"Wes," Perry Pecker exclaimed as we passed each other in the 10^th-floor corridor. "We have something you might enjoy."

Such as?

"I make drivers for OEM, but I have put together some DIY kits for audiophiles who are up for a little fun."

Pecker is president of marketing and sales at HempAcoustics, which makes drivers from hemp, a wonderfully stiff natural material. Pecker's Timefield kits are affordable and impressive. The $300USD TF4.5 employs a single 4.5" driver in a CNC-cut cabinet (you assemble and finish it yourself It claims 95.5dB sensitivity and 55Hz–20kHz response.

Ayre's Steve Silberman and I thought the speaker was fun. Yes, it could get a little aggressive when pushed, but we dug the look and sound a lot.

Other models are available, including ones with Bamboo cabinets.