diy modular

alan · Joined: May 10, 2008 Posts: 9 Location: uk

hello, im new Very Happy

i've done abit of research but ive got acouple of queastion if any of you could answer them that would be great.

i've currently got a 3u analogue systems(lfo,vca,vco,filter,eg,ring mod, noise/s+h) and a analogue soultions oberkorn sequencer.

i'm quite interested in expanding the modular but the modules that look most interesting to me are the diy control voltage and processing modules.

now i know there's companys like metalbox and elby designs who make some ken stone designs but is there anyone who makes up the modules discussed in the diy part of this forum for sale.

id like them in eurorack as thats all you can get in the uk but id be willing to go with any format to be honest aslong as i can get a rack/psu also does stuff ever come up second hand?

thanks
alan

alan · Joined: May 10, 2008 Posts: 9 Location: uk

also genrally what format are they in?

i cant seam to find this info. or do you just mod them fof the format your using

mosc · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 12:51 pm Post subject:

Alan.

I'm going to move this to the DIY forum. There is more chance of a response there.

There are a few PCBs and part kits available for circuits discussed on the forum here at electro-music.com. AFAIK, the panels are up to the DIYer so any format is possible. Laughing

alan · Joined: May 10, 2008 Posts: 9 Location: uk

hi mosc

no worries where ever you think best.

so the front pannels are the only differnace between formats the supply power is always the same? 15v pk-pk?

also if anyone could point me to a good getting started guide that would be great.

mosc · Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 1:27 pm Post subject:

I've not built any circuits in a long time, so I can't answer you about the electrical aspects of the formats. My guess is that if one is going to build a system using designs from various sources, it is probable that the need for multiple power supplies will arise.

Glad you aren't spooked by a moderator moving your first post to the forum. We sometimes move a topic to a different forum if we feel it is more appropriate and would get more attention. That's the price we pay for having such a deep hierarchical structure of sub forums. We try to keep things as well organized as possible. Smile

Sound · Joined: Jun 06, 2006 Posts: 842 Audio files: 1

Hi Alan.

One of the good things of the DIY is that you can design the module as you want. If you want eurorack... just design the front panel in this format.

About the power suplies and the cases .I think also that the best option is to have two power supplies, one +/-12 other +/-15.
The most of the circuit designs runs at +/-15.

What I have now is two power supplies, and some subracks that I bought on ebay.

bearblock · Joined: Sep 27, 2006 Posts: 90 Location: uk Audio files: 1

you can actually mix +-12V and +-15V designs surprisingly easily. for example, ken stone's modules were designed for +-15V but i'm running a bunch of them on a +-12V analogue systems PSU with no problems. that's not to say you can always get away with this, but if you encounter problems they will tend to be along the lines of 'the cv range isn't wide enough', as opposed to 'it burst into flames when i turned it on'. the changes needed to get things working properly are also usually quite trivial, like changing a couple of resistors. i personally don't think it's worth the effort of installing a second power supply.

doctorvague · Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 5:40 am Post subject:

I can't tell from your post if you're looking for kits for you to build, or if you're looking for someone to build modules for you... If you're wanting to get into building, I would recommend starting with a kit like Blacet's myself, unless you have some building experience. His kits are well thought-out and explained with excellent instructions and fun to build. A good CV module to start with is the mixer processor which is highly useful. His modules go in a system called Frac rack. He sells a relatively inexpensive rack and power supply (15V). Euro racks usually run 12V, like Doepfer, but unless you DIY the racks, they are expensive. I run both and they happily work together (both systems use 3.5mm jacks), but I keep them on separate power supplies, myself. One of the main things to consider is mixing matching manufacturers with 3.5mm jacks, 1/4" jacks or bananas. Even that can be overcome but it is a whole different issue than power supply voltage.

DIY (including bare bones or partial kits) enables people to take the same circuit and adapt to their rack size and system, front panel layout, jack size and placement choice of knobs, power supply voltage etc. It's very open-ended but there are also a lot of decisions to make, like front panel design and creation, just to mention an obvious one.

Good luck and have fun!
Phil

alan · Joined: May 10, 2008 Posts: 9 Location: uk

thanks for the replys Very Happy

phil, yes im either looking for full kits for the more obscure modules or someone who builds them. i think ive decided on banana

im basically looking to make an extensive cv control modular. with a few audio modules. polyphony and looks aren't important.

i have basic knowledge of electronics and i can follow a pcb easilly enougth, im just not confedent in modding them to all work togather, and im not good with planning schematics on stripboard. i would like to make them myself but i want them now as im guessing the techno would be massive. Shocked

and i dont think simular things (cgs, bridechamber and the modules meantion in the diy section here)are produced in eurorack by the modular companies. eurorack as im in the uk and there the only cases/psu i can easilly get unless of course i make my own.

BananaPlug · Posted: Tue May 13, 2008 7:48 am Post subject:

I'm a strong believer in having just one kind of jack in your system. It's not usually very hard to convert a module with mini-jacks to banana. You'll end up drilling a hole now and then for a switch to replace functionality of a switching jack. Some switching jacks do things you'll be able to do by stacking banana plugs but some will need a real switch. Use the E.F. Johnson jacks. Even at Digi-key they are cheap and they last forever.

The small Doepfer modules are my least favorite to convert. They're very crowded, jacks are on the main board and the traces tend to lift off when you remove the jacks. Most other brands (e.g. PlanB) have the jacks on a separate strip of PCB and you just put that in a drawer and wire your new jacks to a suitable plug. Other's, like most Blacet modules, are simply panel mounted jacks connected by wire to the board. You often, but not always, have to ream the hole out a bit.