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 Forum index » DIY Hardware and Software
Boss DR-55 Mods
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JAMESveeder



Joined: Nov 16, 2010
Posts: 34
Location: tucson

PostPosted: Thu Nov 15, 2012 8:01 pm    Post subject: Boss DR-55 Mods Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Hey, again! So I've decided for my next project, I'm going to convert my drum machine into something I can use with my modular. I have a boss dr-55 that i got off of ebay a while back.

So far I've got trigger inputs to trigger The snare and rimshot, I plan to add triggers for the rest of the drums of course.
I also have the bass drum mod added on.

Now I want to get as much as I can out of this little drum machine, but I don't want to go through it looking for nodes to attach as I'm afraid I might fry something. So I thought I would as the lovely electro-music.community.

Have any of you modded this instrument? I found a rimshot clone on here that had a "tone" feature that I would be able to add to my dr-55. Other than that though, I'm really not sure what approach to take. If you guys could help that would be wonderful!

I'm going to supply a schematic and all for you to take a look at.

Thanks guys! I'm excited for the possibilities with this! I hope to get some sort of mod list going for other Dr-55 modders, because I know they're out there.


d.jpg
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The schematic
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d.jpg



dr55_p5_164.jpg
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PCB Layout
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dr55_p5_164.jpg


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Dougster



Joined: Sep 20, 2005
Posts: 272
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Can't help all that much other than to say it's an interesting little box and I hope to get one sometime. I'll try to remember to look in my folder of mods to see if I have anything for this one...

Regards,
Doug

_________________
Once you start down the modular path, forever will it dominate your destiny!

Every DIY person should own a copy of Electronotes: http://electronotes.netfirms.com

Blue LEDs are evil.
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JAMESveeder



Joined: Nov 16, 2010
Posts: 34
Location: tucson

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Thanks, that would be great!

Do you guys think it would be a good idea to draw out the schematic in LTSPICE and test different things in there?

The only problem is I'm not quite sure how to test things in it, or if I can even get the whole schematic running. I could do parts of the schematic in there and fiddle around with it...

I just need to learn how to use it lol
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Dougster



Joined: Sep 20, 2005
Posts: 272
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA

PostPosted: Fri Nov 16, 2012 10:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Funny, I've never actually used SPICE. Or even Falstad or Qucs... Laughing I've always done things empirically, that is, I use a lot of prototype board with real components. I'm also a bit of a test gear buff, so I have a few toys to use as well. If you've got the resources, pick up a good scope and maybe a signal generator, a frequency counter and a pulse generator. If you really want to get jiggy, buy one of the build-your-own-test-gear books. And of course, at some point, I would definitely suggest getting a copy of Electronotes... Cool

BTW, I looked, and I've got stuff for the 110 and the usual array of 606, 808 and 909 mods, but I don't actually have anything about the DR-55...

Regards,
Doug

_________________
Once you start down the modular path, forever will it dominate your destiny!

Every DIY person should own a copy of Electronotes: http://electronotes.netfirms.com

Blue LEDs are evil.
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JAMESveeder



Joined: Nov 16, 2010
Posts: 34
Location: tucson

PostPosted: Sat Nov 24, 2012 12:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Ah I see. I may get an osciloscope at some point in time, along with the other things when I have a better cashflow.

But for now, I've come across some interesting bends/mods for the dr-55!

If anyone would like, I can post what I've found. I may do it for the hell of it, anyways. I've come across some cool stuff though!
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Dougster



Joined: Sep 20, 2005
Posts: 272
Location: Tucson, AZ, USA

PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

You tease! Razz Laughing

What did you find?

BTW, what side of town are you on?

Regards,
Doug

_________________
Once you start down the modular path, forever will it dominate your destiny!

Every DIY person should own a copy of Electronotes: http://electronotes.netfirms.com

Blue LEDs are evil.
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andrewF



Joined: Dec 29, 2006
Posts: 1176
Location: australia
Audio files: 4

PostPosted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 10:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Found an interesting error or mod with the BD
The input resistor, R11, goes to a different node on the PCB than it does on the schematic.

When compared to the BD on the DR110, the DR-55 schematic is correct but the PCB diagram as given in the 1st post (from the service manual) is wrong.

Could someone check if this was fixed on a real PCB or did the error remain as shown. If it is the same on the PCB as shown in the service manual, perhaps a switch to re-route the trigger signal to the 'correct' node might be worth trying.
edit - schematic is correct, sounds much better. The PCB image in the service manual is wrong.....so what about the real pcbs??

As for the RS, replace R44 with a 4k7 resistor in series with a 50k to 100k pot wired as a rheostat allows you to tune it, also changing R40 to a 10k pot in series with 4k7 lets you set the 'ring' of the sound, either extreme gets it to oscillate at an annoying frquency or reduces the sound to a click. Personally not worth modding for me, but the Tune mod is ok.


pcb traces showing error.jpg
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