Installing a digital sound system in a cooler
We deck out a cooler, Crutchfield-style
In a nutshell: Here's how we installed a Bluetooth digital audio system and marine speakers in an ordinary cooler. If you're inspired to do one for yourself, give us a call and talk to our advisors!
The portable cooler is quite possibly one of the handier innovations of the 20th century. Without our coolers, we’d probably just hang around the house all weekend and stay close to the refrigerator. Instead, we’re loading up our coolers and hitting the road for a weekend of boating, camping, or tailgating. Life’s just a lot more fun when you have a cooler full of food and beverages.
But did you ever wonder how much more fun it could be if you had a cooler that was also a digital media sound system? We did, so we built one. And, as we suspected, it’s really, really awesome.
We used rugged, water-resistant, marine-grade gear to transform this ordinary 50-quart cooler into a high-performance portable stereo that still has room for a few sandwiches and a chilled six-pack. This cooler really is a “party on wheels.”
Check out our video and let our Car A/V Editor, Matt, tell you all about it:
Very cool – we build a cooler with a sound system
After deciding how we wanted to position the speakers and double-checking our measurements, we used a template to outline the speaker openings on the front of the cooler. We then used a jigsaw to cut the new openings. Cutting through plastic and foam can be tricky, so we worked carefully and let the saw do its job. Finally, we sanded the openings to ensure a smooth finish.
Our original design featured two Kicker marine speakers
Our initial design featured 6-1/2" Kicker marine speakers connected to a Bluetooth® enabled Kicker amplifier, and a compact battery designed for boats. The amp and the battery fit neatly underneath a shelf we made with lightweight foam and ABS plastic. This arrangement left plenty of room inside for snacks, beverages, and a few cooler packs to keep everything chilled.
The lightweight plastic covers a sheet of soft foam, which protects the gear beneath
Here, we're just roughing in the location of the amp and the marine battery
The Kicker amp features built-in Bluetooth connectivity for wireless streaming. It also includes a wired remote for iPod® or iPhone® control, so we cut a hole in the front of the cooler and mounted it in an easy-to-reach spot.
The Bluetooth is great, but we also like the included 6-foot iPod/iPhone cable, which lets us play music and charge the device while it’s stored in the cooler.
Amazingly cool – we add more power and subs
Our basic system sounded great, but, being us, we just had to make it bigger and better. We wanted more bass, so we cut new openings, moved the original speakers up, then added a pair of 6-3/4" Kicker subs down below. A compact Kicker mono amplifier provided the power that took our cooler’s sound from, “Hey, that’s really neat!” to “Wow, that’s totally amazing!”
When creating the openings, be sure to “measure twice, cut once”
The amp's weather-resistant controller (top center) is backlit, so it’s easy to find in low light
Totally cool – just for kicks, we add a hotspot
Sometimes, it’s great to get out and get away from it all. But it’s also nice to be connected to music and social media. An Autonet mobile router turned the “cooler cooler” into a 3G Wi-Fi® hotspot. The high-speed connection is great for streaming music, surfing the web, or (occasionally) checking in on the real world. A one-year service plan ($29.95 or $59.95) is required.
Want to build your own “cooler cooler”?
If you're thinking about doing it yourself, we have all the gear you’ll need, and we’ve even created an illustrated Crutchfield MasterSheet™ to help you along. It's just like our traditional MasterSheets that show you how to install gear in your car. And here's the rundown of all the gear we used:
Rugged, rockin’ Kicker 6-1/2" marine speakers sound great and stand up to the demands of outdoor life. They’re magnetically shielded, so they won’t interfere with compasses or sensitive marine electronics.
An all-weather amplifier similar to the now-discontinued Kicker model used in this cooler project, will offer an auxiliary input for your music source and Bluetooth connectivity, so you don't need to plug the phone in at all. These water-resistant amps are ideal for 12-volt powersports vehicles.
We used a set of compact, powerful Kicker marine subs that are no longer available. Here is our selection of similar, non-marine certified 6-3/4" subwoofers.
To power those subs, we added the Kicker 12PX200.1 subwoofer amplifier. It fits in the palm of your hand—or the bottom of your cooler—and delivers up to 200 watts RMS of bass power to your subs.
Since the subs didn't come with grilles, we added some. Made with impact-resistant ABS plastic, Kicker GR650 grilles will protect your subs from damage.
We used an XS Power XP750 battery to provide up to 750 amps of power to the sound system. The ventless design means you can install this marine-rated 12-volt battery in tight spaces without worrying about leaks or corrosion.
Finally, to take the cooler "over the top," we added an Autonet Mobile router.
Questions?
If you want to build your own incredibly cool cooler, our Crutchfield Advisors can help. Just give us a call!
Comments (69)
Please share your thoughts below.
Heather from LAS VEGAS
Posted on 8/6/2020
I am planning to build a cooler myself. I have 4 6x9 and 1 10inch subwoofer. I need help with amps and how to wire it, making it Bluetooth. I also am not sure how to house the sub so it does not mess with the other speakers. On a side note: how do I keep it from rattling
Jon Paul from Crutchfield
on 8/7/2020
Steven E Stone from Roosevelt,N.Y. 11575
Posted on 4/24/2020
How much is that 'Cooler audio system'?
Jon Paul from Crutchfield
on 4/27/2020
Norris Johnson from Baltimore
Posted on 4/13/2020
Extremely Cool Cooler !!!! Luv it !!!!
Charlie from Rochester, NY
Posted on 1/14/2020
I have built one of these, i was able to keep most of everything within the walls of my RTIC cooler besides the battery. How did you guys seal that foam and plastic to prevent water from getting in?
Jon Paul from Crutchfield
on 1/14/2020
Darin Wildermuth from Sierra Vista
Posted on 4/23/2019
I just have a quick question, what trickle charger were u using to charge the xs battery?
Jon Paul from Crutchfield
on 4/24/2019
kyle martin from mountain view
Posted on 3/14/2019
I'm building a similar project in a pelican case but I'd like to reduce weight as much as possible but still retain 6 hours of play time is there any battery that would be less that 4 lbs that could deliver that? I'm running 2 6inch boss Marine speakers and a boss Marine head unit. The battery is an 8 ah battery from my motorcycle and it clocks in at almost 6 lbs
Jon Paul from Crutchfield
on 3/15/2019
Scott Reber from Charlotte
Posted on 1/2/2019
Jon, loved your article and idea on speakers in a cooler. I have been renovating an old 1984 fire truck for tailgates and now it time to put the sound system in. Would you be interested in learning more about the project? thanks Scott
Jon Paul from Crutchfield
on 1/2/2019
Nate from Tyler, TX
Posted on 8/14/2018
Did you install any kind of cooling fan to combat the heat from the amps?
Jon Paulette from Crutchfield
on 8/15/2018
Brian from Waipahu
Posted on 6/27/2018
How long does a single charge last?
Jon Paulette from Crutchfield
on 6/29/2018
Jared from Lincoln
Posted on 6/2/2018
Just completed mine. Would love to share some pictures of it.