IKEA Lack Stereo System – Full Range Speakers and Integrated Amplifier

After the round IKEA Salad Bowl Speakers, here are the slim IKEA full range LACK speakers, built using two 110 cm shelves from the LACK family.

Integrated amp and its power supply are made from LACK shelves too.

To make the speakers, you need:

2 IKEA Lack shelves – 110 cm

2 small full range speakers, less than 5 cm large

4 binding posts

4 plexiglass bars – 25 cm each. I used those with squared section, 2 x 2 cm

2 woodden bars – 4.5 cm large, 2 m long, 2.5 cm thick

a foam or polystyrene sheet – 4.5 cm thick ( you can take thicker sheets, then cut a slice )

copper wires

4 long screws for the feet and screws to connect the drivers

little adhesive bumpers

To make the integrated amp, you need:

an amplifier board, whatever you like but no more than 4 cm high

a Switching Mode power supply, no more than 4 cm high ( you can also use an external one, like the wallwarts )

2 IKEA LACK shelves – 30 cm

1 switch, wires, connectors: 2 RCA, 4 binding posts, 4 banana plugs, 1 stereo potentiometer 20 Kohm

Steps:

1. Dig the shelf. It’s enough to take off the first piece of plywood ( less than 1 inch ) by making 4 holes with a drill at the corners of the rectangle you want to take off, then cut from one hole to the other with a handsaw.

2. Take out the folded paper that fills the inside, it’s easy using the handsaw.

3. Connect by screws the PSU and amp to a wooden board, with some holes on bottom to let cooling air to go around . If you are interested in using more powerful stuffs, then it’s better to use an aluminum sheet, better for cooling and thinner than wood, so the useful space is larger

4. Connect the base and the connector strip using a piece of L aluminum profile

5. Put wires and a LED with a R ( 820 ohm if with 12V PSU )

Tips:

1. While working, protect the edges of the shelf with paper tape, to avoid hurts and dents

2. Mind the height: the base board + the components must be less than 4.3 cm ( 1.7 “ )

If you are interested in more information about the speakers, there’s a step by step building manual here.

More pictures about the amp ( and its evolution in time ) here.

~ Hacked by Luca Pessina – Monza, Italy