shipping speakers

As far as rough handling goes, the cabinets would probably suffer before the drivers sustained any damaged. In other words, if the furniture makes it, the mechanics are almost surely OK.

As for packing, that's really a function of size/weight, and you didn't indicate.

Original boxes and packing are critical, especially for speakers of odd shapes, and with stuff hanging off of them such as "tweeter on top." Heavier full range speakers should be shipped by motor freight such as BAX, preferrably with the original boxes strapped to a pallet. For smaller speakers (and larger ones if possible), I recommend double boxing the manufacturer's original box, to better resist penetration and cabinet denting. Screw in binding posts so they do not protrude and get bent. Wrap the speakers in plastic to prevent scraping of the cabinets against styrofoam packing, insure properly, and you should be good to go.

I had an almost indistructable Rel Stentor -as many know, it's got several internal wall to wall braces- that was destroyed by "UPS we droped it". My final guess is that it was droped from at least 30 feet in the air (thats 180 pounds falling from the sky). That was the dealers guess also. A little research with some employees and YES thats very possable because the conveyor belts do go that high at places. The inch thick bottom was compacted one inch into the box! And 5 grand later, UPS would not honor the insurance I fully paid for. Nothing is safe going through UPS. And yes it was factory double boxed.