Author Topic: External Power for Series Bass (Wireless Freedom) (Read 1525 times)

smuprof · « **Reply #30 on:** July 04, 2013, 07:50:02 AM »

And here it is plugged into the S2. I originally was going to glue a belt clip on it, but I figured out it would fit (very snugly) into the Neotech wireless pouch that attaches to my strap.

So I now just have two of the pouches, one for the wireless transmitter and the other for my Altoids battery supply.

smuprof · « **Reply #31 on:** July 04, 2013, 08:04:08 AM »

Couple of final notes:

1) My apologies for misspellings and missing words - my laptop keyboard will skip multiple characters sometimes - I tried to catch and correct them, but probably missed a few.

2) I'll keep you posted on battery life under real world conditions. I'll probably switch over to Lithium-Ion rechargeables. I've had great luck with the HiTech brand - they have a higher current rating and seem to work for a good 8 hours in my transmitter and wireless in-ear rigs. I'll try those in the Altoids box as well.

Hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July!

room037 · « **Reply #32 on:** July 04, 2013, 10:05:22 AM »

This is my power supply.(Sorry for out of focus)
Parts and batteries are mounted intensively.

wylie_j · « **Reply #33 on:** July 04, 2013, 04:25:49 PM »

Smuprof good on ya Mate! I can hardly make out what u have built but i just want to say More Power to U for being so adventurous with such a fine 5-string Alembic bass i'm jealous u got the serious deluxe model.....joking! so this looks to be a home made wireless system? if it works well maybe u should pitch it to Alembic....coz they don't have one of these!

jazzyvee · « **Reply #34 on:** July 04, 2013, 04:33:37 PM »

Excellent. I wonder if alembic have any desires to make similar device.

Jazzyvee

smuprof · « **Reply #35 on:** July 04, 2013, 05:42:15 PM »

Eiji -

I like your power supply, and I believe your description is most appropriate: the wiring and components are intense

Very clever.

I'm curious about the 2 jacks: separate Treble and Bass like a DS-5, or something else?

smuprof · « **Reply #36 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:02:26 PM »

Wylie - thank you for your kind words. The box provides portable external battery power for the electronics and LEDs, so you can be completely wireless. The 1/4 output goes to the wireless transmitter in a pouch on my strap.

Jazzy - thanks, I would love it if there were an Alembic version.

The big issue is the package sizing. I have a shoe box of discarded ideas for this. I was going down the same road as Eiji, which obviously works well, but even after looking at dozens of different size boxes, they all seemed a little small or too large.

The other challenge was a container that allowed for quick, easy access to the batteries for replacement. I'm not sure if Eiji's box is assembled with the 4 screws. I was looking at miniature hinges and magnets in a box like that to create easy access to the batteries, but ultimately decided I couldn't do it cleanly and I didn't want to have to disassemble the box to replace the batteries.

For a manufacturer like Alembic, they could have a vendor produce exactly what they wanted in volume, including cavities for the batteries. Shure's wireless unit does a great job using spring tabs behind a cut-out that doesn't allow you to insert the battery incorrectly. When you snap the battery door shut, it holds the battery firmly in place. Something like that would be ideal.

I definitely think there's a need/market for something like this.

smuprof · « **Reply #37 on:** July 04, 2013, 06:12:35 PM »

One more thought I've been toying with: R/C hobbyists use heavy duty lithium ion rechargeable cells that are essentially 3.7v. Hard to get to 9v with that, but five cells in series would give you 18.5v, and ten would allow you to have plus and minus 18v with extreme life in a compact package.

I'm not a hobbyist, but I have learned you need a specialty charger for these sorts of cells that monitors the charge and balances the current on each of the cells.

Something for another day, but it would be great to have a compact box you could drop in a charger that would go for hours and hours.

room037 · « **Reply #38 on:** July 04, 2013, 09:27:50 PM »

Yes, my box has 2 output just like DS-5.
I thought it for stereo or double mono by 2 wireless systems.
But these are over spec that i said.
If i will make next one, it will be simple.

Eiji

charles_holmes · « **Reply #39 on:** July 05, 2013, 06:54:56 AM »

All of this is way over my head and I feel as though I'm not worthy to own an Alembic now. Oh Well.. that's what I get for only wanting to be proficient at bass (which is marginal @ best!)I should have paid attention in electronics class! Nice bass there J.T.

smuprof · « **Reply #40 on:** July 05, 2013, 09:09:11 AM »

Charles -

Ha! I'm pretty sure you're worthy and I'm pretty sure my band mates would have preferred I spent the time practicing instead of building the box.

But the heart wants what the heart wants. Now that it's done, guess it's back to the woodshed for me . . .

terryc · « **Reply #41 on:** July 08, 2013, 03:20:30 AM »

Along with my own made wood backplates for my MK this is a great example of making a square peg fitting a round hole..brilliant!!!

hankster · « **Reply #42 on:** July 08, 2013, 11:06:16 AM »

Curiously strong, indeed! Nice project!

R.

smuprof · « **Reply #43 on:** September 08, 2013, 10:08:20 AM »

So I promised a battery life update, and I want to share a nice feature of this particular setup.

Here's what the rig looks like, wireless plus battery pack, on my strap. Nicely hidden from the audience. Adds a little weight, but once you commit to ebony and coco bolo, what's a little more?

smuprof · « **Reply #44 on:** September 08, 2013, 10:12:21 AM »

Pouches are Neotech wireless pouches (medium - they make a small and medium, not really a large).

Here's the rig with the wireless transmitter out. Battery pack feeds the 5 pin XLR on the body, as well as feeds the signal back to the box. From the box, the signal goes to the X2 transmitter pack.