Crazy connections in the studio

[migraneboy]

Hello!

I like to experiment with gear, but lack the science behind it. Im always scared I will break something, and actually have done so in the past ( I played around shortcircuiting an old radio connected to a guitar combo via the radios headphone out..).

So my question is, what kind of converters, DI boxes and such I would need to have the equipment to PUT ANYTHING THRU ANYTHING, BUT NOT BREAK STUFF and also having good enough levels so hiss, humm and other noise wouldn't be a problem.. (unless humm and noise is what Im after

like

mics, toy organs with headphone out, vinylplayers, line level instruments...

thru

stompboxes, guitar amps, home hifi, headphones, portable radios, the kitchen sink...

Is there an All In One product for making these different level/Ohm/whatnot connections?

Thanks for any advice!

[xistenz]

try a mixer with preamps, some DI's and a patch bay.

[MOFO Pro]

Coat hangers, duct tape... and bubble gum

[orson198305]

Originally Posted by MOFO Pro

Coat hangers, duct tape... and bubble gum

You forgot Dog Hair

[musicstew]

Get Cubase SX and do it all in the software realm.

You can use software synths, effects and routing tricks and you wont break anything this way.

I find Cubase excellent for "working outside the box."

-Stew

[dirtythermos]

Never hook anything meant to drive a speaker to anything except a speaker.

Never send phantom power to anything except things that want phantom power.

Other than that, you should be ok. That doesn't mean you won't ever distort anything, but you should avoid breaking anything.

[travelin travis]

when i was 9, i connected a lamp cord to a speaker and plugged it into an outlet. that was fun.

[orson198305]

So what type of sound were you expecting?

[thediscoking]

If you want crazy sounds, get into circuit bending. There are dozens of good sites on the subject. Here's a good place to start.
http://www.anti-theory.com/soundart/circuitbend/

Originally Posted by dirtythermos

Never hook anything meant to drive a speaker to anything except a speaker.

I've found that you can rig the amplified signal in children's toys (that powers tiny, tiny, tiny speakers ) to be a 1/4" out. The gain on the mixer has to be really low, but that's a good way solution if you want to send children's toys or circuit-bent stuff to pedals, mixers, etc.

[travelin travis]

Originally Posted by orson198305

So what type of sound were you expecting?

I really did'nt know what would happen. I expected some kind of sound and I was curious. I knew that a speaker had a negative and positive and that electricity had a negative and postive. It's about the most startling thing that I can ever remember happening to me. I'm lucky that I did'nt get fried.

Imagine being a kid with this thing wired up, expecting some kind of sound to come out of the speaker, and plugging it in................KABOOM!!!!!!!!! The speaker literally blew up a couple of feet away from me. I was staring right at it as I plugged the lamp cord into the wall. My brothers were across the room playing he-man or gi joe or something like that. I think my older sister started crying and it's the first time that I can remember my ears ringing. I have'nt done anything that cool since.

[orson198305]

See i think you actually invented death metal, but never knew it at the time, everyone's just copied you - get your lawyer on the phone

[orson198305]

Originally Posted by dirtythermos

Never hook anything meant to drive a speaker to anything except a speaker.

Never send phantom power to anything except things that want phantom power.

Other than that, you should be ok. That doesn't mean you won't ever distort anything, but you should avoid breaking anything.

Man you never had a childhood joke