My SD music experience

When I started calling (about ten years ago), I started building my own set. I was at school then, so my budget didn't allow buying a Hilton. Audio electronics had been a hobby of mine for some time then. I integrated a turntable from an electronics mail order company and electronics I derived from several magazine articles into a cheap tool suitcase. Most of it worked more or less, several parts are second revision now.

When I became club caller some years later, (and had the money to do so,) I bought a Hilton-201 and a director, which were brand new models then. Main reason was that my own system was not reliable enough for every week use.

I used that for several years, starting with PA stuff for larger dances. I bought a power mixer with eight input channels and a pair of big 15" PA speakers, and used them occasionally at larger dances or when callers visited me.

I sold that Hilton to a newcomer, who called for 'my' club when I went to California for 5 months. (AFAIK she quit shortly after I came back, so this system rots on some attic now).

I used the old selfmade turntable for several years - I changed some things and it proved reliable enough - and a JBL 12" PA speaker, and then switched to a new system (2 microphone inputs and line with separate tone and volume control and roughly 40 Watts in a 12cm x 8cm x 30cm box), using a portable MiniDisc as a sound source. When I find the time, I'll put the diagrams online, but don't hold your breath.

I recently finished a module with a phono amplifier and two stereo remote volume controls that allows me to use a standard Hilton remote to control a stereo source like a 'normal' record, CD or MD player. You can contact me for the plans for the remote, if you want them.


written by H. Niemann, last change: 1999-12-23