Sonic Reducer

[mjg]

This is a Sonic Reducer (version 1.0) from Parasit Studio on perfboard.  I didn't plan it as much as I could have, so ended up with a few jumpers here and there.

It's a fun sounding circuit.  Really gets that 8 bit computer game sound if you dial it in right. 

Graphics done by my kid.  He thought that it sounded like Mario jumping, so hence the theme. 

I've done the top with some laser etched perspex over the decal.  Last build I did with this stuff, it was OK, but that was a cheap enclosure.  This time, the enclosure wasn't so cheap, and the metal was thicker, so the pots didn't have enough thread to tighten the nuts.  I started by counter-sinking the back of the enclosure, then also had to cut away some of the front of the perspex, and also trim the bottom off the knobs.  What a nightmare.  I think I'll have to find some thinner perspex if I do this again, or use longer threaded pots.  3mm perspex is too thick. 

I wanted an arcade style momentary button to go with the theme, so I've put a relay bypass on board as well.  As I've done a lot of Arduino in the past, I went with a ATTiny85 for the controller and programmed the switching in Arduino IDE.  I didn't worry about muting the volume as the relay switches, it seems to be really quiet already.  But I do have 1 extra IO pin on the ATTiny if I want to do the muting code later. 





And totally unplanned - the etched writing on the perspex glows in the dark when the button is lit. 



Guts shots:





And the inside of the enclosure, to try to get a bit more depth for the pot threads   

[Andlord]

Love the switch. Excellent build, bravo

[WAXOU]

Excellent !

[Martan]

Nice! Got a link for the switch?

[mjg]

The button was from eBay, in a pack of 5 colours.  So I guess I'll have to do four more pedals with big buttons.  Thing to watch for with the arcade buttons is that some have the switch hanging out underneath, which makes them too deep for a 1590 enclosure.  These ones have the switch mechanism inside the threaded bit.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5x-24mm-LED-Illuminated-5V-Push-buttons-Built-in-switch-for-Arcade-joystick-kits-/282495685156

[Freppo]

Very cool build.  Nice work!
I love the Arcade button. 

[Luke51411]

Amazing build!

[pickdropper]

That looks really good.  I particularly like the switch.

There are thinner perspex/acrylic plates that would make things a bit easier as you wouldn't have to countersink the pots in the enclosure.  You should be able to find some 1.5mm thick material

[culturejam]

Wow, that's nice. Don't see many DIY guys rolling their own one-off bypass system with a micro controller. That's varsity, bro. 

[m-Kresol]

looks awesome. love the arcade vibe you achieved. and I agree with culturejam. extra bonus points for programming the microcontroller on your own.

[mjg]

Thanks for the kind words, people.

Programming the microcontroller was the easy bit for me... getting a waterslide decal on straight, without cat hair getting stuck underneath, and then getting the clear coat to not have runs is *much* harder than microcontroller wrangling. 

(My day job is software engineering, so I've had plenty of practice I guess)