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Lil OT: Shop speakers..........whats out there?

david n

Diamond
Joined
Apr 13, 2007
Location
Pillager, MN
Gotta have good soundin tunes in the shop.................one speaker is gettin rattly. Don't want bluetooth units as I don't have power to the current speaker locations. They still make a decent "book shelf" speaker? I keep lookin' for somthing on my local CL, not much happen there. Don't need huge wattage, just something that will get the volume up over the machines..................TIA.
 
Over the ear bluetooth headphones. bonus is some passive sound protection and I can hear my phone and pick it up right thru the headset. I just stream pandora, local radio or podcasts throughout the day from my phone which just sits on its charger on my toolbox. Expect to pay at least $150+ for a good set that's comfortable enough to wear all day.
 
Oh yeah, workshop audio! I keep putting this on the back burner but have a lot of interest in "one day" having some better sounds in there. I have an old ipad that I use to access pandora or spotify and a portable type speaker thing that is more or less ok. The ipad is great in the garage because I can work the screen by touch even with latex gloves on, which is very nice but the sounds are not the greatest with using the audio out headphone jack on the ipad. Easy to wipe an ipad screen clean too!

Does anyone know or can recommend a setup for decent garage audio where the sound source starts with an ipad? I also like to stream individual songs or full albums sometimes on youtube and play DJ in between shop tasks. It's something I have been meaning to research but since this thread popped up I thought I would pile on!
 
Don't make the mistake I did. I bought a bookshelf system from a big box store without looking at the amplifier distortion specs. Threw it away. It was painful to listen to.

Now running a Yamaha receiver into some 5 1/4 automotive coax speakers mounted in sealed speaker boxes. Sounds pretty good. My lesson learned is start with a clean signal amplifier and any speaker will sound better.
 
I've got a pair of Monitor Audio MA2's that cost me £305 in 1980 at one end of the shed and a pair of second hand Mission 720's, which are very similar to the MA2's but without an integral stand, wall mounted at the other end. They're fed by an 80W/channel amp that gets its signal from a USB audio converter from the household's server, living in the computer cupboard in the shed. The shed is 300sf and I don't have to have the amp wound up too far unless I'm using a shell mill...
 
I have about 10 small Radio Shack bookshelf speakers arranged around the shop, connected to a commercial PA style amp. Not the right way, just wired direct. This allows most workstations to have a speaker nearby. That way you don't need to total volume to be high, each man can hear the speaker near him and in a noisy shop you'll never appreciate Stereo anyway. I don't think RS sells speakers anymore, just sharing the idea.
 
Over the ear bluetooth headphones. bonus is some passive sound protection and I can hear my phone and pick it up right thru the headset. I just stream pandora, local radio or podcasts throughout the day from my phone which just sits on its charger on my toolbox. Expect to pay at least $150+ for a good set that's comfortable enough to wear all day.

Can you suggest some specific models?
 
Depending upon your existing speakers, cheapest solution might be to replace the foam surrounds? Lots of old speakers get buzzy because the cone detaches from its frame. Maybe a $5 and 20 minute repair if replacement foam surrounds are available for your speakers.

Depending upon your listening habits, a cheap "Echo" device might be an input if you have access to Internet. 100's of internet stations available, plus time, weather, alarms, and Q&A available at your command.

For tiny powered speakers I still like the sound of the AR and later Advent "Powered Partners" speakers. They don't mind living in a shop and have a neat 1" pipe-mounting system for use as monitors that makes them easy to cram in most anywhere (e.g. hanging off a wall or ceiling).

In the age of most-everything-electronic-made-in-China, this would be a cheaper and almost as good sounding replacement, that will connect directly to something like music stored on a phone or tablet (through bluetooth or a headphone jack): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0719C132V/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=A23AS8PFN4IRUQ&psc=1

You would need to run an extension cord to a speaker.

You can also get a Bluetooth adapter to hook most any phone or tablet to an old school amp or receiver and any decent set of speakers. There are literally hundreds of amps and receivers and speakers that could sound OK. I'm partial to B&W, but have some nice sounding Polk, Pinnacle, and even some old Bose that are OK.
 
Can you suggest some specific models?
I really like my LG Tones. I think I have 730's which might not be sold anymore. Battery lasts forever and they have good sound quality. Only problem I have is they are a little base heavy.

Just don't buy them "refurbished. I bought a refurbished set and they had replaced all the internals with complete crap. Sounded and functioned totally different.

Teryk

Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk
 
Can you suggest some specific models?
I've been using a pair of Skullcandy Crusher for the past year and am very happy with them. they have memory foam ear cushions which work well with glasses. A full charge will last 8+ hrs.looks like they came down in price from when I got them. Bose had some that felt comfortable when I was last looking for a new headset. I wear glasses so comfort was #1 priority when looking.
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/skullc...VRJyzCh2EawkMEAYYAyABEgKZQfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
 
It really only works if you don't have to talk to people around you much, but the guys in the shop I'm in the most wear Bose QC35 II headphones. They are bluetooth connection to their phones which in turn stream whatever they want to listen to. Sort of inconvenient if you need to talk to each other, but fantastic working alone. Not ideal at high frequency sounds, so in a really noise shop I'd consider earplugs under them, but excellent at lower stuff. They're about the best thing since sliced bread on commercial airplanes as they cut out almost all of the engine noise. Also the only pair of headphones I've ever been able to wear comfortably for more than an hour or two, and I routinely have these on for 6+ hours. As with any headphones I wouldn't want to wear them in a really humid environment. They have an earbud version, but they didn't noise cancel very well for me.
 








 
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