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

Thursday, 14 September 2017

Null A - NLC Build notes.

Here are the build notes for the Nonlinearcircuit Null A module.
This is in Eurorack format.
It's a reasonably big build so probably not good for a newbie.
Though it has all the major modules one would want so if you feel game go for it.

 2 VCOs, 2 LFOs, 3 VCAs, 2 filters,  1 sequencer, 1 clock divider, 1 mixer, 1 S&H, 1delay, 1 headphone amp and a chaos generator.

Andrew's build notes are here:
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/NULL%20A%20build&%20BOM.pdf
His blog notes are here:
http://nonlinearcircuits.blogspot.com.au/2017/03/null-a2.html

There are lots and lots of SMDs and 2 PCBs.






I've seen the golden goat.
 These lyrics are from the band "The residents". From the album "Our Finest flowers"

I've seen the golden goat
He would like to lick my throat
I know he's mean and poor
And he waits at my door

He's too weak to do me harm
But he has a big long arm
It fills my dreamy head
Then I shake and wet my bed

Well, there's something I must tell you
I need something I will swear

The only perfect love
Is the one that isn't there
Yeah, the only perfect love
Is the one that isn't there

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More NLC wisdom.


Traditionally, in Aristotle's logical calculus view, there are only two possible values
(i.e., "true" and "false" or 0 & 1) for any proposition. 
This is also known as Boolean Logic and is the basis of modern computers.
But in multi-valued logic, there are more than two truth values.
For example, Łukasiewicz and Kleene accept the values "true", "false", and "unknown".
Fuzzy Logic is another example of a non-Aristotleian view of logic.
Here the truth values can be any real number between 0 and 1. It is employed to handle the concept of partial truth, where the truth value may range between completely true and completely false.

Not really sure what this one means.
DPT = Dipropyltryptamine ?
N,N-Dipropyltryptamine (DPT, also known as "The Light") is a psychedelic drug belonging to the tryptamine family, first reported in 1973.
Back to the build:
First components. The 074 op-amps

...

Using 4 x LM13700MX/NOPB
Mouser NO:  926-LM13700MX/NOPB


The module uses one PT2399. Its a guitar aUDIO processor/delay chip.
Mouser doesn't stock these. So found some on ebay.
Look for SOP 16 size.

There are three CMOS chips.
4024,4029, 4052.
Mouser numbers:
595-CD4024BE  
595-CD4029BM
595-CD4052BNSR

I'm using sizes SOIC-14/16, SOP-16
SOIC = Small Outline IC
SOP = Small Outline Package 

"A Small Outline Integrated Circuit (SOIC) is a surface-mounted integrated circuit (IC) package which occupies an area about 30 to 50 % less than an equivalent dual in-line package (DIP), with a typical thickness that is 70 % less. They are generally available in the same pin-outs as their counterpart DIP ICs. The convention for naming the package is SOIC or SO followed by the number of pins. For example, a 14-pin 4011 would be housed in an SOIC-14 or SO-14 package."
(Wikipedia)

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RL = resistor LED.
R176, R199, R217,261. These set the brightness of your LED. I'm using bipolar LEDs so picking 5k1 .... see how this goes..

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Q11,Q12 & Q29
I used a MMBFJ108 replacement.
Mouser no. 771-PMBFJ108-T/R


1K Tempcos.
Right side of main PCB  
 Centre of main PCB

 Left of main PCB


 Installing headers.

 Lots and lots of jacks n' pots


A NSL vactrol. cheap as chips. K = cathode = white dot on the vactrol.




Couldn't find a SMD 10M resistor. So a through hole had to do.



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Wednesday, 23 August 2017

Giant Bono - NLC build notes.

This Eurorack module is related to two earlier Nonlinearcircuit modules I've built.
The Vactrol PiLL and the DelayNoMore.
The Vactrol Pill used the famous phase locked loop IC - the CMOS 4046
The delay, uses the PT2399 chip.

Andrew describes it as such:
"Mostly, as the name implies, this module will make a lot of crappy noise and is only controllable in the sense of how crappy it sounds".

Awesome  If you love noise & distortion like I do, this should be a cool module.

Andrew's build notes are here:
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/giant%20B0N0%20build%20and%20BOM.pdf

The 4046 has a linear voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and two different phase comparators (PC1 & PC2). They have a common signal-input amplifier and a common comparator input.


"The mixoutput (of the Giant Bono) is comprised of the PLL VCO signal and the delay chip’s main output. VCO output is the raw PLL VCO.
The PC1 (phase comparator) is a 0-6V square wave, usually at audio rates.
PC2 is a lot more sporadic and is best used as a burst generator."

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I'm building version 6 of the PCB
I think these have the earlier errors mentioned in the build notes fixed.
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The virgin PCB & faceplate.

Hot Hot Hot....




I like to get the surface mount ICs on first. then the rest of the SMds


This is where the vactrol goes




K= cathode.
Marked with a white dot on the vactrol

Headers, caps, rest of the thru hole stuff.

 Jacks and knobs. All 100k B



Links
NLC Blog
NLC build notes

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Sunday, 20 August 2017

Divine CMOS - NLC - Build notes

Some build notes for the nonlinearcircuit divine CMOS.


I first encountered this circuit in 4U.  Its a great module.

Now I have the fortune to build this in Eurorack format and see how it works.
There are 2 CMOS chips. A CD4520 & a CD4070.
Both are surface mount.
The CD4520 is a CMOS Dual Binary Up-counter.
It consists of 2 identical 4 stage counters.


The CD4070 is a Quad 2-input Exclusive - OR gate (XOR)
You can also use in its place a 4011 (NAND), 4001(OR), 4071(0R) 4077(XNOR), 4081(AND).

The Divine CMOS is a divider & mixer. Can be used with both audio and CV/LFO inputs to either divide and mix up audio level harmonics or get interesting patterns to drive other modules.

Andrew's Build notes are here:
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/DivineCMOS%20Euro%20Build%20notes.pdf

 The virgin PCBs & faceplate.

I don't have all the components yet .. on back order.

The S1JL rectifier is still on back order so I'm using replacements.
Mouser Part No: 583-FM4005-T for the recitfier.
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.
The trannies are all 847s


I used a standard 3mm LED instead of a bipolar.





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Saturday, 19 August 2017

CMOS - useful chips for DIY Lunetta Synths

Over the past few years of building the odd Synth module I've come across the 4000 series of CMOS (Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor) chips time and again.
I am an analog addict but I must say that the digital 4000 series is very versatile.

In this post I'm mainly referring to the CMOS family CD4XXXX. They are typically four or five digits long but always start with a "4".

There are many equivalent chips in the TTL 74XX and 74HCXXX family but these are trickier to use as their power supply range is more restricted (2V to 6V). (Eg: the 74HC4066 was a replacement for the 4066 with slightly different electrical characteristics). In comparison The CMOS 4XXXX has a much wider range (+3 to +15V). Sometimes, the 4000-series has "borrowed" from the 7400 series - such as the CD40193 and CD40161 being pin-for-pin functional replacements for 74C193 and 74C161. 


It's hard to keep track of what each chip is capable of so I've decided to start a list.
I've added links to any NLC modules I've built that use CMOS logic.
(I've also added a few other CMOS chips that don't belong in the 4000 range, but are still useful)
I hope this list will help others in the DIY community as it grows over the coming years.
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A single CMOS input /output is refered to as a Logic Gate.
CMOS works with digital logic... it outputs zeros & ones & the output waveshape is always square.
(It doesn't matter what the waveshape that you put into it).
Logic gates are the basic building blocks of any logic circuit. By using combinations of these three basic gates, the AND gate, the NOT gate and OR gate, we can construct quite complex circuits.

AND Gate
(It's the complement of the OR gate)

An example is the CD4081. This chip has four AND gates.
A HIGH output (1) results only if all the inputs are HIGH (1).
If none or not all inputs are HIGH, a LOW output results.
In another sense, the function of AND effectively finds the minimum between two binary digits, just as the complementary OR function finds the max.

NOT Gate 
Also called the inverter. Examples are CD4069/CD4049).
Its inverts the output, or more specifically, the output is 180 degress out of phase with the input.

OR Gate 
(It's the complement of the AND gate)

 (eg CD4071) A HIGH output (1) results if one or both the inputs to the gate are HIGH (1). If neither input is high, a LOW output (0) results.
In another sense, the function of OR effectively finds the maximum between two binary digits, just as the complementary AND function finds the minimum.


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40106 - hex schmitt trigger inverters.(can also use a 74c14)
             This can make 6 square/pulse wave oscillators
             Ken stones Psycho LFO ,CGS03
             (Ken Stones CGS06 - Burst generator) 
             Hyve synth 
             Making simple oscillators & LFOs
40174 - (CD40174, 74LS174, HCF40174, HEF40174)
40175 - Hex/Quad D Flip-Flop (NLC Stoachaos)
40193 - Binary Up/Down Counter
4001 -  Quad two-input NOR gate (four NOR gates), (NLC Bools)
                                                                                   (NLC Divine Cmos), CellF Voice
                                                                                   LZX Castle 101 quad gate 
                                                                                  Doepfer A-140 ADSR
4006 -  shift register (Klee sequencer)
4007 - (CD4007, HCF4007, HEF4007, MC14007...) .- misc gates
4009 -  Hex inverter (six NOT gates),
4011 -  (CD4011, HEF4011, HCF4011, MC14011...)
            Quad two-input NAND gate (four NAND gates), (NLC Bools)
                                                                                     (NLC Divine Cmos)
                                                                                      LZX Castle 101 quad gate
                                                                                   ( Ken stones CGS01 - Suboscillator)
4013 -  Dual bistable Flip-Flop (MXR Delay pedal), (Ibanez FL-303 flanger pedal), (MXR Chorus Pedal)
            Divide & Conquer 
             Roland SH101  --They fed the main oscillator output to the CMOS 4013 to give the
             suboscillator  waveforms. square at -1 octave, square at -2 octaves, and a pulse at -2 octaves.
            Plumbutter - Ciat Lonbarde - Deerhorn?, Gong
           Ciat Lonbarde - Paper Circuit -Swoop 
           Ciat Lonbarde - Papercircuit - Esoterica 
            EDP Wasp 
4015 -  8 position shift register. (LZX Castle 110 shift register video module)
                                 (Ken Stones Gated Comparator)
                                 Plumbutter - Ciat Lonbarde - Man with the red Steam 
                                 Ciat Lonbarde -  Old Mr Grassi -Paper Circuit
                                 Lorre Mill U Tone
4016 -  (74HC4016, CD4016, HCF4016, HEF4016,TC4016... ) analog bilateral switch
4017 - decade counter (Squid axon),
                                  (1050 mix sequencer)
                                  Baby 10 sequencer.(The 4017 has 10 decoded outputs)
                                  ARSEq Sequencer/EG
                                  ( Ken stones CGS01 - Suboscillator)
                                  (Ken Stones CGS06 - Burst generator) 
                                   (Ken stones CGS07 - gate sequencer)
                                   + CD 4017 sequencer
  
4018 -  presettable divide by N Counter. The jam inputs can be used t0 preset the counter
            to a certain count and the reset input can be used to clear to count to zero.
4020 - 14-bit binary Ripple Counter
4022 - Divide-by-8 counter/divider
4024 -  shift register- Seven stage ripple carry binary counter (NLC Null A).
            NLC Divide & Conquer, , 
            ( Ken stones CGS01 - Suboscillator)
            (Ken Stones CGS08 - V8 Simulator)
            (Ken Stones CGS09 - Voltage controlled divider)
            Polyfusion octave divider
4027B -  J-K Type Flip-Flop
4028 - BCD-to-decimal Decoder NLC Stochaos  
4029 -  4 stage counter-binary/decade (NLC 4SEQ) 
                                                        (NLC 32:1) 
                                                           (Null A), 
                                                        Bindubba sequencer 
4030 - Quad two-input XOR gate (four XOR gates), (NLC Bools), (NLC Divine Cmos)
74HC4040 - 12-bit binary Ripple Counter
4034 - 8-Stage tri-state bidirectional parallel/serial input/output bus register.    (Klee sequencer)
4040 -  divider/ripple counter/Binary counter.
             There is an internal chain of divide by 2 circuits. The first output will have half
             the frequency of the clock, the next output will have half the frequency of that, etc etc
             Vidiffektor
4042 -  Quad D-Latch
4046 -  (CD4046, 74HC4046, MC14046, HCF4046...)
            PLL (Phase Locked Loop), built in VCO,  (NLC Vactrol Pill),
                                                                             RingPull
                                                                             Giant Bono 
                                                                            Wagernumb
                                                                            (Ken stones CGS07 - gate sequencer)
                                                                            EDP Wasp 
                                                                            Lorre Mill U Tone
4049 - INVERTER - also sometimes called a NOT gate or hex invertering buffer (it has 6 gates)                  Can be used in linear amplifiers.
4050 - Buffer (mostly used for interfacing to TLL logic).
4051 -  (CD4051, 74HC4051, HCF4051...)
            Eight channel multiplexer
            Fairlight CMI IIx - Switched resistor filter
            Ciat-Lonbarde - Tetrazzi 
            Ciat Lonbarde - Paper Circuit -Terazzi organus
4052 -  (HEF4052, CD4052, 74HC4052, MC14052, MC4052...)
            Dual 4 channel multiplexer, (NLC 4SEQ) 
                                                       (Null A)
                                                      Bindubba sequencer
                                                      Vectrex Video Game 
                                                     Ciat Lonbarde - Master Brando - Paper Circuit
4053 -  (HEF4053, CD4053, MC14053, 74HC4053...
74HC4060 - 14-bit binary Ripple Counter
4060 -  14-bit binary Ripple Counter. Has a built in oscillator
4066 -  (HCF4066, CD4066, 74HC4066...) quad bilateral analog switch.
            CellF Voice 
            Ciat Lonbarde - Ultrasound
4067 -  Single 16-Channel Multiplexer/Demultiplexer
             Ciat Lonbarde Gerassic Organ
4068 - 8-input NAND/AND gate.
4069 -  (CD4069, HEF4069, TC4069, HCF4069...)... WASP filter
             INVERTER - also sometimes called a NOT gate or hex invertering buffer (it has 6 gates)                     Can be used in linear amplifiers.(get the 4069UB - unbalanced)
4070 - XOR gate (four Exclusive OR gates) (NLC Bools)
                           (NLC Divine CMOS)
                           Divide & Conquer  
                           (LZX 101 quad gate) video synth 
           One of the inputs decides if the gate is inverting or non-inverting by tieing
           the input to either +V (non-inverting) or ground (inverting). I

4071 - Quad two-input OR gate (four OR gates) (NLC Bools)
                                                                       (1050 mix sequencer)
            With either or both inputs high, the output will be high.
            With both inputs low, the output will be low.
            Input A or Input B needs to be high for the output to be high...thus the "OR gate".
4077 - Quad two-input XNOR gate (four XNOR gates), (NLC Bools)
                                                                                        (NLC Divine Cmos)
                                                                                    Ciat_Lonbarde-Madame Brasser Paper Circuit 
4081 -  Quad two-input AND gate (four AND gates) - (NLC Divine Cmos, Bindubba sequencer)
                                                                                 (NLC Bools)
                                                                                (1050 mix sequencer)
                                                                                 (Ken stones CGS07 - gate sequencer)
                                       Ciat Lonbarde -Paper Circuit - Multioscillator Superposition control system
           So this chip has four AND gates & each gate has two inputs.
           With either or both inputs low, the output will be low;
            with both inputs high, the output will be high. 
            Both input A and input B needs to be high for the output to be high, 
            hence the name "AND gate"
4089 -  binary rate multiplier- it's a divider where the input pattern determines
             the number of pulses that appear on the output.
4093 -  quad schmitt trigger/ NAND gates (can make 4 square wave oscillators.)
4094 -  8 stage serial shift register (8bitcipher)
4096 -  shift register

4514 - Four Bit Latch / 4-16 Line Decoder
4520 - Dual Binary up counter (NLC Divine Cmos)

Double Gate CMOS  (DG)
 Traditional CMOS technology is approaching physicial limitations was we approach the nanoscale regime.
One such solution is the double gate transistor, proposed in the 1980s.
"Multigate transistors are one of the several strategies being developed by CMOS semiconductor manufacturers to create ever-smaller microprocessors and memory cells, colloquially referred to as extending Moore's law.

Other possible solutions include SOI devices, Strained-silicon FETs and carbon nanotube FETs
DG 202 - quad SPST CMOS analog switches (NLC Dual LPG) .., (NLC Dual LFO/VCO)
DG 212 - quad SPST CMOS analog switches (NLC Dual LPG)
DG 406 -  multiplexer (NLC 32:1) 
DG 408 - 1 to 8 multiplixer designed to connect one of eight inputs to a common 
                output as determined  by a 3-bit binary address (A0, A1, A2).
                (NLC Statues)
DG 412  - analog switch (plague of Demons)
                                               (router) 
DG 508 - 8-channel single-ended analogmultiplexer designed to connect
                one of eight inputs to acommon output as determined by a 3-bit binary address(A0, A1, A2).
                (NLC Statues)

In vintage synths the most popular of the 4000-series chips appear to be 
the analog bilateral switches (4016, 4066), the analog multiplexer/demultiplexers
4051, 4052,4053, 4067) and the 4046 phase-locked loop (PLL).  These allow the
routing of analog control signals. 
The 4046 PLL was used in such machines as the OSCar.

The CMOS synth was also made famous by Stanley Lunetta of Sacramento who passed away on March 3, 2016.
His Lunetta Synth inspired the DIY synthesizer community. He used mainly 4000 series CMOS chips.
Experimentation really is the whole point.  Learning what the different types of logic chips do, and making use of them in interesting ways.

Lots of these chips are logic gates:

Precautions
When DIYing with CMOS logic chips be careful of damage caused by static electricity. Ground yourself or use a static mat.Store them in conductive foam or foamed plactic wrapped in aluminium foil. 

You must connect any unused chip inputs to either VDD/VCC (V+) or VSS (ground). All inputs must go somewhere, either directly or with resistor.
Inputs that goes off board should have a load resistor connected (1M resistor to ground).
This brings us to what are referred to as Pull-up Resistors and Pull-down Resistors.

Inputs must not exceed VDD and never apply a input signal to an unpowered CMOS circuit.

Pullup & Pulldown resistors  

These are used a lot in CMOS circuits.
They define the default state of the input (whether or not the switch is open, closed or there is nothing connected to it). 
For example, any spare gates can be tied together or connected to a fixed voltage, using a high value resistor (10k -100K) to either the Vcc voltage, (pull-up) or via a low value resistor to 0V (GND), known as pull-down. Unused inputs should never be left floating about.


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Analog Multiplexer/Switches

406 - (DG 406) multiplexer (NLC 32:1)
412 - (DG 412) - analog switch (plague of Demons)
                                               (router) 
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Building a Lunetta Synth.

The modules you will need to build are Oscillators, filters, drums, sequencers, frequency dividers, clock dividers,amplifiers etc

Oscillators 
40106 - 6 square wave oscillators
             Making simple oscillators & LFOs
4093 - 4 square wave osc
4060 - It's a counter/divider & Oscillator. eg: The Olegtron
4046 - PLL
4069 - Rene Schmitz's exponential CMOS VCO

Noise
Run a few audio rate oscillators into the inputs of a logic gate (AND/OR/XOR)

Pitch Pattern Makers
4018 - modulo-n counter
http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-23896.html 
4046/4017 - frequency synthesizer
4051/4017 - Slacker Melody generator

Sequencers
4017 - baby 10
4051/4017 - Slacker melody generator
4052 /4029

Dividers
4040 - my fav !
4017*
4024*
4018
4089
4060 ?
4516
4520

Filters
4069 WASP filter (CGS 749). The CD4069UB CMOS inverter, is used as opamp.
4007 - The MOSFET transistors of a 4007 are used as variable resistors.

Amplifiers (most of these are not CMOS but you might need them)
4096UB
4070 - quad XOR
LM386
741- (Weird Sound Generator)
LM324 - four op amps in one IC
TL072, TL074, TL08x, etc

Drum Modules
4096UB

Voltage Regulator
7805  -  5V regulator

Shift Registers
4006
4015
4024

Mixers 
Use Op-amps (ok not CMOS)
4069

Switches
4066 -  four logic controlled single-pole, single-throw switches in one intergated circuit. Nice !!
4067b - eg the Ciat Lonbarde Gerassic Organ.
              It's a 16 channel multiplexer.


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Useful links:
+ Msmodular
+ Introduction to Lunetta
+ NLC
+ Fun with Sea Moss
+ Strangeness & Calm
+ Wikipedia CMOS
+ List of 4000 series ICs
+ List of 7400 series ICs
+ TTL - transistor-transistor logic
+ Electromusic - circuits inspired by Stanley Lunetta
+ HackaDay - Logic Noise
+ James Schidlowsky - Handmade electronics
+ Nicolas Collins 

To be continued


Thursday, 17 August 2017

NLC - RingPull - Rimples - Ringmods - build notes.

These are my build notes for the Nonlinearcircuits RingPull Eurorack module.
Actually, the final name isnt set in stone yet.
Rimples ?? Ringmods, ??? Ring Pull ??
 The PCB above is I understand an earlier version called Rimples.

The version I'm building today is a prototype - version 5 of the module.
There might be future changes.

Andrew F describes it as a ring modulator with a phase locked loop to do the modulating!
The PLL can be set to lock tightly, loosely or not at all with the incoming signal.

Some pics of the virgin PCB & faceplate.:

At the time of writing, there are no official build notes or schematics.
The CD 4046 is a CMOS phase locked loop (PLL) IC.
Its the oscillator that provides the modulation for the ring mod

The resistor is 1M.
And I'm using LL4148 signal diodes.
The mouser no for the CD4046 is 595-CD4046BNSRE4
Its a phase locked loop PLL

just the LED, sockets & pots to install



The PCB indicated using a 10K resistor for the LED resistor. I ended up using a 510R .
Adjust for your own requirements.
Links;
+ NLC Blog - things to come 2016, Rimples
+ Muffs - 2016
+ PLL - VCO basics- youtube
+ CMOS stuff
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