to pay for the extra time, detail, and individuality that go into them, which is exactly why we want to keep making them available!

The good news is there are plenty of solid ‘off-the-shelf’ options for those who don’t need something one of a kind. But if you really want the best value, nothing beats DIY. Time is the biggest cost in a custom build, and by learning to build your own, you can create speakers that outperform retail models costing many times more. Plus, you’ll gain the skills and satisfaction that come with doing it yourself!

These updated rates are valid for any new quotes sent from the 1st of October 2025. Any previously quoted projects will have their standard "30 day" expiry.

Service	From 1 October 2025
Fusion 360 Enclosure Design and Toolpath Setup*:
Minimum Charge	$250
Bookshelf Speaker	$350
Small-Medium Sealed Subwoofer <150L	$450
Large Sealed Subwoofer >150L+	$550+
Small-Medium Vented Subwoofer <200L	$550
Large Vented Subwoofer >200L+	$650+
Basic 2 Way Floorstander	$550
Basic 3 way Floorstander	$650
Complex/Large Multiway Builds	$750+
CNC Cutting Service:
Minimum Per Sheet	$140
Maximum Per Sheet	$180
Material Cost (18mm MDF)#	$40 per 1200mm x 1200mm sheet
Cabinet Assembly:
Small Sealed Subwoofer <100L**	$900
Large Sealed Subwoofer 100L+**	$1,200+
Small Vented Subwoofer <100L**	$1,200
Medium Vented Subwoofer 100L-200L**	$1,400
Large Vented Subwoofer 100L-200L+**	$1,600+
Basic Bookshelf Speaker (Pair)	$900
Basic Floorstander (Pair)	$1,500
Comprehensive Floorstander (Pair)	$2,000+
Painting & Veneering:
Rolled – Small-Medium Subwoofer (Ea) or Bookshelf (Pair)	$350
Rolled – Large Subwoofer (Ea) or Floorstander (Pair)	$550+
Sprayed – Small-Medium Subwoofer (Ea) or Bookshelf (Pair)	$650
Sprayed – Large Subwoofer (Ea) or Floorstander (Pair)	$850+
Veneering	Outsourced - Quoted
Measuring and Crossover Design/Implementation~
Active - Subwoofer	$200+
Active Crossover - 2 way	$400+
Active Crossover - 3 way	$600+
Passive Crossover - 2 way	$800+
Passive Crossover - 3 way	$1,000+
Shipping*:
Packaging Fee – Small Items	Nil Packaging Fee
Packaging Fee - Large Boxed (under 25kg)	$80-$100
Packaging Fee – Requiring Custom Pallet	$250+
Shipping Cost	$15 Flat Rate for Smaller Orders All large orders quoted

*All projects that require CNC cutting, must be drawn as we use the model to run our CNC tool paths. All services after that are optional. 

**Volume is based on Gross volume of the enclosure and includes any space taken up by drivers, ports and bracing etc.

#18mm MDF is the most typical material used in speakers builds. However, we can use any material you can think of, as long as we can source it!

^Shipping cost largely comes down to the size of the speaker, your location and the type of the address we deliver to (Residential, Business or Depot Delivery). We use ‘Big Post’ for large shipments. For more information, head to the Shipping page on our website.

~Measuring and Crossover Design/Implementation excludes any costs of parts and varies greatly depending on the desired outcome. Pricing reflects basic on-axis measurements and a moderately flat response. If a more complex design with off-axis measurements and/or a very finely tuned response is required, this will attract higher costs.

Final Thoughts:

We’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received since launching NB Audio. The demand has proven that the leap of faith we took to invest and grow was the right move. For a bit of perspective, we haven’t paid ourselves a cent from NB Speaker Cables or NB Audio in nearly 3 years. Every dollar from cable sales, parts, and custom projects (plus extra from our own pockets), has been reinvested to help us grow and offer more Australian Made options for audio enthusiasts. But above all, I do this because I’m passionate about audio turning it into a business makes it viable to do for the rest of my life.