Jonte Knif
Well-known member
Just curious, are there any here?
I think I'm going to build one. Last week I prototyped a tube version of the classic ladder filter, and it sounds very good. Easily controllable when using remote cut off tubes, wide dynamic range and wide, good sounding nonlinear area. 6 double triodes total needed.
I ordered some thyratrons for the oscillators yesterday. I'll prototype the oscs first and then decide if it is smart to build the whole beast or just some modules to be used with normal modular synths. I would prefer to build the whole thing into a real instrument, with nice keyboard and all (I've built harpsichords). I would use tubes in all audio parts but LFO and envelopes would be solid state. So far the plan is to have 2 oscillators, sync, ring mod, mixer, one VCA and VCF and output amp with distortion.
Since thyratron oscillators would be of pretty simple relaxation type, there would be adjustable symmetry tube clipper to get pulse and tube full wave rectifier to get something approximating triangle. A noise source could be fun to make out of regulator tube perhaps. VCA would be vari mu type, probably with pentodes to make it easier to cut the signal totally of.
If someone has schematics for (tube) frequency dividers from Hammond organs, I would be interested to see. They used at some point 12FQ8 for the job, but I can not find the topology anywhere. I already bought some of those tubes just in case I found out how to use them.
Last time I counted there was 22 tubes in the design, but I think I have added something after that. Power consumption should stay below 80 W, and since the tubes I planned to use are not expensive I don't find this to be a problematic amount at all.
I think I'm going to build one. Last week I prototyped a tube version of the classic ladder filter, and it sounds very good. Easily controllable when using remote cut off tubes, wide dynamic range and wide, good sounding nonlinear area. 6 double triodes total needed.
I ordered some thyratrons for the oscillators yesterday. I'll prototype the oscs first and then decide if it is smart to build the whole beast or just some modules to be used with normal modular synths. I would prefer to build the whole thing into a real instrument, with nice keyboard and all (I've built harpsichords). I would use tubes in all audio parts but LFO and envelopes would be solid state. So far the plan is to have 2 oscillators, sync, ring mod, mixer, one VCA and VCF and output amp with distortion.
Since thyratron oscillators would be of pretty simple relaxation type, there would be adjustable symmetry tube clipper to get pulse and tube full wave rectifier to get something approximating triangle. A noise source could be fun to make out of regulator tube perhaps. VCA would be vari mu type, probably with pentodes to make it easier to cut the signal totally of.
If someone has schematics for (tube) frequency dividers from Hammond organs, I would be interested to see. They used at some point 12FQ8 for the job, but I can not find the topology anywhere. I already bought some of those tubes just in case I found out how to use them.
Last time I counted there was 22 tubes in the design, but I think I have added something after that. Power consumption should stay below 80 W, and since the tubes I planned to use are not expensive I don't find this to be a problematic amount at all.
