Shop Radio

[tvgordon]

I was looking around the Depot at the different job site radios and wondered if you guys had a favorite?

It's going to be in the shop so it doesn't have to have fall protection or a battery charger but I would like it to have a digital tuner, mp3 hookup and be at least a little dustproof.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[AlexThePalex]

If it's only for the shop you can use any normal (home) radio you want. All it does is sit there on the shelf. They can take a lot of dust without problems. Get a tuner and amplifier with separate speakers and you'll have a better sound than any site radio can give you. But if you want to use a site radio in your shop, the Bosch radios are my clear favourite. They have a great sound, good reception and lots of possibilities. Dewalts are also fine. 

 

[Alan m]

i think fine ww /hb did a review last year on this issue . not sure of the outcome but they tested them with drop tests etc

 

[Kev]

The Festool offering is nothing special, but's it's straight AM/FM. I'ts very similar to most of the job site radios.

My suggestion would be to get something with a remote and put the unit itself out of the way.

I got the Festool job site radio in a bundle with my KAPEX and I use it when I'm working outside the shop/house. In the "shop" I typically listen to Spotify via the computer with some decent powered speakers (I'm using Rokit KRK 8's).

 

[Steve R]

I when for a $99.00 Milwaukee M12 Job-Site Radio it is AM/FM and a place to store and plug in your iPod. Comes with a AC cord and works on the M12 batteries.  I like if for it's small size, as i work on site.  I would love a remote but would lose it on site. Most site/shop radios are too large for me to take on site. I'm not looking to put sound out to a 1/2 acre site, and most big site radios....have the sound quality of a frog with a sore throat.

The $99.00 Milwaukee M12 Job-Site Radio  fits your your description.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[harry_]

Sorry Alex,

I do not have a single kind word to say about the Bosch radios. Not a one. I guess this is a classic case of YMMV

 

[Jason Kehl]

I have 2 of the older Milwaukee radios and after about 2 years they will no longer operate off of A.C. They will still work off of a battery though. I don't know if the newer version solved this problem but I won't buy another to find out. The repair depot estimated $80-$100 to repair each radio, if things went well and the porblem was what they thought it was. I was not willing to take the chance and replaced them with a Bosch about 1.5 years ago. It has better sound, more features (can plug my Sirius directly into it) and has given me no problems at all.

The Bosch was more expensive, bigger and heavier but these things don't bother me. In all cases the radios are used as job site radios, light rain and some bumping around but no real abuse.

Jason

 

[woodguy7]

I have an old home stereo in one part of my workshop with 6 speakers sunk into the ceiling thought the workshop.  Better sound than any job site radio.  The job site radio I use is the Makita.  Great sound from it.

Woodguy.

 

[lambeater]

You will be much happier with an Amp. I put in an Onkyo 2 channel pure music amp, a couple of speakers in the shop place a couple out around the pool and hooked up my galaxy for internet radio. Works awesome, I even get to listen to my favourite rock stations from New Zealand.

thx
Lambeater

 

[RONWEN]

My radio stays in the shop so nothing environment hardened about it.  It is a WIFI model so the radio station choice is in the thousands.

 

[Kev]

You will be much happier with an Amp. I put in an Onkyo 2 channel pure music amp, a couple of speakers in the shop place a couple out around the pool and hooked up my galaxy for internet radio. Works awesome, I even get to listen to my favourite rock stations from New Zealand.

thx
Lambeater

Just happen to be listening to Fat Freddy's Drop as I read this - they're a fav of mine.

 

[zapdafish]

Another thing to check is if the radio loses power it remembers your settings. Thats one peeve I have with my radio is I flip a breaker to turn off all the power to my shop and my radio forgets everything..

 

[Alan m]

ye mine does that too. very anoying. next one will be mechanical rather than electronic tuner

 

[Jesse Cloud]

I'm with Ronwen on this one.  WiFi is the way to go.  I have a Jawbone Jambox blue tooth speaker paired with my Mac.  I usually do Pandora so I get just the right music all day with no commercials.  Also can 'tune' to specific radio stations.  The speaker is small but powerful and I can move it around the shop since its wireless.

[For those not acquainted with Pandora - its a free service - you set up "stations", for instance I have a Dave Brubeck station and a Led Zeppelin station - and it plays music by Dave Brubeck or similar.  You can like or dislike individual pieces and it bases future play on your likes.  Eerily accurate after a while.  I don't think it is available worldwide.}

 

[Kev]

I can use Pandora in Oz.

 

[joraft]

...  I have a Jawbone Jambox blue tooth speaker paired with my Mac. 

... The speaker is small but powerful and I can move it around the shop since its wireless.

Jesse, I wonder if that Jawbone would work for me.

My shop is in an industrial building and most of the other 29 tenants have some kind of machines running all day. The electrical interference in the atmosphere is unbelievable. I can't get anything "over the air". The only music I can play is from disk storage or hard-wired streaming. I wonder how wifi or bluetooth would do. That would be far more convenient. Is there a range limit to bluetooth?

 

[BBuild]

I've been using the older Rockford powered milwaukee 18v for a few years with no problems except the weight and size (small compared to the Bosch). It's got great sound and good bass. I stopped carrying it in the van only because it takes up too much room so I now only use it while washing cars or doing yard work. I got a LXT radio on the way along with my new brushless kit so I'll let you know which sounds better. FYI dewalt owns the patent  on battery charging radios and Bosch pays royalties to use it.

 

[tvgordon]

Another thing to check is if the radio loses power it remembers your settings. Thats one peeve I have with my radio is I flip a breaker to turn off all the power to my shop and my radio forgets everything..

I never thought about that. I don't get great reception in the shop and was hoping a digital tuner might lock on to the signal a little better. The shop is too far from the house to get wifi.

I was just looking for a compact unit that sounds good. From what you guys are saying, it seems that most of them all sound good so maybe I'll look around and see if I can find something on sale.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Jesse Cloud]

...  I have a Jawbone Jambox blue tooth speaker paired with my Mac.  

... The speaker is small but powerful and I can move it around the shop since its wireless.

Jesse, I wonder if that Jawbone would work for me.

My shop is in an industrial building and most of the other 29 tenants have some kind of machines running all day. The electrical interference in the atmosphere is unbelievable. I can't get anything "over the air". The only music I can play is from disk storage or hard-wired streaming. I wonder how wifi or bluetooth would do. That would be far more convenient. Is there a range limit to bluetooth?

John,
I'm not sure what the range limit to bluetooth is.  I can get a strong signal from my Mac anywhere in the garage/shop about 50 feet from where I keep the Mac inside the house.  Here's a link to the Jawbone site: jawbone jambox . They might be able to help.  It can also work as a speaker for your phone or any other bluetooth enabled device.

 

[jmarkflesher]

I use a Wave radio in my shop, single CD and I-pod input. Sound is OK but you would need an amp for external speakers. I am spoiled from Sirus radio in my truck, no commercials. Thinking of looking into contract for shop radio. My truck is now only $42.00 for 14 months. anyone know the price for a in house radio? MARK