I've used an oil finish on it- the "Tried & True" linseed oil with varnish added, or there's one with beeswax. They look very good- have aged to a very nice golden/lt. brown color. Whatever you do, sand them with a few progessively finer grades of sandpaper first, then finish. birch can look "smeary" with many stains, so you have to be careful with that. Some of the dyes can look good. Best thing to do is save your scraps and use them for testing whatever you want to try (and let it dry well) before you actually do the speakers.