Build your own iPod Hi-Fi
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The iPod Hi-Fi could be considered a tad profligate (or at least a bit superfluous), but that doesn't suggest it's not desired by the iPod faithful. For those of you who've lusted after Apple's big white boombox but just couldn't produce the coin required to own your own, we've got a solution for you. A clever DIY'er has taken a pair of old school Mac Classic cases and constructed his own version of an iPod sound system; the self-proclaimed Hi-Fi mini performs similar duties, but has a few choice extras omitted from the original: external speaker hook-ups, "real" stereo separation, and the not-quite-RIAA-approved "Dr Mesh," installed in the unit's former floppy drive slot to prevent others from symbolically stealing songs 400k at a time. We have no idea the sound quality of these things, but and one-upping Apple at their own game with a dash each of irony and retro has to be worth something, right?
Filed under: Household, Peripherals
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
The0ne @ Jul 18th 2006 4:21AM
These seem cool...but the plastic cases wouldnt make brilliant housings for the speakers...would they?
ladn3k @ Jul 18th 2006 4:49AM
This seems cool, but where does the ipod go?
Ally @ Jul 18th 2006 7:40AM
Why do people feel the need to scream "First post!", its hardly an achivement is it?
tamurlane6 @ Jul 18th 2006 8:05AM
Or at least have something meaningful to say about the article if you are going to scream it. Just fishing around to find a post to "FIRST POST!!>>>!" in seems a little lame.
OC @ Jul 18th 2006 10:01AM
Why don't you guys post something about the article rather than just bitching about FIRST POST guy? Do none of you see the inherent irony?
I'd like to know more about this Dr. Mesh bizzo...
Jerko Fandango @ Jul 18th 2006 10:46AM
Me Too O.C.
From the comments linked below I get the impression he put mesh over the case's floppy drive so you can't stick a disk in, and preform the classic hollywood "file saving to disk" move, not sure though
http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars
Dave @ Jul 18th 2006 11:35AM
The *DR.M*esh thing is just a spoof on overly intrusive DRM. It's just a mesh over the (inoperational) 400k floppy drive that will prevent you from "pretending" to steal music 400k at a time.
rawr @ Jul 18th 2006 12:16PM
looks neat, but it's not a Mac Classic, it's a Mac Plus
Brad @ Jul 18th 2006 2:20PM
Do you have to have an iPod to use this? I sold mine because it sheltered me from the world, but I love the sound of Hi-Fi stuff.
Matt E. @ Jul 18th 2006 4:31PM
Heh, a neat DYI for a legend of a computer. I love it/.
Dave Dlugos @ Jul 19th 2006 5:31PM
The MacPlus case is about the right size for a Fostex FE167e bass reflex. You'd have a bit of an issue getting the box to seal (probably easiest just to build a plywood box that the classic case slides over.
I brought a pair of 15 liter FE167 BR + a Sonic Impact T-amp into the shop and we did a shoot-out against the iPod Hifi (analog in from an Airport Xpress). The FE167 sytem was a clear winner although the iPod HiFi was a bit fuller in the bass, but i attribute that to the unmodified T-amp which is known to have limited bass -- bigger caps on the input fix that.
It will be of interest that the iPod HiFi uses the same or similar tripath chip(s) as the T-amp.
T-amps are about $40 + batteries or power supply and a pair of FE167s would run about $100 (the less expensive FE127, $70 pr, would also do the job)
I don't know about others, but i've probably got 20 of these Plus carcasses kicking around, so i figure any creative use is a good thing -- we are also using old iMacs as cat beds, the bondis seem to be the cats favorite.
dave
Leopold Porkstacker @ Apr 30th 2007 1:07PM
LOL, on FARK.com if you spew forth with "first post", it automatically pushes the post to the absolute last one.
Silly wankers!
-he who stacks pork