Old Talkbox That Made You Sound Funny

DIY Talk Box: Proper Design Acoustics?

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most DIY talkboxes use a funnel shape to adapt the airtight chamber containing the speaker to the vinyl tubing. Does a funnel shape provide the best acoustics or should it be as cyllindrical/non-tapering as possible? Comb filtering seems likely with a funnel.

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All I do is stick the end of some clear hose between a pair of headphones and use one of those thick elastics that comes with your broccoli to hold the earmuffs together.

Gear Addict

Quote:

Originally Posted by travisbrown ➡️

All I do is stick the end of some clear hose between a pair of headphones and use one of those thick elastics that comes with your broccoli to hold the earmuffs together.

ok don't want to sound like a dick but are you for real. if so this just a cool stop gap when you don't actually own one. so are you for real?

cheers dave

Gear Guru

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkEcho ➡️

most DIY talkboxes use a funnel shape to adapt the airtight chamber containing the speaker to the vinyl tubing.

I made one of those many years ago from 3/4 inch clear limp plastic tubing connected to an Altec horn driver. No horn, just the driver. I used a metal cap from a spray can that was about the right size to fit over the driver's threaded opening. Then made a hole in the cap for the tube and used RTV rubber sealant to glue it in place. This avoids using a funnel and sends all of the sound directly down the tube.

--Ethan

Ah! So I'm right about the funnel not being good?

Don't you still have to power the driver with an amp?

I am looking for a simple, fully contained dvice, maybe using ABS pipe.

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i bought mine from heil sound and it works pretty much like ethan's.. except built in a heavy black metal box with a bypass switch (that i never found any use for...) the best way to use that box, live, is to have to have two power amps and a way to mix/switch between them anyway. in a recording you just record the talk box or regular guitar separately... the switch is not adequate for one amp.. big level change being the reason on most good sounding talk box setups... also the separate eq/preamp is a must soundwise.

also those things can hurt your stomach if you use them too loud... be careful...

but i got quite a few good recording gigs because of this device.. and knowing how to use them, which is another chapter altogether... it's almost a new instrument, not an fx pedal that you set and forget...

Gear Guru

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkEcho ➡️

Ah! So I'm right about the funnel not being good?

Probably, but I never tried that. When I did it I just made it as straight-forward as I could.

Quote:

Don't you still have to power the driver with an amp?

Yes, of course.

--Ethan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ethan Winer ➡️

I want to use the talkbox with line level devices, what do I need to do as far as powering the speaker and getting a volume a bit louder than normal speech?

Gear Guru

Lives for gear

Quote:

Originally Posted by ramjet ➡️

ok don't want to sound like a dick but are you for real. if so this just a cool stop gap when you don't actually own one. so are you for real?

cheers dave

Haha. The couple times I've needed a talkbox, that's what I've done. I mean, isn't that basically all a talkbox is, driving sound through a tube so you can use your mouth as a resonant chamber?

Usually I do it while reamping the original guitar signal. I can't play and, err, talkbox at the same time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by narco ➡️

Nice heads up!
Though I think I can build one twice as good for half the cost =)

Gear Guru

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkEcho ➡️

I want to use the talkbox with line level devices, what do I need to do as far as powering the speaker and getting a volume a bit louder than normal speech?

I dunno, maybe a 20 watt power amp?

I finished making my home-made talk box and it works but it doesnt get loud enough... Also, there is a serious lack of isolation, even though I tried gluing everything closed.

Now I'm contemplating building one out of a horn driver and what not, but due to needing a power amp, I think it would be hard to enclose it nicely..

Would an Apogee Ensemble have enough power to drive a horn driver so I don't need an external power amp?

jordanbustoges.blogspot.com

Source: https://gearspace.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/330180-diy-talk-box-proper-design-acoustics.html

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