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
Built withESP32
- 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
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COMPAREE VERDICT
This is a thorough write-up for a Home Assistant speaker build: 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 original speaker connectors — and USB-C power limits the amplifier output, so this is not a project for someone chasing peak loudness. The single thing most likely to go wrong is the power supply: the creator says to stick to 6 V 2 A, because 12 V or more than 2 A risks overheating the amplifier at loud volumes and could damage the driver, and you must check the barrel plug polarity. 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
GOOD TO KNOW
- —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 advice is blunt: USB-C works but limits output, a dedicated 6 V 2 A supply is recommended, and going higher risks overheating the amplifier or damaging the driver.
Parts to buy
4 itemsFrom our check of the build. Exact quantities and part numbers are in the creator’s BOM.
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
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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 guide is written around this board, which combines the ESP32, DAC, DSP and amplifier; buy the version with the external antenna connector.)
- 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
- Grabbing a 12 V supply because it is what you have on hand — the creator warns that more than 6 V 2 A risks overheating the amplifier at loud volumes and can damage the small CHN-50 driver.
- Skipping the multimeter check and trusting the supply label — the creator warns that most supplies put + on the centre post but some reverse it, so check voltage and polarity before connecting.
- 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.
- Closing up the cabinet before flashing and testing the board — if the firmware or audio fails, you have to open the back panel and pull the wiring again.
- 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.
- Forgetting the mod is one-way: you cut the ring connectors off the speaker wire and reuse the binding-post holes for the antenna and power, so going back to passive use means new wiring.
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 12 volt supply?
The creator warns that more than 6 V 2 A risks overheating the Class D amplifier at loud volumes and could damage the small CHN-50 driver. Stick to the 6 V 2 A plug-in supply from the parts list.
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
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Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
About one hour per speaker, and the whole thing joins your Home Assistant setup through Music Assistant with no cloud account — but USB-C power limits the output, and anything above the recommended 6V 2A supply risks overheating the amp or damaging 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 Sonos-style multi-room speaker without the ecosystem lock-in. The Tozzi One kit was chosen because it sidesteps both 3D printing an enclosure and sawing MDF, and the write-up flags the small traps they hit, like a fragile antenna connector.
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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.
CompareeTEAM1mo agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: the build is a conversion of a Tozzi One speaker kit, which was discontinued years ago — surplus kits are still sold by a UK store, but if they run out you are adapting the guide to another cabinet on your own. The README is a complete step-by-step guide with photos, a parts list with links and a tools list, and it is solder-free: spade connectors go on the driver and the speaker wires screw into the board. The power supply is the part to get right. USB-C works but limits amplifier output, and the creator says to stick to 6V 2A for the Tozzi One with the CHN-50 driver, because 12V or more than 2A risks overheating the amplifier at loud volumes and could damage the driver. Double-check the barrel plug polarity before you connect it. The creator also offers pre-assembled units, but this page covers the self-build path. Expect about an hour per speaker; the one fiddly step is widening the back-panel hole for the barrel connector without melting the plastic. Correction (4 October 2026): we re-checked this page line by line against the project's own repository, documentation and videos, and fixed errors in earlier versions.