An IEM solution without the hassle of wireless and aux sends

Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
edited January 2014 in Amps

I won't claim to have invented this as I expect people have taped leads together in order to achieve the same thing but here's a solution I use to to get the guitar and iems feed down one cable

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Basically the box contains a stereo headphone amp, 2 ambient mics and a pass through for the guitar signal. I can control the level sent from the mixing desk with one pot, the other pot controls the volume of the ambient mics so I hear the audience and other stuff. There's a crude clamping limiter to prevent too loud transients reaching my ears as well. 

The  stereo sum of this is sent up the double lead where a small box allows the iems to plug in just before the lead goes through the guitar strap and plugs into the guitar. This system is so good I prefer it over any wireless solution

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It's about £80 worth of bits, I've often wondered if this could take off as cheap alt to wireless IEM's, with better sound quality and no hassle with batteries
www.2020studios.co.uk 
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Comments

  • johnnyurqjohnnyurq Frets: 1368
    Looks well done and sounds like a solution to a lot of problems.

    Well done that man.
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  • mike257mike257 Frets: 374
    Great setup. Wireless IEMs aren't worth the expense if you're using a wire for your guitar and this is way more elegant than just taping the cables together!
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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    edited January 2014
    That looks fantastic.

    And of course always carry a spare of any 'unique' cables because no one else will have one.
    ;)

    Good call there though.
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  • welshboyowelshboyo Frets: 1808
    wow, care to share the build or can you make me one!!
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357

    Cheers Guys :)

    Basically in the box is a basic stereo headphone amp based on the LM380N. You can build this on a piece of veroboard or crack open an old CD rom drive from a computer and nick the front analog PCB from that, that's what I did as it contains the headphone amp chip (or equiv) a stereo volume control and a 3.5mm output. You can remove the pot and 3.5mm socket and solder your own  in and out to the pads. Any front audio PCB nicked from a CD rom will typically need a single +5 volt supply, 

    The Stereo ambient mics are electret which cost  about £3 each. You can build a suitable stereo mic pre for them using a nice opamp like the NE5532 or equiv. Mines build on veroboard rather than bother to etch a pcb

    To get both the mono guitar signal and the stereo IEM signal down the same cable you need a 5 pin XLR plug and socket. The guitar portion needs to use a shield, the IEM doesn't as there's no further amplification the other end of the lead 

    The box, the 10k log pots,  the XLR plugs and line sockets can all be got  from CPC, the cable from Studiospares. Being a bit of a Pikey I tend to mod a lot stuff to suit my need, the power supply was originally an external harddrive supply, the pots came from an old broken surround sound speaker etc but these things are cheap anyway. 

    Glad you like it anyway 

    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • jpfampsjpfamps Frets: 2723
    Is there any limiting on the signal to the IEMs?
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10357
    jpfamps said:
    Is there any limiting on the signal to the IEMs?
    There's a crude limiting circuit using diodes to protect against unexpected loud transients but it's not exactly musical. I could design a much better circuit, prob will for rev 2 which is also gonna include a mic splitter so the user has complete control over his own vocal if he wants
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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