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**tvrgeek** · 12-11-2020, 11:05 AM

Yes, nicely done, but way over priced unless those are beryllium tweeters!
It is a shame the table radio market is not stronger. For many people, just a decent high quality MONO radio is all the need. Instead the have to get a POS boom-box. Bose did a decent job, but like all their products, charged twice what they should. I use an old Sony in the shop. There was a radio-shack that was good. If they quit the silly stereo speakers, they woudl have room for a large enough single to get to , oh maybe 80 Hz.

**Paul Carmody** · 12-11-2020, 01:51 PM

I feel like those photos are somehow photoshops. Like the perspective is off.

As for the radio itself, yes, it's great. Yours is great. We should probably be pumping out more of these sort of tabletop designs in the DIY world; I'd bet they make great gifts!

**Chris Roemer** · 12-11-2020, 01:59 PM

IMO a small "stereo" unit STILL sounds much better than mono. It doesn't matter that there's no (sig.) separation. Having 2 sources playing from 2 diff. positions (even if they're only spread 18") has a certain ambience, a nice "lively" sound (and modern 4" drivers CAN do justice to 50 (and even 40) Hz. Not silly at all.

**tomzarbo** · 12-11-2020, 02:35 PM

Originally posted by Paul Carmody View Post

I feel like those photos are somehow photoshops. Like the perspective is off.

As for the radio itself, yes, it's great. Yours is great. We should probably be pumping out more of these sort of tabletop designs in the DIY world; I'd bet they make great gifts!

I have given a few table radios as gifts for work friends and family and I think they are a nice alternative to giving speakers as some folks just don't want a set of speakers -- even overnight sensations sized speakers -- in their house.

Giving these away for me, however, always carries a small sense of concern as the weak link is the faceplate/preamp units that I purchase mostly from overseas through AliExpress and Banggood etc. I really wish PE would develop a bulletproof all-in-one faceplate preamp that would have that 'Dayton' quality and reliability -- that would eliminate most of my worries about giving things like this away as gifts.

One of my work friends for instance has a mother that lives in Georgia. I made one for her and she loves it. Actually, maybe one of the ones in the pictures up there... but what if something goes wrong with the faceplate? I can't drive to Georgia to fix it and shipping it both ways is expensive too. These cheapy items have issues from time to time and I'd much prefer to have Dayton make something that would trump all the other units out there on the 'foreign' websites. I've had more of them have issues than I've had work fine out of the box. That's why I usually buy two of everything... they're cheap enough to do so, but then I have another chance in case one has issues. It's a horrible way to buy stuff, but what choice do I have until Dayton comes through for me.

TomZ

**tvrgeek** · 12-11-2020, 03:13 PM

One could always use one of the less busy DIN car radios, simple SMPS etc. Yea, many I would not want on counter, but some are not bad.

**Gordy** · 12-11-2020, 03:45 PM

Tom I have followed your "Faceplate" type posts for a while now. Thank you very much for seeking out what many of us wish we could find. As a result, I would like to throw my $0.02 in for what faceplate nirvana would be like for me.

Remove all USB, SD, or Mini SD card readers. I have never needed these or required these. The make the device look super cheap. We all store media on host devices to play over wireless
Small display for album art nothing fancy just big enough to show you from a distance who's tunes are playing
Volume knob....no buttons. volume knob should be rotary type with push to click that mutes
Source knob, Sources (on back) RCA and headphone. 1st setting should be Off, RCS, then Headphone. Nothing else needed. No fiber or hardline like cables like in the Matrix in the back of Neo's head
Play, Stop, Pause FF, RWD Buttons, Why? See #3 no buttons.
1/4" headphone jack on the front
BT5.0 with large enough caps to keep out all noise
Any bright blue red green LEDs...Nope remove them all.
Easy surface mount, all openings should be air tight like no air coming through a headphone jack in a boom box application. care to 3/8 - 3/4 mounting depths
Internal connections - ALL JST. Should only have power and 1 for additional sources no more than 2 JSTs connected on the main board and ant connection see #12
Should not have power, should just be preamp
Rear additional source input plate, easy surface mount, must be air tight see #9, add BT antenna for bonus
IR remote for volume, source and power. Thats it.
No ugly logos...just keep it simple
Keep it under $35..if the display puts it over that price, bounce it.

**djg** · 12-11-2020, 04:19 PM

I think consumers would not like your exposed speakers. I could be wrong. Otherwise, your stuff is nicer.

**tomzarbo** · 12-11-2020, 06:06 PM

Originally posted by tvrgeek View Post

One could always use one of the less busy DIN car radios, simple SMPS etc. Yea, many I would not want on counter, but some are not bad.

Ahh, yes, it's an option. I agree, most of the cheaper car radios look like a Christmas flashing light show, but a few are classy enough looking to use. Here is a thread that details one Double-Din unit with a link in the beginning to a single DIN unit which is actually really nice.

Car Stereo for Table Radio Thread: http://techtalk.parts-express.com/fo...r-table-radios

Originally posted by Gordy View Post

Tom I have followed your "Faceplate" type posts for a while now. Thank you very much for seeking out what many of us wish we could find. As a result, I would like to throw my $0.02 in for what faceplate nirvana would be like for me.

Remove all USB, SD, or Mini SD card readers. I have never needed these or required these. The make the device look super cheap. We all store media on host devices to play over wireless
Small display for album art nothing fancy just big enough to show you from a distance who's tunes are playing
Volume knob....no buttons. volume knob should be rotary type with push to click that mutes
Source knob, Sources (on back) RCA and headphone. 1st setting should be Off, RCS, then Headphone. Nothing else needed. No fiber or hardline like cables like in the Matrix in the back of Neo's head
Play, Stop, Pause FF, RWD Buttons, Why? See #3 no buttons.
1/4" headphone jack on the front
BT5.0 with large enough caps to keep out all noise
Any bright blue red green LEDs...Nope remove them all.
Easy surface mount, all openings should be air tight like no air coming through a headphone jack in a boom box application. care to 3/8 - 3/4 mounting depths
Internal connections - ALL JST. Should only have power and 1 for additional sources no more than 2 JSTs connected on the main board and ant connection see #12
Should not have power, should just be preamp
Rear additional source input plate, easy surface mount, must be air tight see #9, add BT antenna for bonus
IR remote for volume, source and power. Thats it.
No ugly logos...just keep it simple
Keep it under $35..if the display puts it over that price, bounce it.

Gordy, I love ya' but I can't go for your #1 on the list..... I GOTTA have a USB card reader to play files from, it's almost all I use with these things! Stick it on a rear panel if need be, but it's gotta be there!

Love the real knobs idea... we'll soon (re)learn that knobs are best. Tactile feel is important in life and knobs are the bees-knees!

#12, I like that idea a lot.

#13, I don't know about that, I like an uncluttered remote, and lots of these have too many extra buttons that don't do anything, but I'd like to be able to change track up and down, and folder up and down as well, but that would be for USB files I guess which you're not in favor of.

#14, I wouldn't mind a little Dayton Audio logo tucked away somewhere tiny, Dayton went with a tiny little Dayton audio 'styled-D' on the face of their new and improved 2.1 table mini amp, but yes, overall keep it clean and uncluttered.

#15, I think it may cost a bit more than that, and I wouldn't mind it if it were really a quality product that left nothing to be desired in performance and quality, but you're probably close I guess.

Here is the thread on my Preamp faceplate wish list: http://techtalk.parts-express.com/fo...mbox-wish-list

Originally posted by djg View Post

I think consumers would not like your exposed speakers. I could be wrong. Otherwise, your stuff is nicer.

Thanks, and I agree, the exposed drivers with their bulging, beastly... hideous surrounds appeal to me as a speaker guy, but most need those things to go under grills. The commercial radio above looks pretty nice and clean. It's a lot of work to pull that kind of thing off. Larger grills that cover the woofer and tweeter are hard enough to deal with.

One thing I'd like to add is a trigger to turn on and off whatever amp we decide to use with it. Something with an adjustable on delay would be cool, unless this thing is so quiet it doesn't need it... still needs a 'power-on' lead for a trigger, though.

Thanks Gordy, your ideas are really good, I'm just joshing you a bit...
...and everyone else for chiming in on these topics.

Hmmmm, seems like a lot of foks are interested in this...

TomZ

**RedK9** · 12-11-2020, 06:18 PM

Originally posted by djg View Post

I think consumers would not like your exposed speakers. I could be wrong. Otherwise, your stuff is nicer.

It depends on if they have kids or not. Young kids would be poking there fingers into them.
People without kids would love them because they can tell that they do more than produce sound, the woofers dance to the beat.

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Retail example of a High-End table radio Faceplate....

Retail example of a High-End table radio Faceplate....

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