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daydream: surface mount synths - quality / sound difference?
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msy2



Joined: May 21, 2007
Posts: 42
Location: united states

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:29 am    Post subject: daydream: surface mount synths - quality / sound difference? Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

In theory, should designs built entirely with "normal" (through-hole?) parts sound any different from one mass-produced by a machine with mainly surface mount parts?

I have often day-dreamed about making surface mount boards with several of different vco, filter, etc. designs laid out. Some rare parts would have to be added manually later.

Would such a thing be possible if a person had the money to finance it? It would be interesting to see what the cost would be (as long as the quality was there). It would probably take several years to sell all the boards and break even financially (if ever!) but still an interesting idea.

I do not know much about having such boards made but my understanding is that it is quite cheap once done on a bigger scale. I envision a board with three to five vco's (with permission from various designers of course, several filters, etc. - the buyer of the board would then complete (with any needed rarer through-hole parts as needed).

Can anyone put my daydreaming to rest?

Would the surface mount mass-produced boards not sound as good?

Exactly how much do you think such a thing would cost?
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amos_joseph



Joined: May 09, 2005
Posts: 50
Location: Lincoln, NE

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Dave Smith's analog synths all use surface mount components, so I think it's definitely possible.
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goldenechos



Joined: Jun 06, 2007
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

The Moog Little Phatty is surface mount. It sound freaking awesome.

Surface mount can affect stability in some circuits, due to spacing and actual physical mass. For example, it is easier to change the temperature of a smd transistor, and this can affect tuning stability. Closer spacing of component leads/ legs and traces makes stray cap. and cross talk more possible.

There are of course ways to make it work, and DSI and Mogg are doing it right. Closer spacing of component leads/ legs and traces makes stray cap.

Tony
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yusynth



Joined: Nov 24, 2005
Posts: 1314
Location: France

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Paul Maddox has a synth DIY project of his own called the defender, that uses SMD parts mainly.

Check it here : http://www.vacoloco.net/synths/defender/ and here is a photo of the board and one can see the moog ladder (to the left of the big yellow cap):
Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

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Nosferatu



Joined: Jul 27, 2007
Posts: 234
Location: Planet Rock.

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 8:57 am    Post subject: Re: daydream: surface mount synths - quality / sound differe Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Quote:
Would such a thing be possible if a person had the money to finance it?


Its cheaper to manufacture a SMT then TH board.

Quote:
Can anyone put my daydreaming to rest?
Would the surface mount mass-produced boards not sound as good?


Its up to the designer really. You can make bad sounding designs with TH as well as with SMT, however if you look at the technical side of things
for example SMT often provides better tech specs then similar designed
TH in many areas, some components are not available as SMT due to
size or technology, such as Polypropylene capacitors and certain high
quality metal film resistors.

Quote:

Exactly how much do you think such a thing would cost?


Impossible to answer you have to make a design then send that to a PCB
assembler to get a quote.

Btw, Paul's defender, he once complained that it was to expensive to manufacture!! Shocked Laughing
Quote:

can affect tuning stability. Closer spacing of component leads/ legs and traces makes stray cap. and cross talk more possible.


That applies to RF mostly hardly an problem at AF range.
Crosstalk are more an effect of bad impedance matching on ground
planes and such.

Last edited by Nosferatu on Fri Nov 09, 2007 3:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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etaoin



Joined: Jun 30, 2005
Posts: 761
Location: Utrecht, NL

PostPosted: Fri Nov 09, 2007 10:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

amos_joseph wrote:
Dave Smith's analog synths all use surface mount components, so I think it's definitely possible.


MOTM has also completely switched to SMT for new designs.

Quote:
Synthesis Technology is currently selling, through Analogue Haven, a series of SMT modules in Frac rack format. Due to the success of the technology (thanks Shawn!) and the ease of manufacture, all future MOTM modules will be SMT only, and not sold as kits.

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