Latest Pics of the Krunkus ASM-2 Sorcerer

Uncle Krunkus

Here's a couple of pics of my ASM-2 PCB. Just to show that in the same way a "modular" is never finished, a complete synth PCB is still a work in progress.

On the front side pic you can see my two Sync summer/buffer boards striding through VCO territory like a couple of War of the Worlds walkers. Towards the other end you can see my first "addition" which was a small board for the +/-10V trimmers. Some of the TL074s needed inputs swapped, that's why there are some piggybacked sockets around town.

On the back side pic you can see the extent of the "secret undocumented features", otherwise known as kludges. There are 24 all up including the 3 on the front. It doesn't look as pretty as a "perfect" board, but I know this collection of circuits back to front because of all the extra work I've needed to do. I wouldn't have it any other way. Well,....unless I find out there's something else I need to "fix". Laughing

ASM-2-Front-08.jpg

Description:

Filesize:

307.12 KB

Viewed:

220 Time(s)

This image has been reduced to fit the page. Click on it to enlarge.

ASM-2-Back-08.jpg

Description:

Filesize:

286.6 KB

Viewed:

202 Time(s)

This image has been reduced to fit the page. Click on it to enlarge.

widdly · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:41 pm Post subject:

It looks like a lot of work.

From working in the electronics industry, they always use green wire for the kludges. It's referred to as grass. If a product doesn't have some grass then it hasn't been tested and probably doesn't work. So those kludges are a good thing Laughing

chriswilliams · Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:50 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the post!

I'm currently finishing off my ASM-2 pcb, and although I'm aware of a few kludges that need to be added to the pcb (ie missing power rails etc) from the Elby Designs web site, I didn't think there were this many!

Are these fixes essential to the circuit working or are they your own enhancements?

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:14 am Post subject:

chriswilliams · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:54 am Post subject:

Haha phew thats a relief!

Its taken me a couple of years to get get around to finishing mine off as it is!
Laughing

synthnl · Joined: Oct 19, 2007 Posts: 33 Location: Ede

Cool. I'm going to build one too. Just got my PCB and most parts.

BananaPlug · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:54 am Post subject:

numbernone · Joined: Aug 16, 2006 Posts: 477 Location: new york city

First I am in no way trying to be a jerk...

Why does the ASM 2 take so long to complete?? Every post/site/thread I have ever looked at in regards to the ASM is painted in shades of months and years to finish. I was very ineterested in one when I beagn DIYing, but was very put off by accounts of the uphill battle of completion. From the photos it looks to be a solid 2 days of on board building, probably 2-3 more to drill the panel and part it out. + + +

What are the major snags and snafus?? I may be building a modular for someone and thought this may be a good alternative to pick and choose, but I am kinda scared away.

Again, not trying to pick on anybody, god knows I could polish the antennae on the empire state building if I stacked up my backlog of boards and climbed on... and time is of so short a supply.

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 6:54 pm Post subject:

For me there are a number of reasons the ASM-2 took longer than a month to complete (I consider a month to be a pretty good estimate if I started a new one tomorrow) it actually took me more like 3 years! Embarassed

1. Like I said, I got a prototype board, and there were quite a few issues that needed fixing. Some weren't obvious until I'd "finished" the basic construction.

2. The board is laid out as separate modules. Only the power rails are shared. How you layout your cabinet and decide on options for pre-patched or patched out connections is completely up to you. As this was my first DIY synth project (before I'd even built a SoundLab) I actually didn't know what I wanted. This planning made things quite tentative. When I got it, I planned on building a completely pre-patched, self contained unit similar to a hand made SH101. Now that it's almost "finished" the connections to the outside world have become very important to me.

3. I started having a family at the same time I bought my ASM2 PCB. Rolling Eyes

I'm sure I could add some other considerations, but I need to get on with a paying guitar job which has jumped the que and put back my work on the ASM2,.....again! Laughing

widdly · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 10:50 pm Post subject:

hey Unc Krunk, you made matrix synth.

http://matrixsynth.blogspot.com/search/label/Krunkus

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:11 am Post subject:

Are they allowed to do that? Shocked

sneakthief · Joined: Jul 24, 2006 Posts: 569 Location: Berlin

numbernone: what are you going on about? i finished mine with ease: http://sneak-thief.com/modular

re. timeframe: don't forget that i also built a ton of other CGS & MIDIbox & tonepad junk.

stuffing the board is a snap. the time-consuming parts are: deciding what features to implement, making the front panels & wiring them. of course, if you get the sorcerer panel, then you can save lots of time.

uncle krunkus: i almost had a heart-attack when i saw all those mods! i was wondering what the heck i missed when i was building mine, then i saw that it was a prototype board *phew*

and i posted on matrixsynth to let people know the mods weren't needed for the current pcb's.

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 1:32 am Post subject:

But it doesn't say anywhere that mine isn't the current board. I just didn't want people to think that the current version of the board requires all this extra work. Maybe I shouldn't have posted those pics after all. Confused

sneakthief · Joined: Jul 24, 2006 Posts: 569 Location: Berlin

nothing is safe from matrix lol

but please don't ever stop posting pics Smile

i love all the eye-candy in this forum. it makes me giddy!

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 2:14 am Post subject:

BTW Sneakthief, I love your ASM2 page. Very well put together. You can see straight away that you've got a newer version of the board (well I can anyway) because the extra TL071s for the sync buffer are there in the corner of the VCO sections.
I don't understand the MidiBoxCV stuff at all. Is there a kit you can buy?
If you did all that in 4 months, you don't have a day job, or kids! Laughing

sneakthief · Joined: Jul 24, 2006 Posts: 569 Location: Berlin

producing & performing live is my living - ie. i have way more time than money lol

re. MIDIbox: follow the instructions here: http://ucapps.de/

...and buy the kits here http://www.avishowtech.com/mbhp/buy.html

Clack · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 3:40 am Post subject:

mines on its way too , board is populated - knocking the box together next week

numbernone · Joined: Aug 16, 2006 Posts: 477 Location: new york city

Nah nah nah Ya got me all wrong!! Im not trolling, just have read many many instances of ASMs taking ages and ages to complete. Just trying to get a handle on this thing.

Sneakthief, how many hours do you think went into building yours total? I am guessing around 30 dedicated hours with a gameplan in place well ahead could turn one out.

Again, no disrepects...I just picked up my iron for almost the first time in 2 months last night so...

Cheers to all!!

sneakthief · Joined: Jul 24, 2006 Posts: 569 Location: Berlin

this "gameplan" you speak of is the real time-sucker Razz

so what you're asking is: "assuming you know exactly what features & components you're going to use, and where to connect them on a panel, how long would this take?"

well, stuffing the board only takes a couple of days. believe me, you can't just whip through it otherwise you'll make stupid mistakes. and there are several decisions that you have to make while stuffing depending on the features you want ...and that's assuming all the docs & boms are 100% correct now.

as for the panel wiring, i doubt you could pull it off in a week. you think you know what you're getting into, but you don't. you might be surprised how long it takes to figure out how to wire various modules. all i can say is that the asm-genie pdf's are burned in my memory because i had to study them for so long.

question: are you going to use the sorcerer panel? if not, then be prepared for spending a lot of time making decisions, laying out your controls, etc.

numbernone · Joined: Aug 16, 2006 Posts: 477 Location: new york city

Ah its all theoretical at this point.

I definitely spend more time I think, planning panels etc. than actually building them. But it occupies lazy time spent listening to records, half watching TV and all that!

I like designing layouts so I would definitely opt for the homemade version. I have many blisters on my thumb from hours of drill time!!!

sneakthief · Joined: Jul 24, 2006 Posts: 569 Location: Berlin

super! then you're all set to do it DIY-style. enjoy the adventure.

i think the ASM-2 sounds really top-notch. there's nothing about it that feels like corners were cut.