[sdiy] Becoming better at understanding difficult analog schematics

Thu May 16 20:21:13 CEST 2024

What about the Falstad simulator? It's the best for quick and dirty
sims!!!!!!!

On Thu, May 16, 2024 at 7:11 PM Chris McDowell via Synth-diy <
synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:

> Simulation, yeah! I learn a ton from popping stuff into LTSpice and try
> out anything new or novel there first.
> Cheers,
> Chris
>
> On May 16, 2024, at 8:21 AM, ben gebhardt via Synth-diy <
> synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:
>
> 
> Not sure if mentioned already, but I learn alot by simulating circuits and
> then doing time and frequency domain analysis.
>
> Agreed with redrawing circuits, this can help immensely.
>
> And, finally, a basic thing I do when visually assessing a circuit I've
> never seen before is to think about the 2 extreme cases where the input
> signal frequency is 0 and +inf.  Capacitors will open or short in those
> cases (with a transition point at some frequency in between) and that can
> reveal alot about what a circuit does.  Maybe that's too elementary for
> this group, but I still do this all the time.
>
> Ben
>
> On Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 05:35:08 AM EDT, Mike Bryant via Synth-diy <
> synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:
>
>
> Oh boy do I remember the arguments at HP in the 70s when it was decided to
> add the dots and remove the jump-overs on schematics across the whole
> corporation.
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Michael E Caloroso <mec.forumreader at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* 16 May 2024 06:03
> *To:* Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com>
> *Cc:* Sarah Thompson <plodger at gmail.com>; ackolonges fds via Synth-diy <
> synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [sdiy] Becoming better at understanding difficult analog
> schematics
>
> Not a good idea to recommend Buchla schematics for student level EEs.
> Buchla did not place dots on junctions.  You'd have to have a solid
> foundation of circuits to decipher those.
>
> MC
>
> On Mon, May 13, 2024 at 8:16 AM Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com>
> wrote:
>
> Those are exactly the types of circuits than production and test hate.
> Nice separate blocks with clearly defined inputs and outputs make their
> lives a lot easier.
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Sarah Thompson <plodger at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* 13 May 2024 12:47
> *To:* Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com>
> *Cc:* Donald Tillman <don at till.com>; David G Dixon <dixon at mail.ubc.ca>;
> ackolonges fds via Synth-diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [sdiy] Becoming better at understanding difficult analog
> schematics
>
> Buchla schematics (at least the few I've seen) are fascinating. There is
> an incredible economy of design -- where many/most designers' circuits can
> easily be broken down into blocks that can be understood separately, with
> Buchla circuits you'll see a weird resistor or capacitor (or something)
> that doesn't make sense until you really dig into it, and it turns out that
> the designer has merged the functionality of blocks together, or added
> something analogous to a fixed tone control or something. Definitely from
> someone who liked to get their hands dirty at the bench!
>
> On Mon, May 13, 2024 at 8:34 AM Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com>
> wrote:
>
> Maybe that's the real difference between East Coast and West Coast
> synthesis :-)
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Synth-diy <synth-diy-bounces at synth-diy.org> on behalf of Donald
> Tillman <don at till.com>
> *Sent:* 13 May 2024 08:20
> *To:* David G Dixon <dixon at mail.ubc.ca>
> *Cc:* ackolonges fds via Synth-diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [sdiy] Becoming better at understanding difficult analog
> schematics
>
> On May 12, 2024, at 10:43 PM, David G Dixon via Synth-diy <
> synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:
> >
> > I hear you, Paulo!  I have a very hard time reading some schematics.
> One good example are Buchla schematics, which I find almost impossible to
> decipher.
>
> I got no problem with them, man.  :-)
>
>   -- Don
> --
> Donald Tillman, Palo Alto, California
> https://www.till.com
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>
>
> --
> [s]
> ________________________________________________________
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>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Michael E Caloroso <mec.forumreader at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* 16 May 2024 06:03
> *To:* Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com>
> *Cc:* Sarah Thompson <plodger at gmail.com>; ackolonges fds via Synth-diy <
> synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [sdiy] Becoming better at understanding difficult analog
> schematics
>
> Not a good idea to recommend Buchla schematics for student level EEs.
> Buchla did not place dots on junctions.  You'd have to have a solid
> foundation of circuits to decipher those.
>
> MC
>
> On Mon, May 13, 2024 at 8:16 AM Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com>
> wrote:
>
> Those are exactly the types of circuits than production and test hate.
> Nice separate blocks with clearly defined inputs and outputs make their
> lives a lot easier.
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Sarah Thompson <plodger at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* 13 May 2024 12:47
> *To:* Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com>
> *Cc:* Donald Tillman <don at till.com>; David G Dixon <dixon at mail.ubc.ca>;
> ackolonges fds via Synth-diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [sdiy] Becoming better at understanding difficult analog
> schematics
>
> Buchla schematics (at least the few I've seen) are fascinating. There is
> an incredible economy of design -- where many/most designers' circuits can
> easily be broken down into blocks that can be understood separately, with
> Buchla circuits you'll see a weird resistor or capacitor (or something)
> that doesn't make sense until you really dig into it, and it turns out that
> the designer has merged the functionality of blocks together, or added
> something analogous to a fixed tone control or something. Definitely from
> someone who liked to get their hands dirty at the bench!
>
> On Mon, May 13, 2024 at 8:34 AM Mike Bryant <mbryant at futurehorizons.com>
> wrote:
>
> Maybe that's the real difference between East Coast and West Coast
> synthesis :-)
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Synth-diy <synth-diy-bounces at synth-diy.org> on behalf of Donald
> Tillman <don at till.com>
> *Sent:* 13 May 2024 08:20
> *To:* David G Dixon <dixon at mail.ubc.ca>
> *Cc:* ackolonges fds via Synth-diy <synth-diy at synth-diy.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [sdiy] Becoming better at understanding difficult analog
> schematics
>
> On May 12, 2024, at 10:43 PM, David G Dixon via Synth-diy <
> synth-diy at synth-diy.org> wrote:
> >
> > I hear you, Paulo!  I have a very hard time reading some schematics.
> One good example are Buchla schematics, which I find almost impossible to
> decipher.
>
> I got no problem with them, man.  :-)
>
>   -- Don
> --
> Donald Tillman, Palo Alto, California
> https://www.till.com
> ________________________________________________________
> This is the Synth-diy mailing list
> Submit email to: Synth-diy at synth-diy.org
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>
>
>
> --
> [s]
> ________________________________________________________
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