[Tired Techie]

I am re-doing a bathroom and want to have an ipod dock and shower
speakers. This does not need to be connected to the rest of the house.

A salesman at Crutchfield recommended Polk Audio RC60i speakers ($120)
for in the shower area, a Niles TVA50 amplifier ($329), an ipod dock
($50), and Monster cable 16 gauge in wall speaker wire ($43).

The bathroom is small (9' x 9') and the shower area will be tiled. I
do have a closet with an outlet, so the amp could live in there.

I am a total novice in bathroom music so would appreciate any advice
or feedback you can offer.

Thanks in advance.

- Tired Techie

[Mr.T]

"Tired Techie" wrote in message
...
I am re-doing a bathroom and want to have an ipod dock and shower
speakers. This does not need to be connected to the rest of the house.

A salesman at Crutchfield recommended Polk Audio RC60i speakers ($120)
for in the shower area, a Niles TVA50 amplifier ($329), an ipod dock
($50), and Monster cable 16 gauge in wall speaker wire ($43).

The bathroom is small (9' x 9') and the shower area will be tiled. I
do have a closet with an outlet, so the amp could live in there.

I am a total novice in bathroom music so would appreciate any advice
or feedback you can offer.

Seems like a lot of money unless you spend far too much time in the
bathroom! I would suggest however that the amp and iPod should not be in the
bathroom unless you want the steam/humidity/wet hands to kill them. Also the
speakers should be outdoor or marine waterproof types. (no idea if the Polks
are, didn't bother to check)
The Monster cable of course is just for suckers, a few dollars worth of zip
cord will do as well.

Personally I just use a $20 transistor radio in the bathroom instead, and
throw it out when it breaks. They do last a lot longer than I originally
expected though! Another alternative is simply to run a cable from your HiFi
system to a single waterproof speaker, stereo seems unnecessary for the
purpose IMO, but use two if you prefer. Or if your toilet is separated, you
may want to consider one speaker in each area.

MrT.

[Richard Crowley]

"Tired Techie" wrote ...
I am re-doing a bathroom and want to have an ipod dock and shower
speakers. This does not need to be connected to the rest of the house.

A salesman at Crutchfield recommended Polk Audio RC60i speakers
($120) for in the shower area,

Polk claims these speakers are OK for "semi-damp" areas.
I would expect them to have a short life expectancy INSIDE
a shower. If you are doing something in a shower, you likely
want something that claims to be fully waterproof.

Not to mention that a $200 pair of speakers seems like vast
overkill for a shower. But then perhaps you really want to
help bail out the economy?

a Niles TVA50 amplifier ($329),

Seems way over the top remarkably extravagent for something
to listen to an iPod in the shower. Not clear that it is even
compatible with iPod output?

an ipod dock ($50),

I've seen some cool things that fit into a standard wall box.
It would be great if it would charge the iPod while docked.

and Monster cable 16 gauge in wall speaker wire ($43).

Monster cable is sucker bait. It is outrageously overpriced
and the company is extraordinarily sleazy.

The bathroom is small (9' x 9') and the shower area will be tiled. I
do have a closet with an outlet, so the amp could live in there.

I am a total novice in bathroom music so would appreciate any advice
or feedback you can offer.

I would expect that you could install a very respectable system
for a small fraction of your perceived budget.

[Tired Techie]

On Apr 2, 2:17*pm, "Richard Crowley" wrote:
I would expect that you could install a very respectable system
for a small fraction of your perceived budget.

I agree that this is too much to spend. I also have no expertise here.
Nonetheless, I have tried self-contained ipod speakers (JBL,
Logictech, etc) and the just don't cut it in the bathroom with the
shower running. I was hoping for a better solution without spending a
fortune.

Any suggestions?

[Richard Crowley]

"Tired Techie" wrote ...
"Richard Crowley" wrote:
I would expect that you could install a very respectable system
for a small fraction of your perceived budget.

I agree that this is too much to spend. I also have no expertise here.
Nonetheless, I have tried self-contained ipod speakers (JBL,
Logictech, etc) and the just don't cut it in the bathroom with the
shower running.

Inside the shower, or outside?

I was hoping for a better solution without spending a fortune.

Any suggestions?

I would start by looking around in places that are better known for their
technology than being a flashy consumer toy shop (like Crutchfield)
For example: http://www.parts-express.com/ (and many others)

Although, I would personally likely just consider something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Sou.../dp/B000LO5ZGY
to hang over the shower pipe. But then I am extraordinarily cheap.

[Richard Crowley]

"Mr.T" wrote ...
"Richard Crowley" wrote ...
I agree that this is too much to spend. I also have no expertise here.
Nonetheless, I have tried self-contained ipod speakers (JBL,
Logictech, etc) and the just don't cut it in the bathroom with the
shower running.

Inside the shower, or outside?

Silly question, how much time do you think he spends outside the shower
with
it running?

What I meant was that if he had some gadget *outside* the shower
and trying to listen to it while showering, it would need to put out a
considerable audio level to be appreciated through the water noise.
Speakers located *inside* the shower would make it much more
likely to be acceptable.

[Mr.T]

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...
I agree that this is too much to spend. I also have no expertise here.
Nonetheless, I have tried self-contained ipod speakers (JBL,
Logictech, etc) and the just don't cut it in the bathroom with the
shower running.

Inside the shower, or outside?

Silly question, how much time do you think he spends outside the shower with
it running? Enough to spec the system for that purpose you think? But then
how much time does he spend *under* the shower anyway, I wouldn't spend
hundreds on a system for that purpose either!
In fact only if I was prone to taking LONG baths (which I'm not) would I
worry so much about bathroom sound.

MrT.

[Mr.T]

"Richard Crowley" wrote in message
...

What I meant was that if he had some gadget *outside* the shower
and trying to listen to it while showering, it would need to put out a
considerable audio level to be appreciated through the water noise.
Speakers located *inside* the shower would make it much more
likely to be acceptable.

Not necessary at all IMO. I only use a cheap radio on the other side of the
bathroom, and can hear it well enough for the 3 or 4 minutes it takes to
have a shower.
I sure wouldn't be spending the hundreds he mentioned, and I'm pretty fussy
about music quality for serious listening. But then I don't spend hours in
the bathroom. Even if he does, I doubt much of it is actually under the
shower with the water running.

MrT.

[Sofa Slug]

Tired Techie wrote:
On Apr 2, 2:17 pm, "Richard Crowley" wrote:
I would expect that you could install a very respectable system
for a small fraction of your perceived budget.

I agree that this is too much to spend. I also have no expertise here.
Nonetheless, I have tried self-contained ipod speakers (JBL,
Logictech, etc) and the just don't cut it in the bathroom with the
shower running. I was hoping for a better solution without spending a
fortune.

Any suggestions?


Buy a Sony ICFS79W: http://snipurl.com/sony.shower-radio - IMHO, the
best "shower radio" ever made, then get a decent FM transmitter like
the Whole House: http://snipurl.com/whole-house.xmttr

Plug your ipod into the transmitter in an adjacent room (that will
protect your ipod from humidity) and you're all set.

[Mr.T]

"Sofa Slug" wrote in message
...
Tired Techie wrote:
I agree that this is too much to spend. I also have no expertise here.
Nonetheless, I have tried self-contained ipod speakers (JBL,
Logictech, etc) and the just don't cut it in the bathroom with the
shower running. I was hoping for a better solution without spending a
fortune.
Any suggestions?

Buy a Sony ICFS79W: http://snipurl.com/sony.shower-radio - IMHO, the
best "shower radio" ever made, then get a decent FM transmitter like
the Whole House: http://snipurl.com/whole-house.xmttr
Plug your ipod into the transmitter in an adjacent room (that will
protect your ipod from humidity) and you're all set.


Would probably do the job for me (except I already use a cheaper one I am
happy enough with) However if TT isn't happy with JBL iPod speakers, I can't
see him being very happy with the Sony. He appears to be looking for much
better sound quality than that.

MrT.