Small Office Setup - 6 Birdhouses with speakers?

[NickerNerd]

Good day all Audioholics!
I find myself here after searching the web and coming up empty handed for ideas, not being much of an AV guy also limits me lol.

I have a small office place for clients to come into, the theme is outdoorsy. We presently have music that comes in over a few office desk phones. When the phone is hung up, music comes over the speaker, but our choices are limited. I have 6 birdhouses throughout the office I would like to insert speakers into and then, attach them to an amp? or something that can connect to the Internet so we can stream Spotify or from another web streaming music site.

The birdhouses can allow a speaker that has a maximum diameter of 3" inside, yes I know that is small, that was part of my problem finding speakers this size. Then I'm not sure what is the best device or amp I should plug the 6 speakers into for internet access. I'm guessing a laptop or better yet an idevice with Bluetooth could then be used as a conduit for internet access to deliver the music to the "device" and then pump sound out to the speakers.

I wish I would have found this forum earlier and if I get a solution from here, I promise to follow up with a success story.

Thanks everyone,
Allan

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

You mentioned “attaching speakers to an amplifier.” Are you willing and/or capable of running speaker wire from the amplifier to the six locations?

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[NickerNerd]

Hey Wayne,
Yes, I should have mentioned but yes I will running speaker wire from the separate birdhouses back to the source.

 

[lovinthehd]

So you want to mount some sort of 3" driver with as wide a range as possible in a birdhouse? Or a small box speaker to fit inside? What are the dimensions of the birdhouses? Are they sealed or ported? (that last bit is some audio humor...sort of).

 

[zieglj01]

This will be close for speakers

Cambridge Minx
https://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Minx-Satellite-Bookshelf-Speaker/dp/B00PY6LJQ4/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1515892057&sr=8-4&keywords=cambridge+minx

 

[MrBoat]

The inside will fit 3" but most drivers are measured on their OD so, a 3.5 would likely work. That being said, I would take a good look at these full range drivers. Notice the baffle cutout is indeed, 3".

 

[NickerNerd]

LovintheHD,
Yes, 3" max for diameter would fit inside the birdhouse, either the driver by itself or within a housing already, but I could get a slightly larger driver with better sound if not already housed, (better sound because the driver would not be housed within the birdhouse,..damping the audio) they'll never been seen by anyone so just the driver would be ok, probably best. The birdhouses are,..... sealed (if I get your humor),... but can easily be disassembled.

Zieglj01,
Thanks for that link! These might just do the trick! I'll be taking precise measurements inside the birdhouse this week

Mr. Boat,
Thanks, if these are 3" in diameter then these could be my best bet, decent price as well!

Guys, thanks for helping me locate some speaker choices, I'm positive I'll make one of them work. I just need one more piece of the puzzle, an amp or some audio device that the speakers would connect to and also be connected to a laptop so we can stream music choices from the internet to the amp / device, like Spotify or from our personal list. Any suggestions would again be greatly appreciated.

 

[zieglj01]

Multi channel amps for distribition can be expensive

Integra 7.2 channel receivers will allow you to run all channels in mono mode -- so I would check into this. Now Some may be negative about Integra, however I am fine with them
https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/intdtr303/integra-dtr-30.3-7.2-ch-x-100-watts-thx-networking-a/v-receiver/1.html

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/category/avreceiver/home-audio/receivers-amps/home-theater-receivers/1.html?brand_f[]=INTEGRA

Some other receivers may also allow this -- call the likes of Crutchfield and AC4L and talk to them

 

[NickerNerd]

Thanks Zieglj01,
I can see that you can connect a PC to the rear, several ways, that's good, then just get the right connector and I should be ok. As you mentioned, just run all the speakers in mono? This will have the speakers all play audio without any surround correct?

 

[zieglj01]

Thanks Zieglj01,
I can see that you can connect a PC to the rear, several ways, that's good, then just get the right connector and I should be ok. As you mentioned, just run all the speakers in mono? This will have the speakers all play audio without any surround correct?

Select full mono -- mono comes through all channels

 

[NickerNerd]

Gothcha! If anyone else has other ideas for my setup please let me know, I really appreciate all the help.

 

[KEW]

If I was in your situation, I would probably simply buy 6 speakers (if you give us an idea of sizes, we can make recommendations), put a "birdhouse" rooftop on them and maybe drill a hole just below the tweeter and press a rod in to look like a perch (and the tweeter look a bit like the entry hole).
They would clearly be speakers made to look a little like a birdhouse.
A cross of sorts between these two:

PS - If you want to take it up a notch, put some simulated bird droppings on the floor under the perches!

 

[NickerNerd]

That is pretty cool Kurt, love the Photoshop on the speaker above, appreciate the suggestion. I already have the 6 birdhouses in my office, they've been part of the decor for a few years now, looking to have them just magically play on day soon. Thanks to site looks like I'll be purchasing 6 of these speakers, they should fit nicely inside each, also, this amp. Now I'm looking for a suggestion how to connecting the amp to a laptop. I've seen lots of connection options, RCA using the headphones jack from the laptop, HDMI, VGA port (probably wouldn't use this one), also USB-RCA. Then a whole lot of speaker wire, 12 gauge perhaps?

 

[MrBoat]

That is pretty cool Kurt, love the Photoshop on the speaker above, appreciate the suggestion. I already have the 6 birdhouses in my office, they've been part of the decor for a few years now, looking to have them just magically play on day soon. Thanks to site looks like I'll be purchasing 6 of these speakers, they should fit nicely inside each, also, this amp. Now I'm looking for a suggestion how to connecting the amp to a laptop. I've seen lots of connection options, RCA using the headphones jack from the laptop, HDMI, VGA port (probably wouldn't use this one), also USB-RCA. Then a whole lot of speaker wire, 12 gauge perhaps?

I'm using a Y cord to RCA from my desktop headphone out to an AVR. A subwoofer (even small ones) or two stashed somewhere in that room would make those little Peerless speakers sound pretty nice. Cross them over at 120hz or more and then it shouldn't matter if the boxes are ported or not. I am under the impression that you weren't really looking for hi-fi sound with this idea but, those little peerless speakers might surprise, used with a subwoofer.

Really sweet midrange (pretty nice highs, too) with these little drivers.

 

[NickerNerd]

Hey Mr. Boat, thanks, you're right, I won't be cranking the tunes up, just nice ambient tunes for an office environment. Ok, a subwoofer, I could do that, do you have a suggestion or a link you can toss my way?

 

[lovinthehd]

Look at some of the inexpensive parts-express.com subwoofers like the SUB1000, SUB1200 perhaps. What size box can you live with?

 

[zieglj01]

Subwoofers -- Parts Express
https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-800-8-80-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-627

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1000-10-100-watt-powered-subwoofer--300-628

https://www.parts-express.com/dayton-audio-sub-1000l-10-100-watt-low-profile-powered-subwoofer--300-639