Shop Stereo Options; Lets Discuss

[Augus7us]

So I'm slowly working towards the finish line of well... Finishing the inside of my shop.

And with that comes the great responsibility of having install a kick *** stereo system. I have an idea in my head that I will discuss for feedback below, but first I thought I would see what everyone else is doing.

I read some stuff on here but it is all over the place. What I'm looking for is something beyond a boom box with subwoofers, but not a 10k cinema suite. New or used and preferably something I can run a TV through.

What have you guys come up with?

 

[Augus7us]

Here is my current plan, feel free to pick it apart.

I built a mezzanine and I plan on closing the top 4' or so in with metal barn panels.

My idea was to find some nice used old school stack speakers with a woofer, mid and tweeter. Then take them out of the box and cut holes in my barn panels and screw the speakers to a backer piece of plywood and do that for the sub, mid and tweet on the left and right side of my mezzanine. I'd run that to a receiver in my closet below and mount a tv in the center of the barn panels above the mezzanine.

Thoughts?

 

[rattle_snake]

This is what I did, used equipment, leftovers, gearhead theme. 1700W, it does the job.
more info here: https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=436574



I suggest not taking the drivers out of the boxes. just use as is and integrate as needed to make it look how you want.

 

[gungatim]

amps and speakers are so plentiful at yard sales that you can have a really kick *** system for around $40...

 

[Ralf11]

the speakers are designed to work inside the cabinets, most use a ported design - so the sound quality will go way down if removed

 

[CoogarXR]

Most garages have terrible acoustics. I like bass I can feel. It took a hell of a lot more power and speakers to achieve the sound I wanted in the garage, verses what you'd need in an average living room.

Right now I have two small Cerwin Vegas above my bench for when I don't want to disturb people (late at night, or whatever).

But when I am ready to blast, I have 4 15" speakers, one in each corner up on shelves, and a 21" subwoofer on the floor.

 

[NBN]

you will loose the dynamic capabilities of the speakers if you remove the woofers from the box. while aesthetically pleasing, the vibrations from the barn tin rattling will become unnerving at a point and you will wish that you would have just kept things simple.

 

[NBN]

to add to my comment above, we had a mcintosh setup with large klipsch speakers in the shop, while it would get plenty loud and sound really good, certain notes created a constant vibration of the barn tin interior walls that really took away from the sound. Think large subs in the trunk of a car without sound dampening in place

 

[Black300zx]

you will loose the dynamic capabilities of the speakers if you remove the woofers from the box. while aesthetically pleasing, the vibrations from the barn tin rattling will become unnerving at a point and you will wish that you would have just kept things simple.

2nd this - I think your plan will leave your mezzanine rattling like a '93 civic with with a system

 

[Renegade1LI]

Going old school, pioneer amp, tuner & speakers, SA-8800 amp TX-8800 tuner & a pair of HPM-100 speakers, I love the sound of those amps plus the flourascan display looks good.

 

[duneslider]

What are you all using to get music from your phone to the system? I don't like bluetooth for several reasons but mostly range. I used to really like the google chromecast audio, that worked great but they don't make it any more.

What other options are out there? I have sonos in the house but don't like all their restrictions on what you can and can't play through it. The chromecast let you send anything you wanted to it and it kept playing if the phone left the area.

 

[banjopete]

I just scoured the local buy and sell and found some sweet, big, heavy, west German speakers from once upon a time and connected them to a Bluetooth mini amp.

Maybe not fancy audiophile good but more than enough for my 2 car garage. It bangs, and the speakers have a cool mid century modern vibe to them. I'm a sucker for vintage but in this case it was also super functional.

 

[NBN]

What are you all using to get music from your phone to the system? I don't like bluetooth for several reasons but mostly range. I used to really like the google chromecast audio, that worked great but they don't make it any more.

What other options are out there? I have sonos in the house but don't like all their restrictions on what you can and can't play through it. The chromecast let you send anything you wanted to it and it kept playing if the phone left the area.

Cheap IPOD/mp3 player with all of my music loaded on it. Come into the shop, turn on the stereo and push play. Haven't heard the same song in more than a week listening 7-8 hours a day. And no commercials.

 

[Ilikeike]

Check Amazon also.

I picked up a nice factory refurb Bluetooth Denon surround receiver off amazon a few years back, hooked to a TV and hodgepodge speaker setup. and lots of sub bass.

Two Klipsch 6.5" in celling speakers, a Klipsch center channel speaker, and two Yamaha book shelf speakers with 8" woofers in them, also Amazon.

used an old unused powered 12" velodyne sub from when I upgraded house surround setup.

then took one of the 1000w amps and 12" JLw6 subs out of my boat and rigged it up for extra bump.
(which I just replaced, and just posted in the "what did you do in garage thread" today)

My 3 car garage hits hard !


I leave an old iPhone 6 in the garage for pandora, since that's what I mostly use.
I have a 5 and 3s iphones that still work for streaming laying around, they are great for that.

 

[duneslider]

Cheap IPOD/mp3 player with all of my music loaded on it. Come into the shop, turn on the stereo and push play. Haven't heard the same song in more than a week listening 7-8 hours a day. And no commercials.

Who actually has mp3's anymore?
I have lots of stuff on mp3 but I stopped buying/stealing music in that format years ago and mostly use pandora, spotify, etc for music now days. I do still listen to the old tracks I have but frankly, that stuff in on the streaming services too.

My biggest issue with bluetooth is when I walk out of the garage the music stops and starts playing in my hearing aid and then I have to reconnect when I come back in. Hearing aid makes me seem old huh! Protect your ears kids...

 

[NBN]

Who actually has mp3's anymore?
I have lots of stuff on mp3 but I stopped buying/stealing music in that format years ago and mostly use pandora, spotify, etc for music now days. I do still listen to the old tracks I have but frankly, that stuff in on the streaming services too.

My biggest issue with bluetooth is when I walk out of the garage the music stops and starts playing in my hearing aid and then I have to reconnect when I come back in. Hearing aid makes me seem old huh! Protect your ears kids...

hahahaha, Im a technological dinosaur

Hey it works, of course I still change cds in my truck and buy cassettes when I go to goodwill. Dont get me wrong, I like my Pandora, but the BT range or being tied to an aux wire is bothersome at times.

And truthfully, most people listen to the same music today as when MP3 was popular.

 

[e015475]

I had the Chromecast audio too, but recently switched to a Rockfish Bluetooth receiver (about $50 at Best Buy)

Chromecast audio didn't get along very well with Spotify but the Rockfish BT works first time everytime. I try to put my phone down in the same place when I'm working in the shop so I don't loose it, so range really isn't an issue

I had a 7.1 A/V receiver in the house and recently bought a soundbar/subwoofer to replace it. (It is a lot less fussy than the receiver to use with the TV, and the wife complained about the satellite speakers) The 7.1 A/V amp went out to my shop

The Sony amp powers two smallish Harmon Kardon bookshelf speakers and a 10" Polk Audio subwoofer. Pretty much yard-sale stuff. Like Rattle Snake, I mounted them high on the wall to keep them from getting damaged. The sub is behind the workbench where it can't see any weld spatter or grinding sparks.

I have a 55" TV hanging from the wall about 7' off the floor to try to minimize damage. Eventually I'll run an optical cable over to the Sony amp so the sound will play through audio system. I have an old center channel speaker I'll mount under the TV to see if I can get a little better talking voice clarity when I'm watching Youtube

I bought a Logitec wireless keyboard for the TV that I keep in a keyboard tray under the bench top. Very handy for searching for videos when you're in the middle of a repair or project. I keep the keyboard, remotes and my phone on the keyboard tray so I don't lose them.

 

[e015475]

"Protect your ears kids........"

Spent way too much time around jet engines and have some serious attenuation at higher frequencies.

The upside is, however, it does't take a really great stereo system to sound pretty good to me.

 

[Bert_]

Mounted to the wall or left in the cabinets like they really should be isn't going to matter that much. Anything serious is going to make that tin buzz and rattle so much it will drive you nuts.

 

[Bert_]

Who actually has mp3's anymore?
I have lots of stuff on mp3 but I stopped buying/stealing music in that format years ago and mostly use pandora, spotify, etc for music now days. I do still listen to the old tracks I have but frankly, that stuff in on the streaming services too.

My biggest issue with bluetooth is when I walk out of the garage the music stops and starts playing in my hearing aid and then I have to reconnect when I come back in. Hearing aid makes me seem old huh! Protect your ears kids...

Spotify, pandora, ect you have to stream the music every time you listen. I'm not paying for bandwidth to stream the same stuff. I can listen to an mp3 without even needing an internet connection.

 

[Ilikeike]

Spotify, pandora, ect you have to stream the music every time you listen. I'm not paying for bandwidth to stream the same stuff. I can listen to an mp3 without even needing an internet connection.

No unlimited data plan ?

 

[Brent T]

I have small Infiniti Speakers mounted to the garage door track brackets with a 12" Sub in the front corner of the garage hooked to a Yamaha amplifier. I also have a 32" flat screen mounted to a drop ceiling mount between the garage doors. I ran HDMI and speaker cable from the amplifier location through the attic to the TV before I insulated. I'm using a Roku to stream and have the app on my phone. I mostly stream my own music through EMBY, but can also access any of the popular streaming apps, and YouTube, etc., through the Roku. I paid $75 for the speakers, sub and amp at Goodwill on 50% off day. About $30 for the Roku and another $50 or so for the TV mount. The TV was free from my son who didn't need it anymore. So I'm about $155 all in. At some point I'll get some better speakers, but doesn't sound bad for now. All the hard work is done.

 

[glend123]

pick up a vintage stereo and speakers at a garage sale. you can hook up your phone to it with a 3.5mm x rca cord or listen to the radio.
here's mine. just put it in last week.

 

[Ilikeike]

Here's a Pic of my Amazon refurb receiver.

Here's a refurb similar to what I got on Amazon ..$229
https://www.denon.com/en-us/product...zp4BR6H8r1JHy2h1DLfzzmnwX-ArD_OhoCoAcQAvD_BwE



Since we're all DIY types here, you could always build your own sub with something similar to this https://www.parts-express.com/Dayto...W-Subwoofer-Plate-Amplifier-with-DSP-300-8010

 

[jabelding]

I purchased these, they have amazing sound and take input from my phone or my TV. I mostly stream all my music. My garage is 1000sqft and all the sound and base I need. keep them up on top of my cabinets. https://www.ebay.com/itm/352993162270

 

[Citation]

pick up a vintage stereo and speakers at a garage sale. you can hook up your phone to it with a 3.5mm x rca cord or listen to the radio.
here's mine. just put it in last week.

So many options but for many I feel like this is the easiest thing. Some set of stereo speakers, an old receiver (old means just about anything without HDMI!), and either an RCA to 1/4 jack or a Bluetooth receiver and your phone or laptop.

I did the 2.1 computer speakers but my garage is tiny and I don't spend much time in it. Instead of a simple BT receiver I use an Amazon Echo Dot connected via the 1/4" plug. I can ask Amazon to play music or connect to my phone via BT.

I picked the computer speakers over the receiver only because I had them.

 

[Renegade1LI]

I just picked this set up of marketplace for 100$, it's in beautiful condition, everything works, I think this is the new shop set up. I was originally using a bigger amp than found this, it's perfect and sound great, plus I like the silverface vintage look.

 

[Fasthotrod]

I went this route... two 18" Peavey Black Widow subs, two Peavey 15" cabs, a mixer, a couple of Crown 1500 XLS amps, a digital crossover, and a digital EQ.

It all sits up on the mezzanine above the office, and I run CD's through the DVD player, or stream from my phone via Bluetooth.

 

[Black300zx]

Regarding input sources, call me old fashioned, but I love just listening to live radio when I'm working in the garage. I tend to get song ADHD if I have control of the content, constantly flipping songs until I find what I'm in the mood for (until 3 minutes later....).

I've got this bad boy piping analog FM waves into my stereo over coax . It was there when I moved in, and I didn't realize how awesome it was until I realized it picks up my favorite Philadelphia stations from northeaster MD. Nothing better than listening to a ballgame on a spring afternoon while working on the car with a beer!

 

[Jagmandave]

I don't understand the big LOUD stereo in the shop - I like music on in the background, but loud gets annoying fast.

I have an old laptop I use for looking up parts and such and just run "internet radio" for music.

There are tons of categories of music and lots of stations to choose from in each category so I never have to listen to the same thing twice if I don't want to. The fun part is discovering new stations from around the world - I even listened to Japanese pop for a bit - it was kind of fun!

It's plenty loud enough to hear anywhere in my small shop.

 

[gmcgeo]

I don't understand the big LOUD stereo in the shop - I like music on in the background, but loud gets annoying fast.

I have an old laptop I use for looking up parts and such and just run "internet radio" for music.

There are tons of categories of music and lots of stations to choose from in each category so I never have to listen to the same thing twice if I don't want to. The fun part is discovering new stations from around the world - I even listened to Japanese pop for a bit - it was kind of fun!

It's plenty loud enough to hear anywhere in my small shop.

I am the same way, i use a Dewalt stereo. Bluetooth, when i walk in it connects to my phone and starts playing where i left off. quietly though, i can not concentrate on my tasks with loud music. everyone is different though.

 

[wave1]

I just picked this set up of marketplace for 100$, it's in beautiful condition, everything works, I think this is the new shop set up. I was originally using a bigger amp than found this, it's perfect and sound great, plus I like the silverface vintage look.

What a Find! Nice! Be sure to dust them often. Will you be using the turntable? If so, probably best to replace the stylus and cartridge. A Ortofon Red or an Audio Technica AT95 E will give excellent sound for a budget cartridge.

 

[wave1]

I am the same way, i use a Dewalt stereo. Bluetooth, when i walk in it connects to my phone and starts playing where i left off. quietly though, i can not concentrate on my tasks with loud music. everyone is different though.

I don't play loud often, but when I want to, I can, But I want quality not quantity.

 

[gmcgeo]

I don't play loud often, but when I want to, I can, But I want quality not quantity.

I agree quality is a big factor, However i like quality on my home theater system. My air tools usually drowned out my music in my shop.

But a very good point, when you want it loud its able to and sound great at the same time

 

[CoogarXR]

Power and large speakers isn't always about "loud". I know in my post I said I like to blast, and I do. But I like it crisp and punchy at all levels.

When I am working on a difficult problem, I prefer quiet. No music at all. But when I am doing something I have done a million times, or something that doesn't require much brain power, I rock out, lol.

 

[niget2002]

What are you all using to get music from your phone to the system? I don't like bluetooth for several reasons but mostly range. I used to really like the google chromecast audio, that worked great but they don't make it any more.

What other options are out there? I have sonos in the house but don't like all their restrictions on what you can and can't play through it. The chromecast let you send anything you wanted to it and it kept playing if the phone left the area.

I have a ROKU plugged into my TV via hdmi. The TV then pushes the audio down to the stereo via optical.

I stream music from either spotify or Plex depending on what I'm wanting to listen to.

 

[Renegade1LI]

What a Find! Nice! Be sure to dust them often. Will you be using the turntable? If so, probably best to replace the stylus and cartridge. A Ortofon Red or an Audio Technica AT95 E will give excellent sound for a budget cartridge.

Agreed on replacing the cartridge & stylus, my plan is to install it into a HF side cabinet if they ever come back in stock. I plan on playing some vinyl, why not I love that sound.

 

[Bert_]

No unlimited data plan ?

Nope. No internet at the house either. Only option is the phone companies fiber which is way to expensive.

 

[NWOhioChevyGuy]

I use a JBL Bluetooth speaker - I'm one of the background type of music guys or a ballgame and stream from my phone. Don't think I have even turned this little guy all the way up since I started using it.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GAJ2OK4/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Simple - easy & I already had all the equipment.

 

[justjohn]

Pair of RCA Optimus compact speakers (with the wide dispersion ribbon tweeters), Yamaha sub, and blue tooth amp with exposed vacuum tubes. Only thing I went shopping for was the amp and that was for looks.