Alternatives to Baltic Birch

I am itching to build something. I am trying to design some new horn-loaded 3 way tops but in the mean time I have 8 B&C 15PZB40's that sim pretty nice in the THAM 15. I think I want to build 1 pair to go below some 12" powered Yorkville tops. They also model well in Xoc1's TH-18 which may be the next build. Anyway, there is a local plywood wharehouse that carries many types of plywood. I am unable to purchase directly but found a workshop the will order what ever I need at a small markup. I know baltic birch seems to be the most recommended ply but are there other plys that are almost as good that might be considerably cheaper? Here is a list of the types they carry.

Looking at some in those list, they look like they have been selected for making furniture,etc where the finish/grain of the wood is important, as potentially it will be lacquered to a nice finish.

Edited by Andy Kos - 13 June 2012 at 10:33pm

I suspect a lot of those plywoods are just faced with the timber in the name. Many of those listed are expensive hardwoods and do not have good properties for making plywood, least of all for building speakers.

If they use the wood noted throughout, I would definately consider hickory. It is denser, stiffer, stronger and harder than birch, although the form of the tree does not lend itself well for manufacturing plywood like birch and pine do.

Of course the properties of the wood are not the only considerations, you want to know that they have used a decent glue, that the panels are largely void and knot fre, and that there are sufficient number of laminates to avoid splintering at the edges.