SoundImports DIY Competition 2025: Lukas' Refurbished Retro Radio!
We’re thrilled to announce the winners of the 2025 SoundImports DIY Competition! After receiving hundreds of incredible submissions from our passionate community, we’ve selected two standout projects to celebrate. This year, we’re shining the spotlight on Lukas and Athanasios, each bringing their unique flair to the world of DIY audio. Today, we’re kicking things off with Lukas’ inspiring submission—a project that’s all about enthusiasm, creativity, and the joy of diving into a new hobby!
A Newcomer’s Passion Ignites
Lukas might be relatively new to the DIY audio scene, but his excitement and dedication shine through in every detail of his project. For him, this wasn’t just about building something functional—it was about embarking on a personal journey into the world of audio craftsmanship. As a relative newcomer, Lukas approached this challenge with fresh eyes and a contagious enthusiasm. At SoundImports, we love seeing this kind of passion, especially from those just starting out. It’s a reminder that DIY audio is for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a curious beginner.
The Project: Reviving a Classic with a Modern Twist
The Project: A Modern Upgrade for a Vintage Radio
Lukas’ winning project centers on giving a vintage radio a new lease on life with modern audio components. After a year of refurbishing old radios, Lukas has honed his craft, and this build showcases his growing expertise. For this particular radio, he used the Arylic 2x50 1x100 amplifier, appreciating its technical versatility and flexible layout options.
The images reveal his process: a workbench with the radio’s internals exposed, alongside a custom 3D-printed enclosure housing four small drivers and a separate woofer. Lukas 3D prints these enclosures himself, a technique that allows for a compact and adaptable fit within the vintage casing. While he typically reuses original knobs for volume control, this time they remained fixed on the board, with their placement adjusted to one side. The final result, captured in a sunlit photo by a window, blends retro aesthetics with modern sound—a perfect harmony of old and new!
Why We Chose Lukas
While Lukas’ project might not boast the technical complexity of some other submissions, his passion and innovative spirit set him apart. His willingness to dive into the unknown, coupled with the stunning visual progress captured in his photos, made him a clear winner in our eyes. We’re excited to reward this kind of enthusiasm—it’s what keeps the DIY audio community thriving and evolving. That said, we tip our hats to the seasoned builders out there; your expertise has not gone unnoticed and continues to inspire us all!
Congratulations, Lukas!
Lukas, your project is a shining example of what makes our DIY community so special. Thank you for sharing your journey with us, and congratulations on being one of our 2025 winners!
Have a DIY project of your own? We’d love to see it! Share your builds with us via projects@soundimports.nl, and who knows—you might be featured in next year’s competition!
