i got my speaker stands at Big Lots for 14.99, plus an extra 15% off w/ employee discount. 😀 they're particle board, but who the hell cares, they're painted black. and they have never fallen over or anything like that, so obviously they work fine.
if i hadn't found these so cheap, i woulda made some. i agree, it's a few planks of wood. if you've got a table saw, save yourself 50 bucks and make them yourself. all you need is a table saw, drill, screws, wood, and a screw driver. not too hard.