DIY Bluetooth Soundbar

mbalbritton

mbalbritton

#@$%!
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Lakeland, FL
So, I haven't been in the custom car audio scene for many years... decades... I either left the factory stuff in there, or had nothing at all. Our '87 Wrangler has an aftermarket typical soundbar from Rugged Ridge or some-damn-body, wired to a Sony head unit with detachable face, but new enough to have BT. However the head unit is pissing me off because the buttons don't work 90% of the time. So, I thought why not turn the sound bar into a BT sound bar.

Anyone ever built their own BT sound bar or speaker system? What should I consider? Looks like there are kits out there you can buy that have the BT component, or even speakers and BT component kits.

Clearly I need something that is 12V, preferably meant for outdoor use. I don't know what I don't know, so please throw out anything else I should consider.
 
There are many ways, easiest would probably be to buy one of the hundreds of sxs or wakeboard tower Bluetooth speakers, or buy a bt head unit and factory wiring harness adapter this would be my choice since you get to keep radio. 3rd and what I do for equipment is a boat amp and controller like this
Pyle Waterproof Bluetooth Marine Amplifier Receiver - Weatherproof 2 Channel Wireless Amp for Stereo Speaker with 600 Watt Power, Wired RCA, AUX and MP3 Audio Input Cable - (Black) https://a.co/d/6DBi8GC
 
I'm interested as well and following. My Tacoma needs a new stereo and speakers and I want to ditch the head unit all together and go fully Bluetooth off an amp. I ripped the antenna off long ago and can't even recall when I listened to the actual radio last in any of my fleet.
 
Still running the YJ/TJ(?) overhead sound bar (highly modified to fit the narrower tubes) fed by a Rockford-Fosgate "Punch" amplifier which is fed by a Chineseum BT receiver w/ volume control... oddly continues to work great after 10 years
 
After some digging around, I didn’t realize how cheap you can pick up a head unit for now. It really would be easiest.

I’d still be interested in building my own BT speaker box just for fun though .
 
if you're really looking for some serious sound with tight crisp bass/mids and highs I built these for TJs/LJ and they are phenomenal!! holds 4 8inch with 2 tweeters and factory overhead lights.. the sound is outrageous. customer has 1500w amp pushing the 4-8s and tweets on 300w. bit overkill but daiuuum. one of cooler things I've built
20230427_164835.jpg
 
marty79 said:
if you're really looking for some serious sound with tight crisp bass/mids and highs I built these for TJs/LJ and they are phenomenal!! holds 4 8inch with 2 tweeters and factory overhead lights.. the sound is outrageous. customer has 1500w amp pushing the 4-8s and tweets on 300w. bit overkill but daiuuum. one of cooler things I've built
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did you use a effin crane to lift it in place?
jeez whatever happen to some simple glass work
 
ckruzer said:
did you use a effin crane to lift it in place?
jeez whatever happen to some simple glass work
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it's what he wanted, it was kinda heavy not gonna lie. After his $800 plastic fancy one failed (warped/melted) he said screw it and build a lifetime one lol. He added the shocks for a cool factor..everyone digs it, I've picked up several customers off it alone
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marty79 said:
it's what he wanted, it was kinda heavy not gonna lie. After his $800 plastic fancy one failed (warped/melted) he said screw it and build a lifetime one lol. He added the shocks for a cool factor..everyone digs it, I've picked up several customers off it alone
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Please tell me that got welded in
 
ckruzer said:
Please tell me that got welded in
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took a piece of tube, cut it in half to match factory mounting location, added an extra bolt on each side. I preferred welding it in but his being a fancy mall crawler he wanted it bolted. it works
 
Buy a turtlebox speaker. They’re a little pricey, but they’re loud and the battery lasts forever before you need to charge it. You can buy a second and sync them together. It’s all Bluetooth and you can bring the party with you outside of your vehicle. I have one and it sounds really good. Can’t imagine how loud two would be in a Jeep. Mounting them would be the only issue. They’re about the size of an ammo can. Over the rear fenders possibly.
 
I had never heard of these turtle box things until a week or so ago. Saw a few people on FB that always have to brag about everythibg they buy posting about them and looked them up. Holy balls, $400 for a status symbol speaker?!
 
awheelterd said:
I had never heard of these turtle box things until a week or so ago. Saw a few people on FB that always have to brag about everythibg they buy posting about them and looked them up. Holy balls, $400 for a status symbol speaker?!
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I can’t bring myself to pay $400 for it. While I agree that most people buy stuff like this because of the status symbol aspect, this is a quality piece. I was truly impressed with power, sound quality, lack of distortion, and the fact that it’s waterproof.

I was out on my buddy’s 32’ express boat with twin 300’s running full throttle and that damn box laying on the deck in back and it filled the cabin with music. They have a 6 speaker built in system and the turtle box sounds better.
 
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mbalbritton said:
I can’t bring myself to pay $400 for it. While I agree that most people buy stuff like this because of the status symbol aspect, this is a quality piece. I was truly impressed with power, sound quality, lack of distortion, and the fact that it’s waterproof.

I was out on my buddies 32’ express boat with twin 300’s running full throttle and that damn box laying on the deck in back and it filled the cabin with music. They have a 6 speaker built in system and the turtle box sounds better.
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They do sound good. What sold me was a guy cruising around on a jet ski last summer. He had it strapped to the back, it was getting soaked, jarred from him playing, and it still sounded great. There’s a cove we sometimes hang out in. He pulled up, all the boats shut off there stereos, and you could hear that thing throughout the cove loud enough to enjoy it. The battery lasts forever too. I’ll never put another stereo in a boat. I spent $500 bucks on a marine stereo package for my pontoon. It sounds good, but weather and electronics don’t mix. Already had to replace a head unit, and do some rewiring on the amp. I could have bought two of these for a little more, synced them, and they would have been more than enough. Plus it won’t pull from the batteries on the boat and you can listen all day.
 
Wes said:
They do sound good. What sold me was a guy cruising around on a jet ski last summer. He had it strapped to the back, it was getting soaked, jarred from him playing, and it still sounded great. There’s a cove we sometimes hang out in. He pulled up, all the boats shut off there stereos, and you could hear that thing throughout the cove loud enough to enjoy it. The battery lasts forever too. I’ll never put another stereo in a boat. I spent $500 bucks on a marine stereo package for my pontoon. It sounds good, but weather and electronics don’t mix. Already had to replace a head unit, and do some rewiring on the amp. I could have bought two of these for a little more, synced them, and they would have been more than enough. Plus it won’t pull from the batteries on the boat and you can listen all day.
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I was skeptical of them. Went tubing Sat, and another group had one. Wasnt much jarring, but that thing was loud, never skipped a beat, and didnt care that it was pouring rain for 4 hrs while we floated down the river. I cant justify spending the coin on one, but if I was on the water often, it would be much higher on the list.
 
I've got this $90 Amazon bluetooth speaker mounted in my buggy. Been so impressed with it that I bought another one to keep in the shop. Sounds great and has better bass than the way more expensive soundbars that I've heard.

Speaker
 
Wes said:
Buy a turtlebox speaker. They’re a little pricey, but they’re loud and the battery lasts forever before you need to charge it. You can buy a second and sync them together. It’s all Bluetooth and you can bring the party with you outside of your vehicle. I have one and it sounds really good. Can’t imagine how loud two would be in a Jeep. Mounting them would be the only issue. They’re about the size of an ammo can. Over the rear fenders possibly.
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This is my homemade turtle box (with sub)
Still works as a cooler too

IMG_1146.jpg
 
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