YOU CAN BUILD A WHOLE-HOME SPEAKER THAT ANSWERS TO YOUR OWN SERVER, NOT A COMPANY'S
Convert a passive bookshelf speaker into a wireless multi-room speaker that takes orders from your own Home Assistant server, not a cloud.
by undotcom
HomeAudio
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- an hour per speaker
- license
- license not specified
- repo
- repo ACTIVE4 stars
●●●○○ · an hour per speaker · license not specified · 4 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
This is the most complete write-up for a Home Assistant speaker build published so far: it names every part, shows every wire, states the real cost, and does not hide the limits. The Sonocotta Louder ESP32 board carries the DAC, DSP and Class D amplifier on a single PCB, running the open Squeezelite-ESP32 firmware, so the speaker joins a whole-home multi-room system driven by Home Assistant and Music Assistant with no cloud account and no ecosystem lock-in. Music plays in sync across rooms and automations speak aloud through text to speech. The donor cabinet is a discontinued single-driver hi-fi kit that still turns up as surplus, which sidesteps both 3D printing an enclosure and sawing MDF. The modification is permanent — it removes the binding posts — and the USB-C power limit caps the amplifier output, so this is not a project for someone chasing peak loudness. The single thing most likely to go wrong is ignoring the power supply warning: going above 6 volts risks the amplifier and the driver, and there is no protection circuit. If you already run Home Assistant and want a speaker that answers to it instead of a company, this is the guide to follow. If you do not run Home Assistant yet, this is not the project that will pull you in.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —Full parts list with real prices, step-by-step wiring photos, and tool requirements published in the repository.
- —Firmware is open source (Squeezelite-ESP32); the hardware mod is destructive — it removes the original binding posts permanently.
- —The donor cabinet is a discontinued single-driver hi-fi kit (Tozzi One) that turns up as surplus; the write-up does not cover alternative enclosures.
- —No SPDX licence file present in the repository; the guide is published without an explicit open licence statement.
- —The creator offers pre-assembled units for sale; this page covers the self-build path only.
- —The power supply warning is blunt and necessary: USB-C limits output, and going above the recommended 6 volt supply risks cooking the amplifier or the driver.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterBluHub reads and burns Blu-ray/DVD/CD, adds USB-C, USB-A, SD/TF and 10 Gbps data — plug and play, grand-piano finish.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the parts list and the power supply warning in the repository before buying anything (The 6 volt maximum is not negotiable — measure your supply with a multimeter before connecting.)
- 2.Source the Tozzi One cabinet or identify an equivalent single-driver passive speaker(The write-up does not cover alternative enclosures; if the Tozzi One is unavailable, you will need to adapt.)
- 3.Order the Sonocotta Louder ESP32 board and verify the pinout matches the wiring diagram(The board is purpose-built for audio; generic ESP32 boards will not substitute.)
- 4.Flash the Squeezelite-ESP32 firmware and test audio output before final assembly(Bench-test the board with a known-good speaker before committing to the permanent wiring inside the cabinet.)
KNOWN ISSUES
- Buying a USB-C supply rated above 6 volts because it is what you have on hand — the amplifier and driver have no over-voltage protection, and you will cook one or both.
- Skipping the multimeter check and trusting the supply label — USB-C supplies vary, and the board has no safety margin.
- Assuming the Tozzi One cabinet will be easy to source — it is a discontinued kit that turns up as surplus, and the write-up does not cover alternatives.
- Soldering the board into the cabinet before bench-testing it — if the firmware flash or the audio output fails, you have to unsolder everything to debug.
- Expecting loudness comparable to an active bookshelf speaker or a commercial multi-room system — the USB-C power limit caps the output, and this is not a project for peak SPL.
- Ignoring the binding post removal — this modification is permanent, and you cannot revert the cabinet to passive use without drilling new holes.
Can I use a different passive speaker cabinet?
The write-up is specific to the Tozzi One, a discontinued single-driver hi-fi kit. The board will fit inside most cabinets with enough depth, but you will need to adapt the mounting and the wiring yourself — the guide does not cover that.
Why not just buy a Sonos speaker?
Because this answers to your Home Assistant server, not a cloud account, and it speaks your automations aloud through text to speech. If you do not run Home Assistant or need that feature, a commercial speaker is simpler.
What happens if I use a 9 volt or 12 volt USB-C supply?
You risk cooking the amplifier, the driver, or both. The board has no over-voltage protection, and the 6 volt maximum is not a suggestion — measure your supply with a multimeter before connecting.
Can I run this from a battery?
Yes, if the battery delivers 5-6 volts and enough current for the amplifier. USB-C power banks work if they output the right voltage — measure first.
Does this work without Home Assistant?
The Squeezelite-ESP32 firmware runs independently and can stream from any LMS (Logitech Media Server) instance, but the point of this build is Home Assistant integration. If you do not need that, there are simpler ESP32 speaker projects.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
About one hour per speaker, roughly fifty dollars in electronics, and the whole thing joins your Home Assistant setup with no cloud account — but the USB-C power limit caps the output, and going above 6 volts risks the amp or the driver. What would you use it for first: multi-room music sync or automation announcements?
undotcom
The creator runs Home Assistant at home and wanted a speaker that integrated natively instead of relying on a cloud account or a closed ecosystem. The Tozzi One cabinet was chosen because it sidesteps both 3D printing and sawing MDF, and the write-up is unusually complete because they documented every mistake that wasted their own weekend.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM9d ago
Practical notes from our verification: the repository is sparse on alternative cabinet options — if the Tozzi One is unavailable as surplus, you are adapting on your own. The power supply warning is the single biggest trap: the board has no over-voltage protection, and USB-C supplies vary enough that a multimeter check is not optional. The creator offers pre-assembled units for sale, but this page covers the self-build path only — the write-up is complete enough to follow if you solder cleanly and measure your supply voltage before plugging anything in. No official video walkthrough exists; the repository contains written steps and wiring photos.