BOSS DR-110 mods

funkyfarm

I've collected mods from :

http://www.theninhotline.net/dr110/110mods.html
http://www.haha-fresh.blogspot.com/

confusing terms (tune/pitch, filter/phaser...), strange resistor references, but doable Wink

cool colour schematic from here.

http://sslstudiodesign.free.fr/110/MODS/

I wonder if red spots are good locations for separate outputs (nc jack socket, maybe follow by some att potentiometer ?)

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

Posted Image, might have been reduced in size. Click Image to view fullscreen.

funkyfarm · Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2009 4:53 pm Post subject:

I've corrected the problem with mods.pdf...

creekree · Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:17 pm Post subject:

i`ve been working on the dr110 quite a lot.
the red spots are indeed where you will connect indy outs, exept for the open hihat, closed hihat and the cymbal.
their circuitry is so intertwined that it is not possible to separate them.
for those, add a volume control after the juncture of R88 / R89.

CJ Miller · Joined: Jan 07, 2007 Posts: 368 Location: 127.0.0.1

Yes, these outs work. I tried them on mine but couldn't fit the NC jacks with the other mods I'd done. Individual outs are waiting until I recase it.

torsig1967 · Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 2:32 pm Post subject:

OK, this thread was a while ago but I try anyway.
I'm interested in raising the volume of the Hand Clap.
Looking at the schematis and considering what you're saying about the red dots I'm guessing I shoudl do something with the resistors R120/R121. Maybe lowering R121.
Could that be right?

torsig1967 · Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 3:34 pm Post subject:

funkyfarm · Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:37 am Post subject:

I've also try to boost clap with no much success... but individual outputs is a must-have.
And now my clap is stereo ! (via boss ce-2b)

richardc64 · Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:01 pm Post subject:

Dan Lavin · Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:16 am Post subject:

Hi gang! I know it's been a while since I've posted anything worthwhile. For about the past year and a half I've been working on a number analog percussion circuits as a follow up to the TH Quad Bass++ project. While perusing ebay a number of months ago, I found a fairly cheap Boss DR110 in need of some TLC. Since I was only interested in the analog portion of the unit, I removed the analog pcb from the case and created a 2u rack panel. I've saved the case and digital portion for future experimentation.

The end result is similar to a stripped down Roland 808. Now before you think that the DR110 is inferior to the 808 and it's older, bigger brothers, remember the DR110 was designed last, when the Roland engineers were more experienced and at the top of their game. The fully modded DR110 is every bit as good as the 808.....or any analog drum machine IMHO.

The mods I used were a mix of those found at Resonant Frequency, Plutonique9/hyperreal.org and those of Dave Magnuson. I'm sure I messed that all up, so I apologize for missing anyone who deserves some credit here. Anyone who wants to chime in with credit for any of these is appreciated. A lot of these mods have been regurgitated a number of times on the internet and full credit might have been lost. See reference links below.

Anyway, here are the mods I did:
1. replace C50 with a 4.7uF cap (adds more reverb to the clap)
2. replace C52 with a 4.7uF cap (adds more decay to the snare....more 80's sounding)
3. replace R70 with a 1K pot (kick pitch)
4. replace r86 with a 50K pot (kick decay)
5. added a switch with a 4.7uF cap across the kick pitch pot (bass boost)
6. replaced R81 with a 100K pot (snap level)
7. replace R80 with a 50K pot (snap tone)
8. paralleled R75 with a 50K pot (snare mix)
9. replace R76 with a 50K pot (snare impact pitch)
10. replaced R84 with a 50K pot (snare decay)
11. replaced R12 with a 1K pot (hhat filter)
12. replaced R10 with a 100K pot (hhat pitch)
13. replaced R22 with a 50K pot (hhat mix)
14. replaced R53 with a 50K pot (hhat closed decay)
15. replaced R20 with a 1M pot (hhat open decay)
16. replaced R16 with a 1K pot (cymbal filter)
17. replaced R44 with a 1M pot in series with a 1K fixed resistor (cymbal decay)
18. replaced R114 with a 50K pot (clap pitch)
19. replaced R120 with a 50K pot (clap filter)
20. replaced R113 with a 100K pot (clap R113)

As you can see, this adds a ton of wires to the unit. I probably spent more time dealing with broken wires to the pcb than the actual wire-up. Also, be very careful with pcb as it is not a very high quality board and traces are delicate.

I did add 6 pushbutton triggers to the front panel. I find these convenient for troubleshooting on the bench and auditioning the voices without having to hook up the full midi rig.

There are two other important things I did add to make this thing work with my studio midi set-up: input buffers for the triggers and a PICAXE chip to supply the 3 triggers to clap input 1 and the delay trigger to clap input 2.

First the interface circuit: I used a 4050 CMOS hex buffer as the first stage. The 4050 will handle up to +15V of protection...more than I need. Since the bass drum will trigger off a positive or negative trigger, the output of that buffer can go directly to the DR110 bass trigger. I put a diode in series with the output to prevent double triggering when using the front button. Similarly, I programmed the PICAXE to operate on a positive trigger, so the output of that buffer goes directly to the PICAXE chip. The 10K pulldown to the PICAXE input is necessary to prevent extra triggering of the clap when other voices fire. For the snare, hats and cymbal, the buffer feeds a 4049 hex inverter to give the necessary negative logic triggers to those voices.

The PICAXE idea arose about 18 months ago when Thomas Henry got me interested in that. I thought of a couple more elaborate ways to use a couple CMOS chips to simulate the multiple triggers that the DR110 clap requires, but the PICAXE was a one chip solution and the entire program and programming of the chip took well under an hour, so it was really a simple solution. The program I used is listed below. It's been many decades since I've done any Basic programming, so I'm sure it's not the best code that's ever been written. If anybody wants to make suggestions to improve this code, please do. I'm not proud. But I can testify that this code works just fine. Have to give partial credit to TH as I modified a similar program of his to create this one.

;******************************************Constant definitions*********************************************
symbol debounce = 50 ; switch debounce for 50msec
symbol pushbutton = Input0
symbol CLP1 = Output0
symbol CLP2 = Output1

;******************************************Main Program*****************************************************

pgm:
high CLP1 ;set outputs high as DR Clap triggers on low logic
high CLP2

sw_off: ;loop here if no input
if pushbutton = 0 then sw_off
low CLP1 ;pulse 1
pause 1
high CLP1
pause 10
low CLP1 ;pulse 2
pause 1
high CLP1
pause 10
low CLP1 ;pulse 3
pause 1
high CLP1
pause 10

low CLP2 ;pulse for delay
pause 1
high CLP2

sw_on:
if pushbutton = 1 then sw_on
pause debounce

goto pgm ;repeat

A special thanks for this project goes to RichardC64 who's provided a large amount of knowledge, support, guidance, etc.

Links:

http://www.theninhotline.net/dr110/resFreq/
http://machines.hyperreal.org/manufacturers/Boss/DR-110/mods/dr110-clap-snare.txt
http://www.vidiotsquad.com/synth-stuff/dr-110-mods/
http://www.theninhotline.net/dr110/110mods.html

Image00001.jpg

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This is my physical layout so you can appreciate how much wiring is involved. Interface perfboard is to the left and contains the 4050, 4049 and PICAXE clap trigger circuit

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Front Panel

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Front panel left side showing manual trigger buttons

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right side of front panel

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Dr110claps.mp3

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sample of the clap being triggered manually as I adjust the various controls. This is with the PICAXE providing the multiple triggers the DR110 clap sound requires to sound like more than one hand clapping (I sense a joke in here).

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Dan Lavin · Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 12:32 pm Post subject:

Sorry I forgot to post my interface circuit. RichardC64 pointed out to me that had I programmed the PIC for negative logic, I could've eliminated the 4050.

DR110interface.pdf

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richardc64 · Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 1:12 pm Post subject:

When you told me what you were doing, I had no idea it would turn out like that! Very nice work, man.

(That's from someone who doesn't care much for rack mount.)

mig27 · Joined: Mar 09, 2011 Posts: 21 Location: Berlin

Wow, this is neat stuff!

TheOutsider · Joined: Mar 10, 2011 Posts: 13 Location: Osaka

Dan, that is an awesome piece of work!

I'm curious, how did you wire the individual outs?

I've been waiting ages to pick up a dr-110 and finally found one in great shape for cheap. I'm planning on adding some of these mods myself Smile

Scott

Dan Lavin · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 7:52 am Post subject:

TheOutsider · Joined: Mar 10, 2011 Posts: 13 Location: Osaka

Dan Lavin · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 6:38 pm Post subject:

TheOutsider · Joined: Mar 10, 2011 Posts: 13 Location: Osaka

Dan Lavin · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:00 am Post subject:

richardc64 · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:38 pm Post subject:

Dan Lavin · Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 1:14 pm Post subject:

I like Richard's solution better than mine for separate outs. I'd still want the SD and BD to be separate. He also brings up a good point about the cymbal. I'm living with them as separate as I have two other cymbal units to help fill those sounds out.

TheOutsider · Joined: Mar 10, 2011 Posts: 13 Location: Osaka

Thank you both for the replies!

The DR arrived today so I'm eager to get started. I will probably leave the hats/cymbal grouped to one output, with the kick, snare and clap getting an individual out each.

I have yet another question though. I have sorta made up my mind that I don't care if the DR doesn't function without the breakout box... so my question is this: is it ok just to follow the red dot spots (per the schematic posted by funkyfarm) for places to break the traces and run lines to individual outs? Do I need to place caps in line like on the little schematic by Richardc64?

Thanks again!

Smile

richardc64 · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 9:13 am Post subject:

TheOutsider · Joined: Mar 10, 2011 Posts: 13 Location: Osaka

Hello again. I've managed to nearly finish my modded DR-110. Thanks for all the help and input, it's much appreciated.

I shot a little video demo... (audio is straight from the mixer via usb)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r00wV-rh93Y

Not entirely finished yet, as two things need troubleshooting: power from dc jack not working, and the cymbal has disappeared...

But what a fun little machine!

Smile

Paradigm X · Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 10:10 am Post subject:

Nice.

SOme great mods on there. Smile

IVe got a 606 which i do love, but im going to have to get a 110 (or build bits of it).

I built (with the help of richardc64) the Envelopes (modded) and VCA from the 110 for my liquid hihat, and it sounds amazing.

drumcodeuk · Joined: Dec 09, 2011 Posts: 10 Location: uk

TheOutsider has done a wicked job with his DR110 I think.. he's been really helpful to me with some info I was lacking.

A lot of the sites have dead links so I'm hoping he will email me when he gets a chance about how he did his sync input mod.. Cheers for your help!