
Searching a simple VCA DIY project
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- Common Wiggler
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Get leaded pasteHales wrote:After I received the mouser parts, and see the the size of SMD, I think I need to solder with solder and flux paste, have you any brand/reference recommendations?
Get a 'very' fine gauge syringe tip
Make sure to use it before it expires
Stencils are relatively cheap and very helpful.
Have you any experience with this hot air gun?
can he do the job?
https://www.amazon.fr/KKmoon-Dessoudage ... =hi&sr=1-4
can he do the job?
https://www.amazon.fr/KKmoon-Dessoudage ... =hi&sr=1-4
- papz
- Super Deluxe Wiggler
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This is probably the simplest VCA project ever : https://escapefromnoise.com/modular/vca ... ctrol-vca/ 

Finest EMS gear service and Music Easel/208 goodies
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
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- Common Wiggler
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Mon Nov 04, 2019 5:24 pm
I'm sure its fine, but don't buy from Amazon.Hales wrote:Have you any experience with this hot air gun?
can he do the job?
https://www.amazon.fr/KKmoon-Dessoudage ... =hi&sr=1-4
I work with a Chinese clone with both iron and air gun. Its worked for years with the same tips and heater elements.
MIne looks just like this, but I don't have the DC power supply:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/853D-3in1-Sold ... SwZL5dw9Cn
Thats a cute little thing.papz wrote:This is probably the simplest VCA project ever : https://escapefromnoise.com/modular/vca ... ctrol-vca/
I received all the necessary materials to start building Ripples. I trained myself to solder smd. I now manage to open the eagles files. I wanted to know if there are assembly instructions available, which say for example with which components to start?
Last edited by Hales on Sun Dec 15, 2019 8:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
- forestcaver
- Ultra Wiggler
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No. There erent.Hales wrote:I received all the necessary materials to start building Ripples. I trained myself to weld smd. I now manage to open the eagles files. I wanted to know if there are assembly instructions available, which say for example with which resistors to start?
(Veils and Ripples are not designed to be built as diy projects. Emilie has kindly donated the designs. They are really quite advnced builds, especially veils, if you have never soldered smt or have limited soldering experience. Putting them together isnt particularly hard though if you have a bit of experience and hand eye coordination. The hard bit is debugging - you cant really debug these builds without a multimeter and oscilloscope. A test power supply is really important as is some form of function generator. It may be worth considering whether to put them to one side and gain some experience first??? They’re not particularly cheap to build and are easy to destroy.)
If it helps, here are my diy notes and comments - look in modular->notes, tools and diy-modules.
www.batguitars.co.uk
- papz
- Super Deluxe Wiggler
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To prevent waste of time and money and unpleasant frustration, it's better to let this project aside for now and start with easier builds to familiarize with soldering and troubleshooting. Then you'll want to get back to this build when you'll have the experience and tools required.
Finest EMS gear service and Music Easel/208 goodies
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
- papz
- Super Deluxe Wiggler
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Oscilloscope and multimeter are fundamental to build and troubleshoot any DIY module.
Experience is fundamental to build and troubleshoot complex SMT modules like this one.
But you're free to think the opposite, to ignore what experienced people tell you... and to learn it the hard way if you wish so.
Experience is fundamental to build and troubleshoot complex SMT modules like this one.
But you're free to think the opposite, to ignore what experienced people tell you... and to learn it the hard way if you wish so.

Finest EMS gear service and Music Easel/208 goodies
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
I don't want to ignore what experienced people tell me. I bought these kits and all the equipment following the advice of people on this post who claimed that Ripples was possible and "SMD beginner friendly" project. So it’s surprising that now that I’ve got it all, it no longer seems possible…
According to you what would be the project(s) that would allow me to learn and prepare myself for Ripples? I have already mounted Befaco Muxlicer and Fonitronik Cascade.
According to you what would be the project(s) that would allow me to learn and prepare myself for Ripples? I have already mounted Befaco Muxlicer and Fonitronik Cascade.
- papz
- Super Deluxe Wiggler
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One single person pushed you to Ripples and this person runs a DIY MI PCBs business. Maybe it's related ?
No specific project will prepare yourself for this build, I mean a general experience is recommended, so are the scope and meter.

No specific project will prepare yourself for this build, I mean a general experience is recommended, so are the scope and meter.
Finest EMS gear service and Music Easel/208 goodies
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
Yes of course I understand what you mean…
Adam say that about Ripples build on his site:
"I normally recommend Ripples to SMD beginners, it is one of the easiest of these boards to construct the building experience provides a strong foundation for the harder projects, some people have gone straight from building this to soldering Braids."
So it's a lie and just a business argument?
Adam say that about Ripples build on his site:
"I normally recommend Ripples to SMD beginners, it is one of the easiest of these boards to construct the building experience provides a strong foundation for the harder projects, some people have gone straight from building this to soldering Braids."
So it's a lie and just a business argument?
- papz
- Super Deluxe Wiggler
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It's good to read between the lines.
On the internet, one finds all.. and its opposite.
On the internet, one finds all.. and its opposite.

Last edited by papz on Sun Dec 15, 2019 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Finest EMS gear service and Music Easel/208 goodies
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
- forestcaver
- Ultra Wiggler
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Suggestions if you do build ripples first - buy a multimeter and test every component before you place it (all the passives) - takes longer but reduces errors. Build a cheapo oscilloscope eg dso138 (~£15) which will help (but you get what you pay for). If you have limited test kit build an xr2206 fnction generator (~£5) to test things. Build a sacrifial power supply eg meanwell dcw05a-12 (~£7) or an mfos clone linear supply (this will avoid damaging your existing modules or your rackpower supply). Magnification is really helpful/essential.
Without a multimeter you are really guessing! It’s not unknown for companies like mouser etc to send wrongly labelled resistors etc. Without one you have minimal chance of testing voltages etc
With Ripples, I’d do the ics first then the passives.
I use a soldering iron and wire.
But seriously, if you have to ask, it implies you may need a bit more experience first.... dont want to discourage you and it may all work out fine.... (ripples was my first try at smt so it is doable, but I had done a fair bit of through hole....). As I say, putting it together is the easy part - fault finding without knowledge and experience can be more challenging....
I still think building veils is very ambitious though (0402 is fine - I sometimes prefer it to 0603 - it’s a bit faster as the soldering of each joint is so quick - fraction of a second as the thermal mass is so low, but soldering the opamps on veils takes a bit of experience - the pads are the same size as the pins and they are very close together - tssop vs soic on ripples). You see an awful lot of failed veils builds on forums.... I think veils is a lot harder to build than eg marbles or plaits..... but ymmv....
Without a multimeter you are really guessing! It’s not unknown for companies like mouser etc to send wrongly labelled resistors etc. Without one you have minimal chance of testing voltages etc
With Ripples, I’d do the ics first then the passives.
I use a soldering iron and wire.
But seriously, if you have to ask, it implies you may need a bit more experience first.... dont want to discourage you and it may all work out fine.... (ripples was my first try at smt so it is doable, but I had done a fair bit of through hole....). As I say, putting it together is the easy part - fault finding without knowledge and experience can be more challenging....
I still think building veils is very ambitious though (0402 is fine - I sometimes prefer it to 0603 - it’s a bit faster as the soldering of each joint is so quick - fraction of a second as the thermal mass is so low, but soldering the opamps on veils takes a bit of experience - the pads are the same size as the pins and they are very close together - tssop vs soic on ripples). You see an awful lot of failed veils builds on forums.... I think veils is a lot harder to build than eg marbles or plaits..... but ymmv....
Last edited by forestcaver on Sun Dec 15, 2019 12:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- forestcaver
- Ultra Wiggler
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Because not everyone will see every post?Hales wrote:I dont' know what to do, and don't understand why people didn't alert me earlier and let me order this project if it's impossible for me to build it.
These are substantial expenses for me: hot air gun, solder paste, flux pen, tweezers…
Also, it’s up to you what you do.... my advice could easily be wrong for you - I could be talking out of my arse - it’s the internet after all! Everyone has an opinion! Take any piece of advice with a pinch of salt and make your own decision :-)
It’s not impossible but be aware of the challenges....
- papz
- Super Deluxe Wiggler
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I didn't read previous posts prior to recommend the simple vactrol VCA above, I just meant to reply your initial question.
Probably forestcaver didn't see it before and when he warned you, it was too late.
The expense is not lost anyway, you didn't buy these tools for a single build, did you ?
Probably forestcaver didn't see it before and when he warned you, it was too late.
The expense is not lost anyway, you didn't buy these tools for a single build, did you ?
Finest EMS gear service and Music Easel/208 goodies
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.
I'm not a synths dealer and I'm not aware of an inexpensive Synthi secret market, please don't ask me if I know one for sale.
I don't offer support of any kind to people attempting to build clones of EMS equipment.