Best products from r/diyaudio

We found 73 comments on r/diyaudio discussing the most recommended products. We ran sentiment analysis on each of these comments to determine how redditors feel about different products. We found 492 products and ranked them based on the amount of positive reactions they received. Here are the top 20.

15. X-Tronic Model #3020-XTS Digital Display Soldering Iron Station - 10 Minute Sleep Function, Auto Cool Down, C/F Switch, Ergonomic Soldering Iron, Solder Holder, Brass Tip Cleaner with Cleaning Flux

    Features:
  • The X-Tronic Model 3020 Digital 75 Watt Soldering Station is a Powerful “Quick Temp” Unit and is manufactured for the Beginner as well as Expert Users and will Definitely Exceed Your Expectations with its Quality & Durability compared to any Soldering Iron Station in its Class. This Unit takes less than 30 Seconds to heat up from 200°C to 480°C (392°F to 896°F)
  • The Complete Kit Includes: 75-Watt LED Digital Display Soldering Iron Station (60 Watts used for Soldering Iron &15 Watts used for Mini Mother Board in Soldering Iron) with 2 Helping Hands for Propping Up Smaller PCB’s right in front of the unit for you to work on. It also Features a Side Mount Solder Roll Holder with a 50g Roll of 60/40 Solder Included, a Spring Style Soldering Iron Holder and Brass Sponge Tip Cleaner with Supply of Cleaning Flux in the Tin plus a Wet Sponge.
  • Features: ESD Safe, 10 Minute Sleep Timer, Centigrade to Fahrenheit Toggle Switch, Blue LED Readout on Control Panel, PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative) Technology often referred to as Magic Temperature Compensation Technology, 40 Inch Very Pliable Soldering Iron Cord (Virtually No Memory) and a 55 Inch Power Cord from Wall Plug to Main Unit.
  • PLEASE NOTE: The Main (First) Photo shows the Brass Sponge Tip Cleaner with the Flux In the Round Metal Tin Separately from the Soldering Station and also shows this same Container Mounted In the Main Unit - This is FOR PHOTO PURPOSES ONLY. There is "ONLY ONE" of these Containers that come with this Soldering Station.
  • ALL X-Tronic Products come with a 30-Day Unconditional Money Back Guarantee which also includes a 3-Year Warranty with the Cost of Parts and Labor Included. The 3-year warranty is included in the product price when purchased new from XTronicUSA, no additional warranty purchase is required. PLEASE SCROLL DOWN THIS PAGE FOR MANY MORE PHOTOS & INFORMATION ON THIS PRODUCT!
X-Tronic Model #3020-XTS Digital Display Soldering Iron Station - 10 Minute Sleep Function, Auto Cool Down, C/F Switch, Ergonomic Soldering Iron, Solder Holder, Brass Tip Cleaner with Cleaning Flux
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Top comments mentioning products on r/diyaudio:

u/phobos2deimos · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

For the price, I think the Pyle 8 channel amp that somebody posted is a great choice. Here's and Amazon link, a little cheaper than B&H. Seems to have good reviews, although I really doubt it's 1000w/ch. Probably something like ~150RMS. Pyle's okay, and GREAT when you consider the price. I've got a few stupid-cheap Pyle amps and speakers here and there and they're fine. Cool thing about that amp is that you could break the zones into different audio sources if you want.
I'd pair it with these - you might not even need a woofer.
When you set the system up listen carefully for clipping/distortion and label your nominal operating level and your 'ABSOLUTELY DO NOT GO LOUDER THAN THIS' level in big bright labels.
If you do end up getting a sub I second /r/CashKeyboard's recommendation to go with an active (aka Powered) sub, and remember placement is important for getting the most out of it.

u/coherent-rambling · 1 pointr/diyaudio

That's a tough budget since you're starting with some pretty bassy speakers to begin with - I've never heard the C-Notes, but they're supposed to play pretty strongly all the way down to 43 Hz. There are plenty of things on the market sold as subwoofers which can't reach below 40 Hz.

If you had smaller main speakers, I might suggest the Polk PSW10. I own one, and to be absolutely clear, it's fairly terrible. Still, it's probably the best subwoofer available for less than $200. Unfortunately, it pretty much bottoms out at 40 Hz; you might get a tiny bit lower with room gain, and it can throw marginally more power at the bass notes than your bookshelf speakers can, but ultimately you won't get much improvement.

The next step up is probably the BIC F12. At more than double your budget, it's the cheapest subwoofer I've ever seen someone recommend without qualifiers. They don't seem to publish an f3 (again, sketchy), but reviews suggest that it can go fairly low, and it's got a decent amount of power.

There's not much else to recommend until you have at least $300 to spend. However, once you hit that threshold, there are a ton of options, some which have really spectacular performance. If I were you, I'd carry on with just the C-Notes and save up for a while, and then look at getting a Dayton 10" Reference kit with the recommended SPA-250 amplifier, or an HSU VTF-1 Mk3.

u/megohm · 3 pointsr/diyaudio

[Glen Ballou's book] (http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Sound-Engineers-4th-Edition/dp/0240809696/ref=pd_sim_sbs_b_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=17XRBA75YDQ47T230Q36) has a lot of really good information in it. Also , this [one] (http://www.amazon.com/Timer-Amp-Optoelectronic-Circuits-Projects/dp/0945053290/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406325087&sr=1-1&keywords=timers+and+op+amps) from Forrest Mims is cheap effective. Learning some BEE (basic electronics and electricity) is a great place to start. The one /u/tvdf mentioned has a ton of useful information as well. Good luck, it's a lot of fun once you get started!

u/Uncle_Erik · 19 pointsr/diyaudio

Speakers:

u/Sluisifer · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

If you just want to buy something, the SMSL SA50 is a great choice.

https://smile.amazon.com/SMSL-50Wx2-TDA7492-Amplifier-Adapter/dp/B00F0H8TOC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501903960&sr=8-3&keywords=smsl

It's well built, has plenty of power unless you're speakers have low sensitivity or it's a big space, and the audio quality is unsurprisingly terrific. Amps are pretty much a 'solved problem', and while you can deliberately color your sound with tubes and the like, simple and accurate amplification is pretty easy to achieve.

u/JendoRiot · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

If you want a LOUD bluetooth speaker that sounds good I recommend this amp board:
https://www.parts-express.com/tps3116d2-class-d-21-bluetooth-40-amplifier-board-2-x-50w-100w-with-filter-and-volume-con--320-635

It has bluetooth already integrated and it has a built-in High Pass Filter for the midrange drivers.

If you are using an amp board that does not have bluetooth integrated, I recommend this board for the bluetooth functionality.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07P94Z9XR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the best I found that does not have a "VOICE" prompt and works very well.

I am building a 2.1 bluetooth speaker with the 2.1 amp board and the following speakers.
Subwoofer https://www.jlaudio.com/6w3v3-4-car-audio-w3v3-subwoofer-drivers-92145
Component Speakers https://www.jlaudio.com/c2-525-car-audio-speakers-c2-speaker-systems-99620

Let me know if you are interested and I can tell you more about the build. I will probably end up posting something in here once I have the final product, which I am hoping to have done by this week.

u/JohnBooty · 8 pointsr/diyaudio

I've built a bunch! Those instructions are fine. Only thing I'd change is I'd use a round speaker terminal cup in step #14, rather than the square one they show in the picture. Something like this in other words. Just because it's easier to cut a round hole -- you can just use a round circle cutting bit in your drill. You can get them for as low as like $2ea on Amazon or elsewhere.

> Do I need an amplifier?

Something like a cheap Lepai is fine.

A "real" amp like this or this or a used home theater amp for $50 from Craigslist will more or less get the full 100% of performance from the Overnight Sensations at higher volumes. A small Class D amp like this is a good compromise IMHO.

All of those amps ought to sound the same at low volumes. For "desktop listening" where you're sitting a few feet away, the Lepai should get plenty loud.

> Do I need a digital to audio converter?

Probably not. With the possible exception of the Lepai, all the amps I linked to have a dual RCA audio input. The typical "red and white audio inputs" you've surely seen in many places. All you need is a basic headphone-to-RCA adapter like this, assuming your music playing thingy has a headphone jack.

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-105597-3-Feet-Premium-Stereo/dp/B0094A1F3S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1483958406&sr=8-4&keywords=headphone+to+rca

u/meezun · 3 pointsr/diyaudio

At least read Why your first speaker should be a proven design. If your goal is not to embark on speaker design as a hobby, but to build one pair of kick-ass speakers for personal use, build a kit.

Now if your goal is to learn speaker design, go for it. Here's a book that's frequently recommended. This is a "read a book" topic, not an ask on Reddit and then do some google searches topic.

I'd like to suggest that you go with an active crossover. A miniDSP will allow you to do a lot of tweaking of your crossover without spending a ton of money on different passive components that you won't use. Once you have finalized on something you like you can always build a passive equivalent and use the miniDSP for your next project.

u/theninjaseal · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

All kinda depends on your level of involvement. If you want to plug red plugs into red holes and white ones into white holes, then something like this is gonna probably be about as cheap as you can go. Note that whether you're running RCA or bare wire to the subwoofer, you'll probably need something like this to connect them back up.

If you're a little more comfy stripping wires and putting them where they go, something like [this] (https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Amplify-Digital-Portable-Amplifier/dp/B010LSAO5Q/ref=sr_1_13?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1487571783&sr=1-13&keywords=amplifier&refinements=p_n_feature_browse-bin%3A1267488011%2Cp_36%3A1253503011) will do the job. You hardly need any power, you just need voltage gain, so the cheapest amp you feel like implementing will probably work. I like this one because there's a volume knob and power and input connectors - easy, familiar ways of interacting with a board. If you're running RCA to the sub you'll need a 2x RCA to 3.5mm stereo adapter for input. If the sub accepts RCA you'll need this again but if it accepts wires then you just need some speaker wire (really any plastic-coated wire will work here) to connect it up. Use the diagram on the amazon page to match up left right plus and minus, because it probably will not come with instructions and they probably aren't labeled on the product.

Either way I would mount the amp with hot glue to the back of the subwoofer or set it on top. That way you can adjust it as part of the subwoofer and get the switch-on volume just right.

u/picmandan · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

The smallest DIY sub that I could recommend would be Paul Carmody's Voxel. Based on a 5-1/4" driver, it can be made for about US$75 with amp and gets down to about 35Hz, but not very loud. It might be a good fit for the Kantos, you'd have to decide.

This 10" kit for US$197 seems like it would be close to your target, but it'd be more as you'd need an amp. One of their recommendations is the Dayton Audio SPA250 plate amplifier (for US$156), making this fairly pricey. Maybe use the Dayton Audio 10" Classic and a less expensive amp for some savings.

There are some decent non-DIY budget offerings, including the Dayton Audio SUB-1000 for about USD$120, the Dayton Audio SUB-1200 for about USD$150, and the BIC F12 for about USD$200.

Edit: I've not yet done a DIY sub. My own recommendation from all of the suggestions to date (including the pretty decent Pioneer) would be to look very closely at the DA SUB-1000 for your needs.

There's a little information in this thread regarding SUB-1000 vs Pioneer SW-8.

​

​

u/Moogagot · 1 pointr/diyaudio

I know this is totally hacky, but I've used the Dayton Audio DTA-1 which you can just plug in 8 AA batteries. It's more simple than a Lepai, but it does the job. Then I use this Bluetooth receiver attached to a USB battery for extended life. It works while attached to power so you are good to go.

For batteries, in the past I've just bought a giant pack of amazon batteries. I recently moved up to rechargeable batteries. The Amp lasted just fine for a full day on full volume. I generally just throw in a new set whenever I go out as they are cheap and I want the best quality I can get.

u/Beer_Is_So_Awesome · 1 pointr/diyaudio

If space is tight, you don’t want a home theater receiver. They’re typically about 44cm wide. The Lepai is truly tiny so it probably makes more sense, however you should know going in that, iirc, they do not really produce 20 watts per channel. I believe somebody actually tested one and the actual RMS (sustained wattage) is 8 Watts per channel.

Last I checked, the SMSL SA50 (roughly $70 usd) was your best bet for a powerful tiny amp, with something like 30w/channel. Plus it looks really nice (tiny black box with a power switch and big volume knob on the front.

Both the Lepai and SMSL are really tiny. Practically pocket-sized.

u/likeabaws69 · 1 pointr/diyaudio


I'd really like to find something that can stand on its own without a sub, since none of my groomsmen will have a sub. Other than the Sprites, it looks like the rest of those were designed to be paired w/ a sub.

I saw the Sprites original design was a boombox, which I thought was pretty cool. I think that would be the most practical form that my groomsmen would use. Then I got to thinking, if it's going to be a boombox it needs to have bluetoof and I need to fit an amp and battery. Here's what I came up w/:

speakers $42.70
http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-nd90-8-3-1-2-aluminum-cone-full-range-driver-8-ohm--290-210

port tubes $5.14
http://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-speaker-cabinet-port-tube-1-3-8-id-adjustable--260-388

filter parts $17.19
http://www.parts-express.com/jantzen-audio-090mh-20-awg-air-core-inductor-crossover-coil--255-046
http://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-dnr-20-20-ohm-10w-precision-audio-grade-resistor--004-20

amp $16.99
https://www.amazon.com/INSMA-TDA7492P-Amplifier-Wireless-Bluetooth/dp/B01BTJZFY6/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1467991447&sr=1-1&keywords=bluetooth+speaker+amp+board

battery $15
https://www.amazon.com/ExpertPower-EXP1250-Alarm-Battery-Terminals/dp/B0010Z4MDK/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1468001600&sr=8-7&keywords=12v+sla+battery

battery charger $20
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00LICD2TU/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATW4RRWB3JMSM

u/Armsc · 1 pointr/diyaudio

What is your budget for this project? Are you looking to get a 2.1 or a true 5.1 out of the deal? You mentioned a 2.1 for parties for then said something about all six which I interpret as a 5.1.

Those speakers are 4ohm rated and most of your lower end AVR's are going to be rated for 8ohm. You're going to burn up a cheaper AVR if you put those speakers on it in a 5.1 config. You could run both the front and rear L/R in a series to raise the ohm load higher which would really help out the AVR. However, you'll need to find a receiver with a passive sub output which will probably be tough. The center...you're out of luck on unless you find a cheap 4 ohm receiver.

If you want bottom of barrel cheap I would get this Lepai amp and run two speakers or four in series with the sub for a 2.1 setup for your parties. Even then I think I would probably be looking for a different solution.

u/shard13 · 1 pointr/diyaudio

Whatever you do, spend the extra money on Oxygen Free Copper 4 guage for power. If you have any issues Copper Clad Aluminum will melt and catch fire, and is just all around terrible and incredibly unsafe. I would Recommend Dual for very cheap budget amps. Also might want to look at pioneer amps as well. Boss is just complete trash no matter how you look at it. Otherwise the speakers and head unit are very solid choices.

Actualy, now that I think of it, you can get an AMAZING head unit for not much more: https://www.amazon.com/Alpine-iLX-W650-Mech-Less-Receiver-Compatible/dp/B07NQ2BRFM

If your budget can afford it, you can get something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Skar-Audio-RP-600-5-Full-Range-5-Channel/dp/B01LW7Z8NI/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=pioneer+5+channel+amp&qid=1571410867&s=electronics&sr=1-5 or if you just need power for the sub then https://www.amazon.com/Skar-Audio-RP-600-5-Full-Range-5-Channel/dp/B01LW8V8CD/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=pioneer%2B5%2Bchannel%2Bamp&qid=1571410867&s=electronics&sr=1-5&th=1

And with OFC, you can use one size smaller due to higher quality, so this wiring kit will be ideal for your uses: https://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-Kolossus-Gauge-Amplifier-Installation/dp/B0058OENJ2/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=ofc+8+guage&qid=1571410941&s=electronics&sr=1-4

u/MGStan · 4 pointsr/diyaudio

I really like my SMSL amp for my OS MTs hooked up to my desktop.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F0H8TOC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

It's Class-D so very efficient and small. Pretty good price and comes with a decent external power supply. But for the $65 price you won't be getting any extra features on that model. Just RCA in and binding posts out, which is perfect for my setup.

u/2old2care · 1 pointr/diyaudio

Those are passive speakers. On the wall are terminals for the speakers. Each pair is for one speaker. To use these with your TV you will need some kind of amplifier/receiver. You can also use a stereo amplifier if you use only the left and right speakers. If your TV has a headphone jack, you can get good results with a very simple, inexpensive amplifier like this and a cable like this. Using the headphone jack will let the TV remote control the volume.

You can test the speakers by just tapping a regular old 9-volt battery to the terminals. When you tap it the speaker will make a loud pop. Don't CONNECT the battery, just tap it momentarily on the terminals.

Have fun!

u/ericbm2 · 1 pointr/diyaudio

Your bottlehead kit should include any wire that you will need (I made a Crack+Speedball).

I used this soldering station and I was very happy with its performance. The station base is plastic, btw. X-Tronic Model #3020-XTS Digital Display Soldering Iron Station - 10 Minute Sleep Function, Auto Cool Down, C/F Switch, Ergonomic Soldering Iron, Solder Holder, Brass Tip Cleaner with Cleaning Flux https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DGZFSNE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Z2VKBb9AR32K0

I used this solder. It worked well. Pretty large roll, however. If you’ll never solder anything again, this would be overkill. Kester 24-6040-0053 Solder Roll, 66... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00068IJQI?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

u/PUBERT_MCYEASTY · 1 pointr/diyaudio

Jeff Bagby has a good excel spreadsheet with baked-in formulas. However, it's difficult to use unless you have a good base understanding of what you're doing. Some good books to get you started are the Loudspeaker Design Cookbook and Speaker Building 201.
Keep in mind that it is absolutely necessary to have measurement equipment if you want to design anything and be able to point out what is wrong. Even if you have perfect pitch, actually quantifying what you're hearing in a speaker is really hard to do, and honestly can probably only come from lots of experience listening and then measuring to be able to recognize what is off.

Still, I recommend you just build an existing design.

u/dcoolidge · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

Yep. I used a 12v Lithium Battery. Works pretty good. The power lasts for hours. Longer than my phone (8 month old s3)...

u/MommaSaidSpockYouOut · 3 pointsr/diyaudio

Something like this?

Is there a better option? I appreciate your help.

u/sideways_blow_bang · 5 pointsr/diyaudio

You will likely need to buy a ClassD module(s) and add the Bluetooth board as an add-on. Your power requirements do not match much of the current offerings that include bluetooth in a robust package.

​

You can buy junk from Amazon but it is a bit sketchy but still fun to play with.

https://www.amazon.com/AOSHIKE-Bluetooth-Amplifier-TPA3116D2-Amplificador/dp/B01MZ0IZMW/ref=sr_1_45?keywords=Digital+Bluetooth+Power+Amplifier&qid=1551292475&s=gateway&sr=8-45

​

I would buy separate modules for higher quality amps and more selection on Bluetooth functionality. Then I would wire them together into the speaker project.

u/Retrovertigo1 · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

this is the best i know of that covers many subjects in the world of audio. its directed toward sound engineers but a lot of would be of interest to you. breakdowns on things like acoustics, sound treatment, electronics, ad/da and a ton more. take a look at the table of contents. http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Sound-Engineers-Glen-Ballou/dp/0240809696

u/bradenlikestoreddit · 1 pointr/diyaudio

Thank you! So the wiring kit you posted is good to go if I switch to that? I'll look into the head unit. And, yea I think I really just need to power the subs. I plan to wire the other speakers just from the head unit.


So updated setup -
Wiring Kit - https://www.amazon.com/KnuKonceptz-Kolossus-Gauge-Amplifier-Installation/dp/B0058OENJ2/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=ofc+8+guage&qid=1571410941&s=electronics&sr=1-4


Headunit either Pioneer or Alpine


Amp - https://www.amazon.com/Skar-Audio-RP-600-5-Full-Range-5-Channel/dp/B01LW8V8CD/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=pioneer%2B5%2Bchannel%2Bamp&qid=1571410867&s=electronics&sr=1-5&th=1


Same speakers and subs.


You think that's will provide a decent quality audio experience?

u/Umlautica · 3 pointsr/diyaudio

The good news is that everything is already wired for sound, the bad news is that you'll need to buy amp(s) in order to use the speakers. The cable that you're holding up is RCA and is not powerful enough to drive a speaker. You'll need something like a multi-zone amp for 6 channels if you want to use all of the speakers in the house. These are ambient house speakers and not speakers set up for a home theater though right?

An option that might work well if you like Chromecast is to buy two or three pairs of this SMSL SA50 amps with the Chromecast Audio devices. This would also allow you to control multiple zones for music using each Chromecast audio. Each Chromecast Audio connects with each amp using a 3.5mm to RCA cable and then each SMSL amp connects to the gold terminals on the wall using speaker cable.

u/Mastagon · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

> Carmody's Amigas

Weird that there's stuff missing from the parts express kit. The kit on Amazon seems to include everything. Regardless, badass and thanks for sharing

u/immanence · 1 pointr/diyaudio

Thanks! Yeah, I'm not afraid of doing the soldering. I'll lay out the whole setup, as you can see it is fairly low end, which is why I don't want to spend a lot on the preamp:

I'm going to pick up a U-Turn Orbit Plus: http://store.uturnaudio.com/products/orbit-plus-turntable

I already have speakers and a power amp, but I'd like to get a tube pre-amp for the turntable. My power amp and speakers are nothing special:

T Amp: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F0H8TOC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Fluance bookshelf speakers: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00067OS0A/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

u/majorscheiskopf · 1 pointr/diyaudio

The Q5 is fine, especially if you want a subwoofer out, but if you don't need a DAC (hint, you almost definitely don't need a DAC), you can spend half as much for the SA50, which has 50% more power per channel at 8 ohms. The SA50 is also tiny.

u/thinman · 1 pointr/diyaudio

T-amp is the way to go, as others have said.

This one seems ideal https://www.amazon.com/Lepai-LP-168HA-40-Watt-Amplifier-Output/dp/B0070Z87YO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1478008165&sr=8-4&keywords=lepai

You connect the two bottom black connectors and the two bottom red ones to create a "68w" mono sub output and it has the crossover control in the front. It's far more powerful than you need but it's small, stealthy, and I don't see how you would beat the price for amp+crossover.

u/[deleted] · 1 pointr/diyaudio

its actually https://www.amazon.com/HiVi-Bookshelf-Speakers-Near-Field-Speaker/dp/B0721ZQXDG i just bought the Dayton resistors cuz apparently its too bright (theres a bunch of reviews posting about it and a walkthrough) I really want to spend the least amount of time soldering i bet i could go back to stock and add a single resistor as one of the reviews said. what do you think

u/FatFingerHelperBot · 1 pointr/diyaudio

It seems that your comment contains 1 or more links that are hard to tap for mobile users.
I will extend those so they're easier for our sausage fingers to click!


Here is link number 1 - Previous text "amp"



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u/jallsopp · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

All you need is an amplifier and a source. Something like this SMSL SA50 should be more than enough. Twist the copper ends so they're not frayed then hook them up. All you need to do then is plug in your source (phone...) with an RCA to 3.5mm cable.

u/Dimmed_skyline · 1 pointr/diyaudio

Several options.

You can buy a regular stereo amplifier and a subwoofer plate amplifier. Most sub plate amps have high frequency pass-thoughts so you put it between the stereo and the speakers to extract the lows.

You can buy a 2.1 plate amp. This way you can skip the amp on your desk for a cleaner look. They tend to be much more expensive for the wattage though.

Or if you want to try something more DIY you can try a 2.1 desk amp. Just pick the transformer/ power supply, a box, knobs, power and audio plugs. 1 2

You can also just buy premade 2.1 desk amps but I can't speak for the quality of chinese made amps. 1 2 3

I suggest just buying the Lepai LP-168HA

u/AbsentMindedMedicine · 2 pointsr/diyaudio

SMSL SA50 50Wx2 TDA7492 Class D Amplifier + Power Adapter (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F0H8TOC/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_0Mb.wbN21Z6ZR

I built a set for my girlfriend a while back, paired them with this. They sounded tremendous.

u/TophatMcMonocle · 3 pointsr/diyaudio

I have a BIC F12 under my computer desk and I'm real happy with it. It's not up to filling a living room with deep bass at high SPLs, but it provides plenty of clean low bass in a desktop setup. It extends much lower than the little Dayton or most smaller inexpensive subs. For a few years now, these have earned a reputation of being a "go to" low budget subwoofer. It's big, but I still have room under the desk for my computer tower, waste basket, paper shredder, and feet.