Shop sound

[Yonak Hawkins]

I use wireless Blue Tooth headphones.

I've tried several ideas and have found this to be the best for me, as well. The source is either the radio, CD player or computer. I can hear my phone ring through the headphones. When my wife needed to get my attention she used to stomp on the floor. Now she calls me.

[Michael Clobes]

I use the echo show. Allows my wife to have video conversations with me and hands free music listening/ selection change. Definitely the most used tool in the shop. The Shop is about 80 feet from the house.

[Brian W Evans]

Two things:

1) Craigslist tuner and some outdoor speakers I bought ten years ago on Amazon for $50. Sounds great and plenty loud. The outdoor speakers are nice because they came with mounting brackets I screwed into the wall way up high and out of the way. I mostly listen to Pandora from my cellphone, run through this system. This lets me hear phone my phone ringing through the speakers as well.

2) When doing something loud, tedious, and non-dangerous (e.g. sanding), I use Worktunes bluetooth headphones that sound surprisingly good. Again, Pandora streaming from my cellphone, or maybe a podcast.

[Tom Bain]

I sing to myself ... until the dog starts howling

[Steven Wayne]

I have four Sonos speakers in the shop. The sound is time aligned between them so there's no echo between rooms. They sound great. I like being able to listen to a book on tape or podcast without cranking the volume up as I walk around the shop. I can hear it in every room of the 3500 sq ft shop.

[Jim Fox]

Pandora or Amazon music from PC to Yamaha 7.1 Stereo (really only running 2.1). Loud enough to hear it over the tools and hearing protection. But I am a single loser, err I mean, loner type and can't see any neighbors so noise doesn't matter. Dogs were always upstairs when I had them around and I still did the same.

[Chris Fairbanks]

I have an amazon echo dot hooked up to a small amp with an older pair of speakers. I used to have an old Logitech music player that I had to use a remote on. I have been really happy with the echo as I can now talk to it to change channels, change volume, etc. it’s very helpful in the shop having the ability to be hands free like that. If you already have an amp and speakers the amazon echo dots are now under $30. Happy New Years.

[Rod Sheridan]

I sing to myself ... until the dog starts howling

HaHa, best answer yet!

Happy New Year Tom.

I use a pair of small speakers when not using machinery.

When using machinery I have a pair of 3M Worktunes earmuffs that I either listen to CBC FM or plug my iPod into them........Rod.

[Lyndon Klassen]

I have an old Samsung bookshelf system (from Kijiji) that (apparently) predates the Internet and the remote control.

[Larry Frank]

I use a home built Bluetooth speaker and amplifier. It also has a battery power so I can take it other places. The electronics from Ebay and 50 watts per channel and speakers from Parts Express. The case is just plywood as it lives in the shop or garage and takes a beating.

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[Matt Day]

...and voice commands to turn my air compressor on and off that is in another part of the house.

Could you explain that Chris? Sounds useful.

[Jon Snider]

Could you explain that Chris? Sounds useful.

I was just going to reply to your quote Chris when I got to the end of he thread. Agree! I’m wiring my shop now and compressor and three phase gernerstor remotes and wall switches are part of current plan.

Jon

[Jon Snider]

Looking around a little on my own, I’m guessing Chris used one of Amazon’s Smart Plugs, or a third party one. But these are limited in amperage, highest I found was 12 amps, and most are 120 volt.

[Randy Heinemann]

I listen to music from my iPhone; either music I own or online XMSirius stations through a bluetooth speaker when I'm not running machines. I have tried a number of solutions that are intended to combine noise reduction or canceling with music. Based on my experience I don't attempt to listen to music, etc. while using machines, especially saws, routers, jointers, etc. I feel that keeping my full attention on what I'm doing while working at a machine is most important.

One thing to keep in mind when buying over ear headphones or in-ear buds is the amount of sound they block out or suppress. Foam earplugs have a noise reduction rating of 29 or 30 which is probably one of the highest noise blocking ratings you can get. Bose bluetooth over ear phones do a great job of canceling out noise but are expensive and, to my knowledge, have no NRR because they aren't designed for that purpose. They may be OK, but I have found that they don't block out as much noise as the in-ear plugs. I guess it just depends on what you are looking for. I feel that maximizing the sound reduction and keeping my full attention on the work I'm doing at machines is the most important.

[andy bessette]

A Sony surround sound system for which I paid $25 off c/l.