View Full Version : Is this where the electronics thread would go?
Brendo
November 29th, 2006, 01:44 AM
I just made a DIY subkick out of a 6.5" 2 way car speaker on Monday night/Tuesday morning and used it on a session yesterday. But the output, as I expected, is WAY too fucking hot. The channel was constantly clipping, even though the pre was turned all the way down.
The speaker is 4 ohms, I believe this would affect the resistor values I would need to make a pad?
Also, am i right in saying I need an H pad for balanced operation?
Spock
November 29th, 2006, 02:10 AM
The speaker is 4 ohms, I believe this would affect the resistor values I would need to make a pad?
Also, am i right in saying I need an H pad for balanced operation?
I haven't fully thought it out yet, but I don't think the speaker value is going to make a big difference.
H or T pad will depend more on how you wired the thing up to an XLR connector.
I remember the Magicchord had the values all figured out for a subkick that bbkong made. Maybe he can post the thing.
magicchord
November 29th, 2006, 02:31 AM
Yeah, we ended up going from the speaker terminals, through the pad, to the mic connector. And it was a "C" pad which is basically a balanced "L" pad.
I think this is it:
Brendo
November 29th, 2006, 03:41 AM
Ah... well this one is going to be post-XLR. I have the shield soldered to the basket, and then hot and cold going to + and - respectively... out to an XLR. This pad would have to be inline. Does that make any difference at all, I don't see why it would?
Also, I'd like to build this into some sort of inline style shape, but may end up with 2 XLR and a short bit of mic cord.
Pimp-X
November 29th, 2006, 09:58 AM
Meh, I just dump mine into a DI and throw in one of the pads on it.
otek
November 29th, 2006, 10:44 AM
Meh, I just dump mine into a DI and throw in one of the pads on it.
But man, where is your sense of adventure?
Your lust for complexity and challenge in your life?!
:lol:
Pimp-X
November 29th, 2006, 10:57 AM
If the job ain't getting done, it's just a wank.
Words to live by.
:)
magicchord
November 29th, 2006, 07:17 PM
You could build it inside of a Switchcraft S3FM barrel-shaped thingy. That's what they're made for.
Brendo
November 30th, 2006, 12:42 AM
Meh, I just dump mine into a DI and throw in one of the pads on it.
Eh, well I already wired it up to an XLR!
Comte de St Germain
November 30th, 2006, 04:50 AM
Although i've never used one in this application (DI works for me) a studio is not complete without a few Shure pads.
Ass savers they are.
Brendo
November 30th, 2006, 12:39 PM
Yeah, we ended up going from the speaker terminals, through the pad, to the mic connector. And it was a "C" pad which is basically a balanced "L" pad.
I think this is it:
Works like a charm. Cheers. I made two from my junk box, and have parts for two or three more if I need.
Brendo
November 30th, 2006, 02:47 PM
Btw, this is the subkick:
http://womb.mixerman.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=465&stc=1&d=1164890809
Brendo
November 30th, 2006, 06:19 PM
And of course the obligatory sound sample...
otek
November 30th, 2006, 07:18 PM
And of course the obligatory sound sample...
I realize this clip is the subkick "in context", but is it picking up some of the snare as well?
Also, how much EQ was used?
Brendo
December 1st, 2006, 12:51 AM
It is picking up a little bit of the bottom of the snare, but not a great deal. Enough that you can gate it so it's only kick.
Part of the issue is the speaker is a 2 way so it has the tweeter sitting in the middle.
EQ? A heap, because it was distorting and I had to LPF pretty hard so the ugly harmonics weren't obvious... then a reasonably high Q (5.0 or so) boost at around 40, 50hz - changing the Q of this seems to lengthen or shorten the decay of the sub. Also a low shelf boost with a high "q" so that theres a little bump at 60hz.
And some gating.
Ok, so there's very little of the original sound left! After treatment, sounds like the bottom end of an 808. I'm thinking I might have better results next time, now that I've got a couple of pads. I will post a "subkick only" clip later today, one raw, one treated, and one of the kick inside (no, not the kate bush album - an e602).
How is the sound overall?
Brendo
December 1st, 2006, 12:24 PM
More clips, due to Otek's comment. Treated has the two mics at the same volumes as they were in the 'context' clip. Untreated is both at 0, no processing.
otek
December 2nd, 2006, 01:09 AM
Yeah, I believe things will improve vastly once you get some kind of line pad or similar in there. The present recording is clipping like mad.
It's not surprising that the output of a speaker would be that hot, considering the size comparison to the magnet/coil in a dynamic mic... :icon_eek:
I'm gonna try and experiment with more different sizes of speakers in the near future.