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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 2, 2020 18:14:05 GMT -5
I always have music on when I'm working on something in the shop, whether it's fixing a mixer, building a guitar, or rebuilding a lawn mower carb. Up until now I've used a small 'boom box' of some type.
Driving down the road last week I had a bit of a light-bulb moment when I got an incoming call on my phone, which is paired to my in-car audio system. The music is automatically muted and I'm advised of the incoming call. I can use voice commands to accept or reject the call. It's all seamless and takes a second or three.
Why not have this in the shop? So I ordered an inexpensive 40-watt Kenwood HD car radio with Bluetooth and a mic, and it accepts plug-in USB devices such as an iPod/iPad. I'll run it from a fan-cooled 120vAC-12vDC power supply. I'll make two small flat-panel speakers that I'll mount flat on the ceiling since wall space is at a premium in my small shop.
Total cost for everything will be just under $110.
I looked around online for a purpose-made, self contained device with the features I wanted (HD radio, Bluetooth for phone and USB for i-devices, and speakers), but the very few items available that include all this are up in the hundreds of dollars. This seemed like a stoopid simple inexpensive way to achieve all this, and it will take up very little space.
Is there another option (besides Siri/Alexa/etc.) that I'm missing here? I have no use for an Alexa.
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Post by NoSoapRadio on Jan 3, 2020 15:09:21 GMT -5
I've been into home audio since high school -- but I'm one of those weirdos who never got rid of gear when I upgraded. I just re purpose my old gear for the shop. The only "new" thing I have in the system is a $99 Mackie mixer that I'm using as the preamp. I usually bring my laptop down with me and use that as the music source.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 3, 2020 15:29:05 GMT -5
Yeah, my problem is dust...it gets into everything. Years ago I had my house wired for stereo throughout, and I had speaker taps in the shop. That made things simple.
This Kenwood unit I got has front L/R and rear L/R speaker lines. I think what I'll do is wire up the rear L/Rs to the two speakers and mute the front side.
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Post by NoSoapRadio on Jan 3, 2020 16:11:22 GMT -5
"Yeah, my problem is dust...it gets into everything."
Tell me about it. A wood shop is a blessing and a curse.
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Post by Chris Greene on Jan 3, 2020 16:32:11 GMT -5
I don't do "shop" but I have an ancient boombox in the garage buried under other crap I don't need.
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BigBadJohn
Wholenote
I Lurk, therefore I am.
Posts: 222
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Post by BigBadJohn on Jan 4, 2020 9:16:17 GMT -5
My shop audio consists of a pair of discarded computer speakers to plug into a phone or tablet.
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Post by Leftee on Jan 4, 2020 13:14:33 GMT -5
My shop audio is a small, cylindrical BT speaker that i use with my iphone. And said speaker is caked with dust and dried splatters or rubbing compound.
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Post by Chris Greene on Jan 4, 2020 13:47:08 GMT -5
You know, those bluetooth speaker truly amaze me. I've got two of them, one a Bose Color from Costco which I don't much care for but used in the camping van AKA FDP Hippie Van (name now retired). The one I do like and keep in a picnic backpack I keep in my LX (Land Cruiser) or van when traveling, is a little stereo speaker Anker that was all of about $25 on Amazon. The thing is amazingly good with a very long batter life and good range from the source. Much more balanced sound than the Bose crap. However, it may be on the small size for a shop. Perfect for quiet music in the van or on the tailgate at a back country picnic. It's the SoundCore |
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 4, 2020 13:51:37 GMT -5
My hunnie's dad has a full-up wood shop, and he does a lot of scrollsawing in the back where he maintains an office with a desktop computer, large flat-plate scanner, and large-format printer; these are for patternmaking. He buys a new keyboard at least once per year because they simply crap out and quit working. He does not like those clear plastic skins designed to keep the keys clean. When I visit I pop open the cases on his equipment and vacuum out the dust to prevent the thermal cutoffs from shutting them down. They do get choked with dust.
Back to the sound stuff...things can get out of control and stupid really fast if you let them. I started thinking about getting four inexpensive 6.5" coaxial speakers, designed for car stereos (e.g., Jensen, etc.), building four small boxes for them, and hanging them up in each corner of the shop. Then I came to my senses and remembered this is a shop, not a music listening room. Additionally, I've been listening to music on a little boombox that has two 3" speakers. And that was fine! So I compromised and am going with four full-range 4" speakers I'll mount in a single box and stick that on the ceiling in the middle of the shop. That will work fine and sound way better than my 30-year-old plastic 25 dollar Panasonic boombox.
I couldn't make small flat panel speakers because each channel on this radio is 50 watts continuous, and Dayton audio exciters with that capacity have gotten ridiculously expensive.
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BillytheKidder
Wholenote
You can’t do this with a guitar.
Posts: 105
Formerly Known As: Billy the Kidder
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Post by BillytheKidder on Jan 5, 2020 9:05:06 GMT -5
I got this and an inexpensive marine single DIN radio for our golf cart. Radio came with a non-line-of sight remote. Attachments:
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Post by mojito on Jan 5, 2020 10:06:08 GMT -5
I bought a Tribit Xsound go Bluetooth player. Huge sound in a small package. USB rechargeable also aux input. Runs 8 hours on a charge and easy to move between my barns and shop.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 5, 2020 13:50:50 GMT -5
Mikey! Howdy!
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Post by mojito on Jan 5, 2020 14:19:38 GMT -5
Howdy, Geno! 5 days into the retired life and all is well. We need to meet up soon.
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Vman
Wholenote
Posts: 194
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Post by Vman on Jan 5, 2020 16:49:25 GMT -5
Little overboard. 1964 Fisher 400 and Pioneer HPM100 speakers. I'm spoiled. Attachments:
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cagey
Wholenote
My guitar doesn't have the same notes as yours
Posts: 110
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Post by cagey on Jan 5, 2020 17:58:32 GMT -5
I've got an old boombox in the shop, on a rack in the corner with a sheet of vinyl over it to try to keep the dust out
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jan 6, 2020 17:44:42 GMT -5
NICE shop, Vman. A TV? That's how you drill holes in your hands  Looks like you do heavy guitar maintenance too. I installed the speakers today, a la the PA system in the LA Forum during the 1970s, except way smaller:  These are cheap MIC (Dual brand) indoor/outdoor 3-ways. They are cheepies, but compared to the boombox they sound ridiculously good. I wired them up left/right front and left/right rear, alternating them on the board. They are 8' overhead on the ceiling in the center of the shop so they're out of the way. |
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