Speakers in a Deadmau5 helmet?

[tolehouse]

Hi there,

I recently decided to make my own deadmau5 helmet for halloween as well as maybe Ultra in the spring. To set the helmet apart I've considered putting speakers in the ears and playing music through them while I've got the helmet on.

The helmet construction doesn't worry so much as I've figured out the production process for it fairly well. The speakers, however, are another matter entirely. To those with more experience who could guide me in this I've got a few questions:


For speakers, would I be better off with two speakers(cone and a sub) in each ear or just one huge cone per ear?

I'm likely going to try and play music from an iPod through the speakers. While I'm confident I can rewire an aux cable, would I also need additional hardware to ensure everything comes out cleanly?

The final hurdle that I think I would have to manage is powering the entire system. My plan was to use some of the larger batteries available and adjust what I use based on how long I want the system to work. Would an amplifier be necessary as well or if I keep the power demands from the speakers low enough would I be able to get by without one?


All of your help is much appreciated, I know painfully little about assembling speakers and your answers will help decide whether this project is ultimately even feasible.

[mickeymoose]

I had to look up what a deadmou5 is. Now I know. Unfortunately.
Because of weight you should stick with small, wide-range speakers (one each side). You will need a (D-type for low power consumption) stereo amp and a 12V battery.
Than you will turn it on and your ears will go blind. E

[joe58]

Just found this on the web. Don't know if it helps, but does show how it is inside hie hemet and the inner and outerlayers which would provide alot of space for the electronics.



Ps. Didn't think many on this site would approve of Deadmau5.

[tolehouse]

Thanks for your help joe and mickeymoose.

The advice on gear really helped me sort out how I think I'll be setting up and powering the speakers, and seeing how much equipment is inside his current helmet means I'll have a sizable amount of room to work with. I definitely think this project is doable again.

As far as how much love Deadmau5 would see on the forums, to each their own

[mickeymoose]

Do keep us posted! E

[joe58]

I suppose you can just get a BMX helmet and then will some of the very large Ikea bland bowls use them as mould make the large outer shell with whatever is the necessary material you choose. Just a option.

IKEA | Serveware | Bowls | BLANDA | Serving bowl

[mickeymoose]

Plastic globes for outdoor lighting are available from lighting equipment suppliers. 10" to 18" (for a swelled head), clear and white.
One question: Why? and don't tell me because I can or its there or....E

[qusp]

hes obviously quite successful, but ohhh so lame. and i'm actually quite into some electro etc, but not him. i like how he has to label which side ear goes in which side cant see any speakers and he would be silly to use speakers, likely he uses custom fit in ear monitors. love the tag line at the bottom of the pic, after his name lolololololo1111010001001010lololol i guess his brain is 'to scale'

as for recommendations, i agree if you want others to hear the music you'll definitely need an amp but you really should think about putting them in another sealed, or partially sealed compartment, otherwise to be loud enough for others to hear anything more than a muffled tinny sound, you will deafen yourself (though possibly no more than putting your head in the speaker bin), unless you wear some hearing protection like they use on building sites. as for batteries, do not use anything but lifepo4, as lipo, or lion inside a helmet wit you is a baaaaaad idea, particularly if you wish to retain the option of recharging your head while wearing it Ha.
they can be unstable, especially the cheap ones. a short, overcharge, or even undercharge could start it melting and perhaps even a small explosion, a spectacle for the onlookers, but perhaps not the sort you are looking for.

lifepo4 has plenty of current, not too large and very stable. if you can, u should look at using the lineout from the ipod, not the headphone out

[qusp]

perhaps even mold a rudimentary horn for the speaker drivers for better sound ;D

[joe58]

He wants to put speakers in the ears of the mouse head. See picture below. He's not putting them inside as headphones. (Thats what I think your suggesting. Correct me if wrong). So what about car speakers as they do use small enclosures?

One of the many different version of the 'head'