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Velleman MK136 Super Stereo Ear


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Hi,

 

I am looking for some guidance, I am not electrical guru, but have successfully managed to put the Velleman MK136 mini kit together and it works a treat.

 

Now, rather than use batteries (3x1.5v), I'd like to wire this up to a USB and connect to my Anker Powercore 20100.  As a tester I hooked up a USB and plugged in to the mains and it powers on as expected, but I get a horrible amount of hum/noise.

 

Does anyone have any clear instruction on how to overcome this? I found some information here on using a DSL filter, but living in the UK, these particular Filters are not available.

 

I did try and use one of our ADSL filters, traced the relevant wires and hooked up, however, I still got the hum :(

 

Any help appreciated.

 

Cheers.

 

Darren.

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Hi Darren.

Don't know about the USB set up, I have mine in the recess at the back of my lid running of the AA's.

I think I read somewhere that some use a rechargeable 9v battery too???

 

Here's mine

1c6d431405a6b2e9c813328c35369b68.jpg

 

 

Marc

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Now, rather than use batteries (3x1.5v), I'd like to wire this up to a USB and connect to my Anker Powercore 20100.  As a tester I hooked up a USB and plugged in to the mains and it powers on as expected, but I get a horrible amount of hum/noise.

 

Does anyone have any clear instruction on how to overcome this? I found some information here on using a DSL filter, but living in the UK, these particular Filters are not available.

 

 

At the moment it can't be done. The $ it takes to make it USB 5v adaptable isn't cost worthy. The one's I sell run off 9v + as mentioned by Marc but require adding a voltage drop.

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Hi Darren.

Don't know about the USB set up, I have mine in the recess at the back of my lid running of the AA's.

I think I read somewhere that some use a rechargeable 9v battery too???

 

Here's mine

1c6d431405a6b2e9c813328c35369b68.jpg

 

 

Marc

 

Loving the red interior Marc  :jc_doublethumbup:

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At the moment it can't be done. The $ it takes to make it USB 5v adaptable isn't cost worthy. The one's I sell run off 9v + as mentioned by Marc but require adding a voltage drop.

I knew I'd read it somewhere!

 

Marc

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Thanks for the responses, it's a shame but not the end of the world. I'll invest in some rechargeable batteries. Beautiful interior on that lid!

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

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Good to know as I was actually trying to do the same thing. I just assumed the hum I was getting was from the fans and not the actual power pack

 

 

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Good to know as I was actually trying to do the same thing. I just assumed the hum I was getting was from the fans and not the actual power pack

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I've elaborated on this in my electronics threads, long story short battery chargers emit noisy electricity that is very difficult or cost effective to filter out and the Velleman PCB definitely can't filter it out. I've tried $200 worth of suppressors available on the market to no avail. I've even had those extremely knowledgeable with PCB design offer to help, still no luck. Until something new comes out we're kind of stuck.

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I've elaborated on this in my electronics threads, long story short battery chargers emit noisy electricity that is very difficult or cost effective to filter out and the Velleman PCB definitely can't filter it out. I've tried $200 worth of suppressors available on the market to no avail. I've even had those extremely knowledgeable with PCB design offer to help, still no luck. Until something new comes out we're kind of stuck.

I use an anker powercore 10000 with my vellerman audio assist and it works perfectly until I turn my fans on. I have them all wired up on the same harness. If the audio assist is the only thing on it works great. Soon as I turn a fan on feedback and humming galore.

 

51d75a643dd29af5bd0a94af888d09ec.jpg

 

 

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You can't run the fans on the same system as the Velleman. Fans create PWM noise (Pulse Width Modulation or whine).

 

There's a couple ways to eliminate this, the first a separate battery for the two systems or the second, add a voltage drop to the Velleman PCB then use a battery that has 12v and 5v outputs. 12v for the Velleman and 5v for the fans (assuming you're using 5v rated fans).

 

 

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We're did you get the parts to do that? I would love to get modify my helment like that well I need to to be fully honest

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G530AZ using Tapatalk

It's just foam and felt really, along with black crafting foam lining the inside

 

Marc

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Interesting. As yet I've not hooked mine up to my anker 20100. I'm waiting for my switches and cabling. My Anker has two USBs so I'd have separate looms. Perhaps it'll work.....

 

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Interesting. As yet I've not hooked mine up to my anker 20100. I'm waiting for my switches and cabling. My Anker has two USBs so I'd have separate looms. Perhaps it'll work.....

 

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Fingers crossed

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Edit: reread your post. Apologies that you can't find a DSL filter in the UK since Europe mostly uses Annex B. I'm not sure if ADSL filters would do the trick as ADSL uses a slightly different frequency spectrum, and a related filter might not filter all the EM noise made by the fans. Really, my discovery was purely experimental serendipity.

 

You can't run the fans on the same system as the Velleman. Fans create PWM noise (Pulse Width Modulation or whine).

 

There's a couple ways to eliminate this, the first a separate battery for the two systems or the second, add a voltage drop to the Velleman PCB then use a battery that has 12v and 5v outputs. 12v for the Velleman and 5v for the fans (assuming you're using 5v rated fans).

 

I've done it on my system referred to in the OP, but I did have the advantage of the DSL filter. But the MK136 and both sets of fans run off the same 5V USB back in my bucket. Edited by TKSnake
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Can you elaborate on what you did exacty, inquiring minds want to know lol

 

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The Cliff's Notes version is as follows:

 

I'm using a Pyle Pro instead of Hovi mcs, so in my bucket I only have two sets of fans (a pair of small fans behind the hovi tips and a pair of blowers in my forehead), the MK136 hearing assist, and a wireless mic. The former two both run from a single Antec LifeBar 3 USB power bank which has two 5v outputs at 1A and 2A. I use the former for the MK136 and the latter for the fans.

 

On initial install of the MK136, I got a lot of EM noise from the fans through the MK136. After thinking about how to create a low-pass filter, I used off-the-shelf tech and grabbed a US VDSL filter, just to experiment with, since I know that these simple devices filter noise out above a certain frequency in order to keep analog phone conversations and VDSL DMTs from interfering with each other. Sure enough, it worked. So I unboxed the filter, shrink wrapped it, and installed it in-line between the LifeBar and the MK136.

 

Of course, then I ended up also having to deal with all the RF noise on the MK136 from the wireless mic, which involved a lot of copper tape :P

Edited by TKSnake
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The Cliff's Notes version is as follows:

 

I'm using a Pyle Pro instead of Hovi mcs, so in my bucket I only have two sets of fans (a pair of small fans behind the hovi tips and a pair of blowers in my forehead), the MK136 hearing assist, and a wireless mic. The former two both run from a single Antec LifeBar 3 USB power bank which has two 5v outputs at 1A and 2A. I use the former for the MK136 and the latter for the fans.

 

On initial install of the MK136, I got a lot of EM noise from the fans through the MK136. After thinking about how to create a low-pass filter, I used off-the-shelf tech and grabbed a US VDSL filter, just to experiment with, since I know that these simple devices filter noise out above a certain frequency in order to keep analog phone conversations and VDSL DMTs from interfering with each other. Sure enough, it worked. So I unboxed the filter, shrink wrapped it, and installed it in-line between the LifeBar and the MK136.

 

Of course, then I ended up also having to deal with all the RF noise on the MK136 from the wireless mic, which involved a lot of copper tape :P

 

Great news. When you get a moment please illustrate how you wired it up etc. 

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Update.

 

The wires arrived for me to have a proper play.

 

First: MK136 wired up to the anker20100 powercore and I get a little white noise. This is not an issue for me as I suffer with bilateral tinnitus so this double up as an aid for my tinnitus whitenoise generators....bonus!!

 

Second: fan wired up and plugged in..I now get the added EM noise from the fan via the MK136. If I can get rid of this I'll be sorted. Any suggestions?

 

You'll notice in my photo, I have also tried the fan via a UK ADSL filter just to try and I get the same results.

 

a12beaf0aad6a90beb9bde5db65f425f.jpg

 

965df3ab783fa6b60d4cf6e56363d895.jpg

 

b44c23f7eaa364aa5ab5a0e35baec7d8.jpg

 

Cheers guys.

 

Darren.

 

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Hey thanks Darren I'm going to see if I can refine this. Do you know if there's any significant voltage drop passing through the filter?

Great. No sorry mate. I don't have the necessary tools to test. :(

 

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Hey, I just remembered I had a multimeter in the shed! And it still works!! What do I need to set and what do u need info wise?

 

f7184864b6f1182fbc856a1a1a3c42ad.jpg

 

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You're good right there. You want to test the voltage at the Velleman PCB terminals

OK.

 

If here is what I have tested:

 

MK136 > USB > powercore = 5.11

MK136 > ADSL Filter > USB > powercore = 5.11

No drop in voltage.

 

Fan > ADSL > USB > Powercore = fluctuates up and down 0 - 5 v

 

Fan > USB > Powercore = 5.05v

 

Does this help?

 

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