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Subject: RE: [motm] Quantizing

From: "John Loffink" <jloffink@...>
Date: 2002-02-20

You can try this, but it’s mucheasier to buy a 12 to 16 bit D/A converter.  Basically the problem you’retrying to solve, D/A converter accuracy, has alreadybeen perfected by IC designers over the last 20 years.

John Loffink
jloffink@...

-----Original Message-----
From:
J. Larry Hendry[mailto:jlarryh@...]
Sent
:
Tuesday, February 19, 2002 10:45 PM
To: MOTM List
Subject: Re: [motm] Quantizing

 

I have l long been thinking about a quantizer.  Mythought process was that a very accurate circuit could be built in the 8 bitformat IF one used a ADC to get the digital quantities, but avoided the 8 bitDAC by going completely analog on the output.  Then each of the 8 elementscould be trimmed accuracy so when you added the elements each together youwould have much greater than the accuracy expected from a 8 bit DAC.  Ican see Paul shaking his head and sighing at me right now.  But, I have beenthinking seriously about a replacement for the 822 when those PCBs aregone that uses pots instead of rotary switches.  So, trimmer count wouldbe considerable less.  Of course, then your basic circuit is aquantizer.  I have done no development yet because of other projects, myneed to learn more, and the (cough, cough) significant stock of 822 PCBs Iwould like to make a dent in first. :)  And, I fully admit to knowingalmost nothing about it and being significantly under-qualified for thejob.  So, I'll probably play with it anyway.

 

On a related question, where would one normally expect theanalog out to track the input relative to step points.  To simplify theexample, let's assume 1 volt steps.  Would the output be desired to changefrom 1 to 2 volts at 1.5 or 1.9999 on the input?  I don't see that isreally matters.  But, I am still pretty ignorant on the subject.

 

Seems the 8 bit DAC might be fine for a mono synth andsingle oscillator, but would never do where oscillators might beattogether.  I have a couple of the PAiA 8 bit MIDI 2 CV 8s that I usewith stuff other than my MOTM modular.  For my mono synths (like myMicromoog) that 8 bit resolution seems to be OK.

 

Larry