Acoustic amp... not recording, but...

RebelDogg

RebelDogg

New member
Okay, this isn't a question regarding home recording but I figure someone on here may be able to point me in the right direction.

I saw this Griffin... something something... aircurve... it's a little plastic case that makes your iPhone louder.

Now I discovered many years ago the fun of messing with this concept. I remember pulling the musical piece out of a music box and holding it to a glass coffee table and plucking the tines.

I was thinking I could probably make something better than the thing Apple is selling and for a lot cheaper. I've experimenting by putting my iPhone in odd places and listening to the sound change. It was a lot of fun, but mostly just weird.

I know I'm not going to get great sound, for that I'll just plug it it, but for Schlitz n' giggles I'm going to make something.

My question is can anyone give any pointers or direct me towards some reading online so I can figure out the best materials/forms to use? Something about acoustic amplification. I keep just coming up with stuff about acoustic guitars...

Whenever I see/hear these kinds of things they're always harsh. Sounds like a tin can. I'm wondering if using different materials might improve sound quality. Wood, for example, seems like it may warm it up a little. Glass may be better than plastic. Maybe a combination of the two some kind of way.
 
this is the most confused and lost I have been since joining this site..I`ll have to admit, that i have absolutly NO idea what in the heck your talking about??..LOL...
 
AL P said:
this is the most confused and lost I have been since joining this site..I`ll have to admit, that i have absolutly NO idea what in the heck your talking about??..LOL...
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Take something that makes sound and put it in a glass bowl, on top of a metal sheet or cup your hands around the speaker. You can change the "shape" of the sound as well as amplify it. Different materials and shapes change the sound differently.

bruiser1964 said:
Like this?? AirCurve Play - buy at Firebox.com
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^That's the box I saw. There are others, but that seems to be the one that gets the best reviews.

I just think I could make one myself. I was going to use wood but I have no idea what I'm doing. Figured I should do some reading so I do it right the first time... I just can't find much on the subject. Not really expecting to find much, probably just be trial and error, but someone else has to have already done this.
 
I suppose they all work on the same principal of the gramaphone horn - although you could make the sound appear louder as you suggest it would be difficult to make the sound better or as good.
 
bruiser1964 said:
I suppose they all work on the same principal of the gramophone horn - although you could make the sound appear louder as you suggest it would be difficult to make the sound better or as good.
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I'm sure I'll never get good sound (hell, phone itself doesn't really produce lows) I just want to see how much I can preserve the sound while making it louder. Some methods produce harsher highs while others seem to make it more "mid-y." I don't guess there's really any way to flesh it out without power. Although I've also considered hooking to a small speaker or two and using the same principals. Though it kinda kills the point of the thing...

Glass, metal and wood all give a different sound. I was thinking of making something of wood which would channel the sound into different chambers before exiting (a/the) port(s). Not sure if this will work like it does in my head... and it probably won't. :P I'm just going to try it for something to do. Just need choose a wood and get a little block.

I just don't really have any real knowledge of acoustics or anything. Just kinda f'ing around.

mixsit said:
Transmission line loading?
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Carrots. What?
 
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