Showing posts with label Eurorack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eurorack. Show all posts

Wednesday, 16 August 2017

Wagernumb - NLC - Build notes

These are my build notes for the Wagernumb.
It's a Nonlinearcircuits module in Eurorack format.
Looks to be quite versatile. Andrew's build notes describe it as 3 or 4 modules in one:
+ Frequency Tracker
+ Frequency / Clock divider - down to 1/4096
+ VCO
+ Random or Burst generator.

Basically it's a 1-16 decoder with sync and async modes. Just feed it 4 signals and get all sorts of complex gate patterns from it. Runs at audio rates too so can be used as a sub-octave generator.  

I also like using it to trigger my ARP 2500's envelope generator.
Like the Numberwang, it outputs lots of complex gate patterns. The gates are around the 7V level.
My ARP 2600 also happens to trigger at this level... though 10V is recommended.
To get 10V gates, use a TTSH gate booster. 



Links
 +The NLC build notes are here:
   http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/wangernumb_build&BOM.pdf 
+ NLC blog

I'm guessing that the name for this module comes from the fictional television series in which the two contestants call out seemingly random numbers which are occasionally told to be Numberwang.

..

At the moment, this panel is a mystery to me.
It's not base-2, decimal or any other number system I can decipher.

The virgin PCB.

Some NLC words of wisdom:  Frilve hundred and neeb .
509???


Get those ICs and trannies on first. then the rest of those passive SMDs
I don't have a CD4046... on back order. It's a  PLL or phase locked loop CMOS chip.
I ordered the wrong size chip -- a TSSOP-16 . This is way too small.

Get one in the SOP-16 format

I'm using a Silonex NSL-32 vactrol. They are cheap as chips. The white dot marks the cathode of the LED part of the vactrol. Andrew has labeled this as "K" on the PCB.

The 4046 arrived.
Mouser: 595-CD4046BNSRE4


Pots - two B100K

There are 17 jacks.

Positioning the LEDs


Using the module:


There are 4 inputs on the left of the module.
The group of 12 outputs produce gates.
The VCO output is for audio & CVs

As a CV Tracker / CV divider:
Use the Track input at the very top.
The phase lock loop acts as a frequency tracker. The VCO Range CV input and filter pot will determine how well it will track. You also get 12 divisions of the tracking signal, right down to divide by 4096. 








Clock Divider
If you use the Divide input, you have a 12 stage clock divider, down to 1/4096. In this case,you can use the PLL tracker section as a separate and independent VCO module and get it to generate squelchy, glitchy noises or as a tracker again.
There are 12 gate outputs. This is where the divided clock exits.
1=        /2
8-4 =   /4 
21.3 = /8
.01 =  /16
41 =   /32
93 =   /64
12 =   /128
70 =   /256
26 =   /512
2   =   /1024
-3 =   /2048
+-6 = /4096

 
Random CV or Burst generator.
If you use the Roulette input, it will generate semi-random selections of outputs when the input signal is high....or, depending upon how you drive it and look at the results, it is a burst generator and you can control the frequency of the bursts with the VCO CV input.
 
VCO
Use the VCO output at the top of the module.
Running it at audio rates turns it into a sub-octave generator.
You won't hear anything from the VCO out until some CVs or audio is inputted into the 
track or roulette inputs. The gate outputs will also fire.
You can control the frequency of the VCO with the VCO range CV input
 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the NLC Build Index:
http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/non-linear-circuits-ncl-index.html  

 

Tuesday, 15 August 2017

Feague - NLC - Build notes

These are my build notes for the Nonlinearcircuits Feague module.

Feague is defined as:
"To decorate or improve in appearance through artificial means.. To increase the liveliness of a horse by inserting an irritant, such as a piece of peeled raw ginger or a live eel...."
 
This module is a 4 pole filter and Quadrature oscillator in Eurorack format.
It has 4 outputs, each 90°phase shifted, two CV inputs, a signal input, sync input and a hi/lo range switch.

It looks very similar to a module Andrew built into his Serge format Drum Panel.
Andrew described this as:
Quadrature Oscillator (QUO) / Low Pass Filter (LPF) with chaotic feedback.
It can be switched to perform as a very low freq QUO, quadrature VCO, LPF with Q and a pot
allows non-linear resonant feedback to obtain richer and irregular harmonics.

Below is a panel and bare PCB for the Eurorack version.
Andrew's build notes are here:
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/FEAGUEbuild&BOM.pdf

A Quadrature oscillator is a phase shift oscillator.
 It uses an op amp integrator to obtain a full 90° phase shift.

 Here is a simplified circuit to demonstrate the principle.

 In this video Andrew is demonstrating two Feagues. The one on the left is used as a VCF and the right as a oscillator (QUO). QUO mode is obtained by cranking the Q pot up to 9-10

Back to the build. The virgin PCB:

Get those ICs on first.
We have three TL074 (Op-amp), two LM3700 (op-amp) and a DG411
The DG411 is a multiplexer
Trannies on next:

Some NLC words of wisdom:
Monday Morning Gunk.


The BOM requires:
a S1JL rectifier
Mouser No: 821-S1JL.
There is a long waiting list for this.
A replacement is  Mouser Part No: 583-FM4005-T.
The rectifier is polarized. The cathode end is marked with a band. 


This replacement is slightly too big for the PCB. so i had to solder it on its side.


Rest of the Thruhole and passives.



Resistor RL - for LEDs. I'm using 470R.
Resistors marked with a "C" = 100K
 Don't forget the Tempco  resistor. The LEDs colour isn't imporant.

 Headers next. Install the heareds before you install pots and jacks



Time for the Jacks & pots

Time for the last 4 LEDS.


You can use this module as either a VCF or Quad Oscillator.

"To use as a VCF keep the Q pot at zero.
Patch in an audio signal and adjust the Coarse freq pot and Q pot to use as a filter.
Keep the switch on Hi, add CV as you like. Once sounding good, try tweaking the nonlin Q pot and see what you get. "

To use as a Quadrature Oscillator
"Keep the nonlin Q pot at zero then turn up the Q pot until the module starts to self-oscillate
(around 8-9).
Adjust the frequency with the freq pots.
When the switch is Hi the range is at audio rates, set the switch to Low for LFO rates.
When using the module as an oscillator, the nonlin Q pot can be used to adjust the amplitude of the output signals.
Don’t forget to play with the sync input; it is more like a freeze function."



Links:
+ NLC Build notes
+ NLC Blog
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can find more NLC builds here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Tuesday, 1 August 2017

8 Bit Cipher - NLC - Build notes.

These are my build notes for the NLC cipher Eurorack module.
It is based on the Buchla SOU - source of uncertainity --- the best place for random
CVs and gates.

The 8-bit can produce 4 CVs and 8 gates.
It requires 2 inputs:
1. Clock
2. a signal on at least 1 data input.

Any signal crossing 1V can be used as a clock or data signal.
Leave the clock signal steady and vary the frequency of the signal to the data input.
Also try different wave-shapes such as square, sawtooth or triangle


sOME NLC words of wisdom:

ICs first.
Now for the through hole stuff:
Headers to join the 2 PCBs.
Install the Jacks & LEDs


Links:
- NLC build notes
- NLC blog 
- NLC panel - CMOS (Serge format) 
- jondent blog - The cipher section of the serge/CMOS panel 

..

Works well with Buchla.
.

The upper 9 jacks are trigger outs.
000 to 111 are binary for 0 to 7.
Super serial = ??? Its another trigger out.
CV1 to CV4 are outputs.
The CV outputs are all related to each other but are all different; part of CV1 is fed to CV2, part of CV2 is fed to CV3 etc.
 
The lower row are all inputs.

"The strobe input makes it a bit like an 8 bit sample and hold.
If nothing is inserted into the strobe jack the module carries on as normal. When a signal is introduced to strobe, the data obtained from the data jack is only loaded onto the outputs when the signal is high. "
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can find more NLC builds here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, 30 July 2017

Router - NLC build notes

Some build notes for the Nonlinearcircuits router.
I'm hoping this will function something like the Serge bi-directional router, but with 4 outs rather than two.
A router can also be found in the NLC Chopper.

The new NLC Router is a voltage controlled switch that can deliver 1 into 4, 4 into 4 and 4 into 1 at the same time, 2x 2 into 2 and, with a simple mod to the PCB, 2x 1 into 2 



This looks like a easy build.
ICs on first.
The module uses a DG412 which is a CMOS analog switch.

Control inputs are pins 1,8,9,16 (in)
D1–D4 : Analog Switch Drain Terminal
 S1–S4 : Analog Switch Source Terminal

Passives, resistors, diodes, caps
The thru hole stuff.


Jacks & pots.
Nice.

Input 1 is internally connected to the switches on jacks 2, 3 & 4.
CV 1&2 is internally connected to the switch on the CV 3&4 jack.
The signals to the OUT ALL jack are summed together

The Router pots can be used as switches, 0 is off and 10 is on. At these settings the switches will ignore incoming CV or gate signals. For the switching to be controlled by CV or gates, set the pots to an appropriate turn-on point.

 Links:
- NLC build notes.
- NLC blog
- Facebook
- Muffs2016

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You can find more NLC builds here.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------