Dec 6, 2012

TODO's 2013

I thought I'd do a quick reminder to myself which PCB's I've bought and still have to solder.

Yusynth:
  • Dual Balanced Modulator (Ringmodulator)
  • Random Module (Noise / S&H)
  • VC Quadrature LFO
  • EMS Filter
  • Wavefolder (second PCB)
  • CV Standards
Electro-Music.com:
  • Klee Sequencer
  • Mega Percussion Synth  will not be finished .. gave the board to a friend
Magic Smoke Electronics:
  • Thomas Henry XR-VCO (2 Boards) one finished in 07/2014
MFOS:
  • Single Bus Keyboard
  • 16 Step Sequencer with Vari-Clock
CGS:
  • Tube VCA (two PCB's) 
  • Serge VCS
  • SubOscillator
Fonik:
  • Sequential Switch
  • Thomas Henry Controller LFO (2 boards)
Nordcore:
  • MCV Interface (Midi2CV based on an ATMega88) (second PCB)

Nov 3, 2012

curetronic VCA done

did I already mention that it's getting colder outside??

I finished my second module today (PCB's where pre-soldered so actually this was just cabling/wiring)
It's the curetronic VCA => it can do linear and exponential, AC and DC and also offers 2 more inputs as an option.
I will add those two inputs on a separate front-panel with another multiple.

curetronic ADSR done :-)

It must be getting cold outside - soldering goes well.

Today I finished the curetronic ADSR(T) in addition to the typical stuff it has an inverse-out and a TIME-pot - we will see what it does :-)


Nov 1, 2012

Midi2CV done

Jet another board lying around undone is finished.
It's from a sequencer.de user named nordcore who did this thingy based on an AMTEL88.

It offers:
  • 4 CV (Tune, Velocity, Mod-wheel and Pitchbend)
  • 4 Gate
  • Start/Stop for Sequencers
  • Clock out and a Clock-divider
It can be used on one Midichannel, 2 Channel (2CV/2Gate) or 4 Channel (CV/Gate)
The CV and Gate can be configured with an CTRLR based userinterface.
The documentation is absolutely fabulous and all can be soldered within a couple of hours with ease.


If you are interested in the paneldesign I did, download it here
Finishing this module is another big breakthrough this week (the VCO is the first) => from now I can PLAY the modular (or Renoise, or Qmidiarp does)

Oct 31, 2012

CGS49 Twin CMOS Filter done

another soldered board that had been lying around without been put to the frontpanel.
The CatGirlSynth49 Twin CMOS Filter with J. Haible Distortion ....

The frequency pot has to be soldered between +15V and -15V (like described in the texts and schematics Ken provides) and I modded the resonance on one of the circuits like described on electro-music.com ...
will do some more tests tomorrow ..

Thanks to Ken Stoner for his nice DIY-boards :-)
http://www.cgs.synth.net

Oct 30, 2012

Videoreviews on curetronic modules

Today I had time to cut and upload 2 vids from my curetronic-modules.
Both are DIY-Kits (not premade modules)

VCO with ext-board that uses a CA3046, that makes a tempco obsolete.
Waveform-Mixer with inverted-out and muc-much more





On the second vid I go from the wavemix-out of the VCO into the curetronic Steiner-Parker VCF until self-oscillation. This VCF is modded with an additional feedback-pod (yes, it's a mean-machine) for nice filtering I got a Roland 100m VCF-Clone



Oct 29, 2012

My baby learned to sing!! (curetronic VCO done)

Today I managed to finish the curetronic VCO ...
Originally my modular was planned more or less as a Filterbank, so I did not see any need for a VCO at first.

The VCO is a curetronic.com-kit and has the first ever build extension-board (with siganture:-) )


btw. I think my cable-management is getting better *LOL*

Oct 7, 2012

Yusynth (dual) ADSR new version done :-)

Got myself up and finished the two Yusynth ADSR modules that I had laying arround ..
I added the fast/slow switches to get a bigger range
Getting closer to a usable analogue modular system :-)


curetronic springreverb E.R.T. done

today I had the time to finish and test the curetronic springreverb I got at the soldering-workshop in cologne ..
Looks good and sounds good, will have to test all settings now and itegrate it into the cabinet onto the +15/-15 Rail somehow :-)


Oct 6, 2012

Curetronic Workshop in cologne

as one can see on the publishing dates, I lack the time to solder, but yesterday I made it to the curetronic workshop in cologne, hosted by Mattias from www.bild-schall.com.
I still have to mod it a bit for the 15Volt rail or build a separate housing but I now have a curetronic E.R.T. springreverb with an accutronics 9er reverb-tank.
The E.R.T-circuit integrates a low- and bandpass vcf and a noisegenerator.

Sep 3, 2012

Curetronic Panelworks

I also did some panelwork today (did I mention that I hate panelwork??)
It's for the new curetronics modules
..... and YES I did somehow draw and drilled a pod for the 2nd CV-in on the VCA where no pod belongs :-(



Yusynth Auto-Bend and ADSR

The Yusynth Dual Auto-Bend is done
The ADSR still has to be finished (LED's and Slow/Fast Switch)



Aug 22, 2012

Yusynth VCA module done :-)

this is the third of the modules where I had the PCB soldered in april this year, but not the time till now to really complete them.
The input-level LED is not as I want it to be, .. after the trimming I did send in the DSI Mopho @ full gain and the LED did not blink once .... so I might mod R24, R25 if I find out to what value.
Also adding more gain might be fun by modding R10, R11.

but it looks nice :-)

Aug 21, 2012

Shoping Spree => the next

I know it looks like revelry but the new cabinet needs power

Today I got 3 Meanwell PSAI 24W +15V -15V
I know that some favour linear power supplies, but the little cheap thingies will do for now ...

Aug 20, 2012

CGS delivery number 2

got my Ken Stoner PCB's today

- one CGS01 Sub Oscillator
- one CGS075 Serge VCS
- two CGS65 Tube VCA

all fun :-)

Aug 19, 2012

Yusynth Mixout-VC Panner done

It's 40 degree Celsius out- and inside and I really sit here and test/solder on a synth-module ... *hehe*

There where 2 solderfaults and I accidentally mixed up some 150k with 150R resistors on the left-out.

Now it works and it sounds good :-)
I didn't install any VU-Meters but still kept the original Yusynth design



a BIG THANKS to "nordcore" for his support on the debugging

Aug 16, 2012

Cabinet 2012

"And now for something completely different ...."
than planned .. my 2nd cabinet :-)
I choose a simpler form and will place the old cabinet on top of that one ....


inner width simply was chosen to 100cm, so this baby adds another 36 Units to "my modular dream"

For all beginners ... cost of this cabinet was about 50,- € (wood and screws and ....)

I already ordered two Meanwell PD-2515 power supplies :-)

HAPPY HAPPY ME :-)

Aug 14, 2012

CGS Psycho LFO done

Today I finally finished the Ken Stoner Psycho LFO (CGS03) ....
Testing went well and believe me, this LFO really is psycho :-)

On the pic you see my 'new' Hameg HM303-6 Oscilloscope I got from a friend that went digital. It came together with an FG 200 (Frequency Generator).
Both tools are good for testing and calibrating s-diy modules ...


My curetronic modules got a decent PCB-mounting.
'Till now those PCB simply where screwed to the bottom of the cabinet.
I simply use 'distance bolts M3x40'. they work fine and leave enough space for jack's, cables and other stuff.



Aug 13, 2012

The 1SH24B Tubes arrived

Sweet little beasts I hope.
I need those Tubes for the CGS Tube VCA
Price for two of theese mini russian tubes is about 3-4 Euros


Aug 10, 2012

Pic restart 2012

Here is a picture of the state beginning of august ?? So the newer changes are not in, will upload that tomorrow.

Most markable is -> I NEED A BIGGER CABINET *hehe*
- on the top you see 4 not yet done Curetronic.com modules (extended VCO, VCA, EG and Dualshape LFO)
- on the ground you see (from left to right): two Magic Smoke Electronics 201 VCO PCBs and panel, a bunch of @yusynth.net PCB's, two nordcore Midi2CV-interfaces (one PCB already soldered), (upper) a @cgs.synth.net Twin Wasp Filter and the green PCBs are electro-music.com Kleesequencer boards and the Thomas Hanry MPS ....

Aug 9, 2012

Another day in modular madness

Yesterday I finished most of the half finished panels, now only the cable soldering remains.
Toady I requested another bunch of PCB's @ my beloved PCB-Dealer Marco from http://www.leiterplattenbelichter.de/

(Note to myself: build that fu**ing cabinet first ...
Answer to myself: Yes, I will go to the shop next week to buy the wood, think I will add a simple angled 2 row cabinet - 99mm or 110mm in width, and place the old cabinet on top)
One of the new projects will be a separate DinA3 Sequencer (MFOS) anyway

Aug 8, 2012

New changes and order

The radio-show from Yolande (Radio-happy.com) on Sun. 05. august 2012 was about 4 hours of EM from the Label http://www.manikin.de
That motivated me A LOT to go back to soldering.
Yesterday I finished a couple of 90% done PCB's, drilled some panels, added some pots'n'jacks ..... that means a lot of chaos on my desk :-)
Today I ordered 4 more PCB's from Ken Stoner (http://www.cgs.synth.net)
  • one Suboscillator/Harmonicgenerator
  • two Tube VCA's (I even found the 1SH24B Tubes and ordered them)
  • one Serge VCS

Aug 5, 2012

I'll be back :)

After some health issues and a lot of stress@work I had to regenerate a bit and took a couple of months 'off'. Last week new parts from one of my electronic distributors arrived, so I think next week might be a good 'restart'.

May 8, 2012

Klee boards arrived

yehaa, my first sequencer project.

yesterday the PCB from http://electro-music.com/ arrived.
For those who don't know the Klee - it's a shift register based rhythmic pattern generator :)

May 6, 2012

Curetronic order nr. 2 arrived

After a long wait the curetronic DIY modules I ordered last year finally arrived.
I have very little spare time atm, so building will take some time.
plus: I have to build a new cabinet, cause now all 24 Units are gone definitively.
So, module update are:
  • curetronic extended VCO (basic + extension)
  • curetronic VCA
  • curetronic ADSR
  • curetronic dual-shape LFO

Mar 22, 2012

my paneldesigns for Synth-DIY

Paneldesigns are online as downloadable pdf.
Size is for 5HU (22.25cm) and a width of 5.5cm.

my paneldesigns

Have fun :)

Paneldesigns 2012

Today I finished "the dark side" of Synth-DIY - @least one part => front-panel-design :(
It always feels like I missed a pot
Of course Yusynth already provides designs I love to use.
All of my designs will be posted here for download after approval - ready to download and print in an 5HU env. :)
And yes, I'm a bit proud on the XR2206 VCO layout.
In total you see (2+3+2+2    +2+3+2+1) 17 Units :) 


Mar 20, 2012

anniversary

This is my big anniversary.
Today, one year ago, I went 400 km (~248 miles) by car nonstop to get my first hardwaresynth after 10 years of musical abstinence.
It was the Yamaha AN1X.

Mar 12, 2012

PCB's of the last 2 weeks

Found some spare-time for another round of soldering - still some parts missing, but that's a DIYers lot

2 times yusynth ADSR
CGS49 - Twin CMOS Filter with J.H. WASP


I think time has started for another panel-work-session :)

Mar 5, 2012

New PCB's arrived

Today the XR2206 "El Cerrito" PCB's arrived from magic-smoke.
These are my first VCO's :)
Now I have to find a replacement for the LM394 that is used as DIP (~8€)
Best alternative are two matched 2N3904 (4 ct.)



Feb 26, 2012

Cabinet dream 2012

A little spare time and my mind designs the new cabinet :)
5 HU (22.5 cm) style, so not this little Doepfer tingies ;)

total front width will be 99cm (18 U)

this baby will be driven with a linear power supply +15 VDC / -15 VDC with 3 A per channel (hope this is enough)
 

First PCBs from september 2011

These are the first PCB's I ordered for my modular dream back in September 2011 from curetronic.
The PCB's are pre-soldered and checked.


You see a power supply and a bus-board, 100m 121 VCF, Mixer and the Steiner-Parker VCF.

and this is when the pot's and jack's are soldered. A little quiz ... find IN1 for testing :)

I dream of wires - too :)

This vid explains why guys like me build stuff like we do


I LOVE THIS :)

Feb 25, 2012

PCB's todo

Here the PCB's that already have been delivered an are on my todo-list 2012


  • 2 x Yusynth ADSR 'new version'
  • a second Yusynth Wavefolder
  • Yusynth CV-Standard
  • Yusynth Diode Ladder VCF
  • Yusynth Quadrature LFO
  • Thomas Henry MPS (Mega Percussion Synth) from electro-music.com
  • 2 x Nordcore MVC (Midi2CV Interface) based on an ATMega88 (sequencer.de project)
  • CGS49 Twin CMOSfilter

PCB's ordered but not jet delivered:
  • 2 x Thomas HenryXR VCO from magsmoke.com
  • Curetronic VCA
  • Curetronic ADSR
  • Curetronic VCO extended version
  • Curetronic Dual Shape LFO
PCB's on my wishlist:
Thomas Henry VC Phase Shifter (if I find a PCB layout)
Thomas Henry VC Noise Source (if I find a PCB layout)
CGS01 Suboscillator
CGS04 D.C. Mixer
CGS65 Tube VCA
CGS114 Serge DSUG or CGS74 VCS (or both)
Klee Sequencer from electro-music.com
Yusynth or Curetronic Dual Ring Modulator
Yusynth MinMax
Yusynth Random module
Curetronic 100m 172 Phase Shifter
Curetronic 100m 150 (Ring-S&H-Noise-Clock)


PCB done in 2012

So, here a little image of the pcb's I already finished in 2012, panels are not jet finished and they still have to be tested.

Boards you see:
  • Yusynth Mixer -VC Panner (big one left and upper one)
  • 2 x Yusynth VCA 'Matched BC547' with (1k Resistor on R7)
  • Yusynth Dual Autobend
  • CGS PsychoLFO (little square on the right)

Overview of modules 2012

So, after switching to blogger I thoght I post some pics of the modular analog stuff I already have:


Top row => left to right:
  • Yusynth Wavefolder (working)
  • Yusynth Wavefolder (todo)
  • Yusynth Fixed FiIterbank (working)
  • Yusynth Mixout-VC Panner (soldered, untested)
  • Yusynth CV Standard (todo for new cabinet), that will be replaced with 2 Yusynth VCAs (soldered, untested)
Second row => left to right:
  • Curetronic-DIY Multiple 2x5 / 1X10
  • Curetronic-DIY VCF Steiner Parker with Feedback-Pot-Mod and additional crank-switch :) (working)
  • Curetronic-DIY 100m clone of the 121 VCF (working)
  • Curetronic-DIY Dual-Mixer (working)
  • Curetronic ADSR and Curetronic VCA (not delivered yet)


new Cabinet

After only 5 month of building and researching, my original cabinet (2 * 12 Units) is way to small.
New plan is a cabinet with 4 rows of 18 units each, powerd by a big linear power supply