Hands-On Experiences for DIY Audio Professionals and Enthusiasts at AES New York 2018 Convention

New series of DIY events will offer insight and instruction on planning, design and construction of audio hardware and DSP during the 145th Audio Engineering Society New York 2018 Convention. Hands-on demonstrations will offer attendees the chance to learn more about DIY audio device design and construction at the AES New York Convention, October 17 – 20 at the Jacob Javits Center.

In this article, Joel Hatch explains how to build a variable frequency synchronous motor controller to control turntable speed. Now that turntables are back in force, this excellent project not only allows some knowledge about a vital part of the motor's rotational speed adjustment, but it also dives into one of the most crucial aspects of a record player for anyone interested in a little DIY or restoration projects. This article was originally published in audioXpress, December 2010.

In this article, Ron Tipton explores the use of stroboscope discs to determine whether your turntable is set to the correct rotational speed. Apart from looking at some commercially available stroboscope discs, Ron Tipton explains how to print one from files that are freely available on the Internet, and explains how to build your own multiple-LED lamp to check the rotations. This article was originally published in audioXpress, December 2010.

Oftentimes a muting circuit for the output of a preamp is left out of DIY applications as an unnecessary or annoying part of the project. This is usually due to the lack of awareness that a simple circuit can perform such a duty. Anyone who occasionally forgets to turn the power amp on last, or switch it off first, endures the annoying thumps and noises that often occur from the preamp upon power cycling. This article proposes a simple circuit for preamp muting. The article was originally published in audioXpress, March 2010.

This simple project provides a convenient method to remotely power audio equipment. Many manufacturers make audio equipment and power products that can be remotely switched with a low DC trigger voltage. With the trigger supply, my entire system can be turned on and off with one low-current switch. This article was originally published in audioXpress, November 2013.