Author Topic: External Power for Series Bass (Wireless Freedom) (Read 1518 times)

smuprof · « **on:** July 03, 2013, 05:38:12 PM »

So I've been playing with a Line 6 X2 digital wireless rig and Shure wireless in-ear monitors for about 3 years. The X2 has a very flat, very clean 20 - 20k low impedance output (better than cables) and I like the freedom of wireless.

(I know, I know - amps and cabinets and PA color the sound, negating flat, wideband transmission, but I believe in making as many components as colorless as possible).

This worked great with my Mark King Signature 5 all this time, however with the new Series 2 bass, I'm back to either a DS-5 with a cable or playing on the internal batteries, which means suffering frequent replacement and no LEDs.

My good friend Mr. Wayne McClemore pointed me toward building an external battery supply using the 5 pin connector, which solves multiple problems (easier to replace batteries, LEDs powered, longer battery life ( +/- 18v instead of 9v), etc.).

I spent a lot of time thinking about how to do this in the most space efficient form - How to physically arrange the batteries, what boxes/containers were available, shielding, signal path, etc. The result is effectively a pocket DS-5 hardwired for mono operation.

I finished the project this week and wanted to share the results with the forum. The construction only took about 12 hours, including making the case, but there was probably 40 hours of brain damage, online searching, shopping, etc. So if anyone else is interested in a solution like this, at least I can spare you the brain damage part. Even if you choose to use the internal batteries, this could be built as an emergency power back-up in case the batteries die mid-set. Just plug it in and go.

One final note: This produces + and - 18v in the same connector that your treble and bass signal pass through. Not a problem when those fine folks at Alembic construct high quality DS-5s and cables, but you DO NOT want to be sloppy in your construction or wiring and DO NOT screw up the pin outs. After I finished, I checked pin-outs and voltages and polarities and resistance pin-to-pin side by side with my DS-5R at least a half dozen times, then said a prayer and plugged it into my S2. I'm very happy with the result, but I would discourage anyone from doing this unless you really know what you're doing. It's not that complicated, but there's a high price for mistakes.

With that disclaimer and warning, here's the solution I came up with.

tbrannon · « **Reply #1 on:** July 03, 2013, 08:06:46 PM »

Looking forward to the reveal.

You're building some suspense....

room037 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2013, 12:29:36 AM »

Hi,

Our japanese club member has Powersuply for wireless system preowned by Mark King.(Please scroll down)
I also made with master volume, mono-setreo SW and 2 phone jack.
(It's little bit over spec for the size.)

I wonder which is better for lifetime ?}18V(series) or ?}9V(parallel) on 4 batterys.
I believe it's better for sound on 18V, but lifetime...

Eiji

smuprof · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2013, 05:36:40 AM »

Eiji -

Very cool. Thanks for sharing. I looked at using a similar box, but wanted something that would allow me to quickly change the batteries. I thought about keeping it stereo, or making it switchable, but I knew I would never go to the trouble of using two wireless units and just wired it to combine the signals like the DS-5. when switched to mono.

smuprof · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2013, 05:41:28 AM »

So the challenge for me was finding a compact enclosure that would allow easy access to the batteries, shielded, with enough room for the 1/4 jack, resistors, and power and signal wiring.

I found a couple of plastic alternatives, thought about shielding paint, but ultimately decided on this:

smuprof · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2013, 05:46:44 AM »

The enclosure is made of two Altoids tins glued back to back. Two 9v batteries will fit very neatly side by side, wide side against the back of the tin, leaving about 1/3rd of the top of the tin for the wiring and connections.

The previous picture shows the back of the tin taped and ready to cut.

I believe the height of the opening is about 1.25 from the top of the tin to the line closest to the middle of the tin. I marked the sides leaving just enough of a lip so I could glue it all around.

smuprof · « **Reply #6 on:** July 04, 2013, 05:49:31 AM »

Next step was to drill the four corners so I'd have a clean cut with no tearing on each side.

smuprof · « **Reply #7 on:** July 04, 2013, 05:53:29 AM »

Next step was to cut the opening using a high speed rotary tool with a metal cutting disk. I cut this by hand and it came out fairly straight. The Altoids tins aren't very thick and the cuts were easy and quick. Here it is clamped down in the process of being cut:

smuprof · « **Reply #8 on:** July 04, 2013, 05:59:47 AM »

You only want to cut the top edge and the two sides. Leave the middle intact (it becomes the partition for the battery compartment and a shelf for the breadboard, as well as adds rigidity).

Once complete, bend the shelf out of the tin. It helps to use a rigid strip of metal or wood and long-nose clamping pliers so the entire shelf bends along a straight line.

Here's what it looks like bent out. This is the best opportunity to file and sand all of the edges so you leave nothing sharp to a) cut your fingers on and b) cut or short the internal wiring. More on that later.

smuprof · « **Reply #9 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:05:16 AM »

Once you've cleaned up the edges and filed things down smooth, use the same straight-edge technique with a pair of long-nose clamping pliers and bend the shelf in half, bending the outer edge up toward the opening.

Fold it all of the way over, and then using regular pliers, crimp the folded edge tight so you now have a shelf that is half as wide, but twice as thick.

Here's what it looks like:

smuprof · « **Reply #10 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:09:29 AM »

Next step is to fold the shelf 180 degrees back into the enclosure space itself. This puts the folded edge facing upward (no sharp edges) and tucks the long side of the cut down into the back of the tin where it will be behind the batteries (again, no sharp edges you can reach). It also leaves a channel around each side of the shelf for battery wiring.

smuprof · « **Reply #11 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:13:12 AM »

Now is a good time to test the fit of the batteries. I looked at a lot of different 9v battery connections - these are called safety connections because nothing can touch the terminals when they are attached. Maybe unnecessary, but they also make the mechanics a little more sturdy.

smuprof · « **Reply #12 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:15:34 AM »

And here's what it looks like from the back . . .

smuprof · « **Reply #13 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:19:56 AM »

Next step is to repeat the process with the second tin. I taped the second tin and traced the opening from the first to align the cuts and it worked really well.

I elected to keep both hinges on one side, but it would work just as well if you had the hinges on opposite sides.

Here the two tins are, unglued, testing the fit:

smuprof · « **Reply #14 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:23:12 AM »

Here's another shot where you can see how the two shelves fitted together make a nice platform/compartment for the wiring and electronics, separated from the batteries. . .