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Cacophonator Strip Board
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tjookum



Joined: May 25, 2010
Posts: 360
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PostPosted: Fri Jun 18, 2010 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Great stuff!
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LektroiD



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PostPosted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 11:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Looks great!

One question, where would I tap an input into it, like this one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q_s4U-8V2Gg&fmt=18

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-minus-



Joined: Oct 26, 2008
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 2:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Interesting point LektroiD. I just had a look around and found the circuit with the input:

http://www.subtlenoisemaker.hitart.com/

click on: more info (versions, prices, sounds), then click on Cacophonator II Kit. There is a PCB layout there. It is using a CD4049 IC (Hex Buffer) for the input stage. At a glance, it appears that you could build a separate smaller board and attach it to the standard Cacophonator circuit (this one). Not sure when I can get time, but I'll probably try this out as it seems to offer a few more possibilities! ...when I do I might have to add a few more scans of the book to this thread. Smile Hope this helps.
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LektroiD



Joined: Aug 23, 2008
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Looks like there's 2 layouts and a list of components (but no schematic), although there are 3x C3, 2x C4, 2x C6 and 2x C11, which seems a bit odd. I'd like to add the extra switches too.

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

R1-R6: 15k

R7-R10: 10k

R11,R12: 100ohm

R13: 100k

R14: 22ohm

R15: 47k

R16: 4,7k

C1,C2: 0.0022uF

C3: 0.01uF

C4: 0.1uF

C6-C8: 22uF electro

C9,C11: 4.7uF electro

C10: 2200uF electro

C12: 12pF

C13: 0.1uF

C14: 10uF electro

RV1-RV6: 1M linear

RV7: 10K linear

Vol. out: 100K log

Vol. in: 1M linear

feedback: 100K log

IC CD4049

IC CD40106

On Off On Switch 5x

On Off Switch 1x

1/4" mono-jack 2x

9Volt Battery-clip

Copyleft: This is a free work, you can copy, distribute, and modify it under the terms of the Free Art License http://artlibre.org/licence/lal/en/

original cacophonator circuit creator: Arthur Harrison

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LektroiD
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-minus-



Joined: Oct 26, 2008
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Yeah, those switches at the bottom seem to be giving one of two capacitor options. One of the switches appears to be linking two of the pots. Looks like a completely separate stripboard of this version may be needed. Not sure if I have the time to investigate this though. Got too many other things to build or unfinished... and real life commitments/crap getting in the way from time to time! It might be a couple of weeks, but I'll try breadboarding this up. Producing a stripboard shouldn't take too much time, and I have all the components drawn up individually so I should be able to put together a second 'book' chapter reasonably quickly. Need to finish another set of illustrations for a stripboard of a different circuit over the next few days.... so much to do-so little years left!! Let us know if you make some progress in the meantime...
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LektroiD



Joined: Aug 23, 2008
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

-minus- wrote:
Yeah, those switches at the bottom seem to be giving one of two capacitor options.


I wonder if this is the reason the layout has multiple C3's, C4's, C6's & C11's.

Just seems an odd component numeration to me, and from all the books I've read, this is considered to be bad practice (you should always give each component its own number, even if the values are intended to be the same).

Maybe worth emailing Sascha Neudeck before working on a stripboard layout for this. It does say on his site, "This is a free work, you can copy, distribute, and modify", so I'm sure he will be quite happy to help out and straighten up any uncertainties.

http://www.sascha-neudeck.com/SubtleNoiseMaker/Cacophonator_II-Kit.html

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Gordon Charlton



Joined: Oct 07, 2006
Posts: 75
Location: UK

PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 6:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Just to say a massive THANK YOU to -minus- for providing such a beautiful stripboard layout, and to MirlitronOne for teaching me how to solder and giving hints, tips and encouragement.

Thanks to these two fine gentlemen, my first ever electronics construction project worked first time. Razz

Here's what it sounds like...

http://soundcloud.com/beat-frequency/cacophonator-1

PS. I didn't include the LED or the resistor leading to it. I was advised it would be detrimental to the sound of the cacophonator. Not sure why. scratch

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Uncle Krunkus
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Joined: Jul 11, 2005
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 24, 2010 7:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Gordon Charlton wrote:
PS. I didn't include the LED or the resistor leading to it. I was advised it would be detrimental to the sound of the cacophonator. Not sure why. scratch


It only makes a difference when you turn it off. Without it, the cap will hold charge a bit longer, creating a longer dying sound as it's turned off.

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Gordon Charlton



Joined: Oct 07, 2006
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Location: UK

PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 8:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Ah, thank you. That makes sense.

Mine keeps going for about half a minute until it's just making sporadic clicks.

I wonder what I should make next.

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tjookum



Joined: May 25, 2010
Posts: 360
Location: Netherlands
Audio files: 26

PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 11:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

take a look over in the lunetta forum if you like bleepy stuff, there are tons of schematics in there and it's great for beginners.

And ofcourse the alltime favorite beginnersproject:
http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/analogsynth/YOUR_FIRST_SYNTH/WSG_Reborn/WEIRDSOUNDGENERATORREBORN.php

If you want anything specific, just ask.

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Gordon Charlton



Joined: Oct 07, 2006
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 25, 2010 2:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

tjookum wrote:
If you want anything specific, just ask.


Well, I do have an idea for a lunetta style effect box for my theremin. (Theremins are my primary interest. Not so much with the bleepy. Although I'm starting to get a taste for it. The cacophonator is a little box full of fun.)

I hope it makes sense. Forgive me if I use the wrong terms. (And don't be shy about setting me straight!)

Recently I learned that the moog etherwave pro does its heterodyning in CMOS - the outputs from its RF oscillators are squared up and XORed - which allows it to have a switchable range - counters can divide the frequency to reduce it by one or two octaves. (This allows it to have a very playable bass register - something which is rather difficult to achieve by conventional theremin circuitry.)

From this it occurred to me that I could do something similar with my etherwave standard - squaring up the audio out and then using a counter to divide the frequency by an integer value - or using a counter inside a phase locked loop to multiply the frequency and shift the pitch up - or using a combination of a divider and a multiplier to create a tone at a just interval above or below the original tone.

My effect box would have a bank of four such divider/multiplier combos followed by a four channel mixer to allow me to dial up different chords and control the relative amplitude of each constituent tone.

That's my theory anyway - whether it is feasible or not and whether it is within the scope of a beginner I have no idea.

A couple of points:

Initially I am happy to have all square wave outputs - later I would probably want to add wave shaping circuitry to give me a range of timbres.

I have recently had my etherwave modified by this chap so that it has a second audio-out at a constant volume, and a second op-amp controlled by the volume loop that takes an external audio source (such as my proposed chord-box) at a constant volume, modulates the volume and sends it to a third audio-out. (This was done to allow me to extend my timbre palette with an Abstract Data Synthex (hard-syncing and frequency modulating oscillator) and to circumnavigate the noise gate in a Snarling Dogs Mold Spore (combo wah and ring-mod treadle). So I won't be needing an envelope follower and VCA to track the theremin's volume.

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-minus-



Joined: Oct 26, 2008
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PostPosted: Thu Aug 26, 2010 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

HAHA!!! Great to hear Gordon! It's a fun machine for a single chip device! I'm glad somebody built it from the stripboard drawings! It sounds great too!!! Just listen to that huge capacitor discharging!!!! Laughing

I'd suggest the WSG too. I built mine from Uncle Krunkus' stripboard design. It was the first thing I built, and it too worked first go! Here's a link to Krunkus' stripboard WSG:

http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-7074.html&postorder=asc

Or you could try an Atari Punk Console if you want a simpler classic design. I've ended up with a Lunetta addiction personally! Although I have been a bit lazy the past couple of weeks. I'm sure you'll enjoy building more stuff in the future, and I look forward to seeing or hearing the results.

EDIT: Try the heterodyne space explorer too! Great for creating heterodyning drones! For such a simple device it gives beautiful moody sounds which you may enjoy:

http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-40991.html

Once again, well done on the build! I had almost forgotten about this thread, and I'm glad I checked back at just the right time! It makes me just as happy that it worked too! Very Happy

EDIT AGAIN!!!: Just looked at your youtube channel Gordon. I was thinking how Nurse With Wound your stuff sounded.... then I saw Influences: Throbbing Gristle!!! Ha ha!!! YES! Love TG a lot!!!!! Good to find fellow REAL industrial music appreciators here! Cheers! Twisted Evil
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Gordon Charlton



Joined: Oct 07, 2006
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 1:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

-minus- wrote:
EDIT: Try the heterodyne space explorer too! Great for creating heterodyning drones! For such a simple device it gives beautiful moody sounds which you may enjoy:

http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-40991.html


Thanks for all your kind words.

I like the sound of beautiful moody sounds, so I might give that a try. I think it'll go nicely with my heterodyning space control machine. Theremin

Also it looks simple enough to make point-to-point (is that what you call it when you don't use a circuit board?) I could put it in a lovely transparent box with the chip suspended in the middle or something like that. I'll start looking for a suitable box that doesn't oblige me to eat a load of those awful ferrero rocher chocolates.

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-minus-



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PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Sounds like you have a plan. You could hook up some LED's in the box. Or with some LDR's, you could build something akin to a light theremin! Check out Peter Vogel's work, if you are not already familiar with it:

http://oneartworld.com/artists/P/Peter+Vogel.html?atab=works&image=646

Not the site I have seen before, but you'll get the general idea of his circuit sculpture. Or there is a page here on E-M where I first became aware of his stuff:

http://electro-music.com/forum/post-88597.html

Happy building!
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Gordon Charlton



Joined: Oct 07, 2006
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 27, 2010 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Optical theremin? I have no objection to other people building them, but I've tried a few and they're not for me, thank you. Give me capacitive sensing every time. Although, having said that, the TSL230R looks like a fun little chip. (datasheet) Here's some pix of probably the simplest possible opto-theremin, based on it.

At some point I'd like to do something with flex sensors and gloves, but they're a bit pricey. Sad Maybe when I've got a good selection of different circuits built I can give them the option of overriding their pots with a glove controller.

Those are some damn elegant circuit sculptures. Here's a lovely transparent theremin by Dominik Bednarz. Sounds great too. And it's pretty playable. My stuff will probably have more of a "fuck it, that'll do" aesthetic. The missus brought home some clear tupperware style boxes today. I think one of them might get repurposed. Twisted Evil

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idxsem



Joined: Sep 10, 2010
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PostPosted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 11:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

can you recommend a place to get the parts?
some of them are easily found, some of them I am not sure about, like the 2200pf

thanks
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Gordon Charlton



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PostPosted: Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hi idxsem,

I didn't have any problem sourcing the components - none of them are unusual.

But... I was initially foxed by the 2200pF capacitor - until I learned that it was the same as a 2.2nF capacitor. Try looking for that instead.

(Here is a handy conversion table. http://www.justradios.com/uFnFpF.html )

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inlifeindeath



Joined: Apr 02, 2010
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

it's actually a 2200uf cap. it's used as a current reservoir and works awesome when you incorporate the pwr starve. some big ass caps.
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idxsem



Joined: Sep 10, 2010
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PostPosted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 1:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

ah, thanks, looking forward to building this
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Gordon Charlton



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PostPosted: Sat Sep 11, 2010 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Oops - I stand corrected. Tw0 2200pF caps, one 2200uF cap. Embarassed
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idxsem



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PostPosted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

what about volts for the capacitors?
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inlifeindeath



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PostPosted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 9:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

the general rule is to use voltage ratings at least twice the size of your pwr source just to be on the safe side.
So for 5v source get at least 10v rated caps; 9v - 18v and so on. Using anything over that is perfectly ok, the size of the caps just usually goes up as the voltage rating does.
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Gordon Charlton



Joined: Oct 07, 2006
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PostPosted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 5:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread


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-minus-



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PostPosted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hi idxsem... If you have trouble getting the big capacitor, send me a PM and I'll post you one- I have a few of them here.

Nice Cacophony Gordon! Good to see a video of the thing in action.

Sinister Dexterity? Holy FUNT! Shocked That's not a reference to 2000AD is it?

Oh yeah, one last thing.... I loved your TG concert memoir video!
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Gordon Charlton



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PostPosted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 12:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Uh, not 2000AD. Finnegans Wake.

"the hero, of Gaelic champion, the onliest of her choice, her bleaueyedeal of a girl‘s friend, neither bigugly nor smallnice, meaning pretty much everything to her then, with his sinister dexterity, light and rufthandling, vicemversem her ragbags et assaucyetiams, fore and aft, on and offsides,"

I know it also gets a mention in Herman Melville's Billy Budd and go(perpe)go by ee cummings, but 2000AD? That's new to me.

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