Analog 'bitcrusher', 9V DIY module in one width space
Jan 15, 2021 18:31:53 GMT
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Post by keurslagerkurt on Jan 15, 2021 18:31:53 GMT
Hi all!
Last days I built some guitar pedals for friends, and so I've been scrolling on some classic websites again, especially on tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/
I'm still waiting on my MCP opamps but felt really hyped to try building something with a blank AE panel too. So after some searching I breadboarded the circuit below and I quite enjoyed the sound: tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/10/analog-bit-crusher.html
As far as I understand from the creators explanation, the JFET is used as a Sample & Hold, sampling at audio rate driven by a square wave made with two opamps. The other two opamps are used to buffer. So, nothing the AE can't really do already, but it had a slightly different timbre from the S&h + Osc of the AE, and its nice to have it as an extra module, as such I still have all my VCO's for sound generation
I was also really in a building mood, so I didnt care that much about 'practical use'.
I run the board on 9V, for which I added a power supply socket to the board. Also note that the circuit is very picky for its opamps: the only combination that worked for me was with a NE5532 as top opamp, and a TL072 as bottom one. 2x TL072 seemed to create no effect at all. No clue why that would be.
I learned a lot. I learned that I had no plan about how to 'fix' the board under the board, as I usually dont use pcb mount pots. I also learned that not only length and width is important in AE, but also the depth (fixed with tons of 'isolating' duct tape and carefully squishing the components). I learned that however hard I try to work structured, I still make too much small mistakes costing me endless debugging. But in the end, nothing comes close to finally hearing your own module in action!
It sounds pretty neat, it can be very percussive when used at the right sweet spots. It sounds very FM-y, and can also add a more subtle, nice shimmer in its higher ratios. I dig it.
Also one thing that cost me a burned TL072: the power supply that comes with the AE says that it is has center ground (like guitar pedal PSU's), but THIS IS A LIE! Its actually center positive, like volca & other synth supplies. I don't know if thats a printing mistake on my PSU, but I'm happy it only cost me one stinky TL072 and not a more valuable chip..
Below are a lot of pictures, and i have also a long sound demo on the private youtube link below. In the video I first jam a bit while i use it as percussive backing, the second half is a long sweep through the different sounds of the ratio knob.
Last days I built some guitar pedals for friends, and so I've been scrolling on some classic websites again, especially on tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/
I'm still waiting on my MCP opamps but felt really hyped to try building something with a blank AE panel too. So after some searching I breadboarded the circuit below and I quite enjoyed the sound: tagboardeffects.blogspot.com/2012/10/analog-bit-crusher.html
As far as I understand from the creators explanation, the JFET is used as a Sample & Hold, sampling at audio rate driven by a square wave made with two opamps. The other two opamps are used to buffer. So, nothing the AE can't really do already, but it had a slightly different timbre from the S&h + Osc of the AE, and its nice to have it as an extra module, as such I still have all my VCO's for sound generation
I was also really in a building mood, so I didnt care that much about 'practical use'.I run the board on 9V, for which I added a power supply socket to the board. Also note that the circuit is very picky for its opamps: the only combination that worked for me was with a NE5532 as top opamp, and a TL072 as bottom one. 2x TL072 seemed to create no effect at all. No clue why that would be.
I learned a lot. I learned that I had no plan about how to 'fix' the board under the board, as I usually dont use pcb mount pots. I also learned that not only length and width is important in AE, but also the depth (fixed with tons of 'isolating' duct tape and carefully squishing the components). I learned that however hard I try to work structured, I still make too much small mistakes costing me endless debugging. But in the end, nothing comes close to finally hearing your own module in action!
It sounds pretty neat, it can be very percussive when used at the right sweet spots. It sounds very FM-y, and can also add a more subtle, nice shimmer in its higher ratios. I dig it.
Also one thing that cost me a burned TL072: the power supply that comes with the AE says that it is has center ground (like guitar pedal PSU's), but THIS IS A LIE! Its actually center positive, like volca & other synth supplies. I don't know if thats a printing mistake on my PSU, but I'm happy it only cost me one stinky TL072 and not a more valuable chip..
Below are a lot of pictures, and i have also a long sound demo on the private youtube link below. In the video I first jam a bit while i use it as percussive backing, the second half is a long sweep through the different sounds of the ratio knob.
