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creeky
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 09:55
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Recently a friend gave me her IPOD. I had put a hundred or so albums on it for her some years back and she was tired of listening to them.
I thought, cool, but how do I listen to the tunes? Off to the internet I went and found reviews of a Lepai amplifier and Andrew Jones bookshelf speakers (SP-BS22-LR). When I ordered them the speakers were on sale, so this is my $110 music system.
I have to say I am blown away by the sound. I worked in a high end stereo shop one Christmas and we used to judge speakers first by where was the music coming from? Was there a soundstage or did you hear the sound coming from the speakers.
With the Lepai amp you hear a definite if not large soundstage. Score.
How big are the instruments? The instruments are certainly not full sized. But again I am amazed by how realistic the music is. It's as if you're listening to the band, it's just your a bit further away than right at the front. Impressive.
On one reggae track a sound I had always thought was two sticks being rubbed together turned out to be a human voice. Nice detail.
The offgrid friendly aspect is the Lepai "class T" amp uses 0 watts of power when idle. And, with my volume levels, I'm probably drawing about 8 watts of power while listening. At that level I can rock all day and all night without worry about my batteries. Bonus.
What are you using for offgrid sound?
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 10:14
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I took a bit of a different route for tunes. Knowing the local meth-heads would eventually break in, I purchased a garage sale RV stereo and hooked it up to a neighbor's discarded speakers (ain't trash night great?). Stereo has no presets or any other power draw when turned off. Runs off 12volts with low current draw. Picture shows stereo cabinet under construction (longs since finished).
I have a "cassette kit" that allows me to play my mp3 player through the stereo.
The burglars did break in the other year, but left the stereo AND my cassette tapes... However, they did take my 89 cent spiral notebook, having left me the pages that had been written on (see Break-ins and Security thread). In their view my stereo system was worth less, but to me it's pretty close to priceless. It gets heavy usage.
RV stereo cassette player
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SubArcticGuy
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 10:40
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I have an owl that I listen to pretty regularly. On really calm nights I can also hear a couple of sets of rapids a few kms away...That is the only music so far....But I am also looking forward to listening to rain on the tin roof... 
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littlesalmon4
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:09
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No tunes for me
Sounds of nature are spectacular. Better yet .....no power draw at all.
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LakeSuperior5
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 11:22
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Bose SoundLink wireless system. Can use it with any bluetooth, one charge lasts a few weekends. Speaker is fantastic sound and small enough that we can bring it home easily or hide it easily. Tunes inside or on the deck.
We use iTunes, Pandora and listen to many podcasts in the evening.
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MJW
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 12:26
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Whippoorwills, owls, crickets, bullfrogs, coyotes and the occasional fox.
Cows in the lower pasture from time to time.
Now when I am out driving in my truck, I be jammin'...
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Popeye
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 14:10
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I have a Dewalt radio.
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cbright
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 14:50
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Also a Dewalt.... have used it tons over the years. Good sound and more than loud enough. Got it for about $80 off eBay without a battery.... but I have three batteries from my tools.
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 15:03
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When I finish my cabin my reward to myself will be a table mount hand crank Victrola phonograph with a bunch of old New Orleans hot jazz records and maybe a little Cuban Mambo. That will make the squirrels take notice.
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 15:34
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Bldginsp,
I have a table mount Victrola waiting to be restored and taken to the cabin. But finding the hot jazz records is a lot more work (or money if one goes the EBAY route). I'm hoping that my burglars won't take the Victrola if it is in pieces and doesn't look shiny.
I'd get the heavy console version Victrola if I had room. These can go for very little money at rural auctions in Ohio, and their mere weight and size makes them theft resistant!
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Salty Craig
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 15:38
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I drop the windows on my crew cab F150 and let er crank if I'm working around the cabin and in the mood. At night I watch a video or goof on my iphone. Most of the time I just enjoy the silence. I do not need music or a distraction to be happy. I am quite at peace with only my thoughts in my head.
Salty Craig
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Dillio187
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 16:14
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a Kenwood single DIN car stereo hooked to the 12V battery bank, and an FM antenna mounted at about 20' on the roof of the cabin. Pulls in the signals from the 'big city' over 100 miles away, as well as the 'smaller city' 40 miles to the north.
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bobrok
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 16:22
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Quoting: Salty Craig Most of the time I just enjoy the silence. I do not need music or a distraction to be happy. I am quite at peace with only my thoughts in my head.
After all, isn't this why a lot of us have our little cabins in the middle of nowhere?
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cabingal3
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 16:40
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i want a banjo to play on the front porch and sing but hubby says heck no.snicker.
honestly I just like quiet.
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Steve961
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 16:57
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creeky:
Great minds must think alike. I have the exact same speakers, a small mp3 player, and a slightly different T-amp than you. I also added a 22" Samsung LED TV and an external hard drive with my complete movie library on it. It's basically a mini home theater that only uses about 25 watts of power when everything's on.
Steve
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Bevis
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 17:18
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ION tailgater Bluetooth speaker system. Use it out at the hunting camp, and while riding around on the swamp buggy. think I got it at Walmart.
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morock
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 17:55
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I'm looking at using a "rasberry pi" running XBMC with all 44GB of my MP3s on a USB stick. Uses less than 1/2 amp @ 5V, can also play movies in HD and serve as security system with camera. Not bad for a $35 computer.
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beachman
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 18:09
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I too have an old wind up Victrolla with some old 33's. We have used this for years and it still works well. In our newer camp (also off-grid) we have satellite radio with a boombox powered by a 12v battery that we charge by solar. The sound is great but sometimes tough to place the antenna in the woods. Found our upper front window facing SW works most of the time.
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skootamattaschmidty
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 18:09
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I plug my iPad into an old boom box we have from the 1990's which is plugged into my inverter. The sound is still great from that old Fisher, dual cassette machine!
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adakseabee
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 19:52
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I play a dulcimer I made in 1974.
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Fusil62
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 20:55
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We picked upon upright Victrola about a year ago. It had been painted and that took care of being a collector. The innards are great. Haveabout 150 records from garage sales, etc. It's been fun.
Found a place put east that will rebuild the motor to "like new". Hat will be a winter project.
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davey25
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 21:14
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I use a solar powered ruckus stereo..has Bluetooth ..charges my iPod too..
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Borrego
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 21:31
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We like quiet as well during the day, but come cocktail time, me and the missus like to put our Ipod in a battery powered player, sit on the front deck, and listen to some good ole country...Buck, Merle etc... and some of the new guys aren't too bad either....
Then some Beatles etc.. sometimes works too, can enhance the whole offgrid experience....
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Salty Craig
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 21:41
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bobrok
Amen! Although I do enjoy the occasional roar of my ruger sp101 .357 magnum. (earplugs of course)
Salty Craig
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avan
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 21:51
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I put my fingers on the key of my sax and play!
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 12 Dec 2013 22:09
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Good advice and information on restoring those old Victor Victrola hand crank phonographs:
http://www.victor-victrola.com/
Remember to change the needle every time you play a record!
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silverwaterlady
Member
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2013 03:33
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Bldginsp, I would like a Victrola. Are you serious about the needle? Any tips you could give me on the use? I looked around on Craigslist and found a floor model in pretty good shape for $125.00 is that a good price?
I really love the sound of the old disc music boxes from the Victorian Era. Not the tabletop players(they don't sound as nice). I like the standing music boxes. They sound beautiful. There are some videos of them playing on YouTube. I probably won't have one for the cabin since they are rather expensive.
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Jim in NB
Member
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2013 04:27
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Enjoy the silence, the wind blowing thru the trees and the call of the loons coming up from the lake - when it's time for tunes I have two sources - one a small portable stereo that I run off a battery charger pack (limitations of charge will be gone with this system). The other one is a small battery operating speaker system (4 AAs) that I plug mp3 players into. Cost $20 and has been a great find - looking for a back up - have used it for four years and it is still going strong.
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TheWildMan
Member
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2013 08:00
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AM/FM radio, made in 1970. measures 10" wide, 2" deep and 7" tall, long antenna, runs off 6 D cell batteries.
it has awesome sound for a radio, its just and AM/FM radio, those batteries last a very long time, had the same coppertops in it since I found the radio in a trash pile.
usually I leave it to classic rock or public radio, wrapped a piece of baling twine on the handle and hung it from a nail in the wall
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bldginsp
Member
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# Posted: 13 Dec 2013 08:34
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Silverwaterlady- I have two Victrolas, and I am in the gradual process of restoring one of them, so I've researched it a bit. The guy on the website I listed above is the real expert. But here's the basics I've learned:
Yes, with all old original phonographs playing 78s the original instructions with the equipment were to use each needle only once, then throw it away. Needles are still cheap and easily available. If you use a needle more, it damages the records.
Many old Victrolas and other phonographs are still available. The Victor Company, who made the brand name 'Victrola', made millions of phonograghs. Don't let anyone tell you that a phonograph is rare just cause it's a phonograph. I have two, a Victrola model 11 which is one of the most common and is not rare at all, and of no interest to collectors unless in perfect factory condition. I also have a model 18 which is a rare Victrola and actually has a little value as an antique.
It's really easy to find old Victrolas on Craigs'list or Ebay. What you want to find is one in good condition. Aside from the condition of the finish, and the presence of all parts, the wind up mechanism needs servicing after time, and the reproducers need to be rebuilt. The reproducer is the round thing that the needle goes into. Getting these repaired is not terribly expensive.
So you should be able to find one for about $100-200 indecent shape, then, if you choose to get it brought up to factory mechanical condition, another $300 or so will make it work fine. But the model 11 I got is working fine now as is, even though the grease in the wind up spring coils is a bit dried out and thick.
$125 for a Victrola in decent working condition with all parts is a fair, standard price.
78s are readily available. The record companies made millions of them. They have no value unless they are certain kinds of early jazz, blues, and a few other things. But it's fun to listen to Bing and Benny Goodman occasionally. If you happen across an original Polydor Skip James, let me know.
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