Just a few thoughts on building speaker cabinets...
You do need to have competent woodworking skills. But you don't need to be a Norm Abram - speaker cabinets can be very straightforward compared to fine furniture. You also need the right tools, and the space to do it - I do bigger woodworking jobs out in the garden, because I don't have a workshop with dust extraction.
Table saw? Nope. A hand-held circular saw, plus a solid working surface and a straight guide is more than adequate. A tracksaw is perhaps ideal, but tracks/guides are easy enough for a competent woodworker to make from plywood. A table saw can be helpful for sure - but I've never had more than a portable contractor saw.
Something like a Black & Decker Workmate does the job as a work surface - ideally one of the bigger and sturdier models. A hobby woodworker may already have one.
For chamfering, edging, rounding, hole-cutting... a drill plus a handheld router and a small number of bits will do the job. A jigsaw is helpful for making initial rough holes. Gluing and screwing - glue and drill/driver, plus clamps, pretty obviously.
Veneering? It's not necessary, and there are plenty of alternative ways to finish cabinets. But veneering shouldn't really need any extra tools, just maybe weights and clamps, if you have the skill.
As for clamps, I have some Irwin Quick-Grip ones which are inexpensive and perfectly adequate. (I have all sorts of other clamps too, but the Irwin ones are fine.)
So yes, building cabinets is definitely feasible for someone with the skills, tools and space. But I really don't think it's a good idea if you don't have the skills, and very expensive if you have to buy the tools.
In a New York apartment? Probably not. But even there, assembling a pre-cut cabinet kit should be doable with relatively few tools and a kitchen table.
