Home built portable speaker box?

[UtahJarhead]

I want to make a speaker box. As it stands, if I want to go outside and listen to music, I have to take out a tinny portable radio, my laptop or tablet, a power strip, and an extension cord. Then I can hear mysic MOST of the way across my (small) garden so I'm not bored to death while weeding.

I want to create a speaker box. I'm not an audiophile, so I don't care too much about audio quality, just enough for basic music. I want it to be able to be loud, but not something that is going to destroy the windows. Here are my qualifications:

2 speakers (Mono? What ever!)
Standard audio input, either RCA or stereo miniplug. Adapters can get that format into what I want.
Fed by AC.
Volume knob
That's it!

I will build a box around it so I can set stuff on it, etc... I just don't know how to do the electronics. I assume I'll need a small amp, but all of the ones I know of are intended to be DC for cars. How would I find an amp (if that's what I need) for AC?

When all is said and done, it will be 2 speakers mounted in a wooden box, a volume knob or slider, a power switch, standard audio input in any format. I may end up building the box to be a little larger so it can have my laptop enclosed, but I dunno yet. That's minor in comparison to the speakers themselves.

So... who here knows audio equipment?!

[UtahJarhead]

Oh my... I think I've found what I am looking for!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Ammo-Box-Speakers-1/

[MarshallDodge]

Oh my... I think I've found what I am looking for!

http://www.instructables.com/id/Ammo-Box-Speakers-1/

That is pretty cool. I have a set of speakers to donate to the cause if you want them.

If it were me, I would get a battery pack for it and make it rechargeable. You could go with a bunch of rechargeable AA batteries, 11 in series would give you about 13.75 volts which is where most car amps like to work, or use a small gel cell type. This way you could buy one of those cheapie solar panels from Harbor Freight to charge it and take it camping, etc.

[quychang]

While I certainly can't dispute the cool factor of starting with an ammo can, I mean seriously..here? Have you considered hitting up a pawn shop or two for a boom box that would meet your needs? Unless you REALLY want to build it, and seriously don't care about sound quality, I think you can beat your build price. Myself, I prefer to go the Ipod/earbud route. I have a couple of pairs of Westone earbuds that seriously sound better than most speakers, I don't disturb anyone else, and even better to my way of thinking, the sound isolation is almost good enough to wear them to the range so I don't get disturbed either.

[UtahJarhead]

I have earbuds and they work fine. I want to be able to let others listen at the same time, though.

Marshall, I like the rechargable route, but we're adding a lot of cost. I could always add that on later, though!

I went searching for amps today and unless I go online or try to shove a full-size stereo receiver in there, I'd have to go with a car amp + converter so it can draw from 110. If that's the case, I may just put in a car stereo mounted internally instead of an amp route. Heck, they've got a low-end amp already in them!

[Zacharia]

Why try and reinvent the wheel? Get an inexpensive boom box, clock radio with aux input, or something along those lines.

I use a relatively inexpensive (~$25) pair of usb powered Walmart computer speakers hooked up to my phone (either mp3 or Pandora depending on my mood) around the house, yard, even in my radio-less work truck. You could easily mount a pair of those to a small box or platform and use a usb adapter to use ac or dc power. They use minimal power, with built in power conversion and volume control, and you would be WELL under budget.

Mine are plenty loud for anything short of listening to music while mowing.

[UtahJarhead]

Amplifier purchased.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003OE ... 00_s00_i00

Next up, the speakers!

[quychang]

Answer received...loud and clear....hmmm...you really are a marine, aren't you

Best of luck with your project, I used to love building stuff like that too..old age has made me lazy.

[UtahJarhead]

haha, it's just that smaller items like earbuds just don't fit the bill. The ammo box was chosen because when I saw others with the idea, it clicked. It's the perfect size, it's already waterproof, and I don't need any woodworking tools/skills!

[Cabinetmaker]

I was going to call a guy and see if I could get some advice on how to build a wood box, but it sounds like you have that covered.
On a more serious note they sell wireless speakers at best buy.

[UnderratedF00l]

Being a serious audiophile, I have a hard time imagining the sound that an ammo box can generate.

With that amp, you'll be able to pump some serious sound. Make sure you get some decent size speakers -- preferably bigger than those tiny 4-inchers in the ammo box picture.

[Tenuki]

For making it battery powered, does anybody know how much voltage is needed? I used to fly remote control airplanes and there are lithium polymer batteries available for fairly cheap now. They make them in packs - 3 or 4 in series. a series of three is 11.1v and a series of 4 is 14.8v. Now if we take (4) 2000 mah packs, place them in parallel, I would that that would give you some serious play time.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=16777 This pack, for example, would fit the bill quite nicely - assuming that a 3 cell series provides enough voltage. It is much cheaper to buy 4 small ones and put them in series than it is to but one big pack, from what I can tell.

They do take a special charger, but you can buy them off that site for 2-3 bucks a piece.

With the combination of a plug-in and battery powered unit, it would make a pretty sweet and versatile unit.

[FrankenHollow]

For making it battery powered, does anybody know how much voltage is needed? I used to fly remote control airplanes and there are lithium polymer batteries available for fairly cheap now. They make them in packs - 3 or 4 in series. a series of three is 11.1v and a series of 4 is 14.8v. Now if we take (4) 2000 mah packs, place them in parallel, I would that that would give you some serious play time.

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=16777 This pack, for example, would fit the bill quite nicely - assuming that a 3 cell series provides enough voltage. It is much cheaper to buy 4 small ones and put them in series than it is to but one big pack, from what I can tell.

They do take a special charger, but you can buy them off that site for 2-3 bucks a piece.

With the combination of a plug-in and battery powered unit, it would make a pretty sweet and versatile unit.

I was thinking along the same lines, but I don't think Jarhead (no offense intended) has the electronics know-how to handle adding a voltage regulator and charger to the project. If you don't understand electronics, something like that can be extremely intimidating, confusing, and frustrating.
Plus, there's always the problem of running under-voltage, when the battery packs are partially discharged. You never know how certain pieces of hardware (like the amp) will react to an under-voltage condition. In addition, you would have to make sure the voltage regulator could handle the power demands of the amp, speakers, and head unit (might as well make it a stand-alone unit, if it's rechargeable). That, alone, might add $30+ to the build.

[UtahJarhead]

My original costs went out the window to an extent. I'm up to $150 and haven't gotten the speakers. I decided it's going to be a quality item, after all. There's no head unit. If I do the project again in the future to improve it or whatever, I'm going to go full 12 volt with a converter.

As far as the electronics know-how, you're absolutely right. I don't have that knowledge, but I have an EE friend who's helping me out.

[Lokidude]

It sounds like you've got all the electronic stuff covered. I've built speaker boxes before, so if you decide to go wood, I can definitely help with that part. If you go ammo can, it's sixes as to how much help I can be.