Resonant Lopass Gate PCB's (New Batch 4/29/12)

a_guy_called_tom · Joined: Jun 21, 2008 Posts: 31 Location: mountains

This is such a nice module, thanks for doing another run! i almost always prefer it to my normal vca's!

mistercooper · Joined: Jul 17, 2006 Posts: 62 Location: Seattle

Thanks for your contributions to the community...

Will you be posting the PCB artwork for those of us who cant afford as many boards as we would like from this run? (You said this will be the final run of this design, and I would like to maintain some consistency between my modules...)

Thanks,
Cooper

djthomaswhite · Joined: Nov 22, 2007 Posts: 140 Location: Orange, CA

The boards will remain lead free. I am committed to that in my boards. Here are details from the PCB manufacturer about the boards...

"Our Lead-Free Process
> The lead-free process that we use is a 99% silver finish. Silver plating is more expensive than the tin plating most of our competitors are offering, however we believe that our silver alloy produces a board that is easier to assemble and looks more professional.

Assembling Lead-Free Boards
> You will find that our lead-free boards assemble very nicely using the same tin/lead solder that has been commonly used for decades.
If you wish to manufacture a finished product that is lead-free or RoHS compliant, you must use a lead-free solder and select lead-free components. We recommend using a solder with a 96.5% tin, 3.0% silver, 0.5% copper alloy, such as Kester 24-7068-7600 (Mouser part number 533-24-7068-7600).

Storage note: PCBs plated with a tin/lead solder finish can be stored almost indefinitely before they are assembled. Our lead-free boards also store well, but we recommend keeping them wrapped in plastic if they will be stored for more than one month prior to being assembled."

Hope this helps with planning for folks. Thanks!

Thomas

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

adambee7 · Joined: Apr 04, 2009 Posts: 420 Location: united kingdom

Must admit that the gold plated boards are bloody nice to solder. The heat gets spread a hell of a lot better but i think that would add to the price of the boards but then again i'm not the one ordering a load of them. But it's a good point though. Laughing

sduck · Posted: Thu May 14, 2009 6:53 am Post subject:

I didn't have any uncommon issues soldering these LPG pcb's, all four of them. They certainly weren't the worst ones I've built. I won't say they were the best either - as I've already bitched about the ground plane being on the wrong side - but each of the 4 I've built has worked 100% from day one, which is better than most.

ericcoleridge · Joined: Jan 16, 2007 Posts: 889 Location: NYC

djthomaswhite · Joined: Nov 22, 2007 Posts: 140 Location: Orange, CA

The boards will be available for a while. I will not have them forever, but I learned my lesson from last time and will order some extras so I can have them in stock for late comers and people in the check coming at month end boat.

Thomas

PS. Sorry to Teknik I guess. Boards are staying lead free.

PS to clarify one of your claims about electronic music, going green does not mean stringing fiber up on a bow and plucking to make music while your band mate bangs stones together as your comment would indicate. It's like saying going on a diet means not eating anything but air and water. In truth, electronics are only a part of the problem, but they are still a part we need to begin to lessen the impact of. I don't make my own clothes, grow all my own food and cook on fires, but I will make sure any product I make available has going green in mind. Sure this might mean less people are interested, but I can sleep better at night knowing I am not directly responsible for more lead in the water table.

adambee7 · Joined: Apr 04, 2009 Posts: 420 Location: united kingdom

NICE ONE THOMAS. ITS ALWAYS THE END OF THE MONTH WITH ME. bLOODY MONTHLY PAY. Laughing

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

djthomaswhite · Joined: Nov 22, 2007 Posts: 140 Location: Orange, CA

Teknik,

Yeah I got over my big truck youth after learning more about why green is important. Sold the V8, bought a whimpy 4 cylinder and got a job closer to home. I miss the power (and I know that is a false image) of acceleration, but on the Southern California freeway traffic I am not missing this too often.

Thomas Wink

PS. Hi guys, on the board tip I have re-run many of the traces to adjust for the bigger pads and the design is a bit better in my opinion. Time for a quality check and circuit tracing next to make sure I didn't make any mistakes in these changes. I'll post new versions of the board layouts in the user docs soon. Orders are still on target for mid June shipping. Thanks to all for the support of the project!

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

LPG front test..

sduck · Posted: Sun May 17, 2009 7:44 pm Post subject:

TekNik - looks great!

1 comment - are you sure you want the deep switches down at the bottom? Cable droop in the way and all that...

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

crashlander42 · Joined: Oct 21, 2006 Posts: 292 Location: Orlando, FL (US)

I hate asking questions.

I can seem to get the resonance knob to do anything. I've been poking at my LPG board for a couple of days now. Anybody have any tips on what I should look for? I hear obvious low pass filtering, and the mode switch seems to be working right, but no resonance.

djthomaswhite · Joined: Nov 22, 2007 Posts: 140 Location: Orange, CA

For resonance, check the schematic as it has a separate section connected via jumpers on the board. Follow the circuit through with special focus on the jumpers themselves. Hope this helps!

Thomas

doobedy · Joined: Jan 12, 2009 Posts: 19 Location: Los Angeles

I put my pcbs in a plastic sandwich bag, suck out all the air, and pop into the freezer until I'm ready. I feel silly doing it, but it seems to slow down oxidation a lot on these lead free boards.

I also use some thinner (.64mm/.025") activated rosin core solder that spreads and splatters flux everywhere, and makes the solder flow and stick a lot better on less than perfect pads, but I don't really like using it unless I have to. It's way messier than no-clean. Says 3.3% flux on the tin.

adambee7 · Joined: Apr 04, 2009 Posts: 420 Location: united kingdom

Ok i use lead. 63/37 but I use hydro x water soluable flux. It's going to take a total ban on lead for me to go totaly green. God I feel bad now. Confused

panda30y · Joined: Apr 12, 2009 Posts: 17 Location: Detroit, Michigan

I just purchased four boards last week, and I was looking over the BOM, and I noticed you specified 4 vishay precision pots for the mixing sections. Are precision pots specified for a reason? Otherwise I'll just pick up panel mounted pots with solder lugs.

Also, I would imagine I would need 5 pots if I intend to have the entire 3 audio mix and 2 cv mixing sections. Should I get audio tapered for the audio mixing, or would linear be better suited still in this instance?

Sorry for the simple questions, I'm quite new to building modular kits, and I just want to make sure I have everything right before I purchase the parts.

fluxmonkey · Joined: Jun 24, 2005 Posts: 708 Location: cleve

djthomaswhite · Joined: Nov 22, 2007 Posts: 140 Location: Orange, CA

Okay guys, I just ordered the 2nd batch of PCB's after relaying out some of the traces and making the pads bigger. I had waited to get a better sense of how many to order so I can have extra but not too many extra.

PCB's should arrive with me on June 15th or 16th. I will quickly process orders from the start of the list to the end and should have them all out within 1 week after receiving the boards. Thanks guys!

Thomas

TekniK · Joined: Aug 10, 2008 Posts: 1059

Okay, a demo with this LPG (first batch)

first dry,then delay,offset at minimum near the end i open a bit up
,LPG is triggered only with a pulse

Attorks · Joined: Jun 01, 2009 Posts: 6 Location: Netherlands

numbertalk · Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 6:48 am Post subject: