Encephalo Adjuster - NLC - Build notes - part 2

This is part 2 of the Encephalo Adjuster  build.

This is a 24 stage phase shifter. 

 

The most common commercial phase shifters (such as the MXR Phase 90, Univibe and Small Stone) have four stages.

The MXR Phase 45 is a 2-stage phaser

The MXR phase 100 has 6 stages.

The Mu-Tron Bi-Phase consists of two 6-stage phasers which can be cascaded into one

another for 12-stages of phase shift.  

Note that the MXR Phase 45/90/100 all use FETs, and the Small Stone uses

operational transconductance amplifiers.

 

The Encephalo Adjuster uses LDRs (light dependant resistors) to work its magic.

The Mutron Bi-phase also uses LDRs.

Nonlinear Circuits also has a few phasers you may like to try out:

+  Phase/Flange 329

+  Shat-Noir Phaser

+ The suppository of All Wisdom

Phasers work by creating notch filters & then modulating the centre frequency of these filters.

Links

+ Wiki

+ BOM

part 1 is here:

Encephalo Adjuster - NLC - Build notes - part 1

 

Soldering the headers.

These join up the 3 PCBs.

There are electrical connections via these headers between the PCBs so be careful not to short things .

 

I started off joining the bottom & middle PCB.

The bottom one has the jacks / pots etc.

 

The headers make a lightproof box.

 

 

So this actually is one big vactrol consisting of 24 LDRs and 3 LEDs

Then solder the headers that connect the middle PCB with the top PCB

 The top PCB has the blue white trimmer resistor.

 

--------------------------------------------

Time for the "vactrol"

Andrew writes:

"The 24 220k resistors can be left off if using GL5506 or GL5516

LDRs. The trimpot can be used to preset the phase shift. I suggest

leaving them off no matter what LDRs you use and then just use the

trimpot to get a good operating range from the Phase pot. If you

cannot get a good range, then add the 220k."

+ Vactrols - Optocoupliers

I only just read this  and already added these resistors.

I'll see how the module performs with them on and remove if I want to change things.

 

Im using GL 5516s

No Silicon Heaven?

LEDs

+ LEDs 

..using yellow

 

6 100K pots .. linear taper

+ Potentiometers - Basic info for DIY

Plug the 3 boards together

Finally done.

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You can find more NLC builds here.

http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/non-linear-circuits-ncl-index.html

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Encephalo Adjuster - NLC - Build notes - part 1

The suppository of All Wisdom - NLC - Build notes

These are my build notes for the "The suppository of All Wisdom" module

TSOAW is a Eurorack module from Nonlinear Circuits in Western Australia.

The name of the module comes from the words of one of Australia's ex PMs, Tony Abbott.

https://youtu.be/oep_DPDy6xw

Andrew's module is supposed to be a (phaser) phase shifter, but in his own words "is so badly designed that it spits, sh!ts and burps all over the place. It can even do it without even using any CV signal."

 

So it sounds like it would be good for randomly 

phase-shifting an input.

 

This module combines circuits from two of Andrew's fav shifters.

the Steiner Phaser and the  Lovetone Doppelganger.

The Steiner phaser uses diode strings as variable resistors.

The Lovetone Doppelganger is a  4 stage LDR based phaser.

 

Andrew has replaced the Steiner diodes with LEDs which 

modulate LDRs as in the Lovetone.

You will need to build a light tight box using headers. 

The module is one big vactrol. 

Links

+Wiki

+BOM

Some pics of the virgin PCBs

This module doesn't look like it has any hard to find parts

The ICs are all TL047 op amps

You will need 4 LDRs

Some NLC words of wisdom :-)

I'm surprised Andrew reckons Tony was only the second worst PM

But I've got a pretty good idea who Andrew thinks was the worst :-)

To be continued...

Part 2 is here;

The suppository of All Wisdom - NLC - Build notes ...part 2

 

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You can find more NLC builds here.

http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/non-linear-circuits-ncl-index.html

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Shat-Noir Phaser - Build notes

These are some un-official build notes for the Non-linear Circuits Shat-noir Phaser
It's an eurorack module.

This module uses light dependent resistors (LDRs).
You can find other phasers using a similar idea: notably the Carlin, Compact Phasing A,
Morely Phaser and ADA final Phase.

You will need to build a light-proof box to house the LDRs and the central LED.


Links:
+ NLC Blog

Wiki

BOM

First components

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" GL5516 LDRs you may need to adjust the caps to suit. GL5516’s on resistance is approx. 5k at 10 LUx, if your LDR is higher, use a lower value cap, say 4n7. If your LDR goes lower try a higher value cap, say 15nF-22nF" (andrew F)

--- I'm using eight 10uF caps
May need to experiment with these.
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"The 100R is part of the LED driver circuit; it should be considered the minimum value resistor to use. Feel free to experiment depending

upon your LED,"

I'll use a 100R.

 The Quad amplifiers

waiting for some parts .....To be continued................

pART  2 is here
https://djjondent.blogspot.com/2020/03/nlc-shat-noir-build-part-2.html

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

NLC Phase/Flange 329 - Build Notes

These are my build notes for the Nonlinearcircuits eurorack version of the Aries 329 Phase Flange.
"Circuit is based on the Aries 329 phase/Flange, which is not the same as but shares some similarities with the Arp Quadra phaser and the Tau pipe Phaser. This version is nearly all smd and uses BCM847 matched transistors."


The old Aries brochure:

Some pics of the NLC panel & virgin PCBs

 Andrew supplied this board with the matched 847s already soldered onto the PCB.

Some NLC words of wisdom.

...

Eat your Makeup is a short film by filmmaker John Waters starring Divine, Mary Vivian Pearce, David Lochary, and Maelcum Soul. (1968)

First solder the ICs.

....

This row is of the 22nf caps. Don't use cheap ones.

Install the rest of the SMDs

It's time for the JFETs

JFETs can be either N or P channel.

The BOM specifies either a J108 or J 112. Both are N-channel.

The module needs two of these matched FETs.

G= gate, S= source, D= drain.

A voltage at the gate controls the channel resistance (between the S & D).

 Andrew reckons that you do not need to match them to 1μV. Just buy a batch of at least 10 or so and find the 2 closest to each other.  Maybe with in a few mV is okay. ??

I purchased a batch of J112s from Mouser and tested them using my Atlas DCA Pro.

Its a wonderful device which will make your job so much easier.

It's important to match the FETs as closely as possible. In my batch of 12 the results varied greatly.
I tested for VGSoff, Idss, VGSon in that order.

If you can get VGSoff very close and Idss in the ballpark, you should be ok.

You can see my full test results here:
http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2016/10/all-about-jfets-matching-for.html

There was a huge variation in results from just twelve J112s.

Maybe I'll get a batch of 20 to 30 next time to get closer matches

Today I'll go with 1 & 3

1. Vsg (off) = -2.97V
    Idss = 0.51v
    Vsg (on) = -2.04V

3. Vsg (off) = -2.98V
    Idss = 0.51v
    Vsg (on) = -2.05V

Main components are in.
Now its time for the jacks, switches & pots.

This is what the final module looks like:

Calibration is very important.
When I first turned the phaser on I was confronted with a loud continuous screech.
Adjustment of the trimpots eliminated this problem.

The main one is the 50K pot near the phase jack.
It also controls the amt of clipping at the outputs. A lot depends on the FETs chosen
Check out Andrew's NLC build notes for further info regarding calibration.


 Links:
1. Muffs
2. NLC Blog
3. NLC Build notes
4. NLC Blog 2
5. Retrosynth Ads blog
6. Original aries schematics for the phase-flanger
7. Muffs - NLC 2016 modules