[sdiy] Cheap ccts....

[Michael Schulze]

Dude

I have just started such a project - modular synth for cheapest possible
price.  I'm starting with a quad vco from
www.idg.se/personal/bergfors/bergfotron/.

The modular is the way to go cuz you can build one module at a time and
spread the cost out.

If you REALLY want the CHEAPEST option then you need to order a kit from
paia.

The 9700 modular is very cool and at $450 or so it's well worth it.
http://www.paia.com/p9700s.htm.  People on this list say nasty things about
paia tho...

Or for really cheap build a fatman:
http://www.paia.com/fatman.htm

BUT if you are like me and really want to build something custom you must
google search for any word you can come up with - synth, VCO, PCB, etc.
I've compiled a folder with 500 meg of schematics, pcb patterns, how to's,
etc.  This is a long process involving much study and research, so don't
attempt it unless you are prepared to wade into some theory.

Here are some of the best sites I have found:
http://www.otherunicorn.0catch.com/synth/pcb/index.html - CHEAP PCB boards
for sale!!!
http://www.idg.se/personal/bergfors/bergfotron/
http://www.it.kth.se/~e93_mda/synths/friends/stopp/#3.1
http://home.debitel.net/user/jhaible/additional_schemos.html
http://www.simple-answer.com/DIY.html
http://www.uta.fi/~helin/
http://www.uni-bonn.de/~uzs159/synth.html






> From: Jim Patchell <patchell at silcom.com>
> Organization: Jim Patchell
> Date: Fri, 26 Jul 2002 09:03:38 -0700
> To: Alan Podjursky <alan.p at paradise.net.nz>
> Cc: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> Subject: Re: [sdiy] Cheap ccts....
> 
> Well, I have good news and bad news.
> 
> In general, the actual circuits are not all that expensive
> themselves...this is the good news.  Depending on your skill level, you
> probably want to select circuits that have the fewest number of components to
> increase the odds you will get the circuit working with the minimal amount of
> debugging (more compoents = longer debugging time squared).  Pretty much, any
> circuit can be implemented with inexpensive parts.  The bad news is there are
> a few exceptions.
> 
> Off the top of my head, the two most expensive circuit components you will
> run into are Matched Transistors and Tempco Resistors.  Premium matched
> transistors come at a premium price ($7 US in some cases).  You can get around
> this in several ways.  You can match your own transistors (buy a big bag of
> 2n3904's for cheap, and hand match the parts and glue them together with
> epoxy).  You can also use some of the cheaper matched transistors, like the
> CA3046.  Tempco resistors (the +3300ppM one) are not only difficult to find,
> but also quite pricey when you do.  When building VCO's, you must have some
> sort of temperature compensation for exponential oscilators to keep them in
> tune.
> 
> Now for some more bad news...Even if you can build the circuit for cheap,
> you are going to have to do a bit of work getting the components for the front
> panel.  The panel cost is a major component in the dent in your checking
> account when building a synth.  You are going to need to search the surplus
> houses to find pots and jacks at a reasonable price.  If you can't find decent
> pots cheap surplus, you can get new pots from Mouser (http://www.mouser.com
> ).  They sell Xicon pots, and only cost about $1 each (about 80 cents if you
> get them 100 at a time).  Knobs are another big problem.  Radio Shack used to
> sell some really nice knobs are a good price, but have discontinued this
> service (the only ones they have left are the ones they haven't sold yet).
> Knobs can cost more than the pot does.  Which is pretty bizzare, if you ask
> me.  You are also going to have to select the kind of Jacks you want to use
> (which always sparks a debate here).  Keep in mind, you can get a lot more
> cheap jacks for your dollar, but, you will end up paying for this with
> frustration, but, you have-ta do what ya have-ta do.
> 
> -Jim
> 
> Alan Podjursky wrote:
> 
>> What are the cheapest synth circuits (in terms of construction costs) that
>> I could build, yet still get a halfway-decent sound from? (I have a local
>> copy of TomG's Cookbook, if that's any help.) Being a student with little
>> money majorly blows.
>