Macro Oscillator in 5U (THT based on "Plaits")

[JohnLRice]

Nice! I just ordered all my components from Mouser for my build (Thanks for the Mouser cart again Martin). Unfortunately the 1/4" jacks are out of stock. Mouser is projecting at getting some in by the end of Sept. I ordered the lighted buttons from TME in which they usually carry the 1/4" jacks too but they were also out of stock with a predicted restock of many months,.

Not sure what the deal is unless some manufacturer ordered 10's of thousands of them from everywhere.

Anyway, beautiful addition JLR

Thanks!
On the jacks, I would think that there would be a substitute that would work, like maybe a Neutrik or Switchcraft? Taking a look I even found the Amphenol ACJM-MN-2S which has the only difference (that I can tell) being it has a star washer instead of the built in anti-turn prongs. They are in stock at Mouser, maybe Martin can advise you if those will work OK?
http://www.amphenolaudio.com/wp-content ... x-mn-x.pdf

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Am ... PjtDusc%3D

For reference here is the originally specified ACJM-MV-2S
http://www.amphenolaudio.com/wp-content ... x-mv-x.pdf

[EOTS]

Taking a look I even found the Amphenol ACJM-MN-2S which has the only difference (that I can tell) being it has a star washer instead of the built in anti-turn prongs. They are in stock at Mouser, maybe Martin can advise you if those will work OK?

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Am ... PjtDusc%3D

Yes, they would work!
Thanks for the suggestion, wasn't aware of those yet.

[EOTS]

Hi!

as some people were shying away from handsoldering the LQFP-48 STM32 micro controller (MCU), I decided to redesign the project to be better suited for DIY.

In v2, there's a DIP-40 daughterboard which contains the difficult part, the MCU.
The kits include front panel and unsoldered mainboard PCB,
and a daughterboard which is already presoldered, tested and flashed.



Those v2 DIY kits for MOTM and MU are available now, please PM if you're interested.

Best regards,
Martin

[EOTS]

Here is the new MOTM Version.

Comes with powder coated MOTM-style 3mm front panel.

[EOTS]

The MU version was also redesigned the same way.

[EOTS]

New build guides will follow soon.

They'll be pretty similar, basically there just a bunch of components removed from the BOM, which went into the daughterboard and an optional DIP-40 socket.

[EOTS]

Build guide for the new v2 Version is now available:
http://www.martinjankoehler.com/wp-cont ... MU-v2a.pdf

BOM v2: http://www.martinjankoehler.com/wp-cont ... U-v2f.xlsx

[EOTS]

FYI, the MU module can now be found in ModularGrid:
https://www.modulargrid.net/d/other-unk ... -on-plaits

[EOTS]

FYI, the MOTM module can now be found in ModularGrid:
http://www.modulargrid.net/m/other-unkn ... scillator-

[Paradigm X]

wow, that looks awesome, thank you for doing both 5u formats!

Sorry to be a bit dense, but do i still need to do any SMD soldering with the new version (MOTM), ie the bits shown as the first step in the manual (U2 and U5), or do they all come ready soldered? Ive never done any SMD yet...

edit sorry, reread the whole thread, will PM you...

Cheers

[EOTS]

Sure, PM sent!

[Paradigm X]

thank you Martin!

[hamildad]

Ordered all the parts for this, looking forward to doing this next weekend. Will obviously have messed up somewhere and will have to emergency order from somewhere, but the clear BOM and build guide makes me fairly hopeful.

[EOTS]

Thanks guys!

BTW, there's a new MOTM build guide available: http://www.martinjankoehler.com/wp-cont ... TM-v2a.pdf

… and the BOM still had 1206 caps, but 0805 are used now: http://www.martinjankoehler.com/wp-cont ... TM-v2.xlsx

[Paradigm X]

mu parcel arrived froday, thankyou! Ridiculously well packed ! Going straight to the front of the build queue, going to order the missing parts very soon.


thanks again!

[hamildad]

Ordered all the parts for this, looking forward to doing this next weekend. Will obviously have messed up somewhere and will have to emergency order from somewhere, but the clear BOM and build guide makes me fairly hopeful.

seems I had all the parts ( except for standoffs ( called hex nuts in BOM) which I had elsewhere.

completed this and powers on, but I got the green & Red LEDs round the wrong way ( although I remember checking them), going to fix that before calibrating. no audio output yet but I guess that might happen after calibration.

some thoughts on the build.

The hex nuts in the BOM are standoffs, but maybe thats a terminology thing, I missed.
Build guide does not say, but you connect the daughter board to the main, using resistor legs through the holes into the DIP socket. ( I think!)
Dont get the LED buttons wrong as there is no way of telling them apart til they light up (see above)
The audio wires into MOLEX are a pain if you are not good at crimping, I have serious concerns about my audio wire path.
One of the Status LED (LED1) is pretty tight in between SMD chip and the ferrite bead. be careful not to burn the chip...

will fix the LED buttons and try to calibrate, but lights up and no magic smoke so far!

[EOTS]

Thanks for the feedback!

seems I had all the parts ( except for standoffs ( called hex nuts in BOM) which I had elsewhere.

The hex nuts in the BOM are standoffs, but maybe thats a terminology thing, I missed.

Thanks, I'll clarify that in the BOM

completed this and powers on, but I got the green & Red LEDs round the wrong way ( although I remember checking them), going to fix that before calibrating.

Sometimes the leds won't behave correctly before calibration.
You can calibrate multiple times, so it's okay to do it right away.

no audio output yet but I guess that might happen after calibration.

Audio output should work regardless, except sometimes if the FREQ knob is at minimum and so are the MORPH, HARM, TIMBRE. Best set FREQ to middle.

The audio wires into MOLEX are a pain if you are not good at crimping, I have serious concerns about my audio wire path.

This might be the cause.
To bisect the issue, with an oscilloscope, please check if you get a signal at the Audio MTA-100 on the main board.

If you prefer, you can of course solder them directly.

Build guide does not say, but you connect the daughter board to the main, using resistor legs through the holes into the DIP socket. ( I think!)

Thanks, I'll clarify that in the BOM.
No, the idea is to use

• either preferribly DIP-40 sockets and PCB pin adapter rows
• or pin headers and pin header sockets

Will also add this to the build guide.

Dont get the LED buttons wrong as there is no way of telling them apart til they light up (see above)

Actually, there is a green/red laquer on the negative LED lead marking the polarity and the button color.
Will clarify this in the build guide.

[EOTS]

mu parcel arrived froday, thankyou! Ridiculously well packed!

Better paranoid than sorry ;-)

thanks again!

Thank you!

[hamildad]

Going back to this at the weekend.

What is the wiring for the Audio cables?

(1) Live - Common - Common - Live

or

(1) Live - Common - Live - Common

[EOTS]

What is the wiring for the Audio cables?
(1) Live - Common - Common - Live
or
(1) Live - Common - Live - Common

Middle pins are GND (Sleeve), so (1).

[Paradigm X]

is it a big deal to use twisted pairs for the audio? i assume not given the short distance, and i have had loads of problems crimping shielded cables before.

Not had a chance to start mine yet, had a big unexpected bill land and so i havent had a chance to order the parts. I will try and do this asap, and stuff what i have.

Cheers

[hamildad]

redid the audio cables and some progress.

Getting audio out ONLY on the Noise and VCF setting and playing with the morph and Harmonics, gets me computerised speech of colours, numbers and letters. (easter egg mode?)

I am guessing that timbre is the filter cutoff as sweeping this gets the intended result. adding a slow sine to morph skims through the letters/numbers etc. so that seems to be working.

now to get everything else working... I have also been testing the other settings with triggers applied in case some only output based on a trigger signal.

Still haven't calibrated and red and green buttons are switched around but I am not sure that would affect anything...

anyone seen something like this before, before I keep poking and prodding?

[EOTS]

is it a big deal to use twisted pairs for the audio?

No, I don't think it would be an issue.

Also, if you fit MTA-100 headers on both sides,
it's easy enough to replace the cabling in case of any problems.

Best regards,
Martin

[EOTS]

Getting audio out ONLY on the Noise and VCF setting and playing with the morph and Harmonics, gets me computerised speech of colours, numbers and letters. (easter egg mode?)

That's the VOWEL model.

I am guessing that timbre is the filter cutoff as sweeping this gets the intended result. adding a slow sine to morph skims through the letters/numbers etc. so that seems to be working.

The meaning of the pots depend on the synthesis model.
They are explained in the manual:
https://mutable-instruments.net/modules/plaits/manual/

Still haven't calibrated and red and green buttons are switched around but I am not sure that would affect anything...
anyone seen something like this before, before I keep poking and prodding?

Calibration is mandatory.
The module just does not work at all without the calibration done.
Typically the LEDS misbehave (shuffle around colors, more than one are lit).

I'm using the MFOS 1V/Oct calibrator for this:
http://musicfromouterspace.com/analogsy ... BRATOR.php
https://www.soundtronics.co.uk/1v-octave-calibrator/

[Paradigm X]

btw... small error in the MOTM builders guide/BOM

"Audio Output" connectors are detailed as MTA156 in column 3 but MTA100 in column 7. its clear anyway just thought id mention.