Stereo Rebuild

[NKBJ]

In the midst of my hobby room re-do. Came across a couple of old Sony in-dash FM/MW/SW radios from Qatar maybe. I'm thinking maybe a table top radio; build a box, stick in a 120 to 12DC converter, put an antenna stand on top of the box for one my infamous chicken wire rolls in a rotating cylindrical case (painted PCV) and string some speakers either in the box or separate.
It's been forty years since I put together a stereo for an automobile type system (it was my cherry Oldsmobile Omega). Any yall got recommendations on speakers these days? Any to avoid?

 

[jkaetz]

In the midst of my hobby room re-do. Came across a couple of old Sony in-dash FM/MW/SW radios from Qatar maybe. I'm thinking maybe a table top radio; build a box, stick in a 120 to 12DC converter, put an antenna stand on top of the box for one my infamous chicken wire rolls in a rotating cylindrical case (painted PCV) and string some speakers either in the box or separate.
It's been forty years since I put together a stereo for an automobile type system (it was my cherry Oldsmobile Omega). Any yall got recommendations on speakers these days? Any to avoid?

If it's indoors, high sensitivity (> 90db) home theater speakers will serve you well. If you need a power supply I believe these are good for 75 amps and inexpensive.

 

[NKBJ]

Thank you sir.
I'll look at that.

 

[KokomoDave]

Home speakers are 8 ohm impedance normally and car stereo stuff normally is 4 ohm. You will have to have a lot of power to overcome the home speaker loss due to more impedance and when you get into higher volume, you gain distortion unless you have an external amplifier. You can use inexpensive 6X9 speakers in a sealed cardboard box for decent results. For bass, a tube port would be recommended unless you have a speaker that doesn't need that. I would put cotton batts in it. There are a bunch of free info on cabinet building if you like that sort of thing and includes formulae on port diameter, length, etc and sealed box design. A decent speaker system can be built using a 6&1/2" speaker in pvc pipe sealed with rtv. Lots of options...

 

[KokomoDave]

As far as your antenna, a 1/4 wave is ~31" long for optimal FM signal capture but that is restricted by line of sight v.s. A. M.s ability to curve around the earth.
Either way, good luck!

 

[NKBJ]

Thanks for the input Dave.

 

[PistolBob]

Find a set of used Klipsch KG-1's

 

[NKBJ]

Antenna design I came up with in '83 while living on the hind side of Pontchartrain...

Lay out flat a knee high roll of chicken wire and attach a lead to each end.
Cover it with two layers of newspapers.
Roll it up to about one foot diameter or so.
Your basic barn yard tech. With the overlapping hexagons changing orientations while rotating the roll in the horizontal position, it enables individual FM stations to come in clearly without touching the tuner. When I get the time I'm gonna build a new one seeing as I'm living in a broadcast wasteland of lowest common denominator moans, nasal twangs and unintelligible multi-cultural screech. And the Sony's from overseas have CD players built in, yet another plus!