This is out on Kickstrter
for more info:Back KOLOR on Kickstarter now!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
More about Elk Elektronik https://www.elkelektronik.com.au/
JonDent - Explorations in Electronics, Electronic Music, Coffee, Sci Fi, Art & Travel (but mostly electronic music)
Saturday, 14 December 2024
Wednesday, 13 November 2024
NLC - Is Carp Lust Wrong? - Build notes
These are my build notes for the nonlinear circuits "Is Carp Lust Wrong?" module.
It's a eurorack module.
What exactly is it?
It's a module loosely based on the Karplus Strong algorithm.
Karplus Strong is a pretty obscure synthesis method developed in the 1980s and used in physical modelling mainly of plucked strings
It was named after its principal inventors, Kevin Karplus and Alex Strong.
Think about how a acoustic string instrument works.
When you first pluck the string it vibrates like mad. It has waveforms which are rich
in harmonics. These initial waveforms are determined by the mass and tension of the string.
After being plucked, the string looses energy over time and becomes less complex, resulting in a "purer" tone with fewer harmonics. Eventually, the vibration stops, when all the energy is gone.
Basically the module works by exciting the delay with a burst of noise and running the feedback up...& changing the delay time to change the pitch and tone.
Links
+ Wiki
+ BOM..
Some of the parts aren't super common so I'll probably need to do a order from mouser
(or your fav supplier) I think.
LM78L05 - +5V voltage regulator
LM13700M... yes
555 timer .... its a NE555 (yes)
BC857 x5 , BC847 x4
S1JL rectifier (the dot is the cathode)
------------------------------------------------------
Waiting for parts....
V3207 or V3205 BBD chip ... order ... you only need one of these !!!!
The V3207 is a cool audio replacement for the 1024-stage BBD analog delay Panasonic MN 3207 chip.
I ended up buying a DIP 8 coolaudio V3205 chip on ebay.
5v1 zener...on order ... tayda
I ended up using a 5V6 zener
J309 FET
CD 40106
..
.
Friday, 8 November 2024
Aussie Wigglers Shoegaze Challenge - Ed vs Jono
The result of nights jam using a Alesis A6 and and a Zool multistomp pedal..
so lush ... i could have been fooled into thinking I have a CS 80
Monday, 2 September 2024
ELK Elektroniks - KOLOR Module - update
Some updates for the new LED KOLOR module.
This is a eurorack module designed to control LED strips, squares, etc.
....
The module will be released as a kickstarter project.
More info can be found at Ed's official website
Londinium profile
Londinium is a brand of coffee machine that hail from the UK.
They primarily focus on lever machines.
These machines have become famous for their unique style of shots
to the point that many baristas have tried to emulate the
"Londinium shot" on other machines.
My moddified Gaggia Classic has a "Londinium Profile".
The Decent also has something similar.
So what is it?
It's a spring lever machine that uses pressurised pre-infusion at the beginning..
The technique it uses is something like a GS3 puck slam.
It really slams the puck with something like 25mls of water.
This very fast and early saturation of the puck compresses it much faster than is usual leading to a denser & thicker starting pour.
It's sometimes called a "water hammer".
The adapted "Londinium profile" for a standard lever machine involves
quickly hitting the puck with pressure (about 3-4 bar) and holding it there.
3 Bar appears to be the perfect pressure to balance capillary preinfusion with pressure preinfusion.
(3 Bar is also common in "Blooming profiles").
This gets the water through the puck evenly & quickly will minimal channeling.
The initial flow rate will be really low ... about 8ml/s (0.3 to 0.5g/s) range.
This will give you a beautiful thick top to your espresso.
After this, ramp up to 9 bar, then gradually drop back to zero
as the puck degrades.
Try to keep the flow rate constant during this second stage.
This second stage has much less body.
When you drink a shot like this it feels super creamy due to the thick top of the preinfusion.
In summary:
1. Pre-infuse: 8 ml/s, low pressure & hold at 3 bar.
(About 13 secs)
2. Post infusion: raise pressure and hold at 9 bar.
3. Final stage: decline to 3 bar.
You need to monitor the flow in these last stages.
Your aim is to keep the flow at about 2g/sec (2ml/sec).
This profile works really well on dark to medium roasts.
Usually, I aim for a 1:2 ratio
One important think to note is that although I use the measurement of pressure alot, what is also important is flow.
Pressure = flow x resistance
This type of shot is really tasty with milk based coffee like Latte
Wednesday, 21 August 2024
Coffee growing and Altitude
Altitude plays a crucial role in coffee cultivation, significantly affecting the flavor profile and overall quality of the beans. Coffee plants are sensitive to altitude, and different altitudes produce beans with distinct characteristics. Here's how altitude influences coffee growing:
1. Temperature and Climate
High Altitudes: Coffee plants thrive at elevations ranging from about 2,000 to 6,000 feet (600 to 1,800 meters) above sea level, though some of the best beans come from even higher altitudes. At higher elevations, temperatures are cooler, which slows down the coffee cherry's ripening process. This extended maturation allows the beans to develop more complex flavors and acidity, often resulting in a brighter, more nuanced cup.
Low Altitudes: At lower altitudes (below 2,000 feet), temperatures are warmer, which speeds up the growth cycle. While this can lead to larger yields, the beans often lack the depth and acidity of higher-altitude coffees. These beans might have a simpler flavor profile, with lower acidity and a heavier body.
2. Flavor Characteristics
High-Altitude Coffee: Beans grown at higher elevations tend to have more vibrant acidity, floral notes, and complex flavor profiles. They often showcase bright, crisp tastes with more pronounced flavors such as fruity, citric, or even herbal tones. For example, coffees from regions like Ethiopia, Colombia, and Guatemala are often grown at high altitudes and are known for their clean, crisp flavors.
Low-Altitude Coffee: Beans from lower altitudes typically have a fuller body and lower acidity. They may be smoother but can lack the bright flavors associated with high-altitude beans. Some coffees from low altitudes are characterized by earthy, chocolatey, or nutty flavors, and they can have a more subdued, rich profile.
3. Growing Conditions and Stress
Coffee plants growing at higher altitudes experience more stress due to cooler temperatures, which makes them hardier and results in better flavor development. Stress, in this case, helps the plant produce more complex compounds that contribute to better flavor.
Air Pressure and Oxygen: At higher altitudes, there is less oxygen, which can slow plant growth. However, this stress causes the plant to concentrate its energy on producing high-quality cherries rather than growing larger. This results in smaller, denser beans with more concentrated flavors.
4. Regional Differences
Coffee-growing regions at higher altitudes, such as the Andes in South America, Ethiopian Highlands, or Costa Rican mountains, are renowned for their premium coffee. Each region's unique climate, soil composition, and altitude interact to create specific flavor profiles:
Ethiopia: Known for its high-altitude coffees, Ethiopian beans are often fruity and floral with a bright acidity.
Colombia: Grown at varying altitudes, Colombian coffees can range from bright and fruity at higher altitudes to more mellow and balanced at lower elevations.
Costa Rica: Coffee from Costa Rica's volcanic highlands is typically characterized by bright acidity, fruity flavors, and a medium body.
Other high altitude regions: Keyna, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Java,
Sulawesi (Indonesia)
5. Challenges of High-Altitude Growing
While high altitudes offer better flavors, they also present challenges for farmers:
Frost: At very high altitudes, there is the risk of frost, which can damage coffee plants.
Harvesting: The cool temperatures at higher altitudes can mean that coffee cherries ripen more slowly, requiring careful timing for harvesting. In some cases, cherries may need to be picked in multiple stages.
6. Altitude and Coffee Varieties
Different coffee varietals may also thrive at specific altitudes. For instance, some varieties of Arabica coffee, such as Typica or Geisha, are especially prized for their flavor when grown at high elevations, while other varieties like Robusta are typically found at lower altitudes due to their resistance to heat and pests.
Arabica coffee (being more susceptible to disease and pests than Robusta), avoids problems by growing at higher altitudes, where disease and pests can’t survive.
The common altitude ranges from 800 to 1,400 meters above sea level for Robusta and 2,300 to 6,000 metres above sea level for Arabica.
It is considered a high elevation country when the altitude is 4000 feet ( ̴1200 meters), and any coffee produced in these conditions is dense and desirable. However, some countries such as Ethiopia produce coffee at elevations as high as 6000 feet ( ̴1800 meters ), while 3000 feet ( ̴ 900 meters) is considered high in Central America.
As a general rule:
5000 ft /1500 m and above - the coffee in these conditions has Complex, Floral, Fruity, Acidic, and Spicy flavors. Coffee from Colombia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Guatemala, Papua New Guinea, and Sulawesi are famous for these flavor profiles.
4000 ft /1200 m - the coffee has Nutty, Vanilla, Cocoa, Citrus, and Earthy tasting notes. Countries like Costa Rica, Java, Sumatra, Nicaragua, and Mexico Altura produce coffee with these notes.
3000 ft /900 m - coffees from this altitude are usually Sweet and Smooth common to coffees from Brazil, Bouma, Santos.
2500 ft /700 m - the coffee is Mild, Soft, and Simple. A classic example of this is the Hawaiian Kona coffee.
2000 ft /600 m and below - coffees from very low elevations are typically plain and bland.
Conclusion
In summary, altitude is a key factor in determining the flavor profile, quality, and characteristics of coffee. Higher altitudes generally produce more complex, acidic, and flavorful coffees, while lower altitudes result in smoother, less acidic beans. The combination of temperature, air pressure, soil, and altitude all work together to create the unique flavors associated with different coffee-growing regions.
It should be remembered however that altitude alone doesn't guarantee a high-quality cup of coffee. Other factors that affect the flavor of coffee include:
Roasting: The skill of the roaster is important for unlocking the full complexity of the coffee.
Brewing: High-altitude coffee can be more challenging to brew.
Climate and pressure: The temperature, climate, and pressure of the place can affect the development of the coffee.
The world's largest coffee producer, Brazil is known for the quality and volume of its coffee. Brazil's coffee is grown in rich, fertile soil and at low altitudes. The country is also known for drying its coffee cherries in the sun, which is different from most other coffee-producing countries.
Wednesday, 17 July 2024
Rao Allonge / Sprover profile - coffee shots
Scott Rao's Allonge shot or a Coffee Shot
Sometimes called the Sprover = espresso + pour over
Very controversial because it's super long.
It's kind of like an Americano or a Australian long black, but the difference
is that you don't just add water to an espresso.
Basically you are trying to make filter style coffee using an espresso machine.
Initallly it started with using a standard espresso machine (with 9 bars) and
a coarse grind.
The method was to pass water through the puck at 9 bars for 30 secs ... aiming to get
a ratio of 1: 10 etc
According to Decent/John Buckman,
a 1:5 ratio (can do 1:4-7 or so) is good.
But with a sprover 1:11 or 1:13 is common
It's hard to do this on many "standard espresso machines" as they don't usually hold enough water
Remember to use a coarser grind than usual.... like on a Aeropress or V60
and Pull for around 30-60 seconds
Matt Perger recommended using the EK-47 grinder
These really long shots give amazing clarity ... esp for lighter roasts.
Ideally try to get a low flow rate -- maybe 3ml/sec
or 4.5ml/second flow rate the whole way
- peak at 8-9 bar, and ideally finish around 6ish on a lever.
Pressure shouldn't go below 4bar on a lever , but with a e61, it can finish at 1-1.5 bar
... just experiment
----------------
Not all coffee machines can do this type of shot.
You need a machine with a large reservoir , and the ability to control flow rate.
If you have a entry level single boiler, you will probably not have enough water.
Machine that can do these types of shots:
Most flow profile e61 machines
Breville dual boiler
Nomad manual lever
Decent
Monday, 8 July 2024
MUN - build notes 2
This is part 2 of my build notes for the nonlinear circuits Mun module.
The eurorack 22HP module is a 10 channel vocoder based on the Syntovox 222
The word Vocoder is a combination of two words.
Voice + Code = Vocoder
Vocoded signals were essentially a form of data compression for voice.
Links
+ Wiki
+ BOM
Part 1 is here:
150nF = 0.15uF
To be continued....
Saturday, 6 July 2024
Wednesday, 3 July 2024
Adaptive profile --- pressure vs flow
This is one of the settings on my Gaggiuino.
There is a lot of debate about pressure vs flow profiles.
Pressure = flow x puck resistance.
They are linked.
The early (analog) lever machines naturally understood this relationship.
You pulled on a spring (loaded at 9 bar).
As the lever went up the pressure slowly decreased from 9 bar.
During this time, the flow naturally would also decrease.
And this would compensate for the degradation of the puck over time.
The end result was a great cuppa.
Today, pumped machines keep the pressure at 9 bar even though the puck is degrading.
The result is a increase in flow rate towards the end of the shot with a much more diluted finish.
I think lever machines had it right from the beginning. When you pulled the lever down (in the case of a spring lever) the puck was saturated instantly
(at boiler pressure) reducing the chance of puck unseating, and then a pressure to flow relationship was maintained during the shot pull.
With my E61 machine I'm getting about 7g/sec flow.
It will continue to deliver water to the coffee puck at that rate until it hits 9 bar.
At that point, the OPV will kick in.
Usually the 9 bar level is reached pretty early .. usually at the end of pre-infusion.
The flow rate is probably not 7g/sec. Instead, it will be whatever it needs to be to stay at 9 bar.
Flow is very hard to control.
Resistance is related to the type of grinder, the grind size, roast level, puck integrity, grind solubility, tamp force, distribution, etc
I think that above 10bar, coffee doesn't taste great, so if your focus is on flow
and you accidently touch 10 bar, you risk the coffee failing.
The adaptive setting is very interesting.
Its designed to prioritize the flow rate .... moving it up or down
& adapt it to the chosen grind and dose size..... keeping everything below the peak pressure.
Note that preinfusion is mostly about flow (as there is usually very low pressure).
When discussing flow we usually are focused on the post infusion stage.
Tuesday, 2 July 2024
Blooming espresso profile
This profile has a very long initial pre infusion stage before a flow controlled pressured stage.
Blooming was inspired by pour over drip coffee brewers... releasing CO2 and allowing the grounds to be fully saturated.
It's a great profile for extracting sweetness, esp from lighter roast coffee that is really acidic.
It's a very forgiving profile.
Don't use a dark roast with this profile unless you like your coffee bitter.
You can replicate this on a lever machine.... or any machine that allows you to control pressure.
Firstly, make sure you grind slightly finer than usual.
Method:
1. Ramp the pressure up
to 4 to 6 bar over 10
secs.
Once you hit about 5
bar stop pushing on
your lever (if you're
using a lever machine).
2. You should have let go
of the lever.
This is the blooming
stage where the flow
drops to zero.
The pressure will also drop to zero as water is absorbed into the puck.
If you're using a lever you may see some drops of coffee falling into the cup.
This is OK.
This blooming stage will all take about 10-40 secs.
3. After the blooming stage is finished, ramp the pressure up (8-9 bar).
Try to maintain flow at 2ml/sec.
I like to aim for a 1: 3 ratio.
Or go even longer.
Pull 1:4 or even 1:5
The Slayer shot profile.
This is another famous espresso style which many baristas try to emulate on their coffee machines.
It was made famous by the "slayer machine"
The Slayer is one of those holy grail machines.
This pic is of a single group version with a saturated group head.
What truly sets Slayer coffee machines apart from the rest is its patented Espresso two stage Needle Valve.
This was created to control the flow rate,.
This technology gives you the ability to adjust the water flow during the pre-infusion stage.
A slayer shot puts water slowly onto the puck (2mls/sec) for typically 25 - 40 secs.
(Its very different to a Londinium shot).
You can do this with any machine which allows you to control flow & pressure.
It uses very low initial pressure & flow during pre-infusion.
At the end of this time, the puck is fully saturated and the pressure will rise.
You only end the pre-infusion when you see the first drops of coffee at the bottom.
The nice thing about this is that it addresses solubility, esp for coffees like light roasts (where you need more contact time). The puck releases CO2 & gently expands in the basket. ... less chance of channeling.
Because prefusion takes so long, there will be a difference in water/coffee contact between the coffee at the top and the coffee at the bottom of the puck.
The coffee at the top might have ben in contact for 40 secs, while the coffee at the bottom only 1 sec.
This gradient between the top and bottom results on an uneven pre-infusion.
(The top might be over extracted, while the bottom is under extracted.)
This pre-infusion is followed with a full pressure extraction.
In summary:
2-bar pre-infusion (for 20-40 seconds) and then move to full pressure extraction for another 12-13 seconds
New Deluge Community Firmware 1.1 Features! Mutable Reverb, Performance ...
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Monday, 1 July 2024
Gaggiuino - boiler & pump removal & first tests - part 6
These are my personal build notes for building the Gaggiuino espresso machine.
I'm not a part of the Gaggiuino team.
The project is not for profit.
This is really fun if you're interested in learning how microcontrollers such as the Arduino
can be applied to solving a daily problem of mine ..... how to consistently make a great cup of coffee.
The Gaggiuino team have come up with a solution for modifying a relatively inexpensive coffee machine into something amazing.
This particular modification uses a STM32F411CEU6 (BlackPill) microcontroller.
Part 1,2,3,4 & 5 are here:
Part 1 Gaggiuino Build Log with Workflow intro
Part 2 Gaggiuino V3 - Build Log Notes - switches, PCB
Part 4 Gaggiuino - boot first time
Part 5 Gaggiuino - wiring
The build might change as I work through the various issues which will obviously happen.
I'll update as I go along.
Gaggiuino Project Page
Discord;
facebook:
I've decided to do a custom rewiring.
So I think I'll need to remove the boiler.
Removal of the boiler & pump will make things easier
to get to the connectors.
You can also remove the 20 min timer PCB while you're at it.
The single boiler has two heating elements.
They are connected to 1,2,3,4.
5 & 6 are connected to the steam thermostat.
Pop out the switches . label them of course.
Power, Brew, steam
I'll need to remove the switch housings later.
I'll also need to remove the thermal fuse (thermafuse) from the top of the boiler.
The fuse cuts power off to the machine.
Dm1040
Next remove the steam wand.
The screw in the container belongs to the therma fuse bracket. It holds the fuse against the boiler.
The boiler is just held in place with 4 Allen head screws
You need to cut the orange hose and inset the T-junction
Remove the pump first to make this easier (see below)
In the end, I removed everything,.... even the boiler and pump.
It really wasn't so hard.
------------
The pump
To remove the pump
I first removed the power socket.
The pump wiring circuit.
This is the longest (and most confusing) section of cabling.
I left the original Gaggia cable that was attached to the pump (at the pump fuse), and extended one end
to AC on the PCB & the other to the neutral Power Socket. This cable already had the LAMPS attached. I had to extend it further and add extra cabling for the boiler & SSRs.
There is a Allen screw you need to loosen
which sits right under the socket terminals.
If you have a long necked Allen screwdriver it
will be a breeze.
The other screw has a Phillips head.
You don't have to remove the other Allen screw to remove the pump.
BTW, this also removes the 20min timer circuit which is housed in the black box next to the pump.
The Gaggiuino doesn't use this board.
You can now easily access the pump connections.
The old fuse
...
.....
The white hose hanging over the edge of the Gaggia in the pic below, is connected to that "T-junction" inside the machine. It's other end connects to the pressure transducer which "talks" to the Blackpill microcontroller, relaying info about the pump pressure.
In the end, I did a full custom wire installation. This wasn't my intention in the beginning.
I ended up using most of the cables that came with the Gaggia and just a few that came with my Peak kit.
I've never done anything like this before, but its pretty straightforward if you study the circuit diagram carefully. Always double check the connections.
Nothing has blown up so far :-)
The Gaggiuino is now stabilising boiler temp. Aim is 93 degrees C
This shot is using the default setting
I'm really impressed.
Tastes great. !!!!!!
15g in, 34.9g out, in 33 secs
The weight out is estimated.
I haven't attached scales yet.
Steam test
Wow ... this is a huge improvement on the original Gaggia Classic.
I've ordered some printed parts .
(official supplier)
Can't wait till they arrive so I can install the screen and PCB properly.
What a satisfying build. I can't recommend this enough.
+ Gaggia Classic Evo Pro - Modding with arduino - Gaggiuino
Part 1 Gaggiuino Build Log with Workflow intro
Part 2 Gaggiuino V3 - Build Log Notes - switches, PCB
Part 4 Gaggiuino - boot first time
Part 5 Gaggiuino - wiring
Part 6 Gaggiuino boiler & pump removal & first tests
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