Hearkening to the days of ghetto blasters and boomboxes, Case of Bass is an upcycled party starter and a music lover’s dream. The Case of Bass team in Portland, OR breathes new life into vintage suitcases and abandoned speakers, creating one-of-a-kind portable sound systems.  Committed to the tenets of sustainability, Case of Bass masterminds gather and refurbish valuable electronic components, rebuilding them into bespoke sound systems certain to garner attention.

“The idea of people sharing their music everywhere they go has been lost with the rampant abuse of the earbud, Case of Bass wants to crush this habit,” said the Case of Bass creators.

We are crushing on their vision and sound.

What kind of inputs do Cases of Bass have?

Our Cases come standard with an 1/8-inch stereo input, the common headphone style jack.  We also quite commonly add a wireless Bluetooth input.  For special projects we have even done ¼-inch and XLR for musicians.

What kind of speakers do you put in your cases?

That varies as much as the style of case.  We try and find as many vintage speakers as we possibly can.  They have a more unique look from a time when your stereo was something that you displayed proudly. The brands range across the board; Sansui, Technics, Cerwin Vega, Pioneer, Bose, Sony, Harmon Kardon, etc.  We also fill the gaps in style and quality with new speakers from tons of sources.   Our goal is to make each case its own beast.

Are the speakers upcycled?

Again, as much as possible.  We re-foam, re-cap, and repair old speakers to keep em out of the waste stream.

What are the power requirements for a Case of Bass?

They all come with an AC power cord and plug right into the wall.  For those who feel like a boombox should be on the streets we throw a NiMh rechargeable battery pack inside and to charge it you just plug it in and the engineering does the work.

When and why did you start making these?

The mad scientists started this Frankenstein project at the beginning of this year, it was a project to fill time between other work.  Our inspiration was TDK’s new retro styled boombox.  It had such sweet lines and so much power, we just had to make our own version.  The idea of people sharing their music every where they go has been lost with the rampant abuse of the earbud, Case of Bass wants to crush this habit.

What is the best time you have had with a Case of Bass?

Hands down best time is every time we build a new case we have to test it out on the street.  We call out our street team and we go for a stroll through wherever here in Portland, and without a doubt we get mobbed.  There is usually a dance party that ensues and the reaction from every cop or security guard has been “Hey, can we get a picture?”  Priceless.

 //Shop Case of Bass until September 7//