My build progress

I am however utilising some scrap PCBs for housings for a quiz buzzer project and trophy .

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Along with the Daisy module, I have some power experimenting to do.

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I just finished Clock-Multiply-O-Matic, a clock multiplier based on a design published on www.bummbummgarage.com

The original design used an output opamp which I replaced by one transistor to simplify the circuit

This module produces trigger pulses between clock pulses you supply to it. Via the ā€˜distributionā€™ dial you can determine whether they will rapidly fire shortly after a clock clock pulse, in the middel between two clock pulses, or just near the following clock pulse. The ā€˜quantityā€™ dial allows you to choose the number of extra pulses. This can also be controlled via CV.

I made a video demonstrating the thing here:

You can find all code, gerbers etc on my github.

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Hi everyone!
Just thought Iā€™d share what I just finished: my very first diy (or actually any) eurorack module. Itā€™s based on the LMNC ā€œAttack Release 2.0ā€ strip board module. Just added a second output. I havenā€™t finished building the power supply yet, so Iā€™m not able to test it yet. Hope it works :sweat_smile: At least I canā€™t identify any shorts.

Itā€™s been a steep learning curve, figuring out the different types of components, and even soldering so tiny pieces. I thought Iā€™d save on doing modules myself, but Iā€™m not sure about that anymore :grimacing: itā€™s fun though!

Thanks a lot for your contributions everyone, and especially Sam :+1:

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Impatiently waiting for my jack sockets coming from thonkā€¦ Damn brexit and customs!
Also ordered switches with the wrong footprint. Theyā€™re on their way here as wellā€¦ Fingers crossed everything works right off the bat.

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So I finished the power supply, Frequency Central ā€œSpeak truth to powerā€. Iā€™m running it using a 12v 1A center positive AC-DC adapter. It powers on just fine, giving me both +12v and -12v at the correct spots. But as soon as I connect the module I just finished (post above) and powers it on again, the ā€œSpeak Power To Truthā€ makes a dreadful noise, that canā€™t be good. Will you please take a listen? Any advice? I measured -12v and +12v at the correct strips on the moduleā€™s strip board, where the power is connected. But it seems it decreases in voltage over time. I didnā€™t dear having it powered on for too long. No smoke, no pops, no excessive heat any place as far as I can tell.
Video of it

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All modules built. All modules working. Hooray! Now for mass production.

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I had the same conundrum. Would I save money going diy? I started my build with zero knowledge or experience in diy modular or any modular at all. I actually built an Atari punk, and a few other modular type circuits on breadboard (simple sequencer, opamp vcos and such) I had some failures and decided to just buy a KorgVolcaBass so I could use a proper synth and better understand synth basics. In the end I decided I would benefit more from learning about each aspect modularly as I learned how to build and use each part. I probably could have bought a pro rack with pre assembled modules for less than Iā€™ve spent learning, but the knowledge and experience Iā€™ve gained is priceless to me.

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There are people who claim DIY costs more than buying assembled modules, but I canā€™t figure out how they get to that conclusion. Eurorack modules, assembled, are rarely under $75 and often $200, $300, on up to $500 and beyond. Some of my largest and most complex DIY modules may have cost me more than $100 for components, PCBs, and panel, but Iā€™d say most have probably been under $50. Maybe if you factor x dollars per hour as the value of the time you spend, but to me that only makes sense if you were building modules instead of working at x dollars per hour, and even before retirement, working for money was what I did during the day and hobbies were nights and weekends.

So ā€” though I donā€™t have specific figures to prove it ā€” Iā€™m certain Iā€™ve spent far less on my synth than it would have cost to buy it assembledā€¦ if you even could, which you canā€™t. (Itā€™s Kosmo, and many of the modules wouldnā€™t exist in any format if I hadnā€™t designed them.) The value of the hobby as a means of keeping me happy and sane is just a bonus on top of that.

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it is cheaper doing DIY but its like wow I am do this on the cheap so I can build more and more and more haha . well for an example I built 15 of analogoutputs hero/sidekick VCOā€™s for around 300$ plus maybe another 100$ in parts I had on hand , that includes buying the PCBā€™s and face panels . there is no way you are going to buy 15 ready made oscillators for 400 $ and of course there is a time factor but hey its a hobby so that really doesnā€™t count IMO .

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All great points! I definitely wouldnā€™t be without the valuable learning experience. Itā€™s been a great way of learning basic electronics and soldering.

Regarding the money. I started reloading my own rifle ammunition. That leads to producing a lot more ammunition than I would buy factory ammunition. When I was flying RC planes, I would build my own ones from scratch. A lot of them :sweat_smile:.
The wallet bleeds the same, I just end up with more stuff for the same money -and more knowledge and accomplishment :nerd_face:

I think itā€™s a God given heritage, that man enjoys creating. The enjoyment of looking upon what one just finally, after much hard work, finished, smiling and telling to yourself; ā€œitā€™s good :+1:ā€œ

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What if you do your DIY module building while ā€˜workingā€™ from home? :wink:

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As my old boss used to say - ā€œworking hard or hardly workingā€ :wink:

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Hello everyone. This is my first post so be gentle :wink:

A breadboarded through-hole MI Marbles. UI, Inputs and outputs mostly all hooked up. Next job is to interface into the STM32 dev board.

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Just finished envelope no. 11. Cant believe this is just halfway. It took longer than I thoughtā€¦ Iā€™m starting to feel for Sams 1000 oscillator project. This is just 11.

Best part is that Iā€™m not posting in the dumbassery thread. Everything keeps on working. Jeej!

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A module PCB done with the hot plate. I got some better syringes and needles which helped with applying reasonable amounts of paste. Some soldering iron touch up seemed needed here and there but mostly it looks OKā€¦ not tested yet though (some THT parts to assemble).

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I would never have bought ready made modules. I have learend a fair amount over the last 4 years and even though I have a number of ā€œNot quite rightā€ modules, and no idea of playing music, itā€™s been more worthwhile than buying stuff.

Because I was DIYā€™ing , I was also on the lookout for old synths I could buy , fix and re-sell, and after a couple of those I also just played the synth market (buy low , sell high). And a lot of that work funds the majority of what I have builtā€¦ Some of the synths I regret buying, some I regret sellingā€¦ Some are worth 5 times what they were just 3 years agoā€¦

DIYing the modules has lead to me not only increasing my poor electronics skills, but I can now fairly competently nock out a module on to PCB/Panel from a schematic ( or from internet snippets ). I also got into 3D printing which and learend on Shape. Because of Sams videoā€™s I found OBS Studio to add to my skills and then Davinci Resolve. And with the skills leared from some of those have built non synth related projects and my Arduino C++ skills have leapfrogged.

I imagine if I had bought the 3 Normal off the shelf Euro Rack Modules (VCO,VCA,ADSR) that I would have played with them a few times and then sold them and moved on to the next failed hobby.

I need to start clearing my backlog of failed mosules though and perhaps set myself a goal to learn to play something!

Rob

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P.Sā€¦

I made my 1st SMD board last month , an LM13700 SOIC to DIP board. No idea if it works!

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I built a Euro-Pi. Open hard- and software, by Allen Synthesis. Have a look at their github for more info. The documentation is amongst the best Iā€™ve seen.

You can program this thing in (micro) python. If you do not fancy doing that there are lots of scripts already available combined in a simple menu system.

Nice!

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