SHOP RADIOS, what are you using?

[cturboaddict]

So, as I'm nearing completion of my small shop/garage.... I've been using this cheapo walmart phillips bluetooth speaker and streaming pandora most of the time when I'm working. Now that I officially have shelter, I'd like to snag up something better.

I'm a new found Milwaukee Cordless tools fan (M18 only) and have had my eye on the the Milwaukee M18 Bluetooth radio/charger. But it's a ripe $200 for a radio. And I can buy the M18 chargers for $20 if I needed another.

I'd like to be able to tune to local stations, and has to have bluetooth.
What do you guys like to use in your shop?

 

[tjdux]

I dont do radio, only stream with bluetooth so my setup doesnt help there but i have a simple bluetooth receiver unit that outputs to RCA cables and being a lifelong car stereo guy i just put together some old tech i was saving for a system.

Amp is a 200x4 channel that go stereo to a pair of 6.5 inch woofer/1 inch tweeter external crossover componets. Then the other 2 channels are bridged to a cheap 10 inch sub thats mounted to my ceiling.

To power the amp I have an 40 amp 12v dc converter from amazon that's designed to power huge LED strings or something. Works great for my purpose amd its plenty loud and could be bought cheap enough new but was nearly free to me.

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[garagelogician]

So, as I'm nearing completion of my small shop/garage.... I've been using this cheapo walmart phillips bluetooth speaker and streaming pandora most of the time when I'm working. Now that I officially have shelter, I'd like to snag up something better.

I'm a new found Milwaukee Cordless tools fan (M18 only) and have had my eye on the the Milwaukee M18 Bluetooth radio/charger. But it's a ripe $200 for a radio. And I can buy the M18 chargers for $20 if I needed another.

I'd like to be able to tune to local stations, and has to have bluetooth.
What do you guys like to use in your shop?

I have an old school (are the 90s old school yet?) stereo receiver and a set of speakers from when I was in high school. It has an antenna, and picks up local stations with no problem. You can generally pick up something adequate on Craigslist for cheap.

I have a bluetooth unit that plugs into one of the inputs. It works well, but bluetooth sound quality isn't the greatest and it really drains the phone battery, so I picked up a Chromecast Audio for $35.

https://store.google.com/us/product...AtqEEALw_wcB&dclid=CKmcw-HZkNYCFVc6TwodmRkMig

My entire music library is uploaded to Google Music (you can upload up to 20,000 songs for free). I also have a family Google Music subscription. So I can stream whatever I want directly to it. Uses less phone battery because it is only acting as the remote, the Chromecast is doing all the work.

 

[ScottsGT]

Milwaukee M12 and blue tooth from my phone. More than enough. Not running a rave.

 

[DFB]

I mostly use the new Milwaukee M18/M12 BT speaker to stream my garage music now and though my Mp3 player does has FM mode that needs to be a direct jack connection.

I put a $20 BT dongle receiver transmitter on my original M12 radio really like that radio (quite bulletproof and I'm have a lot of M12 ) and now that works as BT speaker too.

I don't think I have used an M18 on that new speaker yet a M12 4.0XC goes for long long time. Though in the garage I can use the AC adapter and sometimes do.

Obviously there a lot of non power tool brand BT compatible sound systems to consider.

 

[cturboaddict]

I mostly use the new Milwaukee M18/M12 BT speaker to stream my garage music now and though my Mp3 player does has FM mode that needs to be a direct jack connection.

I put a $20 BT dongle receiver transmitter on my original M12 radio really like that radio (quite bulletproof and I'm have a lot of M12 ) and now that works as BT speaker too.

I don't think I have used an M18 on that new speaker yet a M12 4.0XC goes for long long time. Though in the garage I can use the AC adapter and sometimes do.

Obviously there a lot of non power tool brand BT compatible sound systems to consider.

That's really where I'm standing now. Do I spend the $200 for the Milwaukee M18 charger radio, or do I buy an alternate bluetooth radio from best buy for the hell of it.

As for the other comments, I've got a bunch of old stereo equipment. But none bluetooth.

 

[ScottsGT]

I will add, it's extremely nice to pop out the battery and pop in a charged one instead of going and looking for the charge cord and being tied to an outlet.

 

[A310]

I use a 1980 Philips AM/FM cassette player. Works great.

 

[garagelogician]

As for the other comments, I've got a bunch of old stereo equipment. But none bluetooth.

There are tons of bluetooth adapters out there that plug into a 3.5mm aux jack. Just get an aux to RCA adapter and plug it in to any stereo receiver from the last 40 years that takes RCA inputs. Chromecast audio works the same way.

 

[tjdux]

That's really where I'm standing now. Do I spend the $200 for the Milwaukee M18 charger radio, or do I buy an alternate bluetooth radio from best buy for the hell of it.

As for the other comments, I've got a bunch of old stereo equipment. But none bluetooth.

Its easy to buy a bluetooth to rca dongle and then old stuff is repurposed with new bluetooth. They can be had for $20 or less

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EDIT..^^^^^me and this guy have the same idea, lol, he beat me to it.

 

[beewerks]

I don't have the capability to stream bluetooth, but I don't mind since I don't like the loss in quality that comes with it.

I run a mid range Sony receiver from the late 90's, a 10 inch Infinity subwoofer, and 4 Klipsch home theater speakers in my garage.

I then stream audio from Pandora through an Amazon Echo Dot which is hard wired and is really great. I can even ask Alexa to do math for me when I'm building my wood projects so I don't have to deal with fractions!

 

[*JJ*]

I have this speaker in black...great sound, nice look.

https://www.marshallheadphones.com/mh_us_en/kilburn

 

[///MPower]

I've got various Sonos speakers throughout the house with the Sonos Play 1 in the garage. The single speaker is plenty loud for a three car garage and in the driveway.

http://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/play1.html

 

[Abeo]

I've got a late 90's/early 2000's Sony receiver picked up for $25 from Goodwill, 2 $10 garage sale speakers, and 2 "extra bass" speakers pulled from the trash. Speaker in each corner of the garage, and a RCA to 3.5 mm jack input where I stream music or movies from my laptop (and sometimes my phone). Surprisingly great sound.

 

[-Brent-]

I considered something portable like a charger radio but I wired my shop, instead. It was a bit more expensive but the sound is worth it.

I shopped around a while and bought a Yamaha RS202BL (Bluetooth) when it came up for $129 prior to last Christmas. The same thing with the speakers (2 different pairs). I did a lot of research and I'm still impressed with the sound quality. However, I have about $500 into the set-up.

You can see the receiver on the toolbox shelf and one speaker up on the shelf and the other in the corner. There are speakers on the opposite shelf and corner.

 

[GNX423]

$99 Best Buy house brand (insignia) stereo receiver with build in Bluetooth. Use an old Samsung phone to stream, and keep it on charge.

Has the capability to get loud, works well for me.

-Mike

 

[rattle_snake]

Rack mount pro/DJ gear; 1700W in amps, active cross over, 1/3 octave EQ
RF car audio speakers, 12" subs and 5.25 separates in custom boxes. Sadly, not finished yet.
Mostly used equipment I got on the cheap but it is brutal at full throttle.

 

[CraigStu]

A laptop and a pair of speakers. Not much into music so most of what I listen to is talk radio and podcasts.

 

[DGersic]

Detached 1 1/2 car garage, so not a lot of room to work wth. I built some kitchen cabinet style cabinets over my small fixed bench, then put a kitchen under-cabinet radio under it.

Radio is good enough to pick up the one local station. Bluetooth from my phone handles the rest.

Sound quality is about what you'd expect, but it's a small garage, not a night club.




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[sammynomas]

Thrift store Bose 301's (30 bucks) and a freebie Yamaha stereo receiver with a direct tv antenna on the wall. Only radio for now, but can patch my phone or tablet into it if need arises.

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[A29]

Picked up an old stereo radio at an estate sale with remote control. Works well and was real cheap

 

[engineer2]

Vintage Pioneer SX-727 and speakers that have been rebuilt a few times.

 

[200.447]

1950s Philco AM tube radio with a Bakelite cabinet. About as old as I am! Can't beat the old timey sound when working on old timey cars.

 

[blacksporty]

Costco has a cool speaker for about $120, bluetooth and radio stations

Ion is the brand.

 

[matt_i]

Got out my stuff I had in high school (Sony STR head unit) and Design Acoustics PS-10s. The woofers were rotted, and I got a repair kit from Parts-Express. This worked so well I went and bought a set of PS-6 from craigslist needing the midranges repaired. Waiting on repair kit for it. Which led to the impulse purchase of a 15" powered sub Plan to bury speaker wires in the wall and have a "media center" for my head unit and wifi router above one of the man-doors. I listen to the radio a lot.

 

[Mpower5266]

I usually use my bose bluetooth but I picked up this little Gulf am radio at an antique shop not too long ago.

Untitled by mpower5266, on Flickr

 

[blair683]

I use an old GE Superadio II. I think I paid like $40 for it on eBay. It sound great and picks up more radio stations then any radio I have ever seen.

 

[slodat]

I have multiple Sonos Play 5 in the shop. They are amazing!

 

[ticklechicken]

I only use bluetooth and have found TV soundbars to be the best choice for my shop. Small and great sound. I currently use a Vizio. The bar and the sub don't have any wires connecting them. I have the bar high on the wall and the sub buried in a corner.

 

[Falcon67]

I pipe Pandora through a 1982 Realistic tuner. It also tunes the few local stations which I don't listen to - too much jabber. Use to also play through it from the shop TV but that went away when we tossed all the Direct TV equipment.

 

[Gerald O]

Old Sony boombox with AM/FM radio and cassette tape player. Then I have a Radio Shack blue tooth adapter that drops into the cassette player.

 

[isb cornbinder]

I use my shop laptop and a set of BOSE powered speakers. This works really well for the news, the nudes and You Tube

 

[doubleot]

Old Panasonic 5 CD changer with sub. I bought the axillary adapter and have my iPod hooked up. It's loud enough I can wash my cars in the driveway and hear it clearly.

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[GRX]

All my local stations are streamed on the internet. For radio I use a Samsung galaxy S4 connected to WiFi, and played through 1,200 amp and 15" 5-way speakers.

 

[crewchief888]

Rack mount pro/DJ gear; 1700W in amps, active cross over, 1/3 octave EQ
RF car audio speakers, 12" subs and 5.25 separates in custom boxes.
Mostly used equipment I got on the cheap but it is brutal at full throttle.

i use pro audio gear in the basement, and an old JVC CD player. no bluetooth, no streaming.
upstairs the wife uses a bluetooth adapter from her phone to a simple 100w 2channel reciever and a pair of bookshelf type speakers.

out in the garage i have an old bookshelf receiver (with a CD player that doesnt work) that belonged to one of the kids. JBL studio series speakers and powered sub that we used to use in the house.
i only listen to local radio out there.

 

[jimreed2160]

I replaced a 30 yo boom box with a DeWalt radio and love it. Works on A/C and three kinds of batteries. Has presets. FM reception is many times better than old tunebox. Will probably bring it inside for hurricane in case we lose power.

 

[P91P_photo]

I've used these speakers for a couple years now. Bought them at Costco. Great sound quality. One of them took a hard fall from about 5 feet up still sounds awesome but it does have a gnarly scratch. My favorite thing about these is that you can use them alone in separate rooms or you can use them together and create stereo sound. Meaning left and right audio. Plug one in on one side of your garage and one on the other side of your garage the stereo sound quality is awesome. I'd recommend getting these or a newer version of these and for the actual AM/FM radio stations I always use radio.com app. Crystal clear sound quality versus the radio sounding muffled or static.

2 pk Acoustic Research Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speakers Premier Series https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WNNJ4QS/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[Crazyjake8493]

I have an old Panasonic stereo with a cheap bluetooth receiver in the corner of the garage by the TV, but most often I use my Milwaukee M12/M18 bluetooth speaker. I never listen to the radio, just bluetooth streaming music or podcasts.

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,... A Bose wave,.... Love it,...

Also 1 in the house, 'n 1 at camp,...

 

[frank001]

So, as I'm nearing completion of my small shop/garage.... I've been using this cheapo walmart phillips bluetooth speaker and streaming pandora most of the time when I'm working. Now that I officially have shelter, I'd like to snag up something better.

I'm a new found Milwaukee Cordless tools fan (M18 only) and have had my eye on the the Milwaukee M18 Bluetooth radio/charger. But it's a ripe $200 for a radio. And I can buy the M18 chargers for $20 if I needed another.

I'd like to be able to tune to local stations, and has to have bluetooth.
What do you guys like to use in your shop?

I use a radio from a car powered by a 12vdc plugin wall transformer. Has pushbuttons for the stations and bluetooth. Car radios are convenient to use and fairly inexpensive. Sometimes even free.




http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=284998&highlight=frank001