My first DIY modules - starting a Kosmo format build

So the FedEx package was indeed from LMNK as I was hoping - and this time was fully intact:

So with 5 PCB modules to build up I took a break from DIY tonight.

I figured I’d tackle the Quad VCA first since I’m a point where I could really use a VCA. Except…it turns out twenty of the jacks I bought weren’t what I thought. They’re not the 5 pin PCB mount…they look like them…but they’re only the 3 pin with pins that won’t fit in a PCB. Not the end of the world since they’ll still be OK for the ADSR, and VCLFO as well as DIY panels. But I don’t have enough PCB mount jacks on hand to do the ADSR, Multiple, and VCO. Looking at the BOM I’m not sure I have enough 100k resistors either…I mean I have quite a few on hand but not sure if I have 40 for this and still enough to build the rest of these boards. And I don’t have enough female pin headers to join the two boards. So…the Quad VCA is on hold :frowning:

I went ahead and built up the Buffered Multiples since it was quick, easy, and something I’ve found myself wanting a few times already even with my limited selection of modules. Just need to make up a power cable for it, give it a final sanity check and pop the IC’s in.

Thought about doing the VCO next…but…realized I only ordered 6 position switches and it calls for a 12 position. And I forgot to order a 7 segment LED. And I forgot about the LM4040AIZ 4.1 I could skip the arduino and LED just go without a built in tuner for now…but the LM4040 I’m not so sure I can do without. Didn’t look super closely at the schematic though since I’m still waiting on 100k pots anyway so knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it.

Ok…Well the ADSR doesn’t do me a lot of good without a VCA. Yeah, I could use it with my filter and my simple LFO…but…just doesn’t seem like something I really NEED just yet. Pretty sure I have everything I need to build it though. Maybe tomorrow night.

I’m not overjoyed with my simple LFO…so why not build up the VCLFO. Sure…sounds like fun. And it uses the jacks I have plenty of. And I almost got it finished…except I’m waiting on those 100k pots I ordered from small bear a few days ago (and just put in an order with @popflier tonight for some of theirs since I seem to keep underestimating how many I need.) And apparently I don’t have any 200k resistors … well might have a few kicking around in my resistor tub…but by the time I realized I was missing them I didn’t feel like digging.

Still, some progress. And once some 100k pots show up I’ll have the splashback and the VCLFO completed:

And realizing just how complex the quad VCA is and that I may need to order more resistors but am not planning a component order anytime too soon…I’m thinking I may still go ahead and do a stripboard dual VCA to tide me over. I should have all the required parts for that.

Seeing how quickly these LMNK modules fill space makes me want to get more DIY modules together to help balance things out :smiley:

I also need to get the analog output for my midibox sequencer wired up. I got the last of the parts I was waiting on for it last week and finished building the board…but my head started to hurt trying to figure out if I made the cable to connect it correctly or not. So need to finish that and figure out a way to get +/-12v out of my modular case and over to it. Then I’ll have 8 CV outs on my sequencer which will open up a lot of possibilities.

4 Likes