Frequently Asked Questions
How much does shipping cost? For one speaker, domestic shipping to west coast is about $5, east coast about $9.
How much does international shipping cost? For one speaker, international shipping to Europe is about $15 USD, or about $11 Euro.
When will I receive my order? We're currently building a new batch of Trash Amps. All orders ship on May 1, 2013. US orders arrive within 5 business days (estimated delivery: May 5, 2013). International orders please allow up to two weeks for delivery due to customs (estimated delivery: May 15, 2013).
Does your founder, Adam, speak German? Aber sicher - Adam hat 2007 für sechs Monate in München Maschinenbau studiert! And now he's using his skills to design Trash Amps!
1. Can I choose my own soda can and grill top? Yes! Please click on SHOP and then proceed through the 5 steps to customize your speaker! For a complete speaker set, you should order one speaker, one can, and one grill.
2. How loud is it? Ridiculously loud! Seriously, it will fill a large apartment or your bedroom. It’s even great for outdoor use, like backyard BBQs and beach days. People are always surprised at how loud our speakers are!
3. How do you turn the speaker on? Trash Amps are SMART: they automatically turn on when music plays, and fall asleep after 30 seconds of silence. Alternatively, if you unplug the Trash Amp from your device, it automatically turns off. This really prolongs your battery life – you can’t forget to turn this speaker off and waste the batteries.
4. How do you control the volume of the speaker? The volume of the speaker is controlled by the device you plug in – turn it up on your iPod or guitar, and the speaker gets louder. Using input impedance sensing, aka “magic,” the Trash Amp automatically boosts the gain for face melting guitar solos!
5. Will the Trash Amp work with my device? A simple rule of thumb is “if you can plug in headphones, you can plug in a Trash Amp!” Devices commonly used are smart phones, iPod, iPad, tablets, mp3 players, laptops, portable DVD players, and the list goes on. And don’t forget about musical instruments, like electric guitars!
6. How do I use the Trash Amp with my guitar or other musical instrument? Trash Amp is a legit guitar amplifier! We’ve seen Trash Amps used with electric guitars, electric ukuleles and keyboards. Use a ¼” adapter to plug into any standard instrument output. Don't forget to add this Free Guitar Adapter accessory to your cart in Step 4 - Accessories.
7. Can I use my own cord with the Trash Amp? Yes, the 3.5mm auxiliary jack inside the secret compartment allows you to use your own cord to connect an input. The built-in cord is 15 inches long, so especially with guitar use, it can be nice to have a longer cord so you can move around freely. If you want a longer cord, pick one up in Step 4 - Accessories.
8. Can I connect multiple Trash Amps together for stereo sound or louder volumes? The built in 3.5mm auxiliary jack allows you to connect Trash Amps together! Just plug the first unit into your device, and plug subsequent Trash Amps into the previous unit’s auxiliary jack. This lets you get even louder volumes for both MP3 and electric guitar use!
9. Can I get stereo sound out of my Trash Amps? True stereo sound can be achieved using a stereo splitter between the audio source and the two Trash Amps. You can pick one up at your local electronics store. By default, Trash Amps internally mix the left and right audio signals together, so when you daisy chain two or more together using the auxiliary jack, they each play the mixed LR audio.
10. Can you give me some technical specs on these speakers? Trash Amps are super efficient with power consumption, offering 50 hours of battery life from 4 AA batteries (included). A 2" full range driver and 1.4W amp provide ridiculously loud music for a hangout with friends, or for an impromptu jam session.
11. How do you cut the cans? Over the past 5 years, we’ve developed a device to safely cut the tops off the cans. Cutting cans is very difficult because they are so delicate. You want an even cut with no sharp edges. We’d love to share our method with you, but then we’d have to kill you! Just kidding… maybe someday we’ll tell, but we want you to have the chance to think through the challenge yourself! Brain exercise, a real engineering problem!
12. Can I cut my own can? It is possible to cut a can with scissors or other tools, but please don’t kill yourself! For liability and safety reasons, “we don’t recommend it.” Order a pre-cut can with a straight, clean top without sharp edges on Step 2 - Cans.
13. Where do the cans come from? We’ve collected cans for the past 4 years from all over the world. We have more than 1000 cans in our house, and it’s getting to be a problem. I have many “regular drinkers” that save cans for me, like my grandparents. When we go to parties, we collect the cans and take them home with us. If you live in the Bay Area and you drink lots of canned beverages, please contact us (info@trashamps.com) about becoming a can supplier!
14. Do you need a can on the speaker to use it? The can creates a sealed speaker cavity for a full range sound experience. Without it, the frequency response is greatly diminished. Plus the can gives you style points!
15. Where are Trash Amps made? Product and packaging design work completed in Sunnyvale, CA. We're working with a reputable turnkey manufacturing company in Oregon that employs more than 100 people in the US full time! They have a long-standing contract with the factory in China that assembles our Trash Amps.
16. Can you make it in the USA? We've been looking for a US turnkey manufacturing partner, but haven't found anybody - unfortunately, most products involving electronics are made overseas these days. If you know of turnkey manufacturing in the USA for our speakers, please contact: info@trashamps.com - we would love to build it here if possible!
17. How much does shipping cost? Shipping one Trash Amps speaker to a US address will be about $5 shipping. International orders cost about $15 to ship. Get the real numbers when you checkout and enter your exact location. 18. When will I get my Trash Amp? Our newest speaker, Trash Amp Gen 2, is currently in production and will ship to customers starting on May 2, 2013. After your order is shipped, it should arrive to you within 3 business days. International orders may take 1 - 2 weeks to arrive.
19. Is Coke going to sue you for using their cans? People trade and sell collectors Coke cans on eBay, right? Is that illegal? The answer is no. After some research, we’ve found the rule on selling cans: “you may sell a can as long as there’s nothing in it.” So Trash Amps has created a Speaker Insert which fits inside cans, and we also sell empty cans which you can use to customize your speaker. This solution overcomes licensing issues and is an integral part of the Trash Amps Patent.
20. Do you have a patent? In September 2010, we filed a utility patent application for the Trash Amps Speaker. In January 2013, this patent was officially granted. Now we've got some protection! Look for “Patent Pending” or Patent No. on the product when you get it!
21. Can I purchase Trash Amps in bulk for my store? Yes, please visit our Wholesale page.
22. Can I brand Trash Amps with my school or company logo? Yes, please drop us a line with more details about your project: info@trashamps.com.
23. Why don’t you use rechargeable batteries? Many people ask us this, because we’re a “green company” and “disposable batteries are evil.” In an effort to make the product affordable to all, we’ve designed it with a 4AA battery pack which comes with 4 AA Alkaline batteries. Many customers purchase their own rechargeable batteries and charger – it’s an option for those that want it. Pick up a set of rechargable batteries and charger in Step 4 - Accessories.
24. Why don’t you use solar panels? Many people ask us this, because we’re a “green company.” To the best of our knowledge, a reasonably sized solar panel would not provide the amount of current required to power our speakers. To get the proper amount of power, you’d need a solar panel 5ft X 5ft – you lose the “PORTABLE” aspect of our product.
25. Do Trash Amps support Bluetooth? With the current product, we’ve gone for a durable, simple product with wired 16" cord. However, in the future, we hope to release a Bluetooth Trash Amp Speaker!
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