Build your own iPod Hi-Fi
By Darren Murph 
posted Jul 18th 2006 4:05AM
posted Jul 18th 2006 4:05AM
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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?
These seem cool...but the plastic cases wouldnt make brilliant housings for the speakers...would they?
This seems cool, but where does the ipod go?
Why do people feel the need to scream "First post!", its hardly an achivement is it?
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.
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...
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
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.
looks neat, but it's not a Mac Classic, it's a Mac Plus
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
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.
Heh, a neat DYI for a legend of a computer. I love it/.
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