Dim C

[asafnetzer]

Nice work jfromel, I would buy a board or 2, depending on price.
And More important question on my part, where can I buy toggle switches like shown in your picture, been searching for nice ones for a very long time.

Asaf

[jfromel]

Asaf: those toggles are nice: mouser part # 10TF615, 10TF610, or 10TF605 depending on config, did I mention they are pretty spendy at about $3.00 ea, but they do look super cool. I have thought hard about going to a different switch but those really make the look.

Peake: Perhaps someday I can make a living at this but right now my builds are really only to support the hobby.

If I do a board for DIY, I want to do it right with a clean layout and good documentation. I am not into doing anything half ass. I will do up a board with buffered stereo inputs, and expanded control of the LFO. It won't be a big bag of tricks though. Also there is no buffered bypass in this design so you will have to wire it up for true bypass or use a separate buffer. I am not going to put the Boss Flip-Flop bypass in, and since all my effects are true bypass I really don't want to design a bypass.

Price will be $38 for the board or I could do a complete kit with the board for $100.00. I will need to have about 15 boards and or kits, sold before I pull the trigger on the order. If the interest is there I will start this project as soon as my back order of builds on the pedals is complete.

I have the boards made with PCB Express so all boards are double sided with plate through holes, solder mask and silk screen. My designs all have 1mm traces for excellent signal and dedicated power and ground planes for less buzz.

[Scott Stites]

That's amazing! I can't imagine the planning it took to fit that thing into a stompbox.

Cheers,
Scott

[numbernone]

I will take One, no question.

Take that as a confirmation please. I will be looking out...

edit: A kit that is

[Uncle Krunkus]

Don't count on my two boards at this stage. I just don't have any money.

[bubblechamber]

I'll take one or 2

[jfromel]

Scott: Thanks for the props, it was actually the second pedal I ever designed, I figured that if Boss could do it I then I could. It took about 4 months work in my spare time, total pain in the rear. I must say that now when I design a boost, overdrive, or compressor it goes pretty fast.

I will start a list of buyers, just send me a PM and let me know how many you want and if you want the board or kit. When we get close to a dozen I will post an update. Seems a bit better than rolling 2 pages of thread saying "I'll take one" or "put me on the list" or "let me know when enough others step up to the plate".....

I have attached the Schem for the DIY version

There is a good amount of talk about the 3007/3101 set with the higher headroom, anyone know how to adapt this... Scott? JH? The data sheet for the 3007 says it needs -14V but the Boss CE-2 runs fine with a 9V and the only thing regulating the power to the BBD is a 33ohm resistor and a 220/10 cap to ground.

I cant figure it would be much more than giving it enough juice. The Dim-C uses a 78L06 to regulate the power to the BBD's and Clocks, I suppose you could use a 78L12 or 78L09 to give it more voltage. My guess is that without increasing the voltage there would not be any increase in headroom.

---

Lush DIY Schem1.pdf
Description:	two page schem - many thanks to Scott Stites	Download (listen)
Filename:	Lush DIY Schem1.pdf
Filesize:	139.6 KB
Downloaded:	986 Time(s)

---

[Uncle Krunkus]

Yeah, according to that schem, it uses a 7806 with a 4148 diode into the Ref(ground) which effectively gives an output of about 7V. So I figure if you replaced the 7806 with a 7809, then you'd get close to 10V which is it's upper limit. Should you go so close to it's limit though? The data sheet shows the THD going back up around the 10V input point. It shows the best THD is with a supply of 8V.

[Spratty]

Can you tell us if your pricing includes shipping?

Spratty

[asafnetzer]

jfromel, thanks for the reference on the switches, Quite pricey for me so I have to keep on searching for similar caps for my cheap switches.
Regarding the board, a bit over my budget as well right now, if the price would drop due to a larger quantity I might join in.

Best regards,
Asaf

[jfromel]

Spratty: I can cover the shipping if I am sending in the US, not sure how much it would cost to ship to Austrailia, but I would just charge exactly what the postage cost me.

Asaf: I wish I could bring the price down but I really can't. I could go into a discourse about the economics of this project but suffice it to say that even if I was charging twice as much for the boards and kits I would still be earning under minimum wage. The least expensive way to go would be to etch out the single sided version by Toppicone http://topopiccione.atspace.com/pjimages/BossDC2.PCB.gif It has a ton of jumpers because it is single sided but should work fine. He also has a BOM posted on his site as well.

Uncle: I was wondering if you could swap out the regulator and use MN3007/3101 instead of the MN3207/3102. I think the DIM-C is tuned up perfectly for the MN3207/3102, my board purrs like a kitten at 6.72V. My comment about headroom was that using the 3007 without giving it more juice might not give any more headroom. The 3207 has a wide voltage range on the spec sheet at 4-10 V. The 3007 has pretty narrow limits of 14-16 V on the spec sheet, however application of the chip in the CE-2 et al shows that it works just fine at 9 V. If I have time later I will open up my CE-2 and check the voltage on it.

[asafnetzer]

jfromel, I'm not complaining about the price, just about me being broke
Still, I would love to know if and when you plan to sell the boards, maybe I could buy the board and let it sit till I'll have more money for the components

Best regards,
Asaf

[Uncle Krunkus]

When I said don't count on me I meant that I literally don't even have the money to buy some boards, but I know that you're not overcharging. I've had plenty of experience with these ventures, and I know that from your side it would be mostly for the love of the art, and that equates to about $2 per hour!
I've actually been thinking, now that I've seen the simplified schematic, about doing a stripboard layout. I've got the stripboard, I've got spare time, I've got an obsessive brain which is good at detail, and I have no cash!
I agree that changing any of these designs from the low voltage (MN3207) version up to the high voltage (MN3007) would be a lot more tricky than it might seem. When everything else like buffers, companders, summers, etc. have been optimised for 7V like in the DimC, changing it to 14V would be opening up a can of nightmare worms!
Like you though, I am interested in experimenting with both types, as the DimC, DM-2, and STD-1 are all on my to do list.
I think I'll start by optimising my dual Saphire Flanger. It uses the MN3207/3201 pair (on each of two complete boards). When I built it I basically put a 9V battery substitute circuit on each board, and I didn't know how to set the bias or travel properly. I've got a CRO now, and I'd like to incorporate inverted feedback, inverted output on one channel, and cross feedback options, with a completely new front panel.
By the time I've done all that, I should be ready for the DimC or DM-2.

[scriptstyle]

sorry is see the price now, i def would want one probally the kit but im not sure. maybe i have enough time and i can source out components. maybe 2 pcbs?

[jfromel]

As soon as I am done with the layout for the PCB I will post a BOM for those who want to source the parts themselves. Everything is available from mouser except for the BBD's and Companders. I got the IC's on E-bay from a wholesaler in China. Small Bear also stocks originals and clones of the BBD/Clock.

[jfromel]

Well I am almost done with the PCB layout, the area in the lower left (LFO and switch control) is all I have yet to finish. Final size should be about 110mmx110mm.

So far I have 10 boards sold, 5 more and I will order these.

I would still like to incorporate the CV, someone help design it in exchange for a board or two?

I am sure the BOM has some errors at this point but it a good starting point.

---

Lush DIY Large Format.pdf
Description:		Download (listen)
Filename:	Lush DIY Large Format.pdf
Filesize:	79.87 KB
Downloaded:	663 Time(s)

---

---

Lush DIY Bom.pdf
Description:		Download (listen)
Filename:	Lush DIY Bom.pdf
Filesize:	43.65 KB
Downloaded:	586 Time(s)

---

[jfromel]

Update: some have been asking what would be included if I do this project. BTW I need 4 more pre-orders to get the ball rolling on this.

The Board: In addition to the board, you will get a BOM that is sorted by part location as well as by component, a schematic, a large format board layout, and a brief instruction sheet for wiring tips, tuning the BBD's, etc.

The Kit will come with everything that the board comes with plus: All the components necessary to populate the board. This is the same spec for the components that I use in the pedal and I was striving to have the highest quality and maintian a small size. Where possible I use higher ratings than spec to squeeze a bit more headroom out of the circuit.
1. The BBD set and companders will be NOS and the op-amps for the BBD and LFO are a clone of the original BA718. All other op-amps will be TL072.
2. The trannies and diodes are NOT NOS but are compatable substitutes.
3. Original spec calls for .125 w 5% resistors, the kit will come with .25 w 1% resistors.
3. Ceramic caps will be 50V min, film caps will be AVX boxed 63V or 100V depending on stock. Electolytic caps will be rated higher than spec when component size allows. Most notably all 10u caps will be rated at 35v but are spec'd at 16v.

The pricing of the kit is about what it would cost to piece this together without bulk pricing. If you already have the BBD's Clocks, and companders then there is really no need to buy the kit. Also if you are really hardcore about having the original spec diodes, trannies and op-amps then I wish you the best of luck with that. Please note that the DC-2 called for BA718 op-amps for the LFO and BBD which is a SIP9 config, the BA728 is the DIP8 config for the same op-amp. The M5218L op-amp for the input and output stage also has a spec for a DIP8 and is a M5218P. Attached is the datasheet for the op-amps per original spec

---

BA718 Datasheet.pdf
Description:		Download (listen)
Filename:	BA718 Datasheet.pdf
Filesize:	30.53 KB
Downloaded:	437 Time(s)

---

---

M5218L datasheet.pdf
Description:		Download (listen)
Filename:	M5218L datasheet.pdf
Filesize:	358.06 KB
Downloaded:	615 Time(s)

---

[23isgood]

Geez, how can I resist. Since I clearly have no ability to restrain myself from jumping into another project. Put me down for a kit.

pete

[Carbon111]

Looking forward.

This is shaping up to be an excellent project - thanks for all the prelim legwork!

Best Regards, James
--
http://www.carbon111.com

[phdinfunk]

Sent Pm to this effect also. I will definately buy one kit.

Let me know when to send monies

Jonathan P

[norman phay]

Can I put my name down for a kit for one of these as well, please.

[janvanvolt]

I think i'll never finish my other projects ... anyway: put me down for two kits,

[jaidee]

I'll take one kit.

Still hoping that JH's Dim D project comes off as well!

[synthi]

I`m in for a kit too,


Synthi

[whomper]

I'm in for 1 board.

Whomper