A maker converted a 1968 Grundig Musikgerät RF116 into a networked speaker by disconnecting its original electronics and installing a LouderESP32 audio setup. The maker says it runs ESPHome and Music Assistant through the radio’s original speakers, while a separate ESP32-S3 devkit handles the controls. This is one reported project, not an independently tested conversion guide.
What changed inside the Grundig
In a Reddit post dated September 19, 2026, the project’s creator, writing as SramAtlov, described the original electronics as powered down and disconnected. The original speakers remain in use with the new system. The creator summarized the setup this way: “The original electronics are powered down and disconnected. What’s in there now is a LouderESP32 running ESPHome, playing through Music Assistant on the original Grundig speakers, and a separate ESP32-S3 for the controls.”
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The creator said the LouderESP32’s solder pads were too small for their comfort, so they left that board untouched and used a separate ESP32-S3 devkit for control inputs. The front keys connect through a PCF8574; the knobs connect to the ESP32-S3. The creator did not identify the devkit model or provide its pin mapping, so those details cannot be treated as a parts specification for another build.
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How the original controls and lights work now
Rather than leave the vintage controls as decoration, the creator assigned them new functions:
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- Four front keys select playlists.
- The AUS key stops audio.
- Three rotary controls select volume, equalizer, and the current track.
The creator also reports installing WS2812B pixels in the original lamp housings, which illuminate when the system is awake. The account mentions sampled bandswitch sounds on key presses as well. These are details from the creator’s description, not independently observed results.
What ESPHome documentation establishes—and what it does not
ESPHome documents I²S audio support for ESP32-based chips and describes using an external DAC in its speaker configuration. Its documentation also warns that audio and voice components can consume significant RAM and CPU resources. Those platform notes provide context for ESP32 audio projects; they do not confirm the RF116 conversion’s wiring, exact LouderESP32 hardware revision, or firmware settings.
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Loud-ESP documentation describes a family of ESP32 audio development boards and Home Assistant/ESPHome integration. It does not establish that every board with a similar Loud-ESP or LouderESP32 name is the same variant used in this radio. The project account likewise does not identify a specific ESP32-S3 devkit or the exact variants of its PCF8574, rotary controls, or WS2812B pixels.
What to take from the project
The conversion shows one way to combine a vintage radio cabinet and speakers with networked audio and updated controls, while retaining the illuminated dial effect. It is not a verified wiring recipe or a complete bill of materials: the creator’s post does not supply the control-board model and pin mapping, nor does it establish component compatibility for a replica. A reader asking whether an “ESP32 S3 Louder board” works with Home Assistant would need to check the exact board and configuration rather than infer compatibility from this single project.
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An XDA Developers report dated September 20, 2026, also covered the conversion and attributed its project details to SramAtlov’s Reddit post.
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