DIY Analog Studio Gear Made From Old Computer Speakers (W/Demos)

[@alanorange9376]

You and LookMumNoComputer would make a explosive collaboration. Love your content!

[@heavymetalATC]

Alan Orange Thank you so much Alan. Sam is one of my favorite content creators. I would love to work with him on a project.

[@01suttic]

I am loving these videos. everything about them. the accent perfectly matches the engineering methods. I'm just wondering, like everyone else I have lots of Wall Warts in a bag in the garage. How important is the rating? I don't want to blow up my Amp working that out. I'm in the UK by the way so most of them are 240v down to about 12v. Also I know that passive Di is essentially a transformer so would that be something super simple to knock up too?

[@microwaveableselfie3421]

Yo man really loved this video, you are a genius to be able to take these ideas and explain them in a way I understand ! Now I’m gonna go electrocute myself on account of not grounding my electronics. Thanks for posting!

[@asidtone6465]

I love the hilarious answers for having ALL said tools needed. Lol

[@heavymetalATC]

Thanks again bro Yep just get that F--- hammer! LOL

[@ozerik]

Wow. Respect. Just the right mix of cheap, crazy and genius!

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you for watching and leaving this kind comment. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[@larsw4880]

Awesome stuff!!! Tried this with an old phono preamp yesterday and made a real wild and cool fuzzbox. Love your ideas, love your attitude, love your humor. Keep up the great work!

[@heavymetalATC]

That is awesome Lars! I love to hear that people are out there fiddling with stuff and doing experiments. Always remember to be careful with tube equipment and if you find something with germanium transistors in it you may have struck gold.

[@codelicious6590]

I understand more about resistors and capacitors in the context of audio from this vid than Ive been able to glean from a thousand and one other diy pedal building yt vids! Fuckin A>

[@boombap28]

A master class in under 15 minutes. Hats off to you and thanks for the share!

[@heavymetalATC]

I am so glad you found this info useful Rav P. I just try to get it out there so maybe the right person can see it and do something with it.

[@atrumluminarium]

Regarding the compressor I think it can be simpler. A filament lamp's resistance increases the higher its temperature, and it's temperature increases the higher the voltage it receives. So basically using it as a simple resistor in the chain should automatically just squash the transients

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you for watching atrumluminarium ah, yes good info. My uncle used to use this method in his big concert PA cabinets. If you put a light-bulb in line to the speakers it will buffer those peaks.. it will also act as a fuse and blow before you have destroyed the voice coil in those big expensive speakers.

[@atrumluminarium]

@@heavymetalATC Ah didn't consider the fuse issue, good point. To be fair my only experience with this was to have a passive compressor unit within a guitar itself so I had quite a lot of headroom to work with given the low input wattage

[@jonesgotmusic495]

Hell yeah this is exactly the info I've been looking for. I love the simple and strait forward approach with out all the science talk.

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to leave such a kind comment Jones. I am so glad you found the info to be useful and of value. I see no reason to ever use big words or leave out 1/2 the small details to try to seem cool or smart, that's not helping anybody. That is being an a-hole. LOL Its always been my goal to keep things accessible to people of any skill level while also being able to make the pros look at things differently and be inspired to come up with new ideas. Add a little comedy or craziness in there to keep it from being so boring and I seem to consistently get kind and inspiring comments like this one from you. Thanks again truly. I appreciate the encouragement and feedback.

[@genesis_tracks]

Was planning to make my own DIY hardware compressor in some way, but I was met with even more ideas from this video! Thank you, you absolute madlad.

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to write such a nice comment Genesis. I'm so glad you found this info to be useful. Also anytime somebody can handle my unorthodox methods and personality it just makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Welcome, and if you ever have a question about something feel free to comment. Im not an A-hole I will try to respond as soon as I can and answer to the best of my ability. Thanks again its always a great day when I hear that someone has been inspired to do some experimenting or projects. Good luck and let me know how it goes and if you get stuck or need more info feel free to ask anything.

[@genesis_tracks]

@@heavymetalATC Thank you very much. You're an absolute pleasure. There's never a "true", onset way to do things, just guidelines, and with that in mind, your methods here do bring out interesting results. If I have time to go out to a charity shop so I could get one to salvage and potentially turn into a compressor and maybes a spring reverb module as well. It's one of my dreams to make my own audio fx modules, may it be physical or software based, analog or digital, and with that of course I may need help. I will reach out to you in such times of need. Thank you so much for being a sweet legend out here, you defo deserve a whole wod more man. Big ups!

[@funkbungus137]

hands down the only tech youtuber you fuckin need. Insofar as my brain goes, book reading aint it, this here though, thumbs up.

[@Phantommxr]

I love the way you think!! Great video my friend!!!

[@heavymetalATC]

thank you phantom In appreciate it.

[@codelicious6590]

I just tore open an old milkhouse style space heater and i think Im gonna try taking the little box with those heating element springs in it and make a reverb box out of it. I wish i knew how to hook the speaker coils to the elements though, oh well trial and error is why its worth it rather than just the $20 amazon special.

[@lachaineguitarededavid]

this channel is crazy. Bravo !!

[@heavymetalATC]

I truly appreciate it David, thanks again.

[@percaros]

very educational, very entertaining, meets my expectations. 😎

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to leave such kind words percaros. I appreciate the support.

[@CarrotDugTooDeep]

I love these videos man. Keep them coming!

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you, I will try to get them up much more regularly. I'm a man with a plan and fire in my belly.

[@MirlitronOne]

An excellent "hands-on" approach to sound modification - just give it a try. An approach to be encouraged, as you have done. There are more subtle tools than the hammer, but, if it works... ;-)

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to write such a kind, encouraging and witty comment. I agree the hammer may have been more for comic relief but it is in fact how I got the transformer out of the wall-wart LOL messy and loud but effective indeed. Thanks again really the just go for it thing is what its all about. It seems many people hold themselves back with the notion that they need to know or possess something more like a tool or a piece of gear when really if you just use whats laying around you can usually find some way to make that gear from the things that others discard and it doesn't really take much money or any special schooling to do so now that we live in a throw it away and buy a new one society and have the internet. It is the golden age of the diy fix it guy and the tinkerer.

[@Lea_Der_777]

VERY cool video! Especially humor! :D

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you. Im glad you dig my stuff.

[@NeverTookTheTime]

What a ton of information. And well presented! Subscribed.

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much ffsooo3. I really appreciate the support and I'm glad you found it informative and entertaining.

[@edreisner9323]

Yes! What is the clip from at 2:16?? I must know.

[@MrStevon123]

GET THE FUCKING HAMMER. Died every time. Thanks for a funny/informative video

[@cdchurcher]

I liked and subscribed about 15 seconds in. That was an education. Thank you.

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much Chris. I'm glad I could keep everyday life's bs away for a few moments and teach a little in the process. Thanks also for taking the time to give a like and such a kind comment.

[@ChristianKrupa]

Bloody great mate, now, where’s my hammer? 🤣

[@peteytwofinger]

really enjoyed this one , i was laughing quite a few times . rockinrow !

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you Petey. At the core this stuff is mega boring so I try to put some type of entertainment value to it. "Get the Hammer!"

[@sujijirel4371]

Now bltdr not needed... hats up...😎😎🤘

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to write such a kind comment Suji.

[@k9er233]

I like the way you think man...

[@heavymetalATC]

Thanks again K9er.

[@zenonhammer1171]

Love this post! So on your compressor idea....you use a mono sound source (guitar) but can this be a stereo in source (say from my mixer) to a stereo out? What would that diagram look like? Or would that not work since one end of the amp out must drive the led? I assume two step down trannies must be used then? Finally, the led is driven by amp out, but the photo resistor is tied to the in? Correct? Do you ever sell gear you make? Thanks!

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to write such an intelligent and well thought out comment Zenon. You are correct you need one side of the amp to drive the LED not it can drive an LED and a speaker or output at the same time but that may cause some distortion from the LED connecting to ground while lighting up, this is done on purpose in some guitar amps and pedals.. So, if you were dealing with a pretty hot signal like a headphone out or line out you may be able to just have the 2 light dependent resistors on those lines going across from pos to neg on each and hook the input of the amp to those lines up as well and have the amp as no purpose but lighting up those 2 leds and squashing the signal... kinda like a "passive" compressor. Or you could take 2 sets of computer speakers I know it would be hard to get two identical for cheap or free... those could be ran side by side as 2 mono systems creating stereo... but with 2 different ones you could use 1 to power the LEDS and the other to squash the signal with the light sensor resistors and this would require 2 output transformers. OK... so thats starting to get difficult and expensive so you could also take 1 set of computer speakers and control LEDS with it... Then get a headphone preamp... hell it could even be a little tube one and use the light resisters on the input of it and you'd have a stereo tube compressor for almost no money. I hope that was easy enough to understand.

[@guitarman_3693]

great content ! thanks

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much for the kind words Guitarman. I saw your earlier comment asking almost exactly for the content of this video I am so glad you found it and I will put some thought into making similar videos in the future.

[@robinsutcliffe_video_art]

Very nice! Thanks for the ideas!

[@heavymetalATC]

Robin Sutcliffe You are welcome. Thank you for the kind comment and your time.

[@robinsutcliffe_video_art]

@@heavymetalATC I think to have a go at the opto-comp! I make art and audio devices as well, from ewaste: artworkfromewaste.eu I find bits on the street and change them up. Making a couple amp/stacks from TV speakers at the moment!

[@heavymetalATC]

Robin Sutcliffe Fantastic! Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment. I will def. check out the site.

[@ToolsAreToys]

Awesome!

[@MrStevon123]

you scared that bug out at 12:06

[@heavymetalATC]

MrStevon123 ha! I never noticed that... Strange looking little bug, He turned around like wtf was that. lol.

[@JCTrucks410]

I like to run my pocket pod through my stereo head into my 2x12 marshall valvestate cabinet. Is that a terrible idea? My stereo is a lower wattage. You seem like the man to ask.

[@heavymetalATC]

If I understand correctly that seems just fine. You just don't want to blast a strong speaker output into a line level input. If you do something wrong with audio equipment the smoke and silence will usually let you know. Thanks again for the views and comments Bro.

[@finalvantasyofficial]

Would the optical compressor work with a mono amplifier?

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment strings of tembre. I could possible be done but the LED lighting connects the positive and ground through the output wires and any speaker or amp that was connected would receive a distorted signal... it may or may not be terribly noticeable and could possibly be just the correct amount of grit, but technically no not to produce a 100% clean signal because it will create diode clipping like in a distortion pedal or overdrive box.

[@finalvantasyofficial]

@@heavymetalATC oh crap yeah that is not what i need - i cloned a teac mic pre and want to add the compressor but i need a clean sound - thank you!! you saved me hours of trouble shooting i would have spent. I will find a different angle on this one. You're the man!! HMATC

[@schipbreukeling3]

hahaha all I got is a fucking hammer. You just made my day.

[@heavymetalATC]

Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to leave such a kind and comical comment Robbert. That makes my day! I have a friend Petey that knows how to use a hot knife to open wall wart transformers and it allows him to repair them and glue them back together but, I legit just bust them open with a hammer. Same thing will old stereos or electronics that I plan to use for parts. If the cases are glued or have security tap bits etc. I just bust the cases with a hammer. LOL Thanks again bro I'm glad you dig the unorthodox style and attitude in the videos.

[@schipbreukeling3]

@@heavymetalATC The real swiss army knife is your brain and the hammer is a welcome sidekick. And maybe there is some room left in my Echo Room for a plate Reverb so that's the next video I am gonna watch.

[@heavymetalATC]

@@schipbreukeling3 Plate reverb is the bees knees Robbert. The one I built was just some scrap tin and a speaker and peizo and it sounds pretty nice. If you got an actual set of transducers and used a big heavy sheet of steel and decent power and pre-amps you could make a really magical unit.

[@andrewgarcia3136]

hammer + junk = new gear day