|
|
Post by calv on Apr 11, 2013 11:16:06 GMT
Hi all, Recently i've been starting a stomp box to use when playing the guitar. Now the one i want to make is here.... Stomp boxI saw this used to great effect at a gig the other week. Exactly the same design, the speaker used on the wood was a 500 watt one so had lots of nice base. It was however, plugged into a PA system that the small venue owned. The PA system was an average one for a small music venue so i'm guessing around 500 watts. (Beginners guess there). A friend of mine just gave me two speakers to make this stomp box with, a 400 watt and a 750 watt. However, my hope is to use this box in my Roland Street Cube which is 5 watts. My question is, and the thing i'm worried about is.....if i am stomping on a 400 or 750 watt stomp box, plugged into a 5 watt amp, can i blow the speakers? Or will the amps only use what it needs? Apologies if this sounds a bit vague, i have no idea about music electronics. Thanks. Calv. |
|
ocarolan
Global Moderator
CURMUDGEONLY OLD GIT (leader - to join, just ask!)
Posts: 35,708 
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"","color":"c0cfe1"}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 182a3f
Mini-Profile Text Color: 733a1c
|
Post by ocarolan on Apr 11, 2013 11:52:48 GMT
Calv, as I understand the link you supplied, the speaker on the wooden bit is not used as a speaker at all, but in reverse, ie as a microphone - the board picks up vibrations from the stomp, transfers them to the speaker cone which vibrates, moving the magnet in and out of the coil, generating a current which you can then amplify with your combo. The current generated down the wire from any speaker used in this will be tiny, and shouldn't trouble your amp. (Unless anyone knows differently!)
Speakers are passive - ie a 400w speaker does not generate that power - the figure refers to the max (clean) input power from an amp it can cope with before frying.
I'm not entirely sure I'm talking sense here, but I think I am.
It does seem an odd way to make a stompin' board though - you could more easily just use a cheap stick-on guitar soundboard transducer stuck to the board and plugged into your amp. Neater, smaller, easier to make and use I'd have thought. I made one with an offcut of laminate flooring and an old bug transducer - worked reasonably well.
On the other hand, if you've been given the speakers......
Keith
|
|
|
|
Post by addy on Apr 11, 2013 12:05:34 GMT
It does seem an odd way to make a stompin' board though - you could more easily just use a cheap stick-on guitar soundboard transducer stuck to the board and plugged into your amp. Neater, smaller, easier to make and use I'd have thought. I made one with an offcut of laminate flooring and an old bug transducer - worked reasonably well. On the other hand, if you've been given the speakers...... Keith A friend of mine is building one with a piezo pickup attached to the box. |
|
|
|
Post by calv on Apr 11, 2013 12:11:22 GMT
Think i've just found the answer, apparently as i'm essentially using the speaker as a mic, it doesn't matter that it's being plugged into a lower power amp.
It will only give out what the Roland amp can put out, not what the mic can put out.
Calv.
|
|
|
|
Post by calv on Apr 11, 2013 12:14:09 GMT
Thanks Keith and Martin, just seen your replies. You answered them great, thanks for the info.
I do have a couple of those transducers here Keith, that was my back up plan, but some of the ones i've seen don't give a very basey sound that i want.
Might give both a go.
Cheers.
Calv.
|
|
Martin
Administrator
Posts: 11,994
Mini-Profile Background: {"image":"http://mandocello.org/lytebox/images/adirondack.jpg","color":""}
Mini-Profile Name Color: 0a530b
Mini-Profile Text Color: 4f3517
|
Post by Martin on Apr 11, 2013 22:49:44 GMT
Sorry Calv, but I know less than zero about this sort of thing - it was Keith and Shane that replied  |
|
|
|
Post by calv on Apr 12, 2013 13:39:44 GMT
Sorry Calv, but I know less than zero about this sort of thing - it was Keith and Shane that replied Oops, cheers Martin......thanks Shane. Calv. |
|
|
|
Post by jugbandman on Sept 4, 2013 7:03:06 GMT
People build these things with piezo sounders. Apparently they work well in reverse - turning vibration into current - and are very cheap.
I own & use an SX stomp box for ceilidh music. I don't know what's inside it, but it uses a 9V battery. Through 15" PA speakers it can sound tremendous, although it depends on the floor it's sat on and the type of sole on my shoe. Through a small amp it makes a weedy clunk. You can't expect a small speaker, not designed to move a lot of air, to sound any good with a stomp box.
|
|
Jo whoever he is.
