Sunday, August 26, 2012

(Variable) Noise Generator complete!

This morning I completed my second noise module.  The one I did previously had a switch to go between white and pink nose, this one uses a pot as a cross-fader between the two. The PCB and all components are the same, it is just a matter of connecting a pot to one header, or a switch to another.


It has been a while since I used my other noise module, so I can't do an A/B comparison quite yet.  But, yes, it does sound noisy. ;-)  I also just used one transistor, and didn't try a few and choose my favorite.  (I thought about it, but oh well!)  The sound is interesting with the cross-fader.  Turning it to the right is a bit like lowering the frequency on an LPF (with white noise input), but not quite.  It gives some interesting flavors of noise at middle settings.

My Input Amplifier and Tuner/Monitor are so close to being finished, but I'm cursed with missing about $0.80 worth of panel parts.  I also have boards to build some more of other modules, but those are competing with my 3-panel Best Of CGS build... most likely I'll jump back and forth.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Voltage Processor/Mixer complete!

Wow, has it seriously been 4 months since I last updated this blog?!  Things have been a bit of a roller-coaster here, but I'm finally getting back into this project.

Today I finished assembling the Voltage Processor/Mixer module.



It is a fairly straight-forward build, though with a number of jacks.  (Nothing nearly as complex as the Selective Inverter, however!)  I tested it and everything works great - the attenuated inputs amplify as well, which is a nice plus!  As with the S.I., the offset voltage is bipolar and doesn't center at zero (due to the +12V/-10V supply), so just bear that in mind with testing so that you don't confuse yourself like I initially did with the S.I.  (There's a reason why the switch is there!)  It should be interesting to play around with this one, with the various inversions and summings.

In the meantime, I'm finishing up a few other modules (Noise module with white/pink pot, Input Amplifier, and Tuner/Monitor - just waiting on a few parts), and should have PCBs in soon for some more VCOs, VCAs and VCFs.  In addition, I'm also getting everything together to (finally!) get everything together in a cabinet... the small rack I have has just been more of a pain than anything, and I really never got much set up in it!