18-channel DIY Stereo Analog Vocoder

LektroiD · Post by **LektroiD** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:05 pm

It appears the general consensus here is not to have the cavity/recess on the pots. Maybe this project could be offered also as PCB only, that way we can design and fabricate our own panels to suit.

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:05 pm

I assumed that the mono pots are from the same series. Even if they are not, The stereo pots need to line up with the other pots and the jacks.

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:19 pm

LektroiD wrote:It appears the general consensus here is not to have the cavity/recess on the pots. Maybe this project could be offered also as PCB only, that way we can design and fabricate our own panels to suit.

To allow a discounted pre-run I plan to stick to the following bundle: PCBs + panel (recessed pots) + custom socket.

There are a number of reasons that I prefer to do it that way and it sums up to simplicity and manageability. Things may change after the pre-run, but I'd be really happy if you decided to be part of the first 12 wigglers building this vocoder.

LektroiD · Post by **LektroiD** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 2:07 pm

glubsch wrote:
LektroiD wrote:It appears the general consensus here is not to have the cavity/recess on the pots. Maybe this project could be offered also as PCB only, that way we can design and fabricate our own panels to suit.
To allow a discounted pre-run I plan to stick to the following bundle: PCBs + panel (recessed pots) + custom socket.

There are a number of reasons that I prefer to do it that way and it sums up to simplicity and manageability. Things may change after the pre-run, but I'd be really happy if you decided to be part of the first 12 wigglers building this vocoder.

Count me in for one of the first 12, price dependent of course... Do you have a rough figure in mind? If you don't want to discuss prices at the moment, feel free to PM me...

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:29 pm

I've just updated the BOM to include the 3U 19" enclosure that fits with the PCBs for the 18 channel filters and the front panel.

dingebre · Post by **dingebre** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 3:57 pm

LektroiD wrote:It appears the general consensus here is not to have the cavity/recess on the pots. Maybe this project could be offered also as PCB only, that way we can design and fabricate our own panels to suit.

I think that any "consensus" is only asking to be broken

, I love the recessed pots.

David

paterursus · Post by **paterursus** » Sun Aug 19, 2018 6:39 pm

LektroiD wrote:It appears the general consensus here is not to have the cavity/recess on the pots. Maybe this project could be offered also as PCB only, that way we can design and fabricate our own panels to suit.

I think the consensus is mixed at best. There's been support on both sides, pretty evenly.

acgenerator · Post by **acgenerator** » Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:54 pm

glubsch wrote: To allow a discounted pre-run I plan to stick to the following bundle: PCBs + panel (recessed pots) + custom socket.

There are a number of reasons that I prefer to do it that way and it sums up to simplicity and manageability. Things may change after the pre-run, but I'd be really happy if you decided to be part of the first 12 wigglers building this vocoder.

I'm also interested but need a rough idea of the price of the bundle +whatever the BOm adds up to.

GryphonP3 · Post by **GryphonP3** » Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:56 am

I am completely in for pcb/panel/case even though I was supposed to stop building anything for myself to finish music

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:09 pm

acgenerator wrote:
glubsch wrote: To allow a discounted pre-run I plan to stick to the following bundle: PCBs + panel (recessed pots) + custom socket.

There are a number of reasons that I prefer to do it that way and it sums up to simplicity and manageability. Things may change after the pre-run, but I'd be really happy if you decided to be part of the first 12 wigglers building this vocoder.
I'm also interested but need a rough idea of the price of the bundle +whatever the BOm adds up to.

For the bundle price, please give me another couple of weeks while I am sorting out things. Regarding the BOM, have you had a chance to take a look at the spreadsheet? That should give you a good indicator.

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Tue Aug 21, 2018 3:15 pm

GryphonP3 wrote:I am completely in for pcb/panel/case even though I was supposed to stop building anything for myself to finish music

OK, I am not sure whether I should feel guilty because I am distracting you from your creativity but you probably have a couple more months to focus on your music because first I have to announce the conditions and the pricing, a dozen wigglers will have to sign up and do a prepayment, after which I will have to order the PCBs and the front panel, and then I'll have to ship everything out.

luchog · Post by **luchog** » Wed Aug 22, 2018 4:20 pm

This definitely sounds like a project I would be interested in. Love the sound of it. No strong opinion either way on the recessed pots.

Would love to be able to pick up one of the first 12 bundles, but not sure how much time I'll have to put it together, so I may need to wait until the production run.

skot_e · Post by **skot_e** » Thu Aug 23, 2018 5:43 am

This looks like many hours of build time...

A project and a half

spotta · Post by **spotta** » Sat Aug 25, 2018 2:32 pm

I need to register my interest for this, I’ve built the L-1 vocoder in the past but sold it when offered big money when my credit card needed sorting

Money is still tight as the kids keep growing but if I have some when the project is a go then it’s yours.

yan6 · Post by **yan6** » Sat Aug 25, 2018 2:53 pm

I'm in as well, although I had previously identified that via email.

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Mon Aug 27, 2018 2:29 pm

yan6
Love your techno beats and electronic music, particularly considering it's all analog. Just listened to your various techno music and JaMMy's Reset Rotation while working on the construction manual.

yan6 · Post by **yan6** » Mon Aug 27, 2018 7:40 pm

wow thanks man, I cant wait to add you piece of gear to my workflow

paterursus · Post by **paterursus** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 11:20 am

Hey glubsch, the resistors in the BOM appear to be around 3.5mm in length. Can you confirm that is what is needed? Is 1/8W ok where 1/4W is not specified? Thanks!

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Wed Sep 05, 2018 12:56 pm

paterursus wrote:Hey glubsch, the resistors in the BOM appear to be around 3.5mm in length. Can you confirm that is what is needed? Is 1/8W ok where 1/4W is not specified? Thanks!

Take a look at the PDF shown in the first post, page 2, the section about resistors: yes, the intent is to use ~3.1 mm resistors for ease of assembly (size 0204). You will likely find most of the E48 resistors for the 18 filter channel boards only in size 0207 (~6.3 mm). In the PDF it also says 125 mW (1/8 W) unless noted otherwise.

paterursus · Post by **paterursus** » Thu Sep 06, 2018 1:40 pm

That's how I had read the BOM - thanks for clearing it up. By the way, count me in for the first 12 run.

yan6 · Post by **yan6** » Fri Sep 07, 2018 2:00 pm

https://www.mouser.com/ProjectManager/P ... 60145dfc0f

I made this this afternoon, there are probably a few errors and I didn't find alternates to the backordered items. There were only a few and shouldn't be too challenging. Also note that the following items are not in the cart:

LM3916
MC33079
MIC29300-12WT
2k Tempco
Pots
IC Sockets
Jacks
Board connectors
Or any of the Misc. labeled items

Also note that you could cut costs a bit by removing items that could be found a Tayda. Such as common IC's, Caps and common values of the 1/4w resistors.

Hopefully this help someone out

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Sat Sep 08, 2018 2:33 am

yan6, thanks a lot for spending the time preparing this Mouser basket. This is really cool.

I've ordered 10 of the LM3916 from a sell in Hongkong on ebay and have yet to receive them. They were sent on August 17 but I have no tracking number, so I don't really know when they will arrive. If it turns out they work well, I will order enough for the discounted run.
MC33079: Mouser still has more than 2000 in stock (here). There are also about 600 available at Digikey (here). Farnell in Europe seems to have them on backorder with shown availability beginning of October. Rochester Electronics has more than 16k.
The MIC29300-12WT is available at Digikey here.
The pots are available from Smallbear in the U.S (mono version here, stereo version here). You can also get the mono pots from Erthenvar (here). In the EU you can get the mono pots from Thonk (here) and the stereo pots from banzaimusic (here).
The 2kΩ tempco is available at Thonk (here). I found one source in the US, ModularAddict (here).
In the US, the CL13845G jacks are available at Newark (here). If you don't need gold-plated contacts, you can buy the alternative CL1384.
Do you want to add the board connectors to the Mouser basket? They are readily available: 16-pin header, 4-pin header and the 16-pin wire-to-board connector.

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Sat Sep 08, 2018 10:49 am

UPDATE: I just went through yan6's Mouser project, compared it against the BOM, made a couple of minor updates and additions. This list now covers all IC's (except the LM3916), transistors, diodes, LEDs, all capacitors and resistors (except the tempcos) and the trimmers. Thanks again, yan6, for doing the groundwork.

Modulart_JP · Post by **Modulart_JP** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 3:36 am

T18 shaft pots that should do the job are available from Mouser.
100K lin single gang:
https://www.mouser.jp/ProductDetail/652 ... -2015KB104

100K log single gang:
https://www.mouser.jp/ProductDetail/652 ... -2015KA104

100K log dual gang:
https://www.mouser.jp/ProductDetail/652-PTD9021015KA104

And it seems they are cheaper.

I'm really interested in this project.
However, I think you should stick to provide only PCBs.
Such a panel made by Schaeffer will be very expensive and many people might prefer to go for a local manufacturer.
Also, the choice of an enclosure not being widely available is not the best, IMO.
Again, with people making their own panel, it is possible to source a suitable enclosure locally at a better price.
I can have a 3U rack enclosure from my local RS for about 35 EUR.
If I buy the panel from you and it is not compatible, I'll have to order the HIFI2000 rack from the few places where it is available for sale and it will end up costing around 100 EUR...ouch.

My 2 Yens...

glubsch · Post by **glubsch** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 11:33 am

Hi Modulart_JP, your input is worth more than 2¥. the pots you are suggesting seem to fit but do you know of knobs that fit as well and are not wider at the base than the Davies knobs (13 mm)? If there is a viable alternative, I will certainly look into it in more detail. In fact, if there were knobs small enough that covered the whole pot shaft and had a wall thin enough to cover the nuts, we'd have an alternative solution to the panel cavities/recesses.

When I started out this project, I looked for a solution that works for me and that's what I am promoting because I need to start out simple. Please stay tuned for more details.

MOD WIGGLER

MOD WIGGLER

18-channel DIY Stereo Analog Vocoder