How do I connect large surface transducer and noisy cricket 1.5W amplifier to large balloon

Hi forums,

I need additional tech help on these two items:

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10975

https://www.sparkfun.com/products/14475

I got some guidance back in November 2019 about the transducer hooking up to the noisy cricket, and suggested speakers to connect. I’m a beginner with a few things so I still need some help. Here’s what I want to do with these components:

I have a 4-foot cloud buster balloon that I’m inflating. I want the surface transducer to turn the inflated balloon into a speaker, and the noisy cricket to function as an amplifier.

Would this work??

If so, am I right to assume I do not need another set of speakers such as the 0.5W speaker (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9151)?

I realize I have the large transducer 3-watt model, meaning I won’t be able to turn the vol on the 1.5W cricket amp all the way up, but I’m fine with

that.

To sum up, my questions are:

  1. Would my balloon-transducer-amp connection work together?

  2. Do I need speakers?

  3. Can I get help for wiring everything together? Referencing the noisy cricket hookup guide here:

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/no … -guide/all

  1. I also want to run the whole thing on batteries, so if you have any info for me with that it is super helpful.

Thanks for being around, tech support.

Hi there!

I don’t think that a surface transducer is going to work with a balloon.

Surface transducers need something rigid to vibrate like a pane of glass or a hollow wooden door if they are going to make any sound. On a balloon, you’re just going to vibrate the small section that the transducer is attached too and nothing else. I doubt that you’d be able to hear much of anything at all.

If you want sound to appear to be coming from a balloon, you’d need to hide a speaker inside. The Balloon isn’t going to affect the sound level at all so you’d need a speaker large enough to produce the sound level you were looking for outside a balloon and then you’d need to figure out how to hide it inside.

YellowDog:
Surface transducers need something rigid to vibrate like a pane of glass or a hollow wooden door if they are going to make any sound. On a balloon, you’re just going to vibrate the small section that the transducer is attached too and nothing else. I doubt that you’d be able to hear much of anything at all.

This is a good answer. If I may draw an analogy, imagine trying to make noise using a drum head that wasn’t stretched across a drum. It wouldn’t make much more sound than drumsticks on a tshirt. Not until it’s mounted and tightened does it become rigid enough to rock & roll.

You can substitute any stringed instrument for the drum. Until the strings are tightened, no sound.

Thanks. from these replies I’ll try a few things differently - including putting the speaker inside the balloon. I kinda like that idea.

Can anyone offer help with how to wire the transducer-noisy cricket-speaker together?

adefelice:
Can anyone offer help with how to wire the transducer-noisy cricket-speaker together?

There's a wiring guide linked on the product page:

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/no … okup-guide

Try inflating the balloon until rigid, then the air inside should vibrate in sympathy?

Paul