Looking for a cheap receiver for a shop setup

exalted512
exalted512 Posts: 10,735
edited April 2017 in 2 Channel Audio
So my birthday is coming up and I'm all out of ideas...but I do need a radio for my shop. It will be exposed to dust and temperature fluctuations similar to what you would have in a garage, but maybe a little less.

I'll probably go the DIY route for the speakers, but I'm thinking a 2.1 rig would be good for what I'm wanting. I'm not going for sound quality as it's just a work shop, but am looking for something with decent volume to be heard over fans. I don't have neighbors, so I'm not worried about it being too loud. I do want something capable of driving a small sub...

In a nutshell:
  • can hold up in a garage
  • has auxiliary input
  • capability of being decently loud, even at the expense of SQ
  • at least have the capability of having a remote
  • Would like stereo capability with a subwoofer
  • <$100

Does anyone have any recommendations? Does anyone have anything they'd part with that would fit the bill? I checked out ebay today and came across this.
What are y'alls thoughts?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/322464410938

Thanks,
-Cody
Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
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Comments

  • ken brydson
    ken brydson Posts: 8,759
    Find a hitmaster. Plug your iPod in and you're good to go. Love mine. Volume goes to 11..
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    DSkip wrote: »
    The Sherwood stereo receivers might fit the bill and retail for around $100.

    +1, if you really want a receiver (i.e., a tuner and an amplifier in one box).
    Those Sherwoods are... modest... but they're not junk.

    If there's no need for an FM tuner, there is a plethora of little, Chinese-made "chip amp" amplifiers of various brand names that are all pretty good sounding. The really cheap ones are low powered -- but high sensitivity loudspeakers can readily make up for that! :) A 5 watt amplifier driving 100 dB sensitive loudspeakers has the potential to play as loud as a 500 watt amplifier driving 80 dB sensitive loudspeakers
    :) Note that I am speaking strictly quantitatively (dB of sound pressure level out per watt in!); quality of the sound will depend steeply on the specific loudspeakers & amplifiers in question!

    Here's a "good" example. Opinions on these hyper-cheap little amplifiers are... mixed, and (in fairness) some of them may exhibit some QC issues (not a big deal if purchased from a reputable seller, just a bit of a hassle to return/replace), but IMO/IME they sound -- good. Not necessarily appropriate for the current situation, but still maybe worth consideration.
    https://www.parts-express.com/lepai-lp-2020ti-digital-hi-fi-audio-mini-amplifier-with-power-supply--310-3000
    (a beefier power supply might be a good investment for amps like these)

    Here are some better ones (FWIW):
    https://www.parts-express.com/cat/home-audio-amplifiers/106?N=21771+4294967118+4294962065&amp;Ne=10166&amp;Nrs=collection()/record[endeca:matches(.,"P_PortalID","1")+and+endeca:matches(.,"P_Searchable","1")]&amp;PortalID=1


    A final thought -- while the "classic" Japanese (mostly) hifi components of the 1970s have become something of collectors' items (with commensurate prices), the 1980s and 1990s two-channel receivers by and large have much less collectors' cachet. This makes them much, much cheaper on the garage sale/CL circuit -- but they're, by and large, not junk -- and some are very, very good. You might be able to pick up a nice older but not "classic" amp or receiver in good working order for $50 or less (maybe much less).

    Admittedly, adding a subwoofer to some of the above suggestions can't necessarily be done "elegantly", but, by and large, it can be done. Alternatively, one could use loudspeakers that don't require a subwoofer ;)

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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    ^^^ whoa, lots of words! Sorry :blush:
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  • exalted512
    exalted512 Posts: 10,735
    DSkip wrote: »
    The Sherwood stereo receivers might fit the bill and retail for around $100.

    I saw a lot of those too in my price range, but I was wondering at my price range, if going used would be better? Any comment on the kenwood receiver I linked to on ebay?
    ken brydson wrote: »
    Find a hitmaster. Plug your iPod in and you're good to go. Love mine. Volume goes to 11..
    I can't seem to find any online, but i'd also have to find a way to have a remote, which is a deal killer otherwise.
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    ^^^ whoa, lots of words! Sorry :blush:
    No, no...that was all very helpful!! I appreciate your time. A tuner is not necessary...basically the only input would be my phone...where I live there's not many stations to get, and add that I'm in a metal building, it typically kills any thing that's around.

    This seems like it would fit the bill very well:
    https://www.parts-express.com/smsl-q5-pro-stereo-amplifier-usb-optical-coaxial-dac-with-subwoofer-output-2x40w--230-210


    My only complaint is that it doesn't have a built-in power source for a subwoofer, but I understand the constraints of my buget...The big plus side is that it looks like it will hold up very well against dust which is a big concern. I think that's probably my new front runner.
    -Cody
    Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    edited April 2017
    +1 on the Sherwoods.
    Weird as I was just looking at this for the garage:
    https://www.parts-express.com/lepai-lp-269fs-4x45w-mini-amplifier-with-remote-usb-mp3-media-card-fm-and-bluetooth-antenna--310-304
    I mean it's in the cart!
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,194
    I have an older Pioneer Elite VSX-01 or 03 I forget what it is now but it would fit that bill nicely as you can do 2.1 or go 7.1 and make your garage fill with sound.
    I actually considered uing it that way in my garage as one pair of speakers works well but a full 5 or 7 channel stereo would be so much better and fill the room much better. Lower volume more speakers better coverage and better to fight off fan noise , power tools etc.
    I'd do $100 plus shipping unless you live close enough you could come get it or I could meet you somewhere.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    So -- the internet is rife with kvetches about the original little Lepai that PartsExpress sold (with either the Tripath amp chip or a counterfeit version thereof -- who knows?), but I'll tell you what. The one I have is a perfectly little decent amplifier. It's especially a perfectly decent little twenty dollar amplifier.

    I bought the Lepai mostly as a test amplifer for the 'shop'... but, once I was satisfied that it basically behaved itself and wouldn't immolate a pair of loudspeakers, I couldn't resist trying it on my Altec Duplexes. These are 1950s/1960s era studio monitors of no mean repute, very sensitive (ca. 102 dB per watt at 1 meter), gorgeous sounding but pretty demanding in terms of amplifier quality and performance. I usually use them with single-ended triode (vacuum tube) amps... but they sounded pretty darned good driven by the dinky little Lepai.

    14409014405_e1f8007580_b.jpgNakBX100running by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

    Here's a test track for you to try your garage stereo with ;)

    https://youtu.be/3UV-2E8kEqg
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    ^^^ It had to happen >:)
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,802
    edited April 2017
    heh -- that was posted on audioasylum this morning; I thought it was terrific. I am not a big heavy metal fan, but I've always liked "Iron Man".

    I sent that link to my son and he said, in essence, "meh. I like Apocalyptica better."

    :)
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  • rooftop59
    rooftop59 Posts: 8,121
    mantis wrote: »
    I have an older Pioneer Elite VSX-01 or 03 I forget what it is now but it would fit that bill nicely as you can do 2.1 or go 7.1 and make your garage fill with sound.
    I actually considered uing it that way in my garage as one pair of speakers works well but a full 5 or 7 channel stereo would be so much better and fill the room much better. Lower volume more speakers better coverage and better to fight off fan noise , power tools etc.
    I'd do $100 plus shipping unless you live close enough you could come get it or I could meet you somewhere.

    That's a great deal I would take @mantis up on that!
    Living Room 2.2: Usher BE-718 "tiny dancers"; Dual DIY Dayton audio RSS210HF-4 Subs with Dayton SPA-250 amps; Arcam SA30; Musical Fidelity A308; Sony UBP-x1000es
    Game Room 5.1.4:     Denon AVR-X4200w; Sony UBP-x700; Definitive Technology Power Monitor 900 mains, CLR-3000 center, StudioMonitor 350 surrounds, ProMonitor 800 atmos x4; Sub - Monoprice Monolith 15in THX Ultra
    Bedroom 2.1     Harmon Kardon HK3490; Bluesounds Node N130; Polk RT25i; ACI Titan Subwoofer
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  • Unknown
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    edited April 2017
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  • exalted512
    exalted512 Posts: 10,735
    mantis wrote: »
    I have an older Pioneer Elite VSX-01 or 03 I forget what it is now but it would fit that bill nicely as you can do 2.1 or go 7.1 and make your garage fill with sound.
    I actually considered uing it that way in my garage as one pair of speakers works well but a full 5 or 7 channel stereo would be so much better and fill the room much better. Lower volume more speakers better coverage and better to fight off fan noise , power tools etc.
    I'd do $100 plus shipping unless you live close enough you could come get it or I could meet you somewhere.

    winner winner chicken dinner! Message sent.

    Thanks for all the help everyone. Now on to building a set of bookshelves.
    -Cody
    Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    Post your DYI's when done!
    (being the noisy sort) ;)
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  • exalted512
    exalted512 Posts: 10,735
    rednedtugent wrote: »
    Post your DYI's when done!
    (being the noisy sort) ;)

    This is the route I'll be going with. There won't be anything special about the enclosure since it's just going in the shop...just plain ol' MDF in a .34ft^3 ported enclosure.

    https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-xo2w-2k-2-way-speaker-crossover-2000-hz--260-140

    https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dc160-8-6-1-2-classic-woofer--295-305

    https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dc28fs-8-1-1-8-silk-dome-shielded-tweeter--275-075
    Music is like candy, you have to get rid of the rappers to enjoy it
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    Nice.
    I'm going FrankenAltec886a's for the garage rig.
    Wonder if the Parts express sale is still on? Still
    have the amp in the cart...
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  • decal
    decal Posts: 3,205
    I built a set of these for my shop. They sound suprisingly good.

    http://www.mavin.com/store.php/audio/8-ohms-8-inch-2-way-speaker-kit-pair-125-watts
    If you can't hear a difference, don't waste your money.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 10,716
    Nice! 8" woofs :)
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