Digital DIY synths?

[Troy Sheets]

Plus, working on analog circuits is just more of an art.  There
are so many more variables... Simple things like how well you have
matched a transistor pair have subtle influences on the sound 
quality... how hard you drive your filter, ect.  It is these
little details that make your own analog synth a real unique
artistic tool.  Plus, I don't know... I just think analog circuits
have more "life" in them... they breathe and pulsate and you can hear
the electrons squirting through your circuits.   Digital is just more 
sterile and mathmatic.

-troy


> 
> >>>>> "jb" == jorgen bergfors <jorgen.bergfors at idg.se> writes:
> 
>  jb> The main reason analog is more popular among DIY types is that it
>  jb> is much more suited to DIY. You can build almost any circuit with
>  jb> standard parts and if it doesn't work, you can follow the signal
>  jb> with an oscilloscope to diagnose it. With digital, almost
>  jb> everything is controlled by software. That means it is impossible
>  jb> to change unless you have access to the source code. Also digital
>  jb> synths normally use special-purpose ICs, which can't be bought
>  jb> from an electronics supplier. You also need special equipment,
>  jb> like PROM-burners and such, to do digital. And with the low
>  jb> prices of mass-produced digital synths, there wouldn't be any
>  jb> cost benefit to build them yourself either. 
> 
> I agree, also...
> 
> Not only are many things hidded, but things is a bit more obscure than
> you might find in analog cursuits. The frequency wrapping, the yeat
> harder math, the impact of low resolution/quantization etc. all add
> up.
> 
> Another thing is the availablility of free tools.
> 
> Yeat further reasons is that adapting it into the environment of
> things that one already has is greater. With analogs you maybe just
> need to adjust the signal levels or so, for control signals it is the
> linear/expo limit that is among the more expensive ones that one
> usually see, but it is still at a fairly low level after all.
> 
> Also, when you actually build something the complexity grows on you,
> you quickly run into packages with many signals, more and more surface
> mounting, timing, high frequency problems etc.
> 
> Mastering each of these fields enought certainly filters many people
> out.
> 
> Never the less, it is fun to play with the thoughts.
> 
> Lately I have playing with the idea of using PICs for simpler tasks,
> they are not the strongest DSPs, MCUs or CPUs you may find, but they
> fit the smaller range. There are free tools available and a lot of
> material online. They come in fairly small packages at a decent price.
> The assembler has it sides, but you can do stuff with it. They may not
> glue up with A/Ds and D/As as obviously simple as a larger DSP would,
> but there are hints on how to do this aswell. It seems fairly
> promessing.
> 
> Cheers,
> Magnus
> 
> 

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