. What is a talkbox driver?
When somebody refers to a 'talkbox driver’, what they mean is a horn driver, also known as a compression driver. This is a common PA speaker part. Most full-range PA speakers consist of at least one woofer (usually between 10" and 15" in size) and a horn, which handles the mid to high frequencies. If you were to take this speaker apart, you would see a compression driver attached to the back of the horn - which just screws on to the throat of the driver. For talkbox use, there are several models (which I’ll mention later) that are preferred. Not just any horn driver will give a good result - it all depends on the frequency response and power handling of the driver.
5. I built a “ghetto talkbox”. Why doesn’t it work very good?
Oh boy. You had to go asking that question. Well…..the biggest reason that a “ghetto” talkbox will never sound as good as the real thing is because it does not use a real horn driver - the key component of a “real” talkbox. Is it fun to build? Oh yeah! Because you probably have most of the parts lying around your house! Does it sound good? Probably not. Can it sound good? Not really. The way I made mine sound decent on the videos was through a ton of post-processing (EQ and compression). Straight out,
it certainly does not sound that good! You are most likely going to get a weak-sounding talkbox that leaks sound very badly - no matter how tight you tape or seal it! The only way to get a completely airtight seal is to use a horn driver, period.
6. It’s easier and cheaper just to buy a talkbox, right?
Easier, yes. Cheaper, not at all. You can certainly build a talkbox, including amp, driver, tubing, connectors, and wire, for less than it costs to buy a good pre-made talkbox.
However, if you don’t want to spend the time and effort, and want a decent pre-made box, I have a couple of suggestions. First of all, stay AWAY from the Danelectro Free Speech. There are about a million reasons why this is the worst talkbox in history, starting with the special tube design that only sort of works. Also, there is really no need to go for a 'Supertalker’ talkbox, as those use MCM drivers which can be bought for less than $40 USD! The only thing that makes them nice is the custom tube connectors, but last time I checked, they actually sell those separately.
I would recommend the Framptone talkbox, endorsed by Peter Frampton, but you pay an awful lot for the name. Not necessary.
The Heil sound talkbox is pretty decent, but there are drivers out there that are certainly better.
The one to go for, especially for a beginner, is the Rocktron Banshee.
It’s self-amplified, self-contained, and has a pretty good sound. Great for starters.
7. What kind of driver do I need for building a good talkbox?
When shopping for a horn driver for use as a talkbox, there are a couple of things you should look for.
First of all, check out the frequency response. It needs to be a midrange driver - a high frequency driver will not work very well.
The low frequency response needs to be at least 600Hz or lower - I recommend much lower. Look for one that goes down to at least 250Hz. The aforementioned MCM driver (model DU-40) goes all the way down to 100Hz! The high frequency response may vary, but generally around 6-8kHz is fine.
The other thing to check out is the power handling - the wattage. About 40w is plenty - it’s not a good idea to use your talkbox at extremely loud volumes. If the driver can handle more than 40w, great. More headroom is not a bad thing!
You may also want to bear in mind the impedance (ohms) of the driver - most horn drivers are either 8 or 16 ohms. It’s always a good idea to match the impedance between your amp and driver.
Here are some of the driver models that are best for talkbox:
Electro-Voice 1823m (This is the classic 'Golden Throat’ driver)
Electro-Voice 1824m (a smoother-sounding version of the 1823m)
MCM DU-40 (the best low frequency response!)
MCM 54-060 (the 60w version of the DU-40)
Pyle Pro PDS 772 (a nice clean-sounding driver)
Selenium D250-X Monacor KU-516
When somebody refers to a 'talkbox driver’, what they mean is a horn driver, also known as a compression driver. This is a common PA speaker part. Most full-range PA speakers consist of at least one woofer (usually between 10" and 15" in size) and a horn, which handles the mid to high frequencies. If you were to take this speaker apart, you would see a compression driver attached to the back of the horn - which just screws on to the throat of the driver. For talkbox use, there are several models (which I’ll mention later) that are preferred. Not just any horn driver will give a good result - it all depends on the frequency response and power handling of the driver.
5. I built a “ghetto talkbox”. Why doesn’t it work very good?
Oh boy. You had to go asking that question. Well…..the biggest reason that a “ghetto” talkbox will never sound as good as the real thing is because it does not use a real horn driver - the key component of a “real” talkbox. Is it fun to build? Oh yeah! Because you probably have most of the parts lying around your house! Does it sound good? Probably not. Can it sound good? Not really. The way I made mine sound decent on the videos was through a ton of post-processing (EQ and compression). Straight out,
it certainly does not sound that good! You are most likely going to get a weak-sounding talkbox that leaks sound very badly - no matter how tight you tape or seal it! The only way to get a completely airtight seal is to use a horn driver, period.
6. It’s easier and cheaper just to buy a talkbox, right?
Easier, yes. Cheaper, not at all. You can certainly build a talkbox, including amp, driver, tubing, connectors, and wire, for less than it costs to buy a good pre-made talkbox.
However, if you don’t want to spend the time and effort, and want a decent pre-made box, I have a couple of suggestions. First of all, stay AWAY from the Danelectro Free Speech. There are about a million reasons why this is the worst talkbox in history, starting with the special tube design that only sort of works. Also, there is really no need to go for a 'Supertalker’ talkbox, as those use MCM drivers which can be bought for less than $40 USD! The only thing that makes them nice is the custom tube connectors, but last time I checked, they actually sell those separately.
I would recommend the Framptone talkbox, endorsed by Peter Frampton, but you pay an awful lot for the name. Not necessary.
The Heil sound talkbox is pretty decent, but there are drivers out there that are certainly better.
The one to go for, especially for a beginner, is the Rocktron Banshee.
It’s self-amplified, self-contained, and has a pretty good sound. Great for starters.
7. What kind of driver do I need for building a good talkbox?
When shopping for a horn driver for use as a talkbox, there are a couple of things you should look for.
First of all, check out the frequency response. It needs to be a midrange driver - a high frequency driver will not work very well.
The low frequency response needs to be at least 600Hz or lower - I recommend much lower. Look for one that goes down to at least 250Hz. The aforementioned MCM driver (model DU-40) goes all the way down to 100Hz! The high frequency response may vary, but generally around 6-8kHz is fine.
The other thing to check out is the power handling - the wattage. About 40w is plenty - it’s not a good idea to use your talkbox at extremely loud volumes. If the driver can handle more than 40w, great. More headroom is not a bad thing!
You may also want to bear in mind the impedance (ohms) of the driver - most horn drivers are either 8 or 16 ohms. It’s always a good idea to match the impedance between your amp and driver.
Here are some of the driver models that are best for talkbox:
Electro-Voice 1823m (This is the classic 'Golden Throat’ driver)
Electro-Voice 1824m (a smoother-sounding version of the 1823m)
MCM DU-40 (the best low frequency response!)
MCM 54-060 (the 60w version of the DU-40)
Pyle Pro PDS 772 (a nice clean-sounding driver)
Selenium D250-X Monacor KU-516
Source: http://mootbooxle.tumblr.com/post/106170382328/the-talkbox-faq
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