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 Forum index » Instruments and Equipment » Theremin
Theremin PCB Layouts, schematics....
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Scirocco



Joined: Dec 11, 2005
Posts: 22
Location: Barcelona/Catalunya

PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2006 10:13 am    Post subject: Theremin PCB Layouts, schematics.... Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I´ve decided to build my own theremin.I´m thinking about a Theremax or Etherwave type theremins or something similar.
I´ve been sending mails several times to Paia asking for some payment details for his kit with no response (some friends have been doing too with the same success).
I´ve downloaded the Paia manual and schematics but I found PCB layout a litle unclear for me
Anybody knows a cool source for Theremin PCB layouts,info ,etc etc ?

Thank you very much Wink

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deknow



Joined: Sep 15, 2004
Posts: 1307
Location: Leominster, MA (USA)
G2 patch files: 15

PostPosted: Sun Jan 22, 2006 3:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

paia is likely going through a transition, as john was killed a motorcycle accident a few months ago.

i think they are a fantastic company which fills the gaps between the expensive stuff (motm and the like) and the informally supported stuff (like soundlab), and are worth supporting for what they do. i would try another email, or perhaps even a phone call.

i've built the tmax, and it's a great kit.

deknow
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elektro80
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Joined: Mar 25, 2003
Posts: 21959
Location: Norway
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 12:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

The Theremax is an excellent kit. I am all in favour of supporting Paia.
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Scirocco



Joined: Dec 11, 2005
Posts: 22
Location: Barcelona/Catalunya

PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 12:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Thanks for your opinion ,I´ve sent another mail to PAIA to see what happens.I totally agree with PAIA´s philosophy and I think that they´ve been doing fine all this years...but I hope to recieve any response...
By the way, one of the things that are unclear for me is which kit I have to pick if I want to manage myself to make a nice box, in the site appears 3 kits... 1-circuit and components 2- wooden case kit and 3 - hardware.
in the 1 kit description appears a "less case" .. Does it means that this kit are including antenae and front pannel etc etc?.
I though that If you want to make your own case you must purchase kit 1 and 3 but not sure... anybody knows it ?
Thank you very much again for your opinion

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Scirocco



Joined: Dec 11, 2005
Posts: 22
Location: Barcelona/Catalunya

PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I´ve just received answer from PAIA

All doubts clear , I think I´m gonna order one just now !! Very Happy

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deknow



Joined: Sep 15, 2004
Posts: 1307
Location: Leominster, MA (USA)
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PostPosted: Mon Jan 23, 2006 2:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

great! i'm glad to hear that paia has responded. my first kit was the tmax, and i've also built the fatman, the vocoder, and several of craig andertons "electronic projects for musicians" kits. the vocoder would be a lot more useful with some mods, but everything else is really usable, and really cheap for what you get (that anderton "super tone control" is really nice sounding).

deknow
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krkr



Joined: Jul 25, 2005
Posts: 37
Location: Morrisville PA
Audio files: 6

PostPosted: Sat Feb 11, 2006 4:29 pm    Post subject: THE THEREMAX
Subject description: PAIA's theremin kit
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My first theremin was also a Theremax. The kit is incredibly buildable )if that's a word). when you say you're going to build your OWN theremin, I'm assuming you mean from "scratch?"

I myself could never attempt something like that, but even ME, someone who'd never done an electronics project in his life, was able (with a little guidance from someone well-versded in electronics) top somehow turn all the littel tiny pieces that arrived in the mail into a working theremin.

Here are some links that I think you'll find invaluable:

http://home.att.net/~theremin1/
(if it doesn't work, just Google -Art's Theremin Page

http://www.oldtemecula.com/theremin

http://psychevanhetfolk.homestead.com/THEREMIN_linkspage.html

http://bentstruments.com/index.html

http://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_103277/article.html


I hope this starts you on "the path."

Kip Rosser (a confirmed theremaniac)
www.performancekr.com
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Scirocco



Joined: Dec 11, 2005
Posts: 22
Location: Barcelona/Catalunya

PostPosted: Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Thanks,absolutely nice links and some unknown for me ,thank you.
My Theremax has arrived and I´ve built it.
I´m sad to say that It doesn´t work properly.. Sad . Let me expalin:
The picht section works really fine, nice sound, well adjusted range, timbre ,controls etc etc..
The trouble is at the volume section...
No reasonable response from the volume antenna.It only worls ,when I make an incorrect adjust of the L1 and L4 coils ,then appears some kind of another pitch line sounding not as louder as natural timbre sound and making strange-radio-tuning sounds... Shocked
Following step-by-step the manual, first I adjust the L1 and L4 coils and then the L2 to set the pitch range, and (whith L1,L2,L4 ok) when I´m gonna adjust the volume control range I notice no response from the L3 coil...
My multimeter says that the 4 oscilators are taking a good meal (8.2 V).Testing the pitch control voltage line
at the circuit I see a variation using the antenna but volume control voltage is stucked at 5,6V...
The NPN trannies seem to be good ,and I think that L3 could be the trouble... Question
I think I´ll have enough time this weekend to make it all clear and I´ll send this questions to paia, but I´m posting this here too know if anyone could have a quick response or suggestion and if it could be a common trouble etc etc...

I think that´s all for the moment ,thank you very much for reading it and sorry for my low level language Sad

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krkr



Joined: Jul 25, 2005
Posts: 37
Location: Morrisville PA
Audio files: 6

PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:38 am    Post subject: YOUR THEREMAX
Subject description: What Might Be Wrong
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Hi:

Sounds like you're encountering almost the same problem I had when I finished. My volume did work, but it was weak -- I could tell I wasn't getting the full effect.

Calling the tech guys at PAIA is a good idea -- I did, and they offered me an explanation that turned out to be IT:

The problem turned out to be a miniscule spatter of solder that adhered to one of the copper "pathways" (sorry, I don't know the correct technical term) on the circuit board. It took ages to find it going over everything with a magnifying glass, but once the little speck was removed, I had full power and response.
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Scirocco



Joined: Dec 11, 2005
Posts: 22
Location: Barcelona/Catalunya

PostPosted: Fri Feb 17, 2006 11:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I´m going on , testing my ill Theremax and I´ve notice this:
All Q´s voltages seem to be correct, like troubleshooting tells, but .... whem I´m testing voltage on Pin 1 of the Lm339 only gives me a correct lecture the first 4 or 5 sec after power on the unit, then I can hear a very little "pop" and the voltage falls from about 8V to 0..... Question Shocked
Then, looking at my poor LM I can see that his surface is suspiciously obscured.....and the theremax sound are practically the same with or without this LM comparator...
It seems that the trouble is located at the VCA ( Question )
Now I´m gonna rush to the parts shop to pick some LM´s to see what happens..
Call Paia guys is a nice idea but I´m located in Spain and my English skills is quite poor to have a non-surrealistic conversation... but I´ll have to do it if it is necessary.
The miniscule spatter of solder on a cooper track making a shortcut theory seems to be more present while I´m testing the unit but taking a look at the pcb, soldering points seems to be really correct and this solder spatters are really small and I can´t see any shortcut at this time...
That´s all at the moment and really thanks again Laughing

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Scirocco



Joined: Dec 11, 2005
Posts: 22
Location: Barcelona/Catalunya

PostPosted: Mon Feb 20, 2006 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Theremin working fine now Very Happy ....Last night Mr Q6 was declared guilty.... and of course condemned .... Laughing

Thanks to all

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Sintetizadorman



Joined: Dec 28, 2006
Posts: 2
Location: Mexico

PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:28 am    Post subject: Off topic just a little
Subject description: Vocoder
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Hey Im sorry for asking this, but here in Mexico I cant find any vocoder machine, I have been looking for it like one year, Im tired and I want to build my own voco, do you know about any web site were I can find the schematic of any conventional vocoder?
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Scirocco



Joined: Dec 11, 2005
Posts: 22
Location: Barcelona/Catalunya

PostPosted: Thu Dec 28, 2006 10:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Take a look at PAIA.com .His Vocoder seems to be nice Very Happy
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Sintetizadorman



Joined: Dec 28, 2006
Posts: 2
Location: Mexico

PostPosted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 11:04 pm    Post subject: Thanks Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hey thank you but that is not an schematic, they just tell me how the vocoder works but they dont have anything that tells you where the resistors or caps go, obviously they wont do it... there must be another way, hey please Im also looking for DPDT switches, tried to buy via eBay but the boy did not send me anything, any idea? THANK YOU = )
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