JUN.08.2010

Almost Finished (More Pics Soon).




Super Ladder VCF


MOTM 420 VCF x2 (More later on wiring)


Oakley Noise / Dual Filter with Mixers


Oakley S&H


Oakley VC LFO


JAN.17.2010

ROW 1 - COMPLETE
Oakley VCO x5, Ian Fritz Teezer Through-Zero VCO x2, Oakley 4014 Ring Modulator and Oakley Multimix "Stooge Variant" x2


Where did Dracula's arm go?


Hitchcock Barbie was a birthday present from my Mom.


5x Oakley VCO's


Used with permission from the Oakley VCO User Guide:
The pulse wave output is also 10V peak to peak, but the peak levels vary with pulse width. The Oakley VCO uses an interesting technique to maintain the average voltage over one cycle to zero volts. This new circuit essentially adds an offset to the pulse output to compensate for the non zero average voltage for any pulse wave that isn't a square wave. Ordinarily, one would see average DC values varying from +5V to -5V as the PW is swept from one end to the other. In the new VCO, this average level is kept at zero. This means that for narrow pulses, you now have a wave that goes from just below 0V [down] to just below +10V [up]. For square waves, you have the usual +5V up and -5V down. For wide pulses, you have a wave that is just below 0V [up] and just below -10V [down]. The reason for this is that fast pulse width modulation no longer adds thumping to the audio output. ie. fast EG sweeps of PW will sound great. Although, no switch is provided to turn this feature off, you can simply omit one resistor and it will function like other VCOs. All outputs have an output impedance of roughly 1K.

I used Push-Pull Switch Potentiometers for the Width control, that way I can switch in and out the above mentioned resistor for both options.

I ran out of washers for the jacks while building the fifth VCO, more are on order and will be added to all the modules at a later time.






2x Ian Fritz Teezer Through-Zero VCO's


Bracket includes: 1/2 CGS MOTM style power distribution boards.


Oakley 4014 Ring Modulator & 2x Multimix "Stooge Variant"



Oakley 4014 Modulator
Bracket includes: 1/2 CGS MOTM style power distribution boards.


Oakley Multimix "Stooge Variant"


Oakley Multimix "Stooge Variant"


JAN.13.2010

Row 1 PCB's fully populated and homemade brackets. PCB's include 5x Oakley VCO's, 2x Ian Fritz Teezer Through-Zero VCO's, 1x Oakley 4014 Ring Modulator, 2x Oakley Multimix and 1.5x CGS MOTM style power distribution boards.



JAN.12.2010

Panel arrives from Front Panel Express, put right into a cabinet to keep from getting damaged.


All the purchased circuit boards partially populated.


JAN.09.2010


[click panel for close up]

I needed a portable modular synth to use for a live project. My main goal was to fit as many modules as possible into a limited space (big surprise there). I won't bore you with all the design phases, but the final design came down to a 14U case, the heart of the synthesizer is a 10U (17.5" x 19") panel with Serge spacing for the pots (0.75" horizontally, 1.00" vertically), Davies clone knobs, 3.00mm LEDS and 1/8th jacks.

I have decided to go with digital sequencers with this set-up. I am using three Future Retro Orb Sequencers and they take up the remaining 4U in the 14U case. The 10U heart lacks any Gate/Clock control modules because I currently plan to control all this with my Elektron Machinedrum and the three Future Retro Orb Sequencers.

My main modular is a mutt, and one manufacturer who is basically absent from my set-up is Oakley (besides the EFG, Overdrive, MOTM-820 and MOTM-410 add-ons). I have built various Oakley projects for friends and always made notes that I needed some more Oakley for myself. Well…when it came time to build this portable synth, I went Oakley crazy.

The 10U panel is designed somewhat in four rows (three rows of 3U and one row of 1U).

ROW 1
Oakley VCO x5
Ian Fritz Teezer Through-Zero VCO x2
Oakley 4014 Ring Modulator
Oakley Multimix "Stooge Variant" x2

ROW 2
Oakley Superladder Filter
MOTM-420 MS-20 VCF x2*
Oakley Noise / Dual Filters
Oakley Sample and Hold / Slew
Oakley VC-LFO x2
Oakley Little-LFO x2
Oakley VC-ADSR / VCA x2
Oakley ADSR / VCA x3

ROW 3
Oakley Journeyman Diode Ring Filter x2**
Scott Stites Mutant Vactrol LP Filter
Oakley Discontinuity x2
Oakley Little-LFO x2
CGS Sequential Switch
Oakley Multimix "Stooge Variant"
Fonitronik X-Fade / Panner
Oakley EFG

ROW 4
Nuxie1 Frequency Counter
Multiples x3
Buchla Music Easel-Random Voltage Source
Full Wave Rectifier x2
Fonitronik Sequential Switch
Buffered Multiples x3
Power

I plan to frequently update this webpage with photos, videos and sounds of this synth being built and in use.