How many speaker companies?

Weeding? Why is it I get the image of you flying a fleet of 747s across the planet dumping Roundup faster than they can make it? You would be Drax in Moonraker, destroying all audio life in order to remake it in your image. Your perfect image, I meant to say.

I have the last Stereo magazine directory listing all the manufacturers and their lineup, I believe around 1990 there was nearly 500 listed companies making complete loudspeakers. must have been an off day when I decided to count all the listings!

Eleventeen. 

How many White vans are there ?

In 1980 I went to work for The Speaker Company. We sold kit speakers to college students. Early on the cabinets were vinyl covered mdf. One size fits all, infinite baffle, the box was actually optimized for a Kef B-200/T-27, the Perrless and Audax Kit were slightly suboptimal but affordable. The filters were developed with EE help from Ohio State. The barriers to entry were relatively low and the customers happy. The owner dabbled in an FFT but I think quickly realized to really be good, a LOT more investment required....

so draw your own conclusions...