back to school, with lots of speakers

[craig7]

so, in a few weeks i will be going back to school this year is gonna be terrible because: 1. i probably wont have any tech classes 2. i have to redo 3 grade 9 classes that i failed (i was gonna do 2 of them in summer school but then they called me and said the courses weren't available :| and because i have to redo these classes, there is no room for tech ) 3. my best-friend dropped out last year. but i am going to make this year more tolerable because this year, i will have amazing audio at school too (well kinda amazing, 2" speakers aren't terribly great). i will have two 2" speakers in my binder, that will hookup to my ipod and and i might have my mom put a mesh part in my backpack for a rather large speaker (probably a 4" woofer) for if i ever have to make the 7km walk home ( this speaker would really come in handy for exams kuz where i live, on exam day you go to school at 9:00 am, write your exam, and then go home or wait in the cafiteria till 3:30 and take a bus home, i chose to walk home last year and passed out on my way home) and finally, for my 2 hours on the bus to and from school, i shall have headphones. i want to get some dr.dre ones but they're $200+ so for now, i will make some! a store by my house sells large ear protectors (for keeping ur ears safe from loud noises i think) so i will get some of those and get some 2.5" speakers and put them in the ear protectors, they will look stupid but they will hopefully sound good.

i don't think i have ever typed this much before, so tell me what you think of my plan, and feel free to give me some suggestions

 

[craig7]

heres a 3d model of what im going to try and make my binder speaker box look like

i also need some sort of metal mesh to protect the speaker because the slight touch seriously affects the sound, any ideas?

 

[craig7]

so i got more pics for you guys, and an update on the binder speakers. 1. im not using aluminum can metal, i hade an old metal container that i got some lego in and im using the metal from that because the bottom is a big flat sheet of metal, i think its aluminum, and it about 2x as thick as pop can aluminum.
2. the grille will be made out of a dome shaped piece of aluminum from the bottom of a pop can, and i will drill holes in it.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Is now the time to ask what you will be using for amplification for this stuff? I would opt for some of the portable speaker options that are very inexpensive and battery powered before going through the headache of making something, especially something which will disturb everyone around me to blare out my personal choice for music. In the home, in the car... not so bad. In public... Well, your choice, but certainly not something most people appreciate.

Why not just get one set of headphones for $30 or so? If you want something that does blare, there are lots of options out there. If you are going to build, remember that iPods are meant to power headphones, not speakers. That's why your PC speakers at home plug into the wall.

 

[craig7]

im not sure that you know just how much power ipods can put out, this may sound strange to you but i will be either buying or making some sort of battery powered amplifier for the speakers in my binder. the woofer that i might put in my backpack gets plenty of power from my ipod and it can get some decent bass, but the binder speakers are loud enough for me to listen to it but the point of the binder speakers is for at lunch when im with my friends so we can all listen to music (and so i can brag that i have speakers in my binder). i used to have some nice headphones (they got stolen) and i wore them around my neck all day with the volume up and just about everybody at my school likes my music. also i've only had 1 pair of computer speakers that plugged into the wall and they sucked, but my ipod puts out more power than my computer. also when i get a amp for my binder, just make you jealous of how awesome it is, i think i'll wire up a battery meter and battery charger so i can plug it into the wall while im at school if i have a desk near an outlet . i think ill make an amp because i could just drill some holes and put the amp inside the box, or better yet i could put the amp in the box and then make a metal panel with all of the controls on it and then i could sew the panel in place and it would look sick! i made a pic 4 u too

 

[craig7]

and my dad said i should insulate the inside of the box, and my mom found some foam thats 1mm thick, should i insulate the inside of the box, and if so would this foam work? also i got even more pics

i carved the lines into the metal

the blueprints i made

the foam, i cut a hole for one speaker already

one of the speakers

 

[craig7]

so its 5:30 am, im going to bed but first, ive noticed that these speakers sound alot better when i have them upside down against the foam so im gonna see if insulating the box and then putting the speakers upside down in the box will work. also i made another pic.

 

[Seth=L]

 

[BWG707]

Please keep us posted. I interested in seeing your final product. You have an interesting concept. Good luck with it.

 

[GO-NAD!]

so its 5:30 am, im going to bed but first, ive noticed that these speakers sound alot better when i have them upside down against the foam so im gonna see if insulating the box and then putting the speakers upside down in the box will work. also i made another pic.

If you put as much effort into your school work as you are putting into these speakers, you shouldn't be failing any more courses....

 

[Nugu]

If you insist on sharing your music from your backpack.

http://www.buy.com/prod/the-sharper-image-backpack-speaker-system-w-removable-speaker-for-ipod/q/loc/101/sellerid/13770897/213789663.html

 

[craig7]

ok, im not making the headphones anymore, i just spent $80 on some sony XB300's (XB = eXtra Bass) i got mixed feelings on em though: worth $80 but thats $80 less that i have to buy a ipod touch 4 with :| but i have a couple of people who haven't given me any birthday money yet Also, the binder speakers are 80% done (i cant find my camera right now) i have insulated most of the box and attached the speakers. all that is left to be done is:
1. cut out the bottom
2. insulate the bottom
3. attach the bottom and seal everything (thats gonna be alot of work)
4. make right speaker grille
5. figure out how to make an amp with volume and bass / treb controls
6. make amplifier

i wont have the amplifier ready in time for school because ipod touch is #1 buying priority and then if i have any leftover money ill buy an altoids tin amp kit as seen here : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-RHKYjQVfE

 

[cvcgolf]

so, in a few weeks i will be going back to school this year is gonna be terrible because: 1. i probably wont have any tech classes 2. i have to redo 3 grade 9 classes that i failed (i was gonna do 2 of them in summer school but then they called me and said the courses weren't available :| and because i have to redo these classes, there is no room for tech ) 3. my best-friend dropped out last year. but i am going to make this year more tolerable because this year, i will have amazing audio at school too (well kinda amazing, 2" speakers aren't terribly great). i will have two 2" speakers in my binder, that will hookup to my ipod and and i might have my mom put a mesh part in my backpack for a rather large speaker (probably a 4" woofer) for if i ever have to make the 7km walk home ( this speaker would really come in handy for exams kuz where i live, on exam day you go to school at 9:00 am, write your exam, and then go home or wait in the cafiteria till 3:30 and take a bus home, i chose to walk home last year and passed out on my way home) and finally, for my 2 hours on the bus to and from school, i shall have headphones. i want to get some dr.dre ones but they're $200+ so for now, i will make some! a store by my house sells large ear protectors (for keeping ur ears safe from loud noises i think) so i will get some of those and get some 2.5" speakers and put them in the ear protectors, they will look stupid but they will hopefully sound good.

i don't think i have ever typed this much before, so tell me what you think of my plan, and feel free to give me some suggestions

This could be one of the greatest posts I've ever read. From the title all the way to breaking his record for most words typed.

Good luck putting together all the audio gear. There isn't anything more rewarding then getting A's while listening to Ozzy at high volume from your back pack. Maybe you could make 2 rigs. One for you and the other for your friend so school can be more tolerable for him as well. I know he already gave up but an audio back pack can change everything.

My only piece of advice would be to always take the bus. Once you have your portable back pack Hi Fi system you will be tempted to try to make the walk home again. Even though your body may have become stronger in the last year just remember that no amount of wattage, Dr. Dre headphones, large ear protectors or even 3" speakers will prevent you from passing out again. You will pass out!

You should also be gaining the upper hand with the babes at school (preferably asian, my favorite) from all the altoids you'll be consuming for your system. No babe can resist a guy with hi end audio and fresh breath.

 

[Seth=L]

A. - Why did you pay $80 for those headphones?

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-XB300-Diaphragm-Driver-Headphones/dp/B001RB24R8

I realize that you live in Ontario, but I fail to see how they could be that much anywhere.

B. - You don't need an amplifier for those headphones. They are meant to operate with portable devices. Most headphones that would require a dedicated headphone amplifier would be at least $200 or more (that does not include the hugely overpriced and overhyped Dr. Dre headphones marketed by Monster Cable).

C. - If you want excellent performing headphones you need to look at the Sony MDR-V6 / MDR-7506 professional monitoring headphones (both models are the same). You can drive them easily with a majority of portable devices ranging from walkmans and iPods.

 

[craig7]

A. - Why did you pay $80 for those headphones?

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDR-XB300-Diaphragm-Driver-Headphones/dp/B001RB24R8

I realize that you live in Ontario, but I fail to see how they could be that much anywhere.

B. - You don't need an amplifier for those headphones. They are meant to operate with portable devices. Most headphones that would require a dedicated headphone amplifier would be at least $200 or more (that does not include the hugely overpriced and overhyped Dr. Dre headphones marketed by Monster Cable).

C. - If you want excellent performing headphones you need to look at the Sony MDR-V6 / MDR-7506 professional monitoring headphones (both models are the same). You can drive them easily with a majority of portable devices ranging from walkmans and iPods.

A. they are $65 at walmart and sony.ca $65+tax = close to $80
B. its pretty loud on my bus and my binder speakers need an amp too so i'm making one anyway. and i now know that Dr.Dre headphones suck
C. i'm buying an ipod touch 4 soon, and i already bought headphones

 

[craig7]

and also, bass is very important to me

 

[craig7]

like really the only difference between the headphones are mine go up to 20000Hz and the other ones go up to 30000HZ. i really dont want to be hearing anything above 10000Hz.

 

[Seth=L]

I don't think you fully understand the frequency spectrum. If the sound rolled off at 10khz (10000Hz) it would sound like garbage. The average human hearing range is 20Hz - 20kHz. Being that you are young there's a good chance you can still hear the upper frequencies. By suggesting a cut off at 10,000Hz you're basically saying you can do without half of the entire audible spectrum.

If you know why the Dr. Dre headphones suck then why did you express interest in them?

I should have understood the headphone amplifier was for a different application. You could also take apart a cheap set of computer speakers that use an AC-DC adapter and get a battery pack for it from radioshack or some other electronic's supply store and rig the amplifier of the computer speakers to the battery pack. This approach would be easier IMO. Hit up some garage/yard sales.

 

[craig7]

well after the first post, i did some research on the dre headphones and found alot of reviews that said that they sucked. and i have thought about taking apart some computer speakers but i have noticed that with my headphones the bass starts to suck if the volume goes past about 80% so i had an idea, i could put a switch in it and , well actually it would probably be better if i put a button anyways so i would push the button and it would go to position 2 and so it would direct the power that would normally go to the headphones to a resistor, and then the power would go to the headphones, and if i pushed the button again, it would go to position 1 and the power would go to the headphones normally. im not sure if this would work however, but i have some pics to illustrate my idea

 

[craig7]

also, tomorow is the big day and yea, its gonna suck because:
1. my new ADD meds seem to have effects similar to crack because my pupils are crazy huge, i seem to be more hyper , i cant sleep because when i try, every 5 minutes i think of something i need to do, or randomly wake up every 15 minutes and have crazy hallucinations thats my bed is covered in bugs (when this happens, i know its not covered in bugs but i still have to get up and turn on the lights and search my bed for bugs because my house is being invaded by box-elder bugs aka maple bugs and some of the adults got im my room and laid eggs so yea, during the day its not uncommon for one fly down from the long abandoned top bunk and come sit next to me)
2.i got 2 hours of sleep last night and since i took my pill earlier today, it should wear off earlier but i'll still only get about 4.5 hours of sleep
3. there is something wrong with my right arm so i cant really move it too much
4. i have to wake up at 6:00, oh so make that umm about 3.5 hours
5. i might be riding my bike to school because the school board screwed up so my friend who live next to me cant take the bus for 2 weeks
5.5 my bikes rear tire wont stay on and is only being held on by the chain and apparently part of the solution for this is getting my spokes tightened and one of my friends has a spoke tightener but wont fix it unless i buy a spoke tightener
6. my binder speaker is not finished yet, not a huge deal but it would be nice if it was ready