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fun workshop build question this time... what sound system; to play radio 6, mp3, spotify etc?
at the moment i have a cheap dab radio, but with a larger workshop/man cave being built (ok, right now its a pile of wood outside the house) i can put a much better system in and for kicks/character i want to.
bearing in mind with all best intentions it'll get a bit dusty, the choices are... stick with what i've got. makita dab site radio. some iphone dock into a cheap cambridge audio amp/mission bookshelf speaker set up i have in the attic. some old 70's/80s system maybe with floor mounted speakers.
lets just say the speakers will face out over a valley and my one neighbour is old and deaf. i can be noisy! ; )
anyone else done this and if so what have you go?
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and a pair of mission 761s all mounted up high up in the roof space as far from the dusty work as i dare.
+ airport express to stream my music from.
1/8th of the dials too loud to be in the garage but it sounds much better than any of my previous incarnations in there for a fraction of the cost.
Its difficult to find portable DABs that are bigger than bedside table sized and with more volume that you need for a domestic setting. After my old dab went phut the choice was pretty much either the Makita Worksite DAB radio which is great but far too pricy or a zany retro DAB boom box , which I think was about £70.
[img] http://argos.scene7.com/is/image/Argos/9152014_R_Z001A_UC1413299?$TMB$&wid=312&hei=312 [/img]
It nothing special really but makes enough more noise than most portables to be able to hear it while you're working and you can put your phone in where the tape would go and then control you music with the buttons which is funny for a few minutes.
But otherwise any interesting old thing with aux in and a portable dab with line out will do it
Get some active speakers, plug in yer phone, job's a good'un.
Either something like the Audioengine A5 or A2, or some proper active studio monitors like these:
[url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/M-Audio-Studiophile-Speakers-Professional-Creation/dp/B005625CNM/ref=sr_1_1?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1384181477&sr=1-1&keywords=studio+monitors ]Studio Monitors[/url]
Set of PC speakers for pennies from ebay with an active sub, 3.5mm input from phone, portable DAB headphone socket or ipod for audiobooks.
I am assuming you are not looking for super high quality sound?
Get a s/h amp off EBay. There is decent stuff about for £30 - £70.
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-RX-V357-Home-Cinema-Reciever-/261322890423?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Home_Cinema_Receivers&hash=item3cd80edcb7 ]Denon £56[/url]
There are a lot of 5 channel home theatre amps knocking about cheap. Will be good enough for a shed set up and plenty of power.
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-RX-V357-Home-Cinema-Reciever-/261322890423?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Home_Cinema_Receivers&hash=item3cd80edcb7 ]Amp £26[/url]
Watch out for speakers that are "collection only" and local to you, some bargains can be had.
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Acoustic-Energy-AE-209-Speakers-/111212323181?pt=UK_AudioVideoElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_HiFiSpeakers&hash=item19e4c5616d ]AE florr standers £50[/url]
Studio monitors (Samson StudioDock 3i) and a little logitech bluetooth adapter thing here. Sounds like you're after something a little beefier though!
i know small active speakers or an all in one doc type thing would be the sensible option, and with the amp/speakers i already have its job done.... but i like the idea of getting something with a bit of character. and whilst i'm not going to sit there with my eyes shut and listen for every detail in the music, i'd like some decent sound.
good call on local pick up speakers, had'nt thought of that.
and maybe start with this dock...
http://www.richersounds.com/product/wireless-docks,-speakers-and-portables/pure/i-20/pure-i20
Local pick up was how i got my stuff
Technics were 50 quid the pair- original manuals and remotes for both as well- seemed a bit gutted when i said i was sticking them in a workshop) and my speakers were 30quid still boxed from in my village( found on gumtree) fella didnt like how they sounded dead and no bass.
Met him in the spar a few months later and he was asking how they were. I followed the instructions i found on the internet that said play fairly bass heavy music for about 12 hours constant at a fairly low volume.
They freed off greatly and move a tremendous amount of air for their size now. 🙂
I've been holding onto a rotel amp, iPod Dock, denon tuner and wharfedale speakers for the day that I get a garage. Hopefully not long to go now!
Got my first separates system in mine. Including tape deck! Mix tapes ahoy! Only plays 90s techno too, sweet. In response to your query op I have no idea but mawkish circling of high street pawn shops got me a cheap amp when mine blew
Local pick up is definitely a good idea, I sold some mission floor standing speakers on eBay that went for 30 quid as it was collection only
No sound system in my garage but I do have a fridge full of beer and wine. Far more entertaining...
Basic cambridge amp and 3rd hand free wharfdale speakers. All on a shelf at ceiling level and flying lead down for mp3 player. Can't have a garage 'shop without tunes.
Videologic DAB radio
Arcam amplifier
Mordaunt-Short speakers
All in about £60 from fleabay, picked up over the space of a couple of weeks.
Hell yeah!
I bought a Pioneer amp, a pair of Wharfdale speakers (the sort you might use as a PA in a big shop) and some cable for £60 all in.
RCA to headphone lead into my phone and the jobs a good 'un. I can listen to whatever radio I like or any music I own, and if the phone rings it all mutes and I can answer it.
Perfect. 🙂
(Wouldn't mind a bit more welly from the amp, mind...)
Just got around to this this weekend having bought a turbo trainer. Keyword amp, big ol Celestion speakers, old laptop and a hard drive full of tunes. Just need to sort an airport express base that I have lying around.
I've got a Pioneer media streaming thingy. It can run on wifi, but I've got it plugged into a power line Ethernet adapter. It can do FM, internet radio, USB playback, Bluetooth playback, airplay, iPod/iPhone Dock and WLAN streaming. The menu is a bit slow if scrolling through a large music collection and it can freeze at times, but it's the best sound I've had in the garage and I can access all my music
Dewalt site radio, doubles as a charger, only use it for radio 2 whilst on the rollers doing a steady session.
Not shed but in the garage, 5.1 surround sound, 28" CRT tv, PS2, Wii, handy for the Mrs when she's ironing...........
i read something a while back, whilst mooching about online at old kit, regarding wharfdale denton bookshelf speakers. orginal ones. from what i can recall great sound and an underated old bit of kit. need to dig about again but something like that is what i'm thinking and as much as i'd like big old floor speakers something smaller up high may be best.
some great posts though, cheers.
oh yea, rasberry pi in lego block as player. think it can do iplayer too, that was another idea last night. unecesary as i have an iphone but what the heck, its fun!
1980's Technics separates & speakers with a dab radio plugged into the aux input for 6 music. All from local tip for £3 about 5 years ago, a perfect shed stereo
Old Rotel Amp, 3.5mm jack in for Ipod and Airport Express for streaming, Pair Mini Monitor Speakers. stuff that's been evicted from the living room but WAYYY to good to sell for nothing or throw out!
90's Sony Ghetto Blaster with ipod classic plugged into Aux lead ...loud and plenty of bass 🙂
Got one of these:
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/veho-360-m4-bluetooth-wireless-speaker-p37364.htm
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Its really versatile, not only bluetooth to my phone, but also got an sdcard slot, so is its own player+speaker, which has been more useful than I thought.
But all this talk of old seperates, I still have my 1st seperates system in the loft (both tape decks sold I think though) - Mission/Cyrus 781 speakers+stands, Marantz cd52, and Yamaha amp plus all the cables. I've not been able to bring myself to sell it for tuppence, so could put it to good use - but its well well well over kill!
laid the base for the new workshop today, when its finally up and working i'll post some pics. i can see this will be an ongoing project though.
superfli.. stick it in your shed and turn it up!