Ideal VCO for mass production (long)

[Quint]

Why not go discreet in the tradition of modular's but rather transistor
based.  Japanese transistor are very cheap and provide great sounds.  Look
at the 303 for instance.

There are also a lot of older ic's and transistors in abundance and
inexpensive that just weren't popular in their day like the 3000 series,
3046,86,3039,3080  . . .
PMI transistor pairs like the 2210's are cool as are matched npn and the
2220's matched pnp's.  Plentiful and inexpensive.

Also there are a lot of new devices (relatively) that are absolutely ignored
like the 038's from maxim and intercil.
The ICL8038 is great I think & produces saw,sqr,sine all at the same time.
Also there is the less capable XR2206 I think if I remember correctly.

But these all vary in price up to $5 ea. whereas jap transistors  are
usually $1-2.  Maybe it would be easier as a "community" to design discrete
circuits online like unix.  Another advantage in my point is if a few
designs are made instead of opting for a particular one, switching could be
implementing to 'combine' or reroute to a different module.
This would be possibly at the same price a purchased IC would probably cost
using transistors.
e.g. 3 vco designs are derived
switching between, modulating or combining the three could be capable.
The same could be applied to filtering and ring mod.

Any thoughts?

Quint



----- Original Message -----
From: Budweiser [FTS] <budweiser at ozemail.com.au>
To: <jorgen.bergfors at idg.se>; <vco at mindspring.com>;
<synth-diy at mailhost.bpa.nl>
Sent: Wednesday, April 07, 1999 8:58 AM
Subject: Re: Ideal VCO for mass production (long)


> I think its time to give this "best VCO" thing a bit of a miss.
>
> I originally started the thread to get an idea of what people's
> needs are, and all i've mostly seen is a slanging match!
>
> The reason i asked the question, is because i want to go into
> full scale production of a (semi) pro modular system. My experience
> in electronics does not go very far, and my interest in electronic
> music has been relatively recent (the last 5 years, compared to some
> of you guys on the list, well and truly over 20). I have seen whats
> available, and have like certain things better than others. We don't
> see a great of deal of fantastic high gear in Australia (compared to
> the USA, at least), and i have been lucky to see and use some early
> modular equipment. The stuff i have used, mostly a very early Moog
> modular, i found to be very cumbersome and frustrating. This was mostly
> due to the fact that its a "display piece" at the university. I wasn't
> allowed
> to put it in the studio with the protools setup, i wasn't allowed to use
> more patch cords (except for the original ones, of which only half
worked),
> and i was ridiculed for having an interest in such an old machine. I'm
sure
> the system would be fantastic to use i had a decent oppurtunity to
> callibrate the machine, clean it up, and get everything working. But
> that is not the case.
>
> This was just a taste, and i'm hooked. I am studying Computer Systems
> Engineering, of which half of the course is elctronics, and i find the
> analogue side of things particulary interesting. When i found Tom's site
> on "Electronics for Music" i was hooked. (and i'm not taking sides here).
> I started building a few of the modules, had some trouble and couldn't get
> some things to work, but i learnt something.
>
> I want a modular. Thats definite. The only feasible way i can see myself
> owning a modular, is to build the damn thing myself. And why not if i
> have the skills? I don't have $10k+ for Moog or Roland 700 or whatever.
> As much as i would love one, i will not be owning one anytime soon.
>
> So this is my next step. I am already making a bit of money with my TR606
> ModBox's, which is a fairly simple project compared to other things. So if
> I build a modular for myself, why not do something for others as well?
There
> is interest and a demand for these beasts (although limited). So why
> shouldn't
> I have a go?
>
> Which brings me to the this question: what is the first module that i
should
> release?
> I chose the VCO, because it is a fundamental sound source which people can
> start off with. Filters can be used to filter other signals, but i though,
> from my own
> point of view, a good VCO should be the first thing i should produce. If
you
> think
> wrong, please let me know.... so i ask this question: what is the
best/ideal
> VCO
> for mass production?
>
> Who here has a fantastic design that fits the needs and requirements of an
> e-musician? I am happy to pay royalties, and fully acknowledge the person
> responsible for the design. ASM-1, or Tom's VCO4b? Tell me... i want to
> do something about it.... this time without the slanging match...
>
>
> L8r,
>
> bud / FTS
> www.ozemail.com.au/~budweiser
>
>