I know Palomino has built several bluetooth boomboxes, and I've been itching to build one as well. Has anyone else built one? Who was it that built the one with the great bass at Decfest? I remember something about a Dayton 2.1 amp, but I was so exhausted I don't remember anything else about it including who built it!

I think it would be fun to use this thread as a show and tell.  :)  

As soon as I get more info, I'm planning on adding it to my queue of woodworking projects for this winter.  

The gentleman who made it what is the one with the full beard  who camped out in the backyard overnight.   I unfortunately forgot his name.  The cigar I was enjoying put me in a semi euphoric state

The bass that came out of that unit was really good.

Donnie.....Maybe try using those outdoor cement cylindrical tubes as the enclosure.   You could fiberglass over it to give it some rigidity. Just a thought.

The last speaker box I made when I was in college was a ported bass box.  It housed an 8 inch single driver connected to a 60 W mono car amplifier.    It was actually not that hard, and produced really good results.

Just remember to pay attention of the specs on the driver. In the paperwork, it should tell you the recommended minimum enclosure space.  

Donnie.....

Hell yeah.....Great minds think alike!!  Now that is badass!!  I have an old spare Polk Driver laying around, I may need make this my winter project.  

A while back I had purchased a pair of low profile subs (I think they were Pioneers) that fit behind my two seater sports car.  Independently they were decent, but together they put out just enough bass to fill the car with great sound when the roof was off.  

Maybe instead of going with one big slamming driver, building pair or two of smaller drivers housed in a minimalist enclosure,  and spread them out across the room as “sleepers”.

I have noticed as I’ve gotten older my taste in the type of bass has changed. While I still enjoy the overly loud and slammin’ bass; nice low frequency and tightly focused bass is more enjoyable these days.   Now.... if we are talking about a home theater movie, then all bets are off.   I want an explosion to knock me off the chair!!  

That looks like something from "Back to the Future!"  

Now that is one gigantic boom box....impressive!! I can only imagine how that sounds!!

I think I need to resurrect my old powered Bazooka Bass tube....I’m starting to feel “bass envy”.

So has the challenge been thrown down? Are we planning a Boom Box off?
I can see this going full nuclear.
We need rules.
How big can we go?
Only using the little 2.1 amp?
Is it still a boom box if it takes a semi to transport??  
I need guidance or I could go overboard.

I've also decided my 1st Gen Boombox is going to be Plywood.

I don't think I'll say much beyond that.  

Uh Donnie, it has to be carried by one human.

I wonder why I would share a picture of a 7 cubic foot garbage can.....?
Easily transported by one person.
Garbage in garbage out.

 Dammit Donnie. This is just the sort of thing that compels deranged minds to build hopeless audio endeavors. MY plan used a 5 gallon bucket, and that is what made all the difference.

We are not worthy

I have a question.
When you are putting your 12" woofers in your garbage can boom box do you hook the drivers up in parallel or series?
Also how do you tame the resonance issues of thin plastic?
Another problem is that it seems to roll all over the place on its own.
This thing is crazy!!

*Edit* While I was being facetious about how to wire this, I found out quickly that my sub amp didn't like a 2 ohm load, it is now a nice safe 8 ohms.

Anyone figure out what sub was used in that boombox at Decfest?  

I have a design in mind, I just need to figure out the bass drivers and pick up the plywood. I just had a revelation today and decided I will include a sub...I just need to find those drivers!

Either that one or this one:

https://www.parts-express.com/tang-band-w5-1138smf-5-1-4-paper-cone-subwoofer-sp...

And yes it was a larger passive on the other end.

Seems that 2.1 amp will drive it from what I’ve read.

Your battery is going to be key (and somewhat expensive).

12v is not going to give you much power in that amp.  24v would be more like it.

I've tried about 4 battery types over the years.  Not a big fan of the RC LiPo batteries.  LifePo4 is what I have found works best.  Anything that works is fine for the test.

Well I'm getting my garbage can project up and running again. I just placed a big order with Parts Express for some 4" full range drivers and a 2.1 amplifier board.
Unfortunately the amp is back ordered until March.
I also ordered a couple of real cheap 12" subwoofer drivers and some other 8" Bofu drivers for other projects.
I'm also finishing up plans for a pair of gigantic single driver speakers, the kind of thing that no wife would ever let into HER home.

I got my subwoofer driver last week.  Like Donnie, the amp is on backorder.  I did find what I think is the same thing for around $20 cheaper on ebay, but a long ship time from China.

Take notice gentlemen.  Donnie is redefining the genre.   A true trendsetter and visionary.

Things are now officially getting stupid. I'm in my element.

Quote:


I do seem to have fun with my little "projects".
It seems as though my ideas end up being a little on the original side.

I was hoping to setup my new stainless steel firepit today, and work in the garage a bit...but it's like crazy windstorm right now.

My amp is on the way too.  

New stainless steel firepit?  Yukon ?

I wa checking the tracking on my Parts Express amp board. It left Ohio, zoomed past my home in Illinois to Kansas. I figure that it will next go to Kentucky by way of Minnesota to finally arrive here late this week on the back of pack mules.
Logistics, you got to love its efficiency.

It went via USPS so it’s a crap shoot. Mine looks like it’s in a Chicago suburb.

I got mine Wednesday and hooked it up to an old Boombox with the same woofer/tweeter combo I’ll be using in the new box.  For a sub I hooked up one of my DIY DM945s (my new sub driver is supposed to go lower).  I have to say I was impressed with the sound.

I really like being able to adjust the treble and sub crossover/volume.  And the Bluetooth is way better than I had before. Great range.  Also with just 12 volts it was way louder than I need it to be.

I haven’t cut any wood yet.  That will wait for warmer weather.

Gotta laugh, the “CUP” is the first thing that caught my eye in your picture. We’ll call it developmental supplements...like Wheaties, but tastier!

Some progress is being made.



Take that Donnie with your fancy smancy waste receptacle boom box.

i will mount the drivers and glue it up this weekend.  Not sure if I will have the crossover built to give it a listen.

Paging Donnie, paging Dr. Donnie.

I made a lot of progress this last weekend.  I got everything but the lid glued up and gave it a try and found a rattle.  Drove me nuts finding it.  The sub puts out some volume and everything has to be really tight.  It turns out it was the port (even though it was screwed and glued.

I am working on mine now.

Which 4” PE drivers?

You certainly have room for the 8”.

If you haven’t already played around with it you’ll find you have lots of flexibility with the amp to set cross over, tune the highs etc.

Well I bolted it together it today, wired it all up and played it. There is a need for a LOT of development in the future. I'm not 100% on how the amp will be mounted and what to use for a power source.
Oh yeah, I might have a little resonance problem. It shakes like a Chevy Caprice with 6 15's sitting in front of a liquor store at midnight. Boomrrrrrrrratttttttllllllleeeee!!!!!!
Hmmm, maybe a lot of expanding foam? Or build some wooden backers on the inside.

   

I am pretty much done with mine.  As I may have mentioned before its a boominator mini on the sides with a .5L ported sub cabinet using a Dayton Audio 6.5" sub driver.  Same 2.1 Parts Express amp that Donnie is using.

The mid drivers are Aura NS6 (out of production) and tweeter is a Dayton Audio NDF16 crossed at about 4K.  Some people have come up with alternate drivers since the NS6 is hard to find.

Here is the boomintor mini thread: https://forum.speakerplans.com/boominator-mini-development-thread_topic74610.htm...

I am very happy with the sound.  Deep bass, nice mids and decent highs from the Dayton Audio tweets.  My kids have officially endorsed the bass for their thumping exaggerated bass that's in 99.9% of their music.

Some of that is due to the amp's power and flexibility.  Great control of the cross-over point, and the ability to adjust the treble are big helps. I don't think I will run it off more than 12V, but I could if I wanted to.

The amp box on the top is a little kludgy,but it can be removed and used separately if I add speaker taps.  While its not as loud as my full boominator builds with the sensitive PA drivers (>100db), it has deeper bass, sounds better and is really light in comparison.  I tested it last weekend and it will fill the beach in Michigan withsound if I want it to.  I was concerned the bass wouldn't carry but it does to a certain extent.  Certainly if you are close to it.

Thanks Lon.  I spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer and like to have halfway decent sound while I am out there.

This is my fifth boombox build and probably the best.  I have two others with essentially the same drivers that I am thinking of adding a sub cabinet to and giving them to my kids so they don't use this one.

The smaller ones are fine but lacked bass under 100hz.  The big one goes a bit lower but is 65lbs and doesn't have as good a sound quality.

Granted, they are no garbage can builds, but I am still proud of my work on these.

Palo,
I am impressed!
Your skills are staggering.
I may move away from the garbage can build. There are too many problems to overcome. But then again overcoming problems is kind of what I do.
In the last few weeks various wood working tools have shown up in my garage, I have tons of drivers and the amplifier already laying about....
The best feature of the garbage can is the wheels and handle that make it easy to move about. Maybe the spirit of the garbage can is what needs to be persued.

A friend came over yesterday evening and we took in the warm weather and the sun sitting out on my patio. I wheeled the boombox out and blutoothed it to my laptop and started playing it.
After we stopped blasting it and lowered the volume to a nice conversational level the sound bloomed.
Nice bass and easy to listen to. No ugly resonance or anything bad at all.
It played for a good 3 hours on one drill battery, so I'm going to stick with DeWalt for power.
There are still many ideas to try before I quit on it.
I now have a table saw and router with a hole jig and a bunch of other tools, perhaps the quality of my builds can step up to what I dream up.
I'm cleaning my garage today, getting rid of a winter's worth of crud. My garage system is being downsized for a few weeks until I finish up some humongous speakers that are 2nd in the queue. My beloved quarter wave subs are going to a friend's place so that he can annoy his neighbors.

Sometimes you just grab the first thing you see and run with a idea.
The highest quality Boombox goes with any decor.
Note the asymmetrical duct tape job holding the drivers in.
Asymmetry is all of the rage in high end design in Europe, or possibly Antarctica, I always get them confused.
It sounds pretty good, not as good as the Garbage can in back to back tests, but come on what is a cardboard Dayton Audio box to a Garbage can?

BTW Donnie, I think you and I are the only ones reading this thread.

Ha! I'm reading. . . just don't have anything specific to offer. Don't use or know much about boomboxes these days, don't DIY, and admire the skills of both of you.

Bet a few others are reading as well. . . .

I always figured that the only people who read anything I wrote were invalids and shut ins. Like people in iron lungs or or perhaps being held against their will by nefarious characters.

Yeah, me too!

Nice👍🏼!

Trick photography.

I had to go with wood over cardboard.  I leave the true artistry to the gifted ones.

Weird you got no juice.  Did you sell the big saw?