Digisound re-issue panel issues

[Christopher_List at Sonymusic.Com]

> What I planned to do was design the pc boards like Mackie mixers:
> all of the pots are soldered to the pc board, and the circuitry is
arranged
> around them. For the Digisound modules, the pc board is parallel to the
> front panel. The pots all solder on the pc board, and the remaining
> components are on the "back side" ie the solder side.

Awesome! Yes yes yes! I was going to suggest exactly this! As I'm currently
wiring up my third ASM-1 synth, I've come to dread the panel wiring part of
the job (this third one has been half built for about three months now). I
was actually looking into a way to make it easier, and this seemed like the
best solution. I wanted to make a pot PCB for it using the Panasonic pots
from the Digikey catalog and ribbon cable it to the ASM-1 board (don't know
if I'll ever get around to it, as I only have one more ASM-1 left to
build). Actually, availability of parallel PCB-mount mounts is the only
drawback to this method, but I definitely think it's worth it.

Actually, what I what I was going to recommend was the pots-on-PCB, but
done in a three-layered approach. Like; 1) the panel, 2) a PCB with the
knobs and summing opamps and 3) the "guts" PCB connected via ribbon cable
to layer 2 - layer 3 has the actual circuit. This has several advantages
IMHO.
1. It would allow for a lot more builder flexibility, if I wanted to change
my filter to a Moog filter, or even into some other "filter-like module"
with similar controls, I could just change the third PCB layer.
2. It would allow for a builder to create a layer "2.5" with a whole bunch
of VCA's  for software control - like Juergen's polysynth project.
3. It makes PCB design easier because you don't have to cram as many parts
onto one board. Extra free space on the PCBs allows us hackers a little
room for "enhancements"
4. If there's a problem with the module, most of the "heady" circuitry will
be on layer 3, so you may not have to bother with taking off all the knobs
and de-nutting all the pots to do the repair work.

The draw backs are;
1. PCBs are expensive, the more you have the higher the price. In fact,
you'd also have to include ribbon cables - so again, more parts, more
money.
2. Noise and crosstalk from the ribbon cable (is this really an issue?)

>
> Now, if you want to make up your own panels, then you can either:
>

There's no reason why you can't make your own panels with the same pot
layout as the "stock" panels, then you don't need to worry about wiring or
L brackets....

> "Name that synth"....

How about "Intersound"?
I realize net-based names are kind of gauche these days, but when talking
about a synth, the connection isn't so obvious...
..."I just finished my Intersound-310 VCO"....
..."He's got this huge Intersound modular that he built last summer..."

- that's got a nice ring to it, and it seems apropos :)...

- CList