Remote Adjustable Microphone Stand

[Joematthews]

I remember some time ago someone noticed there wasn't a mic stand that you could move from the control room for micing up cabs. I'm doing some A level product design coursework, and was thinking that would be a good project to do because it's complex, and solves a real problem.

Not really thinking about how yet, but more whether you guys think it would be a goood product (given a reasonable price). Is it something you would use to sweep a mic in front of a cab as opposed to second guessing with headphones?

Any suggestions, or things you would want? And now we're thinking about it, and problems in the studio that I could engineer solutions to?

Joe

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Hmmm, the inherent idea seems very cool at first, but I'm a bit skeptical of it working out that well.

It seems like the R&D would have to be pretty solid (and expensive!) to manufacture something that could move that precisely, in small increments along the front of a cab or whatever the source is!

If you can make it happen, cool! I'd love to see it work properly, but I think the old fashioned method works just fine...have the intern move it around while you lounge in the control room.

-Joe

 

[Joematthews]

haha, that is a point. I think the precision would come down to gearing, if its low enough, it will be slow as hell, but precise. If I can get a mechanism that slides easy enough I would consider using servo's, at least for horizontal movement, because of the precision they supply, Im just unsure that they would have enough torque.

Joe

 

[J.DavisNJ]

haha, that is a point. I think the precision would come down to gearing, if its low enough, it will be slow as hell, but precise. If I can get a mechanism that slides easy enough I would consider using servo's, at least for horizontal movement, because of the precision they supply, Im just unsure that they would have enough torque.

Joe

Ah, ok then. Too much technicality for me lol. You probably know way better than me if it would work or not haha.

Also, I think it would be a good idea because we wouldn't be so focused on where the mic 'looks' right on the speaker, but could focus our attention on listening back and whatnot.

I know I've been guilty of this before.

-Joe

 

[Joematthews]

Ah, ok then. Too much technicality for me lol. You probably know way better than me if it would work or not haha.

Probably not haha

I'm gunna mess around and see whether I can come up with a mechanism that works.

Thanks

Joe

 

[digitaldeath]

Sounds like a nice idea dude, so long as the cost can be kept to a minimum. Would be nice if the controller had a recall feature too. For example, your cab is always in its place, but some idiot trips over the mic cable, knocking over the mic. Simply stand it back up and hit recall!

 

[exoslime]

that would be awesome, and i think that wouldnt be that complex at all,

back in school days we built a robot arm with sps technology that grabs up little things and move them to another place...
all programmable via windows (version 3.1 back then, hahaha)

but with todays technology possibilites,....AWESOME

imagine, you could save certain mic positions and recall them whenever you need em.

i would defintly buy something like this.. my cab is in the basement for recording, and my studio is in the floor above.. with that remote-stand, i could place the mic remotly and fine tune in the studio while listening to the sound coming out on the monitors

You have to to this man!!!!!!!!!

make a prototopy, get the patent, and then get em mass produced in asia

cheers
exoslime

 

[ParsonsMatt]

This is a really brilliant idea... Go for it!!

 

[digitaldeath]

Along with my recall feature recommendation, try design it for a 4x12 cab with the possibility of moving from speaker to speaker. The controller would then indicate which speaker the mic is currently facing.

 

[Joematthews]

haha cheers for the confidence guys

I think my head might explode if I tried to make it computer controlled

I will design and manufacture the basic mechanism, and a simple xy controller to make it move, and maybe when I'm confident with that I could introduce and element of computer control. How difficult is it?

Joe

 

[006]

Dude this needs to happen

 

[digitaldeath]

haha cheers for the confidence guys

I think my head might explode if I tried to make it computer controlled

I will design and manufacture the basic mechanism, and a simple xy controller to make it move, and maybe when I'm confident with that I could introduce and element of computer control. How difficult is it?

Joe

My only experience is through using a serial port. Serial port communication is pretty easy and even if your computer doesn't have a serial port, you can get USB->Serial port adaptors. Software can be written in most languages. Look into it and I might be able to write the software for you. I never did engineering so I don't really know what the common tools are, but a custom solution is always possible.

 

[wishtheend]

Richard from Rammstein already does this - but it is a solid idea. The only key things I think you need to be able to control are height and a left to right sweep.

I would avoid putting any control over the mic going towards/away from the cab, because some idiot will screw it up and push a 57 into his cone

 

[Joematthews]

Hmmm, do you think height changes really matter? The speaker is a circle so surely one inch off the centre of the cone to the side sounds the same as one inch off the centre of the cone downwards? Or do you just mean to get it to the height of the centre of the cone to start with? because in that case it needs to be adjustable but probably only by hand in the room.

Joe

 

[ParsonsMatt]

Hmmm, do you think height changes really matter? The speaker is a circle so surely one inch off the centre of the cone to the side sounds the same as one inch off the centre of the cone downwards? Or do you just mean to get it to the height of the centre of the cone to start with? because in that case it needs to be adjustable but probably only by hand in the room.

Joe

It might also be helpful to have an angle, so we can Fredman it up

 

[Joematthews]

It might also be helpful to have an angle, so we can Fredman it up

will do!

 

[digitaldeath]

http://www.remote-mast.com/ModelCD.html
Awfully expensive though, with only 4" of horizontal movement, where as I believe you'd need just as much horizontal movement as you would vertical movement.

 

[digitaldeath]

Hmmm, do you think height changes really matter? The speaker is a circle so surely one inch off the centre of the cone to the side sounds the same as one inch off the centre of the cone downwards? Or do you just mean to get it to the height of the centre of the cone to start with? because in that case it needs to be adjustable but probably only by hand in the room.

Joe

Yes, height changes do matter if you want to try different speakers in your cab (remotely). As I said above, indicate on the controller which speaker the mic is currently facing.

 

[ParsonsMatt]

Yes, height changes do matter if you want to try different speakers in your cab (remotely). As I said above, indicate on the controller which speaker the mic is currently facing.

That would quadruple the necessary size of the device and also make it impractical for use with 212s or 112s. I think that for the purposes of choosing a speaker, headphone/clips are a better way than SLOWLY moving what is really a fine tuning device the whole 24+" across the cabinet face.

 

[Joematthews]

I doubt I woul be able to manufacture something big enough to go the full size of a 4x12. I will have to see how much manufacturing time we have before I decide how big to make it. I might be able to make a bracket so that you can mount it anywhere on a 4x12.

As for the current product, it really is ridiculous so expensive. I was thinking this would cost in the region of £40-£100.

For drive I was thinking low ratio high torque motors driving a screw assembly, as I believe this is the most cost effective mechanism for doing it.

Joe