[sdiy] Circuit Boards / kits

[George Hearn]

I don't build many kits but used to a lot.  Thing I found was that it was
often harder to get somebody else's complex design to work even with the pcb
than it was to design from scratch, because I didn't fully understand what
was going on. I wonder at what level the *average* synth diyer is looking to
go in at.. what I mean is, are people fond of
PCB+Parts+Enclosure+Instructions all in one box, or perhaps just PCB or even
just schematic and odd parts kit.  What are peoples preferences there is
also an interesting thing to know.. 

-----Original Message-----
From: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl
[mailto:synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of Scott Gravenhorst
Sent: 24 September 2008 21:24
To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
Subject: Re: [sdiy] Circuit Boards / kits

David Betz <dbetz at xlisper.com> wrote:
>On Sep 24, 2008, at 1:26 PM, Antti Huovilainen wrote:
>
>> Minimalist circuits that favor low cost and good performance. IOW,  
>> reduce complexity where the effect on stability etc is minimal. IOW,  
>> don't do it the PAIA way :)
>
>Why are people on this list so down on the PAiA stuff? Is it really  
>*that* bad? 

I don't think so.  The "complaints" have pretty much been that it uses
linear pitch
CV, it's not patchable and the VCOs soft synch.  Patchable can be done by
modifying.
 The soft synch is drastically reduced by one of two simple modifications.
I never
had a problem with linear pitch CV and I found a way to modulate pitch with
an LFO
using the 555 timer's "FM" input (though this will NOT work for audio rate
modulation).  All of this is documented on my web site URL (below).

>I'm very tempted to order a FatMan kit partly because it's  
>pretty inexpensive and comes with everything I need to assemble it. I  
>don't have to source the parts myself which seems to be necessary for  
>many of the other DIY synth projects. 

And you can go here: http://home1.gte.net/res0658s/fatman/ for some simple
mods that
extend it's function.  

>Are there better everything- included kits than the PAiA ones?

Probably, but I think the operative phrase in PAiA's favor is "bang for the
buck".



-- ScottG
______________________________________________________________
-- Scott Gravenhorst
-- GateManPoly - FPGA-based Polyphonic MIDI LA/FM Synthesizer
-- GateMan-III - FPGA-based Monophonic MIDI LA/FM Synthesizer
-- PolyDaWG/8 - FPGA-based 8 Voice Polyphonic MIDI Synthesizer
-- FatMan: home1.gte.net/res0658s/fatman/
-- NonFatMan: home1.gte.net/res0658s/electronics/
-- When the going gets tough, the tough use the command line.

_______________________________________________
Synth-diy mailing list
Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy