Home

Increase Your iPhone's Volume by 14 dB with This DIY Steampunk Music Amplifier

Steampunk amplifier with an iPhone playing music.

Do you listen to a lot of music on your smartphone or MP3 player? Ever wished the built-in speaker was louder? You're in luck, because this simple amplifier can increase your volume by 14 decibels and make your device look totally steampunk while you're at it.

Audio equipment setup with an iPhone and a recording device.

What You'll Need

Piece of wood (anything you have will work)
Copper piping
Wood glue

First, measure the size of your piping. Drill a hole halfway through the wood, the same size as the piping. This is where the "loudspeaker" will go. Before you move on, test it to make sure the piping will fit.

Person using a drill to make a hole in a wooden plank.

Drill a long tunnel through the top of the wood. The audio will travel through this tunnel to the speaker.

Woodworking clamp and drill setup on a workbench.

Next, drill a hole where your device will sit. This is where the audio will enter the tunnel, so it needs to be directly under the speaker.

Person using a power drill on a wooden piece.

Measure the base of your device so that you can create a dock, then carve out a groove for it to sit in.

Hand carving a wood piece with a chisel.

The groove should go over top of the hole you drilled.

Woodworking process showing a hand using a tool on a wooden block with shavings.

Put your copper piping together and fit it into the hold you drilled for the loudspeaker.

Copper pipe fitting displayed on a wooden base.

Plug the hole in the top with glue so no sound can escape.

Once the glue dries, you're all finished. Plug in your device, put on some music and test it out! For a detailed walkthrough, check out Household Hacker's video below.

You could use a lot of different materials for the loudspeaker to give this project a different look and make it your own. What are some of your ideas?

Apple's iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 updates are packed with new features, and you can try them before almost everyone else. First, check Gadget Hacks' list of supported iPhone and iPad models, then follow the step-by-step guide to install the iOS/iPadOS 26 beta — no paid developer account required.