Sorry if this has been answered; I searched for it but couldn't find much.
This will be my fourth year and I'd like to have a decent sound system in our camp this year. I'd like something good enough to have a small party (i.e. not a boombox), but it doesn't have to be super loud.
1) Would it be crazy to bring my receiver and speakers from home? They're not high-end, but they're nice enough that I don't want them ruined (replacement cost ~$1000). Any suggestions on protecting them from the dust?
2) Would it be feasible to power the receiver without a generator? I read that a typical deep-cycle battery can provide 1200 watt-hours. My receiver is rated at 155 watts. It seems like I could buy a battery and an inverter (which I read is somewhat inefficient) and run the stereo for at least 6 hours. I could either buy several batteries or buy one and a battery charger and hope to use someone's generator to recharge.
3) I also have an amplifier in my car. Would I be better off trying to power the speakers with that (since it runs on DC already so I wouldn't need the inverter)?
Thanks for any advice/experiences. I apologize for knowing very little about electronics.
Advice requested: stereo and power
I'm planning on using a car stereo. It's already 12v so no inverter, and it's somewhat better able to deal with the environment. It's also smaller and lighter than any home unit is likely to be.
Your speakers will be fine out there as long as you aren't too paranoid about scratches and dulling of the finish. The main danger is that the cones will be punched in while you load/unload, and party with random, possibly altered strangers. Maybe rig up a shield with some hardware cloth.
Are your home speakers 8 ohm? The car amp is probably set up for 4 ohm so you might not be able to get the full power out of it. It's pretty easy to do a test run, though.
Your speakers will be fine out there as long as you aren't too paranoid about scratches and dulling of the finish. The main danger is that the cones will be punched in while you load/unload, and party with random, possibly altered strangers. Maybe rig up a shield with some hardware cloth.
Are your home speakers 8 ohm? The car amp is probably set up for 4 ohm so you might not be able to get the full power out of it. It's pretty easy to do a test run, though.
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dragonfly Jafe
- Posts: 1877
- Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2003 11:08 am
- Location: the Oregon Trail
I think you are crazy bringing your home stereo worth $1000 to the Playa - it will never be the same. If you do this, be sure to take it in for a professional cleaning afterwards (be sure to tell them what you did). We typically use a car stereo or boom box.
Speakers seem to do ok (although they get dusty). You may want to cover everything with a towel to cut down the exposure to dust a little. 8 ohm speakers work ok with a 4 ohm stereo - or you could bring 4 speakers and hook 2 in parallel to each channel to make a 4 ohm load. The only real effect will be a slight increase in volume if you match the impedance.
We typically use a car battery with an inverter - works for about 3-4 hours without recharging (2 or 3 batteries could be hooked in parallel for longer life). Buy the best inverter you can afford (they are more efficient and sound better on your stereo)
If you are going to go with a bigger set-up (over 50w amp say), you would be better served to get a generator with a power output filter and run your stuff that way. Big quality inverters are very expensive. If you go over 300w, you are limited to where you can set-up in the city (best to register your camp if you plan on over 300w of music power).
good luck!
Speakers seem to do ok (although they get dusty). You may want to cover everything with a towel to cut down the exposure to dust a little. 8 ohm speakers work ok with a 4 ohm stereo - or you could bring 4 speakers and hook 2 in parallel to each channel to make a 4 ohm load. The only real effect will be a slight increase in volume if you match the impedance.
We typically use a car battery with an inverter - works for about 3-4 hours without recharging (2 or 3 batteries could be hooked in parallel for longer life). Buy the best inverter you can afford (they are more efficient and sound better on your stereo)
If you are going to go with a bigger set-up (over 50w amp say), you would be better served to get a generator with a power output filter and run your stuff that way. Big quality inverters are very expensive. If you go over 300w, you are limited to where you can set-up in the city (best to register your camp if you plan on over 300w of music power).
good luck!