re: Recommend a sound system for my shop

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Thanks for putting all that time in.

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I enjoy this.

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I can live without am/fm if thats a major hangup

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It's just not a linear set of features and prices. You can get a plenty good enough sounding Lepai 2020a+ or DTA-1 for under $30. To add FM and not gain a whole lot in sound quality, you have to bump up to 6 sets of inputs, add a remote control, and $70. To bump up in sound quality without really adding features, you're also looking at ~$100, but the sound from a Class T amp should very likely suffice. I used to use one to drive Sony ssf7000 towers. They were in an upstairs bedroom, I was in the room below it. It was playing thunderstorm sounds. My fiancee actually thought it was raining outside.


I would basically decide this: is it worth $70 to not hook up an additional device when I want to listen to FM (and little FM radio without any frills will probably run you $20, so a net $50 difference)? If it is worth the difference, grab one of those Class T amps. If you'd rather one device that does it all, grab a stereo receiver. The sound quality won't be much different.

The Yamaha linked is fine as well. I don't think you'd tell a difference in sound quality between it and the Sony b it picking up Bluetooth, but you'd spend an additional $20 (which would still be in budget with 2/3 of the speakers listed, not counting wire or incidental things you may need to install it (like if you're using conduit of any kind).


Last last thing: the Lepai is designed to be mounted. It has little screw ports (U shaped/open, not full holes) in the chassis. This could be on or under a shelf, on a wall, or you could just let it sit on a desktop like anything else. Neither of the Class T that I would recommend have a remote for volume control. If that's a big deal, you'll need to bump up to a receiver as well.