This is highly depended on one's skill with electronics. I have always had a 100% success rate with projects I've built. I remember, the shop guys used to dislike me using a multimeter to check transistors before buying them, back in the day.
For a newbie with no background or knowledge of electronics, kits are easy, just solder the input/output sockets, the transformer, screw them all into your cabinet and you're good to go.
IMO (personal of course), I always got a kick out of DIY from scratch with components. It helped that my father was an old school electronics and telecom engineer (from the tube and germanium transistor days).
hi, as for the procurement of components, yeah, its expensive. my comment was on a strict diy basis. I mean the complete joy and thrill is on doing it from scratch. that is entirely diferent from assembling a kit. I feel the kit version is nearly like buying a commercial product. so I like the other way round. but not for the novice. thank you for the comment.
True.nothing can beat designing something from scratch and then getting it to work against all odds.
but,for a newbie(assuming he is learning to handle a soldering iron) can be a bit harrowing.
I have seen people put off of diy,because of the "initiation" to diy.
Like,when i started off,i made a simple 12v dc fan regulator.
I started off with a text book mosfet circuit.learnt(still learning) eagle,routing,then etched my own pcb,drilled it,got the parts necessary,and made atleast 10 models till i got it right.for the money i spent,i could have got two fantastic touchscreen controllers,but i wanted it to be my own idea.
Also,where i live,getting parts is a pain.shopkeepers disregard kids or those who dont bring them big money.and that has made me infamous around the electronics hub for being a real pest.
since then,ive progressed to making decent power amps and associated circuits.
then comes my most favourite-the cmoy.i have made atleast a dozen revisions of the design,everytime trying out some new idea.
did they all work?yes!
do they make any audible difference?i dont really know.
I have the pimetav2,3 fiio amps,a millet SS tube amp(not all are mine,but still mine).
i will still keep trying to make newer ones,just to see how much i can over-do it,just for the fun of making it.making it more audio-phool.
It all boils down to what keeps driving you in diy.