[artmusic247]

Finally!!!!
Here are pictures of my DIY portable rig. I would like to thank Cmoy, Apheared, JMT and others for helping me build this awsome sounding headphone amp. Also I would like to thank my friend Brad Goda for taking these colorful pictures.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Album...a=13597416&f=0

 

[Odeen]

I imagine it's an awesome-sounding Klingon torture device...

Seriously, though.. you have a little audio rack in your bag? Earbud microphones? Making binaural recordings in the field?

 

[Possum]

Whoa! Did you make or buy those microphones? That is so cool - nobody would know that you're recording. I wonder how different people's ear shapes would affect the sound of the recording

 

[skippy]

they look home made, but very cool nonetheless. how'd you come up with that position on the back of the bud? or was it just some random plaement?

 

[Tim D]

I'd love to be there if you end up in customs somewhere trying to explain that it really is just a portable music rig!

You can get something like Ety's, and sit on a plane grinning comfortably, while people around you will be acting the exact opposite!

 

[artmusic247]

Quote:

I wonder how different people's ear shapes would affect the sound of the recording

Hmmm.... interesting, I never tried it. Maybe, except that I don't believe in sharing earbuds. It's kinda like the toothbrush thing.

Quote:

they look home made, but very cool nonetheless. how'd you come up with that position on the back of the bud? or was it just some random plaement?

These are DIYers. I had a blown set of earbuds so I removed the little drivers out and stuck in Panasonics WM-61a capsules. As for the placement of the capsules, I had a friend mark the part of the earbud that was exposed and that's where they went. The capsules don't point straight out left and right but point a little forward. They're very stealthy but because they're in your ear, you have no way of monitoring the signal. And on top of that, when you're recording, you're not able to listen to the sound directly, it's all muffled. Oh well.

Quote:

I'd love to be there if you end up in customs somewhere trying to explain that it really is just a portable music rig!

Yeah, I get some strange looks but now that it's in the bag, it's not as bad. When I wore it out without the bag, store security would always check it out. That's one of the reasons I put it in the bag, also to protect against rain.

 

[no_iq]

Artmusic,

Excellent job!! What is the case??

Any inside photos?

no_iq

 

[artmusic247]

The case is from Extrusion Technology. Kinda expensive but looks cool. The difficulty in using these cases is that the only openings are the front and back panels.

http://extrutech.com/

 

[zoboomofo]

So shiny n stuff! Another inspiring effort by a headfizer. I'll be getting a soldering iron tomorrow, so I can't wait to wire up my Apheared 47.

 

[coolvij]

That is a very neat and tidy way of carrying what must be an EXCELLENT sounding setup....

 

[Budgie]

Wow, That is really a nice set up. You do good work! That rack set up is very clever.

 

[livingplasma]

That has got to be one of the coolest portable playback/recording setups I have seen before! Love the "rack" with the fold out lighting (I'd love that for my night listening sessions) and aluminum shelves. Puts my portable setup to shame (stuff just goes in my pocket and until I get Etymotics, no need for headphone amp). I suppose there's cushioning between the shevling for the cd player, MD recorder, headphone amp and battery holder? Neoprene or sorbothane perhaps, or maybe leather with wood trim =)

BTW, I had a similar idea to your earbud microphone, except I was planning on using my vertical in-ear headphones and having the microphones facing forward (earbuds don't like my ears, falls out way too much... those "earhugger" type might work though). How do the microphones sound btw, I mean with the elements oriented like that for recording? I prefer them forward on my decoy headphones, having them face outwards made centered sounds weak but I've never tried angling it like that (sorta mimics how sound is picked up by the ear in a way).

 

[artmusic247]

livingplasma, the mic is setup for binaural recording. This type of recording is meant to be played back through headphones and give the impression that you're at the place of the recording. The mic capsules are omni-directional so they pick sounds in all directions. Try looking up binaural recording on the web and you'll get a better understanding. I'm glad you dig the rig.

 

[eric343]

Man, I envy you.

rig!

 

[skippy]

Quote:

The mic capsules are omni-directional so they pick sounds in all directions.

actually, i read a few articles on binaural mics, and the angle at which the capsules are placed do affect the sound, IIRC. one person recommended pointing the mic 45 degrees outward from facing forward. another article mentioned that pointing the mic's forward would sound fine when listened on headphones, but would sound better than having the capsules face sideways if played over loudspeakers. i don't remember why this works, but i would guess that microphones are not entirely omnidirectional at all frequencies (my guess is that they would probably be more directional at higher frequencies).

i've actually made binaural mics mounted on buds facing outward too, and vertical headphones with the mics facing forward. i think i like them placed at 45 degrees the best.