design time.

step 1: size me up

Do you want a boombox that's easy to grab and go for tunes on the move, or one that'll make the whole beach your personal concert? Choose wisely, party animal.

Cases - We've used Pelican, Meijia and Apache. All have worked great. Pelican are the most expensive - and strongest - but hardest to drill.

Small (Fun Size, aka mini-me) - 10" x 11" - Limited to 4" speakers, max. WWCD reco!

Medium (Stuck between "small" and "large"? Sounds like someone needs a "medium" dose of indecisiveness) - 13" x 15". Limited to 5.25" speakers, max.

Large (This one's so big, it needs it's own zip code.) - 16" x 18". Now you're playing with fire. Booming 6.25 speakers, max. You better check yo' self before you wreck yo' self. Booyakasha.

step 2: speakers. because silence is overrated.

This choice is so easy, you already made it in step one (before you even knew it).

We have tried em all - but keep coming back to these beauties. Polk marine speakers deliver crystal-clear sound that cuts through the wind and waves, while being tough enough to handle the harshest conditions. DB Plus speakers and subwoofers are IP56 rated to be dirt- and water-resistant and also tested against salt-fog, UV and humidity to ensure that they're fully protected against the elements. A big part of that marine certification also means that each speaker has a non-corrosive plastic grille, a polypropylene UV tolerant cone, waterproof inner and outer surrounds, and stainless steel mounting hardware, ensuring that they are fully protected against the elements.

Small - Polk Audio DB402 DB+ Series 4" Coaxial Speakers with Marine Certification. Enuff said.

Medium - Polk Audio DB522 DB+ Series 5-1/4" Coaxial Speaker with Marine Certification. WWCD reco!

Large Polk Audio DB652 DB+ Series 6.5" Coaxial Speaker with Marine Certification.

step 3: amp it up.

A quick tap on your phone, and the chillantix boombox blasts a fresh soundtrack for the next leg of your epic journey, all thanks to the magic of Bluetooth and the Pyle Hydra amp. It's a beast, ready to power your system; like the superhero of sound. Don't expect it to break the bank either; this amp is affordable, so you can rock out without emptying your wallet. They say it's waterproof - but we're not gonna test that claim. it's gonna be nice n dry in the case.

The Hydra is a marine-ready, two-channel power amplifier pushing up to 400 watts with Bluetooth and RCA connections. The Bluetooth has great range.

The amp is equipped with high and low level inputs, an electronic crossover network, plus power protection circuitry and anti-thump turn-on to keep your equipment secure. WWCD reco!

• 2 x 100 Watts RMS at 4 Ohms -

• 2 x 200 Watts Max at 4 Ohms - T.H.D: <0.05% - Power Protection Circuitry - Adjustable High Low Level Inputs

• 2 x 300 Watts RMS at 2 Ohms - Soft Turn On/Off - Channel Separation: >65dB - Frequency Response: 10Hz - 40kHz

• Stereo to RCA Adapter - S/N Ratio: >95dB - Volume Gain Remote Control - Dimensions: 4.13'' L x 3.35'' W x 1.38'' H

• Fuse: 10A - Anti-Thump Turn-On - Electronic Crossover Network

step 4: picking your features (37 pieces of flair really is the minimum joanna).

We need to make our design decisions now. Assemble the sonic dream team, consult the magic 8-ball and okay, chillantix boombox, let's play "choose your own audio adventure".

Choices were made, much like this killer back tattoo.

Power switch - External power switch or only use the switch on the battery? If you're going for simplicity and maximum aquatic proofness - then battery only is your answer (WWCD reo!). You can always add an external switch later - but once you drill - you're committed.

OK, fine. We get it. You just gotta have an external switch. With 5 colors to choose from - how can you not? One rule - it must have a detachable wire harness. This will allow you to easily caulk it, replace if needed and simplify your wiring. Trust us on this one. Our many initial build all had solder ports, and this just added so much work.

Bass Ports (aka the blowholes) - Chillantix goes to 11 so you have to release the Kraken. The Polk speakers push a ton of air for their size so we gotta let it out. Having holes in the chillantix boombox is essential for this. But, making your chillantix look like swiss cheese kinda defeats the whole waterproofery goal.

Solution? Kayak parts. Yep. Drain plugs and fishing rod holders are the answer grasshopper. Both options allow you to easily open the blowholes when you're jammin and quickly plug em when you're not. We'll explain more in the assemble section.

• The small chillantix has 2 drain plugs. WWCD reco!

• The medium relies on a single fishing rod holder.

• The large has double fishing rod holder ports.

Overall, the drain plugs are the best for waterproofness - but they are small. So - you'd need a bunch for the Medium box. The kayak fishing rod holders allow for amazing bass and air flow - but don't offer 100% guaranteed water stoppage. You can also go for a Boston Valve - which is basically a larger version of the drain plug. We're testing that on our next build.

Battery Meters & USB Charge Ports - A few choices here. Skip them, a single integrated version or add separate ones to flair it up? As Scott Woodruff says, "The choice is yours".

WWCD reco - As much as we like the mini-light show glow of the battery meter and ports - we tend to now go for simplicity. We do add an internal USB charge port if the battery pack doesn't have one built in. Gotta keep that battery juiced so the tunes can flow—ain't no party like a fully-charged phone party.

Battery - Your battery needs to have more juice than a citrus factory. The music's gonna outlast your questionable life choices.

Solution? - CCTV battery packs, cell phone power banks, NoCo jump packs. Once again, the choice is yours. We've been using the CCTV option since they are budget friendly and last forever! The only watchout is that they have their own embedded power switch. Huh?

• If you're skipping the external power switch - this is amazing. The battery switch is your On/Off solution.

• If you add an external power switch - you gotta remember to also kill the battery switch when the party fades or the embedded battery meter will sloooowly drain your energy reserves.

We've used two great battery packs from Talentcell in our own devices- Talentcell 12V Lithium ion Battery Pack (11.1V/9000mAh) and the Talentcell 12V Lithium ion Battery Pack (11.1V/6000mAh).

Lithium and water don't mix - and can be very, very Chernobyl-ly dangerous. So - absolutely no recos here. Go pick your own but please be safe. Seriously. Be safe.

WWCD reco - Get one with embedded battery meter, switch, and USB charge port! Also - get a backup for those extended adventures.

Remeber! Once you pick your battery - you will need to get a connector wiring harness that is compatible. Most CCTV batteries use DC5521 connectors. We recommend using the DC 5521 for the power - so you can keep the USB 2.0 port free to charge your phone while the tunes flow.

Wire, connectors and solar - oh my!

Covering. The cool black wire covering is called "Wire Loom". Why? Why not. We like the 1/4".

Wire. We really like this stuff from GS Power. Pure copper, red & black and 99.99% Oxygen-free copper(OFC). 27 strands per conductor. Oil & gas resistant, automotive-grade PVC insulation. Kinda reminds us of licorice.

Connectors. Check out our "Ultimate Guide to Soldering Like a Pro (and Making Stuff That Doesn't Break)"

Caulk. Seal around your speakers and other holes you've poked in the box with some amazing GE Supreme. We use this stuff everywhere. 100% silicone, 100% waterproof, 100% weatherproof, 7X stronger adhesion and shrink & crack proof. Crystal clear and noice.

Solar. So unnecessary, but we did it anyway on our mega-safaribox. Our rationale was pretty simple. We wanted to be able to top off our music juice, charge our phones and NOCO Boost Plus jump pack in case we got stuck out in Gods country. The Renogy 10W fit the ticket. It's slow, but works.

WWCD Mandatory Tip - If you don't have a NOCO jump starter pack - stop and get one. Now. Right now. Come on stop it. Go order one. Seriously, this is more important than building a chillantix boombox (We can't believe we just said that, but it is indeed true).

Ours has saved us and many friends & strangers. Cheap insurance my friends. And, you can use it as a backup for your tunes.

We love the NOCO Boost XL GB50. It's 1500 Amp and is rated for up to 7-Liter Gasoline and 4-Liter Diesel Engines.

Big ups to Dick Webber for this reco!

step 4.5: odds and ends

Hole saw set. These makes the big cutouts for the speakers easy peasy. Pick the size. Hook it up to your drill and have at it.

Step drill set. These allow you to slowly increase a normal drilled hole to a custom size. Didn't have a set for our first build. Got one now. Never goin back.

Heat Gun. Heat guns are like a DIY Swiss Army knife! They blast hot air for tons of uses: stripping paint, thawing pipes, bending plastic, removing stickers, shrinking wrap, and even crafting. We use it in this build for the solder connectors, heat shrink tube and getting them stickers off! Just be careful, they get really hot!

Safety Goggles or Face Shield. We only have 2 ocular sauce packets. Please protect them so you can see all of the amazing adventures you're gonna have - crystal clear. WWCD reco - go with 3M, top quality. Lookin good Uncle John, lookin good.

Wire Cutter / Strippers. Did you Dad's old rusty wire cutters migrate to your house? Now is the time to treat yourself. No more gnawing through copper. We love our Irwins and should have done this years ago.

Heavy Duty Velcro. This will hold the amp and battery in place - but allow for easy removal if needed. We drilled and bolted the amp in our first build. Lesson learned. Velcro = less holes, less work, easy tear apart. Winner winner.

step 5: tools. don't be one, but you do need a few.