[enemigo]

Is graduate thesis the proper term? I'm choosing my assignment within a few days. I'm studying to become a computer engineer, so all the predefined assignments are just a lot of programming with SQL. I want to do something along the lines of audio and electronics. Just create some kind of analog circuit won't be enough, as I don't study electronics, I need some kind of digital signal processing as well.

My thoughts have gone in the lines of making an mp3 player with a digital line out and an amp containing a DAC. A little analoge technics is OK, and that is covered by the amp stage. Creating the mp3 player with software and D/A converting is ok considering my education, allthough we don't have any subjects covering this directly. Adding electronic EQ might be an idea.

This is not very original and avant-garde though. If you've got any great ideas for me for free

I'd greatly appreciate it!

Knut

 

[Vadi]

How about an app which uses head related transfer functions for 3d sound for headphones?

Maybe add dynamic cross-talk cancellation so it's going to be useful for stero speakers too.

 

[intlplby]

how about a very versatile digital recorder...... something that can be used for field recordings and for taping live shows and sets for DJs


as far as i can see there is a gap for a product like this in the market.. something like $100-200..... if iRiver had on the fly adjustable levels and a level meter then this need would be met, but currently they don't


you got digital DATs but they are expensive... then you have MP3 players with recording abilities but they aren't very good because they don't have level monitors and the easy level adjustment that you could get on an old Sharp 770 or 880 or 888 minidisc player/recorder


so make a recorder where you can choose the recording format (mp3-ogg-wav-aiff-flac-etc)

and while it is recording the display would show the recording input levels and an external control (like a scroll wheel) would let you adjust the recording levels in real time.....

make it so you can record to like a 1+gb flash card.

----

make 2 and give one to me.

 

[__redruM]

Software audio processing is probably the closest you'll come to DIY amps. An interesting project would be a "software" amp. In otherwords a mp3 player or plugin that duplicated the effects of a good amp, through the headphone-out port. I believe that "winamp" has good pluging support.
Do you have the time for something this ambitous?

 

[skyskraper]

using vst's you could very easily do that sort of thing. there are heaps of mic and amp (guitar) modelling plugins available. what would be hard is identifying the individual sonic characteristics of each hp amp and recreating the behaviour.

i *love* antares mic modeller. makes my cheap pos mic sound half decent

 

[midlife]

Quote:

Originally Posted by intlplby how about a very versatile digital recorder...... something that can be used for field recordings and for taping live shows and sets for DJs as far as i can see there is a gap for a product like this in the market.. something like $100-200..... if iRiver had on the fly adjustable levels and a level meter then this need would be met, but currently they don't you got digital DATs but they are expensive... then you have MP3 players with recording abilities but they aren't very good because they don't have level monitors and the easy level adjustment that you could get on an old Sharp 770 or 880 or 888 minidisc player/recorder so make a recorder where you can choose the recording format (mp3-ogg-wav-aiff-flac-etc) and while it is recording the display would show the recording input levels and an external control (like a scroll wheel) would let you adjust the recording levels in real time..... make it so you can record to like a 1+gb flash card. ---- make 2 and give one to me.

make 3 and i'll design any graphics needed.

 

[enemigo]

Thanks for your suggestions, many interesting ones!

A recorder might be feasible, please tell me more about what functions it needs. It would have a level meter to show clipping or such? With a level adjustment to calibrate the recording level. Is that all the funcions it needs, apart from the bitrate and recording format?

Would external mics be required? Having two mics, possibly wireless? Playback option is necessary I assume.

Have been thinking about DSP (sound processing), like sound stage simulation for headphones, the other guys on my team weren't too thrilled about it.

Software amp... hmm, not sure I understand completely. It would just be signal processing to resemble audio characteristics of different equipment? Signal processing to simulate equipment rather than listening environment or EQ'ing? Many possibilities for DSP'ing.

Thanks again.

Knut

 

[intlplby]

playback yes.

needs a level meter.... so you know if the level gets too high and clipping is occuring....

here are a bunch of links to check out for field recording... maybe you can pull ideas of features from what others are doing.

you can probably email some of the people and do a little market research into features that would be desirable

http://www.krisbee.com/Field%20Recording.html
http://www.phonography.org/
http://radiantslab.com/musiek/phonography/
http://www.trubitt.com/field_3.html
http://www.sonicstudios.com/mp3.htm
http://www.quietamerican.org/index.html

Other links of interest but necessarily recording related:

http://binaural.com/
http://www.waisman.wisc.edu/hdrl/index.html
http://www.fp3d.com/
http://www.parmly.luc.edu/parmly/audio_demos.html
http://www.3dsound.com/3d/3d_pset.html
http://www.dat.dtu.dk/~odeon/Sounds.htm
http://www.acoustics.hut.fi/demos/vrml.html
http://www.visualprosthesis.com/im2s...ificial_scenes
http://www.noogenesis.com/binaural/L...aMarchina.html
http://www.users.dircon.co.uk/~wareing/3daudio.htm


go to www.soundprofessionals.com to see the kind of equipment and features that are advertised towards field recorders

examples of field recording use is phonography, recording live shows, DJs recording their sets, bands recording their rehearsals


a lot of amateurs that do field recording still rely on those vintage Sharp MDs so they are worth taking a look at... also check out the portable DATs that Marantz makes

 

[skyskraper]

in the past ive helped out some product development/problem solving work for a couple of smaller dj manuf's, so if you want any input just pm me

 

[DLeeWebb]

"Burn-In: Fact Or Myth" You would be settling a long-term Head-Fi debate in the process.

 

[Icy006]

Quote:

Originally Posted by enemigo I'm studying to become a computer engineer, so all the predefined assignments are just a lot of programming with SQL. I want to do something along the lines of audio and electronics.

Ah, a fellow computer engineer who is hooked on audio. Here is a fitting suggestion: delve into the wonderful world of digital amplification!

Not being versed in that binary voodoo, I've often thought about what cool stuff I could do with a FPGA state machine or microcontroller (TI MSP430s are my hero!) in a portable amp. Haven't come up with anything viable yet. If you want to throw ideas back and forth along these lines, I'd be all for it.

Good luck!

 

[craftech]

I saw this thread in the Headphones forum:
http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=103917
He was asking about noise cancellation headphones for snoring. How about a miniaturized version of that idea to help spouses, etc. get some sleep? I'd buy one myself.

John