DIY iRig?

[runmikeyrun]

Seen some things around the net about it, just curious if anyone has built one or not.  I do have a spare set of headphones with built in mic that works with Amplitube so I've been considering trying to take that apart, but I can never solder those headphone wires that are red, green, etc they won't take solder. 

Can anyone recommend me a DIY option, or is it worth it to buy a real one on eBay for $25?

[artifus]

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=85913.0

http://hackaday.com/2009/05/24/soldering-headphone-wire/

[DavenPaget]

Seen some things around the net about it, just curious if anyone has built one or not.  I do have a spare set of headphones with built in mic that works with Amplitube so I've been considering trying to take that apart, but I can never solder those headphone wires that are red, green, etc they won't take solder. 

Can anyone recommend me a DIY option, or is it worth it to buy a real one on eBay for $25?

They do take solder , you just have to melt off the coating around them , they make a mess so clean your tip after melting the coat .

[ashcat_lt]

Some video cameras use TRRS 1/8" plugs for video+stereo audio output.  These often come with cables that break out to a yellow, white (or black), and red RCA.  I have a few somewhere, but couldn't find them so bought one online for less than $2.  I use a female>female coupler to connect this to an RCA>1/4" adapter so I can use iStrobostomp with my electrics.

My guitar's humbuckers are too loud for the mic input on the iPhone, and I'm not sure about the in-Z there.  Would be easy enough to build a buffer/attenuator, but since I'm only using it for tuning it works fine.

[mthibeau]

I built two of these before x-mas to give to friends, they worked out great. I used some old CAT5 cable for the TRRS cable. It works pretty well for guitar, better than I expected.



I got the jacks from a Chinese ebayer - http://www.ebay.com/itm/120807174401?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

- MikeT

[runmikeyrun]

awesome, thanks so much everyone!  MikeT I think i'm going to try to your build.  BTW nice first name and last initial 

[mthibeau]

awesome, thanks so much everyone!  MikeT I think i'm going to try to your build.  BTW nice first name and last initial 

I found it on one of the threads posted above. Refer to that post for how the iphone plug is wired, the pin normally for ground is not (it's the mic itself I think), once I got that figured out it worked with the free amplitube software (which I kind of dug as a neat scratch recording/practice tool when away from the studio with just a guitar).

yea... always so many Mikes around, I'm always MikeT at work and the reefkeeping club I am part of, so it's a habit. Someone had that username on this board already I think.

[seedlings]

I've been using this for an unbalanced mic input.  Adjust pot to prevent clipping.



CHAD

[Govmnt_Lacky]

I wound up building the Guitar Input Buffer from Planetz.com and it works like a CHAMP!!

I built it according to the schemo but instead of the 10K compensation resistor (R3), I installed a 20K trimmer since I play Active Humbuckers running on 18V 

Definitely recommend that build. Works for Amplitube AND AmpKit (which i find FAR better  )

[stompbox steve]

I am probably missing something but if i build the layout "Guitar - iPhone" can I plug that into my amp?  (I hate headphones).
I see the stereo out - but I want to put a mono guitar chord in and then to the amp. 

or can i wire the Left and Right phones out to a mono?  Will that work?
Much Thanks, Steve

[Govmnt_Lacky]

I am probably missing something but if i build the layout "Guitar - iPhone" can I plug that into my amp?  (I hate headphones).
I see the stereo out - but I want to put a mono guitar chord in and then to the amp. 

or can i wire the Left and Right phones out to a mono?  Will that work?
Much Thanks, Steve

I cant speak for Amplitube however, with Ampkit the possibility exsists.

With the build, you will have a Guitar input, Output to iDevice, and Stereo/Mono output.

The Stereo/Mono output CAN be sent to your amplifier BUT...... you CANNOT use the amp emulator within the iDevice software. You merely have to "turn it off within the software." You can still use the Effects portion and output that into your amplifier BUT YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU TURN OFF THE AMP HEAD AND SPEAKER CABINET(S) IN THE SOFTWARE.

Loud, undesired noise and possibly, damage will ensue if you do not do this 

[stompbox steve]

I will need to see if I can find where the amp shut off is, but in Riot FX there is no amp, so that should be easy.
I am also working with the Lite versions of Amplitube, AmpKit and Jam up.
Just getting into this from XMas.  any other tid bits are welcome.  as always, thanks,

[runmikeyrun]

So... I built one.  I built it off of mthibeau's vero layout.  It works GREAT in ampkit, pocketGK, and the amplitube fender edition, but not regular amplitube.  Weird.  But 3 outta 4 I can't complain, for $10 worth of parts. 

The enclosure is an old side cover off a 60's honda motorcycle.  I used Lexan on the bottom; no problems with noise yet. 

We'll have to see how it reacts to my active Ibanez bass...

[markeebee]

That's very cool, Mikey.  That casing is top.

I noticed that iRig have released something similar, I much prefer yours.....

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=95514.0;topicseen

[runmikeyrun]

Thanks Mark! 

That stomper is pretty cool... but IDK, maybe i'm just old fashioned... I'd never play through something like that live.  It's funny, I'm more likely to trust the reliability of a tube amp over an iPhone!!

[Jdansti]

Thanks for everyone's input on several threads. I'm posting this here since it appears to be the latest thread on this topic. I finally got around to making one of these after seeing the iRig on the shelf at an iPhone store for $40. Here's a brief summary of my build.

I used Keeb's vero but moved things around and squeezed it together a little.







I had bought a four-conductor plug with cable at my local surplus store a while back for this purpose. Three pairs of wires come out of the iPhone plug. Each pair has a common ground wire and a signal wire. This arrangement is convenient since all of the grounds are tied together at the four-conductor plug.    The other ends of each pair have RCA plugs on them. 

I snipped the RCA plug off of the mic pair and attached it and guitar signal wires and grounds to the board.





Here I've doubled the mic pair up to the guitar pair and cinched them together. I then doubled and fastened the guitar pair back to the guitar plug to complete the strain relief. As you can see, I left the RCA plugs on the output for now. I've got adapters that I use to connect to the headphones and the amp.





Finally, I used 3/4" heat shrink to protect everything.



I've tried it with the RiotFX app and it works great with headphones and with my amp. Thanks again!!!

[Jdansti]

As a follow up, I've now found a decent use for those $4 PaperJamz amps I picked up at the thrift store. The iRig clone works great with these featherweight amps. Throw 4 AA batteries in there and you're set. You could even remove the guts and make a small amp with a real speaker.  You wouldn't be able to plug your guitar straight into it, but it would work nicely with the iRig or just playing tunes from your iPhone or iPod.

I've got several relatives who play guitar and we always bring them and our practice amps to family gatherings for a little jam session. The iRig and PaperJamz amp will work perfectly for this and I won't have to lug around a heavier amp.

[FarrisGoldstein]

These are all very neat, and simple, but I can't seem to find anyone trying to replicate the function of the iRig "Stomp" box. Has anybody build a box with a stomp switch and an input knob that will effectively control effects apps on a phone/pad/etc.?

[Jdansti]

I've done a little research on the iRig Stompbox, but haven't found any explanations of how it works. If it's communicating digitally, it would be more difficult to DIY (at least for me). 

[earthtonesaudio]

I've done a little research on the iRig Stompbox, but haven't found any explanations of how it works. If it's communicating digitally, it would be more difficult to DIY (at least for me). 

Read the irig stompbox literature carefully.  It's just a bypass loop for the iPhone plus an attenuator, plus a headphone jack.  Nothing digital at all.  The only thing requiring power is the headphone out, and that's an optional feature, in my opinion.