Y.A.I.A. - Yet Another Ipod Amp

This is another iPod amp, but it uses an old computer speaker and a CDR Case.

Step 1 Parts

Parts:

CDR case.
Vellema n 3w Amp : K8066
RadioShack 1/8" Panel Mount Jack: 274-249
RadioShack 4AA Holder: 270-383
RadioShack 9v Snap Connector: 270-324
RadioShack Minii Toggle: 275-624
RadioShack 12" Shielded stereo cable: 42-2497
LED
470ohm resistor
4 Nuts/Bolts
Speaker from a set of computer speakers

Comments

[scratchr]

Why not use an op amp?

[dog digger]

Just simply not powerful enough unless you are prepared to spend big $

[redeyedninja]

I'd put 2x sanyo enloop rechargeables in there as they last extra extra long. or even 2x lithium primary cell AA batteries that last extremely long. Imo, I'd go with the extra long lasting rechargeables are they can be re-used about 1000 times.

[HADJISTYLLIS]

 nice casing

[Baseball24_7]

Hey i built one of these, it works great, awesome instructable.

[cLqinyaki]

Hey!!how can i build like that if i dont know the diagram of the amplipifier...and what are n value of the resistors i will use..where can i buy the pcb??

[joe]

Hey cLqinyaki- I used a kit for this, you could get one here. That one linked to is 7w, but the 3w one is nice too.

-Joe

[zylo1129]

hey Joe where do I find one of these Vellema n 3w Amp : K8066

[eggman]

are the instructions the same if we get the 7w one? except for the power source of course.

[Punkguyta]

My stereo is better, although a few hundred pounds heavier, but it moves around easy enough. If I need to "make noise" for other people, such as at a party, best bet that it can't be that good if all you have is one of these. Although it's not bad I will say, just doesn't make sense why people wanna use this. Does anyone wanna hear other people's music as they're walking down the sidewalk?

[DYLEGO]

now tell me, is a few hundred pounds very portable???

[Punkguyta]

Certainly more portable than some of these PA systems that DJ's carry with them.

[DYLEGO]

are we talking about those "PA systems that DJ's carry with them"? now how, in any way, does that make sense anyway? no matter what you compare a few hundred pound stereo to, it STILL WONT BE IN ANY WAY PORTABLE. of course, it will be louder, but is that what we're looking for right now? this instructable focuses on portability, not loudness

[Punkguyta]

okay you have me at that. However, I've been thinking for a while of putting my truck stereo back in my backpack for a while (the truck isn't road worthy right at this moment). I did this last year with a lawnmower battery and 4 120 watt pioneer surround speakers, it was PLENTY loud and all it took was a $80 car stereo and a lawnmower battery. I was thinking of perhaps something maybe lighter and I'm not sure what else I could use for a battery that will last as long (it went all day without dying). Also I'm thinking maybe of using my 150 watt amp, it's for a car, but just 2 rca input and 2 speaker jacks. Perhaps I should use this instead of the head unit because it doesn't have input rca jacks :(

[DYLEGO]

but still, this is something meant to be portable and maybe even without a battery

[MumblingTuna]

No, you'd use these if you were traveling with say four friends.

[dragon0693]

or on a long bus trip for a school sport

[Punkguyta]

Yeah I will say it's def a lot better than some DIY amps I've seen. Speaking of amps, I just bought this 1200 watt sub today, it blew my amp :p

[Z786]

your sub cant blow your amp ur amp drives and powers ur sub, the sub is an output ur amp can blow ur sub. not the othher way round.

[Punkguyta]

lawl, well let's see, if it's trying to push all of it's 300 watts into a 1200 watt sub that still wants more juice, it's gonna heat up, and with heating up, there also runs behind is sudden smoke/flames = blown

[Derin]

well here is one sentence about the subject:"You stepped right on it.Sgt.Derinsleep

[Yerboogieman]

i have two 12" infiniti 1250watt subs and a soundstream 5000watt 4 channel amp with sub channel with diamond audio crossovers, four diamond audio side speakers, alpine deck and 4 100watt tweeters

[Punkguyta]

...wow?

[Yerboogieman]

and 2 capacitors

[Yerboogieman]

lol, about $7000

[Punkguyta]

Shouldn't the amplifier have built in crossovers? Or are you feeding your tweeters full bandwidth straight from the amp?

[Yerboogieman]

they are passive crossovers used in hiFi systems to pretty much make it sound better and to seperate the lows from the the highs at least thats how i use them

[Punkguyta]

Basically what you described to me is the simpilist form of crossover, and usually with most passive crossovers, there is 3db of gain lost per octave and isn't usually considered if there are other options avalible for seperating the frequencies.

[Yerboogieman]

you should see my computer's system, 7.1 surround sound

[Punkguyta]

Whether it's altec lansing or logitech or whoever the hell you bought them from, it probably sounds nice, but it's a Faux surround sound setup. Far from anything you will actually achieve with an actual surround amplifier and real speakers. I'm not putting you down but, as I once bought a nice 2.1 speaker system back when I was 13 or something for my computer and I thought it was amazing, and the sound was unlike I ever heard (it was altec lansin btw, good brand). But at some point my cravings of sound were unsatisfied. Now I'm 17 with a Kenwood surround sound amplifier that I only paid $20 for, yet was worth an easy $1200 back 5-6 years ago. Yet it still sounds amazing, and I only use it in stereo mode for my technics towers. I actually use seperate amplifiers for different parts of my system, similar to the idea of bi-wiring, but not as lame. I have a seperate sony amplifier for my rear sony speakers, the kenwood goes with 2 260 watt towers and a 125W sony center speaker. I have a seperate amplifier for my subwoofer too, which is the obvious part of it. My room is 7x11 or some shit like that, that's feet man, you can imagine the echoing a stereo will do in such a space at -20db, yet it still sounds clean and clear to my ear, mind you due to the echoing, I can't "sink" into it like you can with some well setup, expensive surround sound units. The limitation is the space, not what my amp can do. That's well off topic I think, however it's to give an idea how much goes into a real setup, you wouldn't believe the wires I have going on behind there either. If you don't believe me that your computer speakers are a faux surround sound unit, I can prove it. Now unless you paid $400+, chances are your subwoofer is nothing but a standard woofer with standard woofer freq. range, possibly with an enlarged magnet, but nothing else. They obtain that "mind blowing bass" they often advertise on the box as a key feature, by simply sticking it in a giant box set to resonate at a bass freq near the higher end, resulting in boomy, loud bass, but you won't nessesarily get those authentic rumbles like you get from something that will actually go lower than 80hz (check the specs on yours, I am willing to be it's either 120 or 80 hz) I'm irate with the world I guess and the general lack of knowledge now adays, sorry if I seem pissy.

[Yerboogieman]

do you know of any way to use smaller wireing with subs, like doubleing them up or something im not gonna get paid for another few days and was wondering how i would do that.

[Punkguyta]

To use smaller wiring with a subwoofer? Why don't have the cash for thick wires? Well for something under 1200 watts I'd say you're safe with 14 AWG wire, but I'd personally use 10 or 8 guage if it'll fit in the speaker posts.

[Derin]

1800W machines use 18 gage which does not even get hot

[Punkguyta]

Just because you can't feel heat in a wire, doesn't mean there's capacitance or energy loss because of it's size. While a smaller wire is fine for smaller speakers if it's of good quality, as a decent analogy: Say you're trying to pipe water from your main water mains that comes in from the street into your house, and you want to pipe it to outside for your garden hose. Well first you need to run a tap to outside your house and mount it somewhere, but it would be too cumbersome to use a pipe the same size as the one that comes into your house from the street, but it would allow full water flow. So usually then you'd install smaller diameter 3/4" pipe branched off of a copper T from your main system. But because it's a smaller pipe now obviously there will be back pressure just from the water trying to flow through it full pressure from the street lines. If you've kept up to me this far, then you see where a problem might lay. Say, the copper pipes might burst because of the pressure,..OR if a good quality pipe is chosen and not one thats all bent up and kinked and allows a good water flow, and solder it properly in place, it should be able to withstand the pressure.

[Derin]

That is a very good point

[Yerboogieman]

heres my amp

[Punkguyta]

That's a decent lookin system. What's your crossover point?

[Yerboogieman]

to send the lows to the mids and the highs to the highs

[Punkguyta]

>_> I know what a crossover does. I was asking what your specific cutoff in hz were just for curiosity.

[Yerboogieman]

both of the ones in my car are 20hz meant for sealed or ported boxes