Wireless speakers and Wi-Fi music systems are two of the greatest gifts presented to us by the Internet of Things. Thanks to a wide range of devices, we now have the ability to enjoy music out loud everywhere we go, without having to worry about power outlets or wires.
[dropcap style=”no-background”] W[/dropcap]ireless speakers and music systems can be found in many different shapes, sizes and at different prices, some even with ridiculously expensive price tags that go as high as $500. So if you’ve been dreaming about getting one for yourself, you might be glad to find these following DIY projects show how to build your own wireless speakers and Wi-Fi audio players at home for less than $100. From a simple low-cost audio streaming box to a stylish Boombox beach bag, we’ve found a bunch of amazing Raspberry Pi and Arduino based projects you can build yourself to satisfy your inner audiophile.
DIY Audio Streaming Box
Let’s start with a beginner level audio streaming box that you can build for just $70. Powered by a Raspberry Pi, this small audio box will let you stream your locally stored archive of music as well as through almost any online music streaming service, including Spotify, Pandora and many more.
Code Project member Christoph Buenger has put together a detailed, easy-to-understand tutorial explaining how to build this device. You just need a Raspberry Pi (preferably Raspberry Pi 2 Model B) for the brains of the device, a micro SD card for the storage, 2A power supply, a Wi-Fi adapter for online streaming and a nice case to put all the components together. Follow the instructions to get started.
After completing the streaming box, you can connect it to your audio system or a set of speakers to listen to the music. You can also use your phone or PC as a remote to control the device using a web browser.
DIY Airplay Speaker
Now that we have an audio streaming box setup, let’s build a wireless speaker to enjoy streaming music all around the house. This speaker is so nicely designed, no one will be able to tell it’s homemade.
Instructables user zwuckl has created this speaker using a Raspberry Pi with a Wi-Fi adapter and a broadband speaker with an amplifier for the sound. To add the finishing touches, he used Fibreboard to craft the case and covered it with artificial leather, adding speaker cloth to the front. Find the step-by-step instructions here.
Stream music from any device to any room in the house using either Bluetooth, AirPlay or even Wi-Fi.
This beautiful wireless speaker will let you connect with AirPlay to stream music through your iPad or iPhone. Imagine the fun you can have if you build a few of these and place them throughout the room to experience a true DIY surround sound system.
If you’re looking for a simple Bluetooth-powered speaker, you’ll find this project to be quite interesting as it lets you streaming music through any Bluetooth enabled device.
DIY Boombox Beach Bag
Planning on hitting the beach this summer? Then this project will be perfect for you to enjoy music while relaxing on the beach. Not just the beach, it’s actually great for listening to music everywhere you go.
This fun Adafruit project created by Ruiz Brothers shows you how to turn an old beach bag (or any other bag) into a low-cost boombox. It was made with mini stereo amplifiers, and a pair of mini speakers, along with a Lithium Polymer 1200mAh battery to power up the speakers. Follow the instructions provided here to start building.
These guys have also 3D printed a case to hold all the parts. Surely, you’ll be able to find a cheaper solution. Once you’re done, jack it up to your phone or portable music player and crank up the volume.
A Few Other DIY Audio Systems Worth Checking Out
The folks over at MakeUseOf have a great project on building a smart streaming speaker with a Raspberry Pi. This speaker is similar to the Airplay speaker, but with better features like the ability to work with Spotify, Soundcloud, and Google Music services. The building process, however, can be a little difficult for beginners. Have a look.
For experienced DIYers with a knack for nostalgia, here’s a neat project worth building if you’d like to have an Internet radio with a cool Retro design. Instructables user Dan Nixon had some help from his dad on the design of the enclosure, but if you have experience with woodwork, you’ll be able to pull it off.
To further improve your audio player projects, try following this Instructables to turn your Raspberry Pi into a Hi-Fi music player by adding an open-source software named RuneAudio. This software includes plenty of great features like the ability to work with almost all common audio formats, support for native DSD playback, Airplay support and even comes with an elegant User Interface.
Carrying around a huge Raspberry Pi portable music player may sound a bit ridiculous, but it can be useful at certain times like for example when using with your Boombox Bag. If you’re interested in building a portable music player from scratch, this project will walk you through the process. It’ll be a great learning experience. The video below will show you how it works.
Don’t forget to bookmark this awesome project to learn how to drive up to five speakers simultaneously using an Arduino microcontroller. It will come in handy when you’re ready for more complex projects.
Always remember, there’s more than one way to approach a DIY project. A lot of DIYers have found different ways to customize these projects in their own ways. So, it’s up to you to experiment and improve these great devices to match your needs.
All of these DIY projects are about expanding your music listening experience by allowing you to stream music from any device to any room in the house using either Bluetooth, AirPlay or even Wi-Fi. You’ll be able to stream music via popular online streaming sites such as Spotify, Soundcloud, and Pandora as well. Get out there and start making!
