"The Sound of Music" - Speaker Placement

[Lin]

Drew,
I received my Boosteroo the other day and installed it. The sound amplification from such a low cost and diminutive unit is amazing. However, I did pick up some "whining" sound through the system, that I don't recall hearing before when I was just using the Creative computer speakers. Perhaps it was there and just not to be heard over the engine noise, but I don't think so.

Anyone have any suggestions for an additonal electronic device to screen out the "whine?"

Lin
1960 BT7 "The Bloody Beast"
1959 AN5 Bugeye

 

[AUSMHLY]

Drew, Lin,

I'm curious what this product is suppose to or intended to do. From the description I've read, it will allow you to use 3 headsets and increases the volume for the headsets?

Are you installing it in line with the Creative computer speakers to increase the computer speakers volume?

Are you installing it in one of the front jacks of the Creative computer speakers to increase the volume for a single headset?

Spill guys.
Roger

 

[Lin]

Roger,
You plug the music source (iPod in my case) into the "Boosteroo" and then plug the jack that goes to the Creative Speakers into one of the three Boosteroo outputs. Both volume and "richness" of sound are enhanced a fair amount, but as I said I did pick up a bit of a "whine" with the Boosteroo attached.

Dos that answer your question?

Lin
1960 BT7 "The Bloody Beast"
1959 Bugeye

 

[AUSMHLY]

Kinda. Where does the Boosteroo plug into the Creative speaker?

On the front of the Creative are two jacks. Headphone and aux in. One of those? Or one of the inputs on the back of the powered Creative speaker, Audio input? I'm thinking it's going into the Aux in or the Audio input.

The Creative's are power rated at 22 Watts total RMS power and Speaker power of 11 watts RMS per channel.

Is the Boosteroo a preamp?

The power (watts) is not increasing, right? But the sound is louder?

Seems I'm not the sharpest knife in the draw.

 

[GregW]

Basically, it's a low gain amp that goes between the source (mp3 player) and the amplifier. In your case, the powered speakers. I'd probably go with the audio in jack. It won't give you more than 22 watts for the speakers. It gives the speakers a hotter signal to work with.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Thanks Greg.
School still in session?

Distortion happens the more you increase the volume. And that is what blows a speaker. If the Boosteroo is inline giving a hotter signal to the amp, does that lower the distortion on the how much you need to turn up the volume. Hence, you do not need to turn the volume dial up as much on the Creative amp to be louder, less distortion, less chance to blow the speaker?

Your humble student, Roger

 

[Lin]

Roger,
Audio input.
Lin

 

[GregW]

Distortion can happen anywhere along the signal path starting with a bad recording. I also have a Creative Zen player, and like Drew, the output level is quite low. Even at max volume on the player it is still quieter than the radio or CDs (I don't run it at max), but it does distort the signal. That distortion would be amplified by the powered speaker. Even at a lower volume it could <span style="text-decoration: underline">possibly</span> cause damage to the speakers than a clean signal played louder. My rule of thumb is to have more power than I'll use and idle the system. You'll get a cleaner signal and a better dynamic range (music sounds more alive, not compressed).

If the Boosteroo is inline giving a hotter signal to the amp, does that lower the distortion on the how much you need to turn up the volume. Hence, you do not need to turn the volume dial up as much on the Creative amp to be louder, less distortion, less chance to blow the speaker

So if the recording is clean, the Boosreroo doesn't add distortion, you should be able to run the powered speakers at a lower setting for the same volume. If you were getting distortion before from your speakers, you should have a little less.

 

[GregW]

I did pick up some "whining" sound through the system, that I don't recall hearing before when I was just using the Creative computer speakers. Perhaps it was there and just not to be heard over the engine noise, but I don't think so.

Hi Lin,
One thing you could try is plug in some headphones to the same jack you're using to the speakers. Listen to some music with both the engine on and off to see if the whine is there. Did you wire the Boosteroo to the white wire at the ignition?

 

[Lin]

Greg, I will try the headphones tomorrow. I have an auxiliary power supply (cigar light) connected to the white wire on the ignition. The Boosteroo uses a USB connection off of the cigar lighter.

Lin

 

[GregW]

The Boosteroo may be sensitive to that white wire. That one comes from the ignition coil, so the whine might be the collapsing coil field. A green wire might be cleaner. You could tap into a brown wire (always hot), but you'd need to remember to unplug the USB in the cigar socket to avoid draining the battery. Though it would probably take a while for that to happen.

 

[Lin]

Greg,
Thanks. I will give it a try!

Lin

 

[dphilippo]

Lin,
Sorry I didn't get back sooner, I've been out for the holidays. I initially picked up some extra noise, but the noise changed when I played with the power plug on the boosteroo. Turned out that when the plug was fully inserted into the jack I was getting a little feedback. If I pulled it out slightly it went away. I found a small thin plastic washer that the plug fit through and it kept the plug just a little farther out of the unit and the sound went away. I was going to mention that in my original post but I figured it was pretty specific to my unit. Turns out it may not be, you may want to play with the plug a little and see if that solves it. Other than that, I'm getting no additional noise from the booster.

As for what it does, it just gives a little pre-amp boost to the signal, which as stated above is quite low out of the creative zen player.

Thanks,
Drew, 65 BJ8

 

[Lin]

Drew, Thanks very much! I will give that a try.

Lin

 

[GregW]

Hi Lin,
Did you get a chance to work on the whine?

 

[Lin]

Greg,
I am out of town for a few more days and will check it out this weekend. I wil let the Forum know if my resolution is as simple as adjusting the depth of the plug. Thanks for asking.

Lin

 

[Lin]

Okay,
No wise cracks on this one, but yes, I discovered that if I don't push it in all the way the whining stops. Go figure?

Lin

 

[AUSMHLY]

Okay,
No wise cracks on this one, but yes, I discovered that if I don't push it in all the way the whining stops. Go figure?

Lin

Man you don't play fair. Of all the ways to word that, you write it that way and sit back and wait to see, who just can't help replying. Guilty as charged!

 

[GregW]

Leaving this thread with a bleeding tongue...

 

[dphilippo]

Lin,
I'm glad that worked for you. I figure there is a small manufacturing defect in the bottom of the jack that causes it to make contact when pushed all the way in.
Later,
Drew
65 BJ8