Need low-cost audio amplifier and speaker x 1K units - request for help!
Ken Gracey
Posts: 7,392
Hey all,
This October we're producing a promotional kit so customers can animate a pumpkin, Christmas ornament or anything else similar. The kit contents will include:
(2) Parallax Standard Servos
(2) WS2812 LED rings
(1) PIR
(misc) 3-pin cables and connectors
and one more part we have not chosen - an LM386 audio amplifier with speaker for sound and wav file playback from the Propeller. This should cost us less than $6-8. It needs to have a simple method of connections (being breadboard ready is good, but not required).
You'd think there would be thousands of choices, but I can't really find what we're looking for. We will use about 1K units.
I'm wondering if any of our forum members could provide some links to possible solutions for an integrated speaker and audio amplifier.
Thanks!
Ken Gracey
This October we're producing a promotional kit so customers can animate a pumpkin, Christmas ornament or anything else similar. The kit contents will include:
(2) Parallax Standard Servos
(2) WS2812 LED rings
(1) PIR
(misc) 3-pin cables and connectors
and one more part we have not chosen - an LM386 audio amplifier with speaker for sound and wav file playback from the Propeller. This should cost us less than $6-8. It needs to have a simple method of connections (being breadboard ready is good, but not required).
You'd think there would be thousands of choices, but I can't really find what we're looking for. We will use about 1K units.
I'm wondering if any of our forum members could provide some links to possible solutions for an integrated speaker and audio amplifier.
Thanks!
Ken Gracey
Comments
Can you expand some more on what 'an integrated speaker' means ?
There are bare speakers here https://www.electrodragon.com/product/0-5w-8-ohm-mini-speaker/ in both wired and need-wires versions
Or here https://lcsc.com/products/Speakers_538.html?q=speaker are what look like piezo-energized but paper cone 'speakers', and there are also the bare piezo elements, but they tend to be more selective.
If you want 'somewhat decent' quality, then a more classic speaker may be needed, and larger-is-better. I see Digikey lists 556 speakers stocked
50mm size for 76c/1k or 57mm for $1.32/1k ?
By "integrated" I felt it would be nice to have the speaker and audio amp mounted on the same PCB, but this isn't too important. It seems an amplifier would be a stand-alone PCB, which is fine.
The speakers you identified are all reasonable choices. Can you also pick out an amplifier, built on a PCB? I remember Chip once mentioned that you have the full DigiKey and Mouser catalogs stored in your head.
Any sources are fine, provided a dummy as myself can hook things up.
Thanks,
Ken Gracey
Moving up that 'integrated' - I searched for 5V Speaker, then USB speaker and then USB AUX Speaker, and it seems you can get packaged 'modest battery' 100mAh, AUX-in speakers, that may come inside your budget ?]
LED Portable Mini Speakers Wireless Bass Loudspeaker with TF USB Port for AUX (google says 1.85 Pound sterling equals US$2.42)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Portable-Mini-Speakers-Wireless-Bass-Loudspeaker-with-TF-USB-Port-for-AUX/162658662354
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Mini-Stereo-Bass-Speakers-Music-Player-Wireless-TF-Speaker-MP3-Player/122468525976 US $1.96
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Mini-Stereo-Bass-Speakers-Music-Player-Wireless-Support-8G-TF-Speaker/192366030298 US $1.49
https://www.ebay.com/itm/5-ColorsLED-Portable-Mini-Speakers-Wireless-Bass-Speaker-With-TF-USB-FM-Radio/163048072062 $US$2.19
They say AUX and not headphone, so I'm assuming the AUX is 3.5mm in. These low cost ones have no cables it seems..
Even Bluetooth ones are getting close ... if you can find an AUX-in one...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Portable-Mini-Bluetooth-Speaker-Wireless-Bass-Speaker-With-TF-USB-FM-Radio/163084341290
- amazing, US$5.69, gets 400mAh, Bluetooth and MP3 playback, AUX in, Microphone,
oh, and 'Magic play LED'
or, I find 'Pillow speakers' which are just a packaged disk speaker(s) with 3.5mm lead, passive - as low as 75c ? - harder to damage. (Stereo for US$2.14 ?)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1Pc-Mini-Portable-Loudspeaker-Music-AUX-Pillow-Trumpet-Voice-Box-Accessory/283024355003
There is something like this, which is a more conventional 2 speakers and Amplifier - not sure of the freight impacts of this one, but sound quality would be good.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-0-Drive-by-Wire-USB-Audio-Amplifier-Board-volume-control-3-5mm-stereo-CABLE/182046579947
- looks to be std stereo speakers, line-in with an amplifier USB powered in-line. US$2.98, cables included.
They mention 8403, so that's likely this Class D amp https://datasheet.lcsc.com/szlcsc/Diodes-Incorporated-PAM8403DR_C17337.pdf
forums.parallax.com/discussion/164611/cmon-34-cent-stereo-amp-2x3w-29-cent-battery-savior/p2 work really well for various projects that doesn't need super high quality sound. I purchased a case of 24...
https://dollartree.com/E-Circuit-Battery-Powered-Mini-Speakers/p399637/index.pro
I don't think there's a reason to source the LM386. It's a very old chip that's gone well past its sell by date. The modern alternatives don't require the same honking filtering caps.
But I'm guessing that because the Prop BOE and Activity board have an amp on it, you're aiming this for the FLiP? In that case, you'd probably want a 3.5mm breadboardable jack (the PICAXE guys use these a lot) and a couple of discretes for a digital filter. Would add maybe 50 more cents to the cost.
I could see it using this:
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/diodes-incorporated/PAM8301AAF/PAM8301AAFDICT-ND/8283873
I estimate I can do it for $3/unit (I have a pick and place machine)
https://www.adafruit.com/product/2130
Would work best with PWM or duty-mode input. Biasing is probably wrong for analog.
-Phil
PAM8610 digital power amplifier board 2 x15w dual channel stereo mini class D power amplifier board
Rated
4.9
/5 based on
102
customer reviews
4.9 (102 votes) 157 orders
Price:
US $1.28 / piece
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/PAM8610-digital-power-amplifier-board-2-x15w-dual-channel-stereo-mini-class-D-power-amplifier-board/32737445890.html
I designed this, 3D model for speaker is close but don't show (hand) solder tabs.
https://forums.parallax.com/discussion/136438/loud-but-small-thin-audio-speaker
where I received a lot of great advice.
That project ended up with a TPA6204A1 and a CUI 4 watt 40mm speaker. I tried a lot of very thin speakers of various diameters, and nothing but a good heavy magnet gave the sound quality that the customer demanded. The speaker was mounted in a box with vents and and that too was important to the sound quality. I'm still impressed by the engineering that goes into mobile phone sound transducers.
The TPA6204 is a class A-B amplifier with bridge tied output and also differential input, so, no need for capacitors in series with the speaker. Differential i/o translates into very little pop when starting or stopping a track.
With class D, I think you'd want the speaker close to the amplifier, to avoid emi, but that means running power (more wires) out to the speaker assembly.
-Phil
What's wrong with the Veho 360 speaker that you currently offer? It has great volume and fidelity. And for 1M quantities, it must surely fall within your cost parameters.
-Phil
The Veho speakers are fantastic, but too expensive.
Solution found, thread can be closed.
Thanks - Ken Gracey
Did you ever produce any of these?
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA6706D74038
And this on walmart.com
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tech-Go-Splash-Rechargeable-Portable-Speaker-w-3-5mm-Auxiliary-Port-Green-Retail/52284143
Bean
I always wanted a simple-sound-on-breadboard, so when I saw your request I created it and now sent away for 10boards that should be here in 9days.
I will send you a sample and I can fulfill a 1K order in August.
I don't know if you care, but the standard 3 pin cable is black/red/white.
You might want to swap the pins to suit them.
P.S. Do you know how much you will sell them for ? I'm interested...
Bean
The center hole is so speaker can breath, the top hole is so the glue have something to grab as I don't want it to rattle.
It will be cheap, like 2 for $6
Me too! The audio from my daughter's Xiaomi phone blows my mind. And yet it's generated by a small module in a thin phone. I wonder what it costs and how much equalization is being done by the Qualcomm SoC vs the audio module. Maybe none.
My hero Bruce "McGyver" Yeany can make you a speaker for the price of a foam plate, a magnet and some wire. Or a motor!
I don't know if you are still looking, but I just bought an amplified speaker from "Dollar Tree" for $1. It uses 2 AAA batteries. No volume control though. Put pretty nice for a buck.
I had to watch because some of the boxes included the audio cable and some didn't.
It is called the "e-circuit mini powered speaker" and there were several colors.
It is about the size of a tennis ball. I can post a pic if anyone is interested.
I'll probably go back and get a couple more.
Bean
Erco's post on May 1 gives a rundown on the differences between the ones with and without cables.
http://forums.parallax.com/discussion/164611/cmon-34-cent-stereo-amp-2x3w-29-cent-battery-savior/p3