Thread: Powerful, but affordbale amplifier?

Tweet

I have a MP3 controller that I use to power the sounds in my yard haunt. Last year I had it run into an old car stereo as an amp, and when turned all the way up it was barely audible outside (how the heck was it so loud in my car?!). Can someone think of a good amp I can use that can really crank up the sound, while keeping the cost reasonable? I thought a panasonic head unit would do it, but for some reason I dont get, it was barely enough...

How cheap is cheap? Parts Express has a clearance one for $100:

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=302-601

Unfortunately they're already sold out of the $50 clearance amp.

Those cheap sets of speakers from Big Lots work really well. They have an amplifier built in to them. I think they are only $8 or $9 .

go to salvation army or your local thrift store. you can pick-up cheap.

Go find a used guitar amp. 15 to 20 watts will be very loud.

Well I want to route the sound back out to outdoor speakers - will a standard guitar amp do that? (I'm a total noob when it comes to music tech

And yeah the $100 amp is a bit pricy, but if it works... gonna hit Goodwill tomorrow and see what I can find. An old tv receiver amp may handle it just fine for $20 from salvation army.

Thanks for the ideas!

A guitar amp will have the speaker included. All it would need is an audio input and 110v power. Some might even have some effects. (echo and such)
I guess you could disconnect the speaker and run that connection to your speakers.

If you're only running two speakers, then any boombox with a input jack (1/8" or RCA) will work fine. Just get the appropriate adapter and you're all set.

Now if want to run sound everywhere, I'd consider a decent stereo receiver (you don't need a ht version unless its cheap enough). Those old style 70's -80's heavy units will work just fine from the goodwill store, and if you only need 4 speakers use the A-B speaker outputs of the receiver. But if you have more speakers then I'd get something like this in addition to the receiver

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=300-970

Victor

Here's the thing; speakers push air. Inside a car, or your home, there is essentially a "finite" amount of air that is contained by barriers (walls, windows, floor, ceiling, etc.). The smaller the volume, the less air you need to move. The larger the volume, the more air you have to move. Outdoors, there really is no limitation. To move more air you need more speakers and/or more power. Speakers, because of their mechanical limitations can only handle so much power. If you only need to project sound 20 or 30 feet, get a powered 10" PA speaker of 100 watts or so. Probably cost you less than $100.

I bought a small "cheap" amplifier on eBay last year...it powers two outdoor speakers with ease...it works AWESOME...I think I paid $15 for it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Hi-Fi-S...item3a69cd68a0

This is VERY similar to the one I bought last year...just type in mini amplifier on ebay...there are hundreds of them...