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elmegil
Joined: Mar 20, 2012 Posts: 2177 Location: Chicago
Audio files: 16
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Posted: Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:46 pm Post subject:
LM VCO or X4046 VCO? |
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I'm ready to test my El Cerrito/XR VCO build, so of course my mind turns to "what's next"
I started out with the intent of building everything in the ASft21C book, but I've ordered X4046 boards from Fonik (get them while they're hot!) and my own comparison of the features vs space leans toward the X4046... as well as the fact that it's a newer and slightly simpler design.
Of course these are paper comparisons. I'm curious if anyone who's actually heard both has an opinion of one versus the other.
Of course in the long run, I will probably build both, but this is more a matter of ordering my backlog and picking the next thing to come off the stack.
Actually I probably ought to do the VCA/VCF next since it's on the breadboard.... But then after that... |
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elmegil
Joined: Mar 20, 2012 Posts: 2177 Location: Chicago
Audio files: 16
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Posted: Wed Aug 08, 2012 10:27 pm Post subject:
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Funny how everything takes longer than you think it will.
Finally got to testing and calibration this week, for real, ready to finish the panel and put it in the rack.
Nobody has any opinions about this? |
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Mongo1
Joined: Aug 11, 2011 Posts: 411 Location: Raleigh NC
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 1:53 pm Post subject:
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I was actually just looking at a similar issue - I'm building a small portable synth (serge format), and was trying to choose the VCOs for it. I have boards for El Cerrito, 4046, and Buchla 281. Based on the feature set, board size, and a bunch of other factors I think I'm going to go for the 4046s. I really wanted to try the Buchlas, but the 'build' thread on muffs is pretty hard to follow, and you can't sync those VCOs. The 4046 looks pretty clean to me, and offers a lot of waveforms, so I ended up there.
Gary |
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elmegil
Joined: Mar 20, 2012 Posts: 2177 Location: Chicago
Audio files: 16
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Posted: Wed Jan 02, 2013 2:42 pm Post subject:
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Be warned, the X4046 is known to be something of a pain to calibrate.....
I actually have mine built and paneled, and was going through the calibration over the break, and did not finish it. I was also working on a soundlab+ that I wanted to finish more, so I shelved the X4046 to calibrate later.
I did find the el Cerrito easier to calibrate, though I can't recall now if I got it down to the gnat's eyebrow or not. Until now I've only had the one VCO (the el Cerrito) in my rig, so I haven't had anything I could do to validate that it tracked equally to another VCO.
Not trying to talk you out of it.... The X4046 build is a joy, I really like Fonik's board.
Edit: I thought the Buchla 281 was a function generator not an oscillator? |
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roglok
Joined: Aug 28, 2010 Posts: 202 Location: uptown
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elmegil
Joined: Mar 20, 2012 Posts: 2177 Location: Chicago
Audio files: 16
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Posted: Thu Jan 03, 2013 7:49 am Post subject:
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Fair enough, though Thomas' docs state at length that it takes him 2 hours to calibrate, and I assume he's using one of the preferred manufacturers....
Quote: | It usually takes me a couple hours to tune the X-4046 VCO. The entire time I keep a close watch on the DVM to make sure I'm really getting a 1V step between octaves and that temperature drift hasn't affected my voltage stepper (which I can easily recalibrate if need be). As my X-4046 VCO Test Results sheet shows, I was able to tune this fairly well from 80Hz to 10240Hz, although so far two other people have been unable to duplicate my results. I'm either lucky or deaf! But seriously, this VCO is harder to tune than most, the reason being that it doesn't provide perfect tuning throughout its range but requires spreading the errors out to regions where they are least noticeable. Despite this, it has enough going for it to make the extra time spent in tuning worthwhile, I think. |
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fonik
Joined: Jun 07, 2006 Posts: 3950 Location: Germany
Audio files: 23
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Posted: Sat Jan 05, 2013 2:35 pm Post subject:
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IIRC thomas did calibrate it to work for about 9 ocatves (nicely, but not perfect). i calibrated mine within minutes, and get about 5-6 usable octaves.
so with careful calibrating, and multiple recalibrating you will obviously get more out of it, however, it will take more time... _________________
cheers,
matthias
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Big Boss at fonitronik
Tech Buddy at Random*Source |
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