PLAN B analog blog

For reasons of sanity, unless there's a particularily hectic work week and I need to catch 
up, or unless I've got a new circuit I'm wrapped up in, outside of my weekly programming 
session with Phil Gallo on Sunday evenings, I have again begun to reserve the weekends 
for composing.

Why am I telling you this?

Because this Saturday morning I sat down to begin putting some ideas I"ve been kicking 
around on disk, and noticed a pesky hum coming from my analog rig and decided to 
temporaily abandon my writing and instread give the behmouth a long overdue overall.  
Something I suggest we all do in the next few weeks, especially those of you who may be 
using Model 15's that are up to or over a year old.  Trim pots are for adjusting - the otrher 
side of the same coin is they go out of adjustment.   Spring cleaning takes care of this.

I spent the whole weekend - you need not take this much time.  Along with rewiring some 
of the power lines, I removed the last of the steal boats I originally used to secure my 
modules out of the main cainet and replaced them with the last two Vector moutning rails.  
Been meaning to do this for six months.  ThiIngs fit together much nicer now and the 
cabinet, which originally weighted over 75 pounds EMPTY, is now a stealth 45 pounds fully 
stuffed.  That's how much the four 16 gage steal boats weighed!

In the next few days I will be putting up a Model 15 tuning and calibration procedure on 
EAR site.  It'll outline the proper method for 1V/oct adjustment, as well as waveshape 
adjustment if you so happen to own an oscilloscope (highly recommended - you can get 
them on the 'bay for under 100 bucks).

Back to the weekend:  Along with calibration, I converted the system to a single voltage.  I 
have some beloved Blacet modules I still use constantly which were running off their own 
15 volt supply since forever.  I've now changed this so the entire system runs off of two 3 
amp 12 volt supplies and in so doing, my hum disappeared.  I've got Jensen transformers 
in my audio path so I'm quieter than most - but even with these (highly recommended) 
devices, I had enough system noise that I didn't feel comfortable recording quiet passages.  

If any of you are using a dual VCC standard, you may consider doing this.

Look for an anouncement once the cal procedure goes live.

- P

I thought you were throwing modules out :-(

>
>

Peter,
Nice to get a little insight...
I have been watching your Eclectic Music Box with lust for some time 
now.  After closer inspection, I don't see any multiples. Do my eyes 
decieve me or do you just patch dot-to-dot?
Also, maybe you're not the guy to ask, but since you mentioned it, 
where does one find vector rails?
Toodeloo,
Josh from Schematic
 

--- In PLAN_B_analog_blog@yahoogroups.com, "(i think you can figure 
that out)" <peter@...> wrote:
>
> For reasons of sanity, unless there's a particularily hectic work 
week and I need to catch 
> up, or unless I've got a new circuit I'm wrapped up in, outside of 
my weekly programming 
> session with Phil Gallo on Sunday evenings, I have again begun to 
reserve the weekends 
> for composing.
> 
> Why am I telling you this?
> 
> Because this Saturday morning I sat down to begin putting some 
ideas I"ve been kicking 
> around on disk, and noticed a pesky hum coming from my analog rig 
and decided to 
> temporaily abandon my writing and instread give the behmouth a long 
overdue overall.  
> Something I suggest we all do in the next few weeks, especially 
those of you who may be 
> using Model 15's that are up to or over a year old.  Trim pots are 
for adjusting - the otrher 
> side of the same coin is they go out of adjustment.   Spring 
cleaning takes care of this.
> 
> I spent the whole weekend - you need not take this much time.  
Along with rewiring some 
> of the power lines, I removed the last of the steal boats I 
originally used to secure my 
> modules out of the main cainet and replaced them with the last two 
Vector moutning rails.  
> Been meaning to do this for six months.  ThiIngs fit together much 
nicer now and the 
> cabinet, which originally weighted over 75 pounds EMPTY, is now a 
stealth 45 pounds fully 
> stuffed.  That's how much the four 16 gage steal boats weighed!
> 
> In the next few days I will be putting up a Model 15 tuning and 
calibration procedure on 
> EAR site.  It'll outline the proper method for 1V/oct adjustment, 
as well as waveshape 
> adjustment if you so happen to own an oscilloscope (highly 
recommended - you can get 
> them on the 'bay for under 100 bucks).
> 
> Back to the weekend:  Along with calibration, I converted the 
system to a single voltage.  I 
> have some beloved Blacet modules I still use constantly which were 
running off their own 
> 15 volt supply since forever.  I've now changed this so the entire 
system runs off of two 3 
> amp 12 volt supplies and in so doing, my hum disappeared.  I've got 
Jensen transformers 
> in my audio path so I'm quieter than most - but even with these 
(highly recommended) 
> devices, I had enough system noise that I didn't feel comfortable 
recording quiet passages.  
> 
> If any of you are using a dual VCC standard, you may consider doing 
this.

> 
> Look for an anouncement once the cal procedure goes live.
> 
> - P
>

Oh, I found the utilty strip.  Nevermind.  Please delete me.

--- In PLAN_B_analog_blog@yahoogroups.com, "(i think you can figure 
that out)" <peter@...> wrote:
>
> For reasons of sanity, unless there's a particularily hectic work 
week and I need to catch 
> up, or unless I've got a new circuit I'm wrapped up in, outside of 
my weekly programming 
> session with Phil Gallo on Sunday evenings, I have again begun to 
reserve the weekends 
> for composing.
> 
> Why am I telling you this?
> 
> Because this Saturday morning I sat down to begin putting some 
ideas I"ve been kicking 
> around on disk, and noticed a pesky hum coming from my analog rig 
and decided to 
> temporaily abandon my writing and instread give the behmouth a long 
overdue overall.  
> Something I suggest we all do in the next few weeks, especially 
those of you who may be 
> using Model 15's that are up to or over a year old.  Trim pots are 
for adjusting - the otrher 
> side of the same coin is they go out of adjustment.   Spring 
cleaning takes care of this.
> 
> I spent the whole weekend - you need not take this much time.  
Along with rewiring some 
> of the power lines, I removed the last of the steal boats I 
originally used to secure my 
> modules out of the main cainet and replaced them with the last two 
Vector moutning rails.  
> Been meaning to do this for six months.  ThiIngs fit together much 
nicer now and the 
> cabinet, which originally weighted over 75 pounds EMPTY, is now a 
stealth 45 pounds fully 
> stuffed.  That's how much the four 16 gage steal boats weighed!
> 
> In the next few days I will be putting up a Model 15 tuning and 
calibration procedure on 
> EAR site.  It'll outline the proper method for 1V/oct adjustment, 
as well as waveshape 
> adjustment if you so happen to own an oscilloscope (highly 
recommended - you can get 
> them on the 'bay for under 100 bucks).
> 
> Back to the weekend:  Along with calibration, I converted the 
system to a single voltage.  I 
> have some beloved Blacet modules I still use constantly which were 
running off their own 
> 15 volt supply since forever.  I've now changed this so the entire 
system runs off of two 3 
> amp 12 volt supplies and in so doing, my hum disappeared.  I've got 
Jensen transformers 
> in my audio path so I'm quieter than most - but even with these 
(highly recommended) 
> devices, I had enough system noise that I didn't feel comfortable 
recording quiet passages.  
> 
> If any of you are using a dual VCC standard, you may consider doing 
this.

> 
> Look for an anouncement once the cal procedure goes live.
> 
> - P
>

--- In PLAN_B_analog_blog@yahoogroups.com, "jeswa" <j@...> wrote:
>
> Peter,
> 
I have been watching your Eclectic Music Box with lust for some time
now. 

Me too!  ha ha.
 
I need to update the photos...it's a lot different now than the last
pictures indicate.   There's a patch on it now that i need to keep up
there for a spell -  then I'll do just that.

- P

Vector rails are available through most of the US part distributors
such as Digikey, Allied, Mouser, blah.  Once on their sites, do a
search for 'Vector T struts'.  

Although you can find generic 4-40 nuts small enough to fit in their
rails (we just did and saved a bundle over the Vector type), their
part number for the special square nuts which were designed to fit
into those rails is:  NT4-7PA.  Do another search on those sites once
you've found the T struts.  They run on the high side  - 25 for (ouch) $5.

Plan B is quite fortunate to have two specialty hardware (as in nut
and bolts, not hammers and brooms) stores in our general area. It was
actually only one originally - which was huge - but the owner of that store retired and sold his inventory to two different stores. We picked up from one of them some small brass 4-40 hex nuts that work just fine - meaning their outer diameter is small enough to fit in the Vector rails) for only a buck a pound.  Do you have any idea how many are needed for a pound?   A hell of a lot more than 25, I can tell ya
that!  Something along the lines of 300.  

You need to find 4-40 nuts with an outer diameter less than the
standard 3/16".  They're out there...we've got some!


- P



--- In PLAN_B_analog_blog@yahoogroups.com, "jeswa" <j@...> wrote:

>
> Peter,
> Nice to get a little insight...
> I have been watching your Eclectic Music Box with lust for some time 
> now.  After closer inspection, I don't see any multiples. Do my eyes 
> decieve me or do you just patch dot-to-dot?
> Also, maybe you're not the guy to ask, but since you mentioned it, 
> where does one find vector rails?
> Toodeloo,
> Josh from Schematic
>  
> 
> --- In PLAN_B_analog_blog@yahoogroups.com, "(i think you can figure 
> that out)" <peter@> wrote:
> >
> > For reasons of sanity, unless there's a particularily hectic work 
> week and I need to catch 
> > up, or unless I've got a new circuit I'm wrapped up in, outside of 
> my weekly programming 
> > session with Phil Gallo on Sunday evenings, I have again begun to 
> reserve the weekends 
> > for composing.
> > 
> > Why am I telling you this?
> > 
> > Because this Saturday morning I sat down to begin putting some 
> ideas I"ve been kicking 
> > around on disk, and noticed a pesky hum coming from my analog rig 
> and decided to 
> > temporaily abandon my writing and instread give the behmouth a long 
> overdue overall.  
> > Something I suggest we all do in the next few weeks, especially 
> those of you who may be 
> > using Model 15's that are up to or over a year old.  Trim pots are 
> for adjusting - the otrher 
> > side of the same coin is they go out of adjustment.   Spring 
> cleaning takes care of this.
> > 
> > I spent the whole weekend - you need not take this much time.  
> Along with rewiring some 
> > of the power lines, I removed the last of the steal boats I 
> originally used to secure my 
> > modules out of the main cainet and replaced them with the last two 
> Vector moutning rails.  
> > Been meaning to do this for six months.  ThiIngs fit together much 
> nicer now and the 
> > cabinet, which originally weighted over 75 pounds EMPTY, is now a 
> stealth 45 pounds fully 
> > stuffed.  That's how much the four 16 gage steal boats weighed!
> > 
> > In the next few days I will be putting up a Model 15 tuning and 
> calibration procedure on 
> > EAR site.  It'll outline the proper method for 1V/oct adjustment, 
> as well as waveshape 
> > adjustment if you so happen to own an oscilloscope (highly 
> recommended - you can get 
> > them on the 'bay for under 100 bucks).
> > 
> > Back to the weekend:  Along with calibration, I converted the 
> system to a single voltage.  I 
> > have some beloved Blacet modules I still use constantly which were 
> running off their own 
> > 15 volt supply since forever.  I've now changed this so the entire 
> system runs off of two 3 
> > amp 12 volt supplies and in so doing, my hum disappeared.  I've got 
> Jensen transformers 
> > in my audio path so I'm quieter than most - but even with these 
> (highly recommended) 
> > devices, I had enough system noise that I didn't feel comfortable 
> recording quiet passages.  
> > 
> > If any of you are using a dual VCC standard, you may consider doing 
> this.
> > 
> > Look for an anouncement once the cal procedure goes live.
> > 
> > - P
> >
>

i have a question about the design conventions of your EMB.
how many hp wide is it and why? 
is it similar to the width of the buchla 200?  
just wondering.
-j

--- In PLAN_B_analog_blog@yahoogroups.com, "(i think you can figure 
that out)" <peter@...> wrote:
>
> Vector rails are available through most of the US part distributors
> such as Digikey, Allied, Mouser, blah.  Once on their sites, do a
> search for 'Vector T struts'.
> 
> Although you can find generic 4-40 nuts small enough to fit in their
> rails (we just did and saved a bundle over the Vector type), their
> part number for the special square nuts which were designed to fit
> into those rails is:  NT4-7PA.  Do another search on those sites 
once
> you've found the T struts.  They run on the high side  - 25 for 
(ouch) $5.
> 
> Plan B is quite fortunate to have two specialty hardware (as in nut
> and bolts, not hammers and brooms) stores in our general area. It 
was
> actually only one originally - which was huge - but the owner of 
that store retired and sold his inventory to two different stores. We 
picked up from one of them some small brass 4-40 hex nuts that work 
just fine - meaning their outer diameter is small enough to fit in 
the Vector rails) for only a buck a pound.  Do you have any idea how 
many are needed for a pound?   A hell of a lot more than 25, I can 
tell ya
> that!  Something along the lines of 300.
> 
> You need to find 4-40 nuts with an outer diameter less than the
> standard 3/16".  They're out there...we've got some!
> 
> 
> - P
> 
> 
> 
> --- In PLAN_B_analog_blog@yahoogroups.com, "jeswa" <j@...> wrote:
> >
> > Peter,
> > Nice to get a little insight...
> > I have been watching your Eclectic Music Box with lust for some 
time
> > now.  After closer inspection, I don't see any multiples. Do my 
eyes
> > decieve me or do you just patch dot-to-dot?
> > Also, maybe you're not the guy to ask, but since you mentioned it,
> > where does one find vector rails?
> > Toodeloo,
> > Josh from Schematic
> >
> >
> > --- In PLAN_B_analog_blog@yahoogroups.com, "(i think you can 
figure
> > that out)" <peter@> wrote:
> > >
> > > For reasons of sanity, unless there's a particularily hectic 
work
> > week and I need to catch
> > > up, or unless I've got a new circuit I'm wrapped up in, outside 
of
> > my weekly programming
> > > session with Phil Gallo on Sunday evenings, I have again begun 
to
> > reserve the weekends
> > > for composing.
> > >
> > > Why am I telling you this?
> > >
> > > Because this Saturday morning I sat down to begin putting some
> > ideas I"ve been kicking
> > > around on disk, and noticed a pesky hum coming from my analog 
rig
> > and decided to
> > > temporaily abandon my writing and instread give the behmouth a 
long
> > overdue overall.
> > > Something I suggest we all do in the next few weeks, especially
> > those of you who may be
> > > using Model 15's that are up to or over a year old.  Trim pots 
are
> > for adjusting - the otrher
> > > side of the same coin is they go out of adjustment.   Spring
> > cleaning takes care of this.
> > >
> > > I spent the whole weekend - you need not take this much time.
> > Along with rewiring some
> > > of the power lines, I removed the last of the steal boats I
> > originally used to secure my
> > > modules out of the main cainet and replaced them with the last 
two
> > Vector moutning rails.
> > > Been meaning to do this for six months.  ThiIngs fit together 
much
> > nicer now and the
> > > cabinet, which originally weighted over 75 pounds EMPTY, is now 
a
> > stealth 45 pounds fully
> > > stuffed.  That's how much the four 16 gage steal boats weighed!
> > >
> > > In the next few days I will be putting up a Model 15 tuning and
> > calibration procedure on
> > > EAR site.  It'll outline the proper method for 1V/oct 
adjustment,
> > as well as waveshape
> > > adjustment if you so happen to own an oscilloscope (highly
> > recommended - you can get
> > > them on the 'bay for under 100 bucks).
> > >
> > > Back to the weekend:  Along with calibration, I converted the
> > system to a single voltage.  I
> > > have some beloved Blacet modules I still use constantly which 
were
> > running off their own
> > > 15 volt supply since forever.  I've now changed this so the 
entire
> > system runs off of two 3
> > > amp 12 volt supplies and in so doing, my hum disappeared.  I've 
got
> > Jensen transformers
> > > in my audio path so I'm quieter than most - but even with these
> > (highly recommended)
> > > devices, I had enough system noise that I didn't feel 
comfortable
> > recording quiet passages.
> > >
> > > If any of you are using a dual VCC standard, you may consider 
doing

> > this.
> > >
> > > Look for an anouncement once the cal procedure goes live.
> > >
> > > - P
> > >
> >
>

<<i have a question about the design conventions of your EMB>>

The innner width dimension from wood to wood of my case is (hold)....26 1/2 inch wide, a 
little over 132Hp.  Why?  It's a Eurorack-friendly division and it's got some bulk to it.  I am 
not a big fan of multiples of 17 inch wide rows.  My main cabinet's five rows would take up 
eight 17 inch rows - i find this challenges ergomonic design We may be doing something 
in this area, but as it is there are so many coals on the fire, I don't want to start talking 
about more things we're considering.  I've got months of work ahead of me releasing the 
products we have announced!

I'm anal when it comes to ergomonics.  I like to sit when I work and want to be able to 
reach everything when i do comfortably.  If I had to stand up or bend down to get to 
things It would drive me bats.

The curve of my main cabinet's rows also helps iwith ergomnics as it keeps the five rows 
lower to the table top than if it had a straight front.  The only downside to this arc is it's a 
bit of a dust trap.  I notice my two side cabs don't get as dirty because everything falls off.  
WIth this main cab it sort of collects on the bottom two rows.  I brush it off often with a 
really soft paint brush, so it's not worth worrying about.

I've got about 1 1/3 of open space on the last side cabinet.  After that I don't know what 
I'm going to do, probably will have to start selling stuff off to make room for new things.  

hope this helps,

- P