Besides being common tools available to most hackers and makers out there, 3D printing, CNC machines, and cheap Chinese electronics have one more things in common: they were all used by [Nick] to build a bluetooth speaker system that has some interesting LED effects built into the case.
This is fresh on the heels of another hack that used similar construction methods to build a “magic” wood lamp. [Nick] takes it a step further, though. His case is precisely machined in white oak and stuffed with the latest China has to offer: a bank of lithium-ion batteries, a DC-DC converter to power the amplifier, and a Bluetooth module. After some sanding, the speakers look professional alongside the blue light features hiding behind the polycarbonate rings.
Of course you’ll want to visit the project site for all the details of how [Nick] built his speaker case. He does admit, however, that the electronics are fairly inefficient and need a little work. All in all though, it’s a very refined set of speakers that’ll look great on a bookshelf or on a beach, workshop bench, or anyplace else that you could take them.
cue audio engineers complaining about enclosure design in 3…2….1
/me grabs popcorn.
I used to poo poo Bluetooth speakers but actually got my hands on a single unit that is good looking and also sounds good.Your comment makes me wonder how much the enclosure design has to do with the sound.
I’m no $500-cable enthusiast, but differing resonance of cavities based on their materials and shape seems self-evident enough that I don’t often question it. Stringed instruments are pretty picky about what woods they use, and everyone’s done the old “find resonant frequency of staircase for fun and profit” deal. And then of course there’s https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_the_shape_of_a_drum
90% of the enclosure has to do with the sound, that is why there are thousands of books and even college level classes and even degrees on acoustical design.
Why should they? The music source is a cheap chinese bluetooth module. Any enclosure design built around almost any speaker will do the job.
Well these days even these bluetooth modules can give pretty good audio quality. (e.g. cheap chinese boards with TPA3116 are pretty good).
So yes, on these small portable speakers if you want to increase quality, speakers and enclosure is the first thing where you should look. Because in this size it’s hard to make good loud sound…
Even worse, you sound like those people who run a $500 speaker with a $5000 amp. The speakers contribute 90% of the sound quality. A good speaker with a cheap Chinese amp and a cheap ass bluetooth module will still sound amazing.
This is gorgeous! Nice work! I love the sandwiched wood and acrylic.
I’m an addressable led addict, I don’t think I could have resisted the urge to do some frequency visualization stuff in there.
I think I need therapy for my LED addiction, I put them on everything….
I put amplitude visualisation in a similar project I made: http://engineer.john-whittington.co.uk/2014/10/soundbar-wooden-speaker/
Wa AlllllLLLL E
Glad I’m not the only one who sees it! Awesome!
SO BEAUTIFUL
I did few bluetooth A2DP retrofits. One for my car – connected as former cassete deck input, one for wife car – as AM radio input , another for old but still good computer speaker system for kids, one for friend car…
I bought many different cheap modules to learn that almost all of them have got one really painfull “fuature” – informing user that bluertooth device is paired by voice message. this can be “ding” or this can be awfull “Bluetooth active” voice message…
the best I found is not so cheap Logitech A2DP adapter – this one is great, sounds great – AND is silent when conected… (there is led informing you about state)
so question to you hackers – any chineese cheap module is also silent ?
oh and one more thing – did you found cheap module where you can not only send back “play/pause” buttons (this most can do) but are you able to read song name from BT stream? in A2DP profile command set it is avaialable, but most (all I got) modules do not suport this part of profile
yes!! they are truly country Bluetooth speakers I can feel the wood and country music great piece