Speakers for the Garage?

[spike0137]

Hey All

I have built a 28x50 garage that consists of 2 rooms one 28x30 one 28x20. Looking to get a set of speakers for the main shop for now and am lost on what would work good. They would have to be not powered. Going to a 145w reciever I think... Would like them to be dirt cheap but I know you can buy decent stuff for nothing but do not want to pay more than a few hundred. Any help would be appreciated. I have been checking goodwill and thrift stores with no luck. Also craigslist.

Thanks

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[Mark118]

For my garage, which is about the size of your smaller section, I bought a Vizio 36" 2.1 Bluetooth soundbar that comes with a powered subwoofer. It's available for ~$150 & fits about anywhere. Sound is astonishing and plenty of volume for your space. Just an idea.

 

[jcthorne]

I got rid of the old receiver and bookshelf speakers and installed an Amazon Echo. Its great to be able to adjust volume or change what is playing while your hands are filthy or in the middle of something. I did not think it would be enough sound for my 18 x 40 shop but its plenty loud.

'Alexa, play some music'

 

[fteufert]

Find a cheap surround sound system from a computer.

I have it hooked up to an old phone with the Sirius XM app.

Cheap and sounds great

 

[207racing]

Get an older home theater(5.1) with surround speakers and a powered subwoofer. did this in my 30x40 and it sounds great. I can also listen to Pandora thru my phone via bluetooth.

 

[RGKSR]

My existing receiver had a a&b switch for two sets of speakers. I purchased 2 sets of indoor/outdoor speakers on Amazon. My garage is 33x44 (old) and 32x48 (new). I placed the speakers on the trusses on opposite sides. I just ran speaker wire to hook them up.

They work good enough for my tin ears.

 

[crewchief888]

i used the leftover/unused home stereo speakers that were in the house, and a leftover (broken CD player) bookshelf receiver.

JBL studio series speakers and a JBL 10" powered sub

 

[Shadowdog500]

I use the speaker system from an old computer in my 30’x52’ shop.

 

[Done That]

Grabbed my old Advent Prodigy towers out of the basement, bought new woofers from Parts Express for $25 and they are sounding great.

Refurbing some classics is easy and cheap.

 

[matt_i]

I started with an 80s college stereo system, Sony STR unit.

I had Design Acoustics PS-10 speakers, but the surrounds rotted out. Thanks to the internet I found some new surrounds at Parts Express (.com) and repaired them. Then I got on craigslist and found some PS-6 with similar issues. Repaired those. On an impulse purchase I got a "house brand" 15" powered subwoofer also from Parts Express. Very nice. Next I'd like to have a bluetooth wireless connection for the sub so I could move the box around (have plenty of outlets) but not be tied to a signal cord.

 

[floridafarmer]

Between garage sales and Craigslist - be a little patient and you can put a thumper of a system together for very little cash.

Current main speakers are a set of 15" Jensens, a set of Bose 501's, and a set of Klipsch for some balance. Add in 3 powered subs all driven by an Integra receiver feeding an Adcom 555 2 channel amp (Just a little more power for the Jensens). All in, I spent less than $250 for everything.

Like Matt i mentioned - I bought a bluetooth adapter and drive it all from an Ipad. I will say there is a big difference in these bluetooth devices, I had to buy a couple different models until I found one that was clean without static and popping sounds.

Last pic is my old Motorola 8 track from my 71 mustang with the tape that was usually in it.. Still works on a 12 volt battery when we lose power from a hurricane!

 

[Unruh]

I went to Goodwill and got an entire system (5 Boston speakers and Yamaha receiver) for under $50.

 

[Mpower5266]

I use a small bose bluetooth or pandora on the tv using my firestick.

 

[wannabridin]

I'm a bit of an audiophile, but also love a good deal. I scoured ebay/Amazon until I found what I have now, which is better than any of the other speakers in my house...

I'm using an Onkyo A-9050 integrated amp (75 W/channel), a Klipsch R-10SWi powered wireless sub and Klipsch R-15M bookshelf speakers. The sound is unreal and has almost no distortion at any level. And I know I'm not doing the system ANY justice out there, as it's all feeding through a Roku player, so SQ is completely dependent on incoming signal...

 

[NUTTSGT]

Check out pawnshops, cash advance places, rent to own stores for used/returned/repo units.

When searching CL, try to use keywords such as Bose, Marantz. Technics or Fisher or any other name brand.

Be patient.

 

[thickhead]

See links below. I wouldnt change a thing. Great sound and a great deal for 8” three way speakers. They sound good with any type of music you can think of too.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=381829

https://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio_visual/speaker_systems/ns-6490/index.html


Tried a sound bar, bluetooth speakers, Bose Wave, etc and this new setup blows them all out of the water.

 

[Knotgoalie]

I went with "leftovers". I collect old higher end home audio from 60s~00s as well as some "mutts". I used an 80s Onkyo rec, a cheap LG BluRay and a pair of Polk Rt35i 2 way bookshelf boxes.

Being rural, cable is out for the barn but I did construct my own FM antenna...a J-pole...



I set it up for a standard F connector with a twist. I made the entire connector plate as a slider to allow for tuning mid band FM...





With a ground lug on the bottom..

 

[isb cornbinder]

After decades of faithfully paying for my cable to the garage the cable company said I had not been paying my bills and cut the cable service. I have receipts. As fast as I was able to show my receipts the cable company changed their "story" and said their policy is to not supply cable to my shop unless I change the house to them. I refused to change. The cable remains disconnected and I now have WiFi from the house. I get the signal with my old laptop and it is patched into my trusty old KENWOOD amp. My shop speakers were Cerwin Vega until I moved them into the house and now I have some garage sale AKAI wood cabinet speakers. The speakers were $20 for the pair. I have more good speakers from the Disco Daze, in the basement. RIP Barry White.

 

[Rorin67]

If space and looks are a concern, put in two (or more) ceiling speakers and put a powered sub in a cabinet. All out of sight and sounds great. Did this at my last place and intend to do it again.

 

[77Mini]

Get an older home theater(5.1) with surround speakers and a powered subwoofer. did this in my 30x40 and it sounds great. I can also listen to Pandora thru my phone via bluetooth.

I got a large older stereo system with cabinet and surround speakers (2 larger, 3 small) from my inlaws for $50. Thought it was a steal for the garage.......then I spent $140 in speaker wire...lol. Its a pretty good setup now so i'm not too upset.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Being rural, cable is out for the barn but I did construct my own FM antenna...a J-pole...



......

You might want to copy/paste that post and add it into the linked thread below. You have a great idea.

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=294533

 

[tt455]

I have a pair of BOSE 301 speakers I bought new over 30 years ago and they are more than enough for my 20x30 garage. Amazing that they still work after all these years, I keep them on top of my cabinets.

 

[glider]

These caught my eye today.

https://flint.craigslist.org/for/d/fisher-speakers/6518028104.html

 

[Copymutt]

Don't pay retail on new units. I also just upgraded to a $20.00 Pioneer early home theater and hooked it up to my Ultralinear Disco Monitor 260's, Pioneer CS 05s units and a center 12. Now have 5 channels with delay ft to rear. Ordered an Alexa Dot today on sale,Amazon Prime for $39.00. Hardwires to my system. Have good internet here and Prime includes mega music libraries. If I get bored with that my other inputs are Akia reel to reel with 100s of San Fran. 70's radio recordings, 5 disk CD, Tuner, double deck cassette, turn table with 100's of albums, TV, Fender guitar.
Amazon Prime is $99.00 per year, gets you movies, music, great discount on tools, supplies and no ship charge.
Check out two forums for info and sellers you can trust more than Craig's list. Audio karma and Hifi engine.
Enjoy,


Jim

 

[Stevie-Ray]

I kinda lucked out and am using my castoffs in the garage, a 24x48. A Pioneer Dolby Pro-Logic receiver from circa 1990 or earlier, the Cerwin Vega D3As I had as front speakers and the Pioneer 10" 3 ways I had in the basement as B speakers. The receiver sits atop a Cerwin Vega SW-12B, passive subwoofer. The Pioneer/CV **** was all in my living room at one time, til the wife got upset about it taking up too much room. Went to Bose Accoustimass surround at that time, increasing my space by ¾. Saved all the stuff, knowing eventually they would be used this way. When I moved, it all went with me, and when I built the garage.....well, here we are. Nothing is cheaper than what you already have on hand. I also have Bose outdoor speakers, mounted on swivels, so I can open the windows in the garage, swing the Bose into the open windows, hit the B speaker button and have music at my firepit. The Bose outdoors were mounted under the awning on my front porch in my previous house.