Nuts and Volts - September 2010

CIRCUITS AND DEVICES

XLR-TO-USB MIC CONVERTER

If you use your computer for serious audio applications (digital recording and mixing, podcasting, etc.), you may have made the sad discovery that your collection of fine old studio microphones have an impedance mismatch with the audio-in port on the computer and just don't work. You may also have discovered that good USB mics aren't cheap. Well, never fear, because the folks at Blue Microphones ( www.bluemic.com) have created the Icicle — a USB converter and mic preamp combo that allows you to plug your

cherished Shure 55S, EV 726, or any other XLR-connected mic into your computer. It features a studio-quality preamp, 48V phantom power, a balanced low noise front end, analog gain control, and driverless operation. The Icicle works with both dynamic and condenser microphones, and with Mac or PC. You just need Windows Vista or XP or OSX and a paltry 64 MB of spare RAM. Best of all, you can pick one up for about $40 if you shop around. ▲

■ The Icicle converter from Blue Microphones.

THE RETURN OF THE NIXIE

Most of us remember nixie tubes — the original cold-cathode digital displays widely used in the old days in multimeters, frequency counters, calculators, and so on.

Now you can amaze your friends with a retro nixie clock, and you don't even have to build it yourself. The device is offered by LNS Technologies through distributors and their www.techkits.com website. What you get is a fully assembled clock featuring side-view Z573M/Z574M tubes, 13 mm high, and factory coated with a red contrast filter for sharpness enhancement. A DC/DC converter generates the voltage needed to drive the tubes, and the clock is encased in a clear Plexiglas cabinet. Power is drawn from a standard 12V wall adaptor. The colon in the center blinks every second, and the unit even features a battery backup. The only snag is the $99 price tag, but nostalgia doesn't come cheap. Plus, you can tell your non-tech friends that it's a spectacular new technology. ▲

■ The nifty nixie clock from LNS Technologies.

POT+ SWITCH OFFERS CONTROL OPTIONS

Electro-Mech Components ( www.electromechcomp.com) is offering a nifty potentiometer/switch assembly that offers dual control options. Aimed at applications such as industrial/avionics displays, audio controls, instrument panel controls, and other high density panels, the SPDT SW44687 is an all-in-one unit that offers both rotary and push-on functionality along with a 10K resistance pot module. This allows users of the equipment to preset the pot level and open the circuit by pressing the button. The unit weighs less than an ounce, measures less than 3/4 inches square, and requires less than an inch of space behind the display panel. Interconnection is via wire leads, PC pins, or solder lug terminals. The SW44687 is rated at 30 VDC or 120 VAC, and is rated for 100,000 minimum actuations. An edge-lit button is optional. ▲

■ Electro-Mech’s

SW44687 offers dual control options.

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