Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Forum => Topic started by: captbaritone on September 16, 2007, 03:55:20 pm

Title: What speakers to use with hifi amp?
Post by: captbaritone on September 16, 2007, 03:55:20 pm

I have a tiny amp which sounds great with my living room stereo speakers, and I want to use it in my cab.

For mounting purposes I was thinking of using car speakers. I want this cab to sound pretty nice, as I want to use is as a party jukebox in my apartment.

I am trying to decide what to do:

1. buy happ 4inch 8ohm speakers

2. buy larger (6.5 inch) car speakers (probably 4ohm?)

3. Find and buy larger 8ohm speakers (where?)

What would you suggest?

Also, are car speakers generally shielded?

-Capt

Title: Re: What speakers to use with hifi amp?
Post by: BobA on September 17, 2007, 01:14:28 am

Make sure you match the wattage of the existing speakers that sound good.   Probably means you will need to buy some automotive speakers to sound good rather than arcade type speakers.   Car speakers are not usually sheilded.

Title: Re: What speakers to use with hifi amp?
Post by: DrumAnBass on September 18, 2007, 06:46:56 pm

Try a pair of cambridge soundsworks cube speakers. Shielded and they sound GREAT for being so small.

Ebay link to a set like the ones I have: http://tinyurl.com/2wz7el

Newer model: http://tinyurl.com/2j4wqb

(http://www.cambridgesoundworks.com/images/gold/full/c1mc5sea.jpg)

Title: Re: What speakers to use with hifi amp?
Post by: captbaritone on September 18, 2007, 07:33:46 pm

Due to concerns about shielding, I decided to go with 5 inch speakers from http://www.happcontrols.com/accessories/49022800.htm

Thanks for all your help.

-Captbaritone

Title: Re: What speakers to use with hifi amp?
Post by: rooter on September 21, 2007, 03:43:24 pm

For the price, do car speakers sound a lot better than PC speakers?  It seems like a lot of work with shielding and adding an amp and what not.  I don't mind the work though, that is the fun of all this.

This is my first Jukebox/MAME cabinet and I want the best bang for the buck, but I don't want to skimp on anything either.  When in doubt I will go up in quality rather than down.

Right now I am leaning toward car speakers, just because I think they will look cooler mounted above the monitor.  I think a subwoofer at the rear base of the machine might liven things up a bit too.

I would love any opinions or advice that anyone has on the matter.

Thanks.

Title: Re: What speakers to use with hifi amp?
Post by: drben on October 06, 2007, 08:44:55 pm

it's difficult to say. If you get good car speakers and a good amp they'll most probably sound better than good pc speakers. And most of the really good pc speakers tend to be 5.1, which is really not what you want for a jukebox.

Personally my first jukebox had 2 6.5" pioneer car speakers with an amp, and 2 8" subwoofers with a seperate amp. it was a lot of mucking around, and for my next one (which I am in the process of building right now) I will be using 8ohm home speakers and a normal hifi amplifier. The subwoofer is a bit harder but it will be a choice between a prebuilt one and building one into the cabinet.