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 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software » Lunettas - circuits inspired by Stanley Lunetta
Why banana jacks?
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Rynoi5e



Joined: Feb 29, 2012
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Location: Little Beirut

PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 5:24 pm    Post subject: Why banana jacks? Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I've noticed that pretty much all the Lunetta style projects use banana jacks. Why is that? Would it be possible to use 3.5 mm jacks instead, so as to interface with Eurorack gear?
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commathe



Joined: Jul 26, 2013
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

You could, but you'd need to be extra careful about protection. 3.5mm connectors short to ground as you plug them in so CMOS chips could blow if they don't have some sort of current limiting on the output. Similarly, euro outputs could easily exceed the rails on a lunneta circuit so you need to protect against that too.

If patching freely is an absolute necessity you will either have to add clamps to every lunneta input and other protection to both inputs and outputs. Otherwise, you can create a "breakout" module which can just be a passive connection between two jack with this protection between them.

However, what if someone who doesn't know uses you modular and fries your lunneta modules by plugging a euro output in to one? Shocked
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Rynoi5e



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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 10:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Just the kind of response I wanted, thanks! So, could this be accomplished by merely using resistors to limit the current?
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commathe



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PostPosted: Mon Mar 02, 2015 10:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

That's just one of the things you have to do. You also have to limit the voltage to within the rails that the CMOS chips are powered by. Look up "diode clamps"

Personally, I prefer to use banana jacks to keep things separate and stop me accidentally plugging things into unprotected inputs. It's a physical fail safe Razz
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okelk



Joined: May 08, 2014
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I simply chose bananas because I want my lunetta-projects to be simple and cheap and cheap chinese bananas are the cheapest 'real' connectors I could find.
Also I wouldn't feel comfortable having the same jacks as on my other modular equipment without any protection against negative voltages etc...

...but I will add banana to 3,5mm adapters to my lunetta soon to make it easier to interface with my other synth..
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PHOBoS



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PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 3:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

you're free to use any connector you like but commathe is correct about the possibility of shorting.
I use the bolts and crocks method myself,. cheap and works pretty well. Cool

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Rynoi5e



Joined: Feb 29, 2012
Posts: 5
Location: Little Beirut

PostPosted: Tue Mar 03, 2015 8:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hmmm... well banana jacks it is, haha. At least until I acquire more electronics knowledge...
Thanks, everyone!
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DUBmatze



Joined: Feb 18, 2013
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Location: south Germaica (schwabilon)

PostPosted: Fri Mar 06, 2015 3:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

i also use bananajacks. my breadboard got some of them so i can connect direct to the breadboard and a bonus is i can use aligatorclips direct in a banana jack....
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droffset



Joined: Feb 02, 2009
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 4:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

I like this kind of jack because they are very inexpensive and the metal sleeve goes all the way out to the front of the plastic:

And then I use Aligator clip cables because a dozen of them are very inexpensive compared to premade bananna cables.


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commathe



Joined: Jul 26, 2013
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 19, 2015 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Those are the ones I use too! I have a supplier here in China that does them in lots of colours (even purple and brown!). I particularly like that you can route higher frequency signals through your skin by touching two points!
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