Audio Chassis Manufacturing for Hi-Fi Brands
Send your drawing. We match it with shops that machine and finish parts people look at, not just parts that fit. Reply within 24 business hours.
Does your part need a cosmetic-grade shop?
Plenty of audio parts are hidden inside the case and any competent job shop can make them. The parts below are different: the surface is the product. Tick what applies to yours. Two or more ticks means you need a shop that runs a finish line, not just a mill.
Parts we get asked about
- Amplifier faceplates and front panels
- Machined and folded chassis
- Volume and selector knobs
- Turntable platters and sub-platters
- Tonearm bases and headshells
- Headphone cups, yokes and gimbals
- DAC and streamer enclosures
- Isolation feet, cones and spikes
- Binding post and terminal plates
- Heatsink profiles machined to size
A shop that machines brackets all day can hit your drawing and still hand you a faceplate with a rack mark on it. The difference is who owns the finish, how parts are handled between operations and whether anyone inspects the visible faces under light before packing.
Finishes and what each one costs you in practice
On a hi-fi part the finish is the specification. Pick it before you ask for a price, because the same machined blank can differ by a factor of two once the finish is decided.
| Finish | What to expect | Common on |
|---|---|---|
| Clear anodize (Type II) | Natural silver. The most forgiving finish and the easiest to repeat batch to batch. | Faceplates, covers, heatsinks |
| Black anodize (Type II) | Shows every scratch and every rack mark. Dye lot and alloy both shift the black. | Faceplates, knobs, chassis |
| Colour anodize | Bronze, gunmetal, champagne. Hardest to repeat. Always approve a sample from the real alloy. | Limited runs, trim parts |
| Bead blast then anodize | Even matte surface that hides machining. Grit size decides how coarse the texture reads. | Panels, cups, enclosures |
| Brushed then anodize | Directional grain. Specify the direction on the drawing or parts in a set will not line up. | Faceplates, volume knobs |
| Polished and lacquered | Mirror brass or aluminum. Labour heavy and easy to damage after finishing. | Knobs, feet, trim rings |
| Powder coat | Thick and durable, softens sharp detail. Good on steel covers, rarely right on a front panel. | Steel chassis, covers |
| Laser engraving | Marked after anodize for a crisp white mark, or before for a filled mark. Say which you want. | Labels, logos, serials |
Write the finish on the drawing the way you want it judged: alloy, process, colour reference, grain direction and which faces are cosmetic. A shop that has to guess will quote the cheap reading of it.
Materials and tolerances for audio parts
What changes when you ask a shop to quote in each material. These are typical ranges, not promises. The shop that quotes you confirms what it can hold on your geometry and your finish.
| Material | What changes | Typical tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum 6061 | The default for machined faceplates and billet knobs. Takes a clean anodize and holds an edge on chamfers. | ±0.05 mm typical, ±0.02 mm on fits |
| Aluminum 6063 extrusion | Chassis profiles and heatsinks. Anodizes brighter than 6061 but is softer, so visible edges mark easily. | ±0.1 mm on extruded sections |
| Aluminum 5052 sheet | Folded covers and back panels. Cheaper than billet for flat work, but does not anodize to the same colour as 6061. | ±0.2 mm on formed features |
| Brass C360 | Knobs, feet and trim. Polishes and plates well. Needs lacquer or plating or it tarnishes in months. | ±0.05 mm typical |
| Copper C110 | Trim parts and some plates. Soft, marks easily in handling, and tarnishes faster than brass. | ±0.05 mm typical |
| Stainless 304 / 316 | Spikes, fasteners and wear faces. Harder to finish evenly than aluminum, so cosmetic stainless costs more. | ±0.05 mm typical |
| POM and acrylic | Platter mats, light pipes and insulators. Cuts clean but scratches in handling, so packing matters. | ±0.1 mm, moves with temperature |
Audio products we match work for
Each corner of hi-fi brings its own problem. Say which one you are in and we match shops that have already solved it.
Amplifiers and preamps
Thick billet faceplates, folded covers, heatsink profiles cut to length and drilled.
DACs and streamers
Small enclosures where the panel gaps and the button feel carry the price of the product.
Turntables and tonearms
Platters that need flatness and balance, plus small parts with fine threads and tight fits.
Headphones
Cups, yokes and gimbals in matched pairs, where the left and right have to look identical.
Speakers and hardware
Terminal plates, waveguides, port trims and machined feet for cabinets.
Studio and pro audio
Rack panels, handles and control surfaces built to survive being moved every week.
How it works
One RFQ from you. A short list of shops that fit. No bidding platform and no middleman on the order.
Send your RFQ
Upload a STEP file and a marked-up PDF, then tell us material, finish, quantity and when you need it. Takes about three minutes.
We match up to 3 shops
We read the drawing and pick shops whose machines, part size and finishing fit it. You hear from us within 24 business hours.
Shops quote you directly
Each shop contacts you with a quote and a plan for the first article. You compare and order from the one you choose.
What drives the price of an audio part
Six things decide most quotes. If a price looks high, one of these is usually the reason, and some of them you can change on the drawing before you ask again.
- Setup and programmingPaid once per order. On a run of 20 to 50 chassis it is often the largest single line on the quote.
- Finishing and inspectionCosmetic parts are inspected face by face under light. Rework and scrap on a rejected batch sit in the price.
- MaterialBillet aluminum costs more than extrusion or sheet for the same panel. Brass and copper cost more again.
- Tolerance on visible fitsOnly the panel gaps and the knob fits need tight numbers. Tolerancing a hidden face to ±0.02 mm adds cost for nothing.
- QuantitySetup and the finish rack spread over more parts, so cost per unit falls fastest between 20 and 200 pieces.
- Secondary workEngraving, silk screen, thread inserts, hardware kitting and individual packing each add a step and a few days.
Have a drawing ready?
Send the short version now. We will ask for anything missing. If you would rather give full details up front, use the full RFQ form.
Your files go only to the shops we match. Ask for an NDA and nothing is shared until it is signed.
Machine and finish for audio? Get RFQs that fit.
Shops see a preview of each request before paying for it and talk to the buyer directly. We take no commission on the order.
Questions buyers ask
Something else? Email .
Is this service free for buyers?
Yes. You pay nothing to send an RFQ or to receive quotes. Shops pay us for matched requests. Price, tooling, finish approval and delivery are agreed between you and the shop.
Who sees my drawing?
Shops first see a short preview with part type, material, finish, quantity and tolerance. It does not include your name, brand or files. Your contact details and files go only to the shops we match, up to 3. If you ask for an NDA, we hold the files until it is signed.
How many quotes will I get?
Up to 3. If only one or two shops can hold the finish your part needs, we send it to fewer rather than fill the list.
Do you machine or anodize parts yourselves?
No. We are a matching service. The shops that quote you run the machines and control the finishing, and you place the order with them.
My run is small. Is 30 chassis too few?
No. Small batches are normal in hi-fi. Setup and the finish line set the floor on price, so quantity changes cost per unit more than it changes whether a shop will take the job. Tell us your yearly volume as well as this order.
Can I get a finish sample before the full run?
Ask for it in the RFQ. Most shops will run a first article with the real finish so you can approve color, gloss and grain before the batch goes through. Say whether you want it on the real part or on a coupon from the same lot.
Will the color match my existing units?
Send a physical reference part if you have one. Anodize color shifts with alloy, batch and rack position, so a shop needs the reference in hand to judge it. Matching a previous supplier exactly is not always possible and an honest shop will say so before quoting.
Which file formats can I send?
STEP for the 3D model plus a PDF drawing that marks the visible faces, the finish, the grain direction and any engraving. DWG and DXF work for panels. A STEP file with a marked-up PDF gets the most accurate quotes.
Guides for hi-fi brands
- Design for Manufacture
EMI Shielding an Audio Enclosure: What Actually Works
Seams, gaps and gaskets decide whether a metal box shields anything. Anodize is an insulator, aperture length beats area, and what to put on a drawing.
- Design for Manufacture
Tube Amplifier Chassis Manufacturing and Layout Guide
Valve amps run hot, weigh a lot and put mains voltage on an exposed top plate. Material, thickness, socket cutouts, ventilation and the safety points.
- Design for Manufacture
Panel Cutout Dimensions for Audio Connectors: A Reference
A working reference for connector panel cutouts on an audio chassis, plus the panel thickness limits and positioning rules that decide whether parts fit.