headphone distro system

zgoheen · Aug 6, 2006

i've been thinking about trying to design my own headphone system (not unlike the ever-present f#rman system) for use in my project studio. i seem to remember seeing another system on evilbay a while back that pre-dated the f*rman (lang*vin maybe?). does anyone have the skinny on these designs? cat5 cable seems the way to go (if not only for cost reasons) but it seems to always be in the way. i've also not been so impressed with the audio quality of the f-rmans.

so, heres some design goals:
4 stereo inputs
separate distro unit from mixer unit
ability to drive at least 6 mixer units
high fidelity hp amp
lower memory cable for interconnect
all tube! (kidding..., kinda)

so what i'm interested in knowing... have any of y'all ventured down this path and what sort of pitfalls might i encounter? also, a schematic of one of the afor-mentioned systems would help as a starting point. thanks.

Geert Heyrman · Aug 6, 2006

Maybe yu could focus on a audiodistributionamplifier for example eight pieces of 1 to 6 distribution. And buy some secondhand behringer mixers that all have a headphone amp. Or you could also build a very simple mixing desk were the user can only change the level.

Geert

mattmoogus · Aug 6, 2006

[quote author="zgoheen"]
lower memory cable for interconnect
[/quote]

:shock: What is that?

M@

Kev · Aug 6, 2006

I think it may mean ... very bendy cable

when using multi sheilded pair cable things can get stiff ... I could be barking up the wrong tree here.

even Cat 5 can get messy on the studio floor cos it has a mind of it's own and the more the musicians move about the worse it all gets

Belden and Mogami ... (connectortronics ? ) have some very very bendy cable 4 and 8 pair ... very thin and reasonably tough that could be good for an analog multi mix HP thing.

otherwise go digital multiplexed ... and wireless

!!!

spend thousands $$$$ and go Sennheiser or Shure total wireless IEM .... :shock:

shut up Kev

tall_phill · Aug 6, 2006

A low memory cable is one that doesn't kink much, and hence should roll and 'lay' well. Much CAT 5 and Coax is not low memory, and oh how I hate using it unless it is being permanetly installed. Many multicore twisted pair cables would work here, for low memory etc, though they are typically much more expensive per meter than fancy CAT 5.

Some other design questions to consider:

Are the mixer/hp amp units to be powered by the base station or are they to be self powered?

Are the units to be daisy chained or will each have a seperate line to the base station (star)?

....

I think you would be doing yourself a favour to sacrifice one or two stereo inputs for a greater number of mono inputs, with or without a panpot.

bitman · Aug 6, 2006

I'm using three ATi 416 distribution amps that drive 5 UB1202 mixers at recording stations (It's current work in progress). I'm using 50 pin scsi ribbon cable to get the balanced signals to the mixers. Building the IDC to 1/4" stereo plug jigs is a lot of DIY busy work. But at each station you will be able to mix 11 signals + a stereo mix for everdubing.

See my thread in the brewery here:
http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=17118

:LSB