Please reread the schematics...

...and you (I) will discover that the capacitors connected across the input power lines are intended for decoupling. Now go fix the PCB.

SMD based VCOs

The project focus has shifted slightly at the moment. I'm now thinking about building a polyphonic synth as well as a modular. To achieve this, I've started redrawing the modules from yusynth.net to use SMD components. Yesterday I finished the VCO, and the result is a 70 x 32 mm PCB, exactly 1/3 of the size of the yusynth one.

As I have little experience designing audio circuits, I have no idea of how noisy the new design is. To test the new PCBs, I've etched a bunch of yusynth PCBs to use as a reference. These will then be used to build a mono modular :-)

So far I've etched:
3 x VCO
2 x LFO
3 x Envelope generators
3 x VCA
1 x Moog filter
1 x ARP filter
1 x Steiner filter
1 x Diode filter
1 x Ring modulator
1 x Noise/Sample & hold
1 x Audio mixer
1 x power supply (Ken Stone)
1 x Auto bend

I'm aiming for a 6 voice, 3 VCO polysynth, which means that I need 18 VCOs... This will surely take a lot of time and money to finish, so I don't expect to complete the project for some years (if it is ever finished at all...)

Moving to a Modern Modular

A new take on the classic modular synthesizer. A modular that requires no patching cords and uncouples the location of the control surfaces from the location of the analogue audio circuitry, but retains the feel and ease-of-control of a classic modular. A modular where you can store patches and swap modules at will, and even change the way you control the sound without touching the audio modules. Wouldn't that be nice?

This blog will follow my steps towards creating a modern, digitally controlled analogue modular synthesizer platform, where all control surfaces are removable and patching is done through a wide audio bus. Will I ever get there? Who knows, but I am bound to have a great time and learn a lot through the process.