AstroSim - Revision history

Zander: /* The XLR Jack */

2022-03-28T01:46:16Z

‎The XLR Jack

Zander: /* Wish List */

2022-03-28T01:42:32Z

‎Wish List

Zander: /* Phase Inversion: Yes */

2022-03-28T01:40:46Z

‎Phase Inversion: Yes

Zander at 01:20, 28 March 2022

2022-03-28T01:20:50Z

Zander: /* Artists */

2022-01-24T09:53:07Z

‎Artists

Zander at 16:05, 16 March 2021

2021-03-16T16:05:01Z

Zander at 07:30, 16 March 2021

2021-03-16T07:30:10Z

Zander at 16:48, 19 November 2020

2020-11-19T16:48:05Z

Zander at 08:26, 17 November 2020

2020-11-17T08:26:31Z

Zander: Created page with "{| align="right" | TOC |} DeadAstronautFX Astro-Sim Cabinet Simulator. Background information - cultural elements. * '''Thermionic Studios is building one(1) of th..."

2020-11-17T08:11:13Z

Created page with "{| align="right" | __TOC__ |} DeadAstronautFX Astro-Sim Cabinet Simulator. Background information - cultural elements. * '''Thermionic Studios is building one(1) of th..."

New page

{| align="right"
| __TOC__
|}
[[DeadAstronautFX]] Astro-Sim Cabinet Simulator. Background information - cultural elements.

* '''Thermionic Studios is building one(1) of these pedals and it will be available for rental once completed.'''

==Controls==
[[File:PedalImageTemplate.png|right|frame|<div style="text-align:right">Image from [http://www.thermionic-studios.com Reference Image]</div>]]
* Knob 1 - '''"Control1"''': Adjusts the control1 feature with fully clockwise being maximum.
* Knob 2 - '''"Control2"''': Adjusts the control2 feature with fully clockwise being maximum.
* Footswitch 1 - '''"On/Off"''': This footswitch toggles the pedal between engaged/active ("On"), and bypassed ("Off")

==Bypass: Buffered/True==
Delete whichever header piece is incorrect and provide a small description for the other.

==General Information==
Additional Feature Description - Technical elements
===Ad-libbing===
Never forget that regardless of whatever informational section, good descriptions of things (in this case pedals) require ad-libbing additional Subjects/Titles, and Sub-Subjects/Titles. This is important as particular and peculiar features regarding a pedal stand out, and thus require calling out. Let form follow function.

==Pedal Manual==

==Phase Inversion: Yes/No==
{| class="wikitable" style="left; margin-right:20px; background-color:#eeffee;" cellpadding="10"
|-
! Schematic ID || Electronic Part || Action || Phase State
|-
| X || X || X || X
|}

==Schematic==

[[File:Thermionic_TemplateSchematic.png|center|frame|<div style="text-align:right">© Copyright 2019, Thermionic Studios</div>]]

==Artists==
We are currently unaware of any artists actively using the pedal now, or who have in the past.
<div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">
</div>

----
;Additional Sources

[[Category:Pedals]]|[[Category:Filter_Pedals]]|[[Category:DeadAstronautFX_Pedals]]|[[Category:Thermionic_Pedals]]|[[Category:PCB-Only_Pedals]]

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 ===The XLR Jack===
-Here's where the magic of a "balanced" cable now gets put into play. On the receiving side: the console, or mic preamp, or whatever is receiving a balanced line as an input will take both of those signals and invert one of them again. Using the zero-sum effect of combining two signals that are phased 180-degrees opposite of each other, any errant line noise will now also have its phase inverted. When the two musical signals which have now been put back into common phase are mixed back together again, the other unintended errant signals and other line noise now had their phases inverted and as a result get mixed together out-of-phase. The magic: The two signals of the errant noise, each 180-degrees from each other then collide and cancel each other out, thereby rendering a clean signal once again.
+Here's where the magic of a "balanced" cable now gets put into play. On the receiving side: the console, or mic preamp, or whatever is receiving a balanced line as an input will take both of those signals and invert one of them again. Using the zero-sum effect of combining two signals that are phased 180-degrees opposite of each other, any errant line noise will now also have its phase inverted. When the two musical signals which have now been put back into common phase are mixed back together again, the other unintended errant signals and other line noise now have their phases inverted exactly 180 degrees and as a result they get mixed together out-of-phase. The magic: The two signals of the errant noise, each 180-degrees from each, other collide and cancel (zero-sum) each other out, thereby rendering a clean signal once again.
 This is why XLR cables can be found in much longer lengths. They've been engineered to use the property of phase cancellation to "disappear" unwanted line noise and other possible signals that the line may be otherwise picking up.

@@ Line 30: / Line 30: @@
 ===Wish List===
-* Volume for Line Out
+* Volume control for Line Out
-* Volume for Headphone Out
+* Volume control for Headphone Out
 ===PCB Issue===

@@ Line 48: / Line 48: @@
 ; "Well, what about IC2_B??", you say?
 Read on...
+DeadAstronaut designed IC2 to amplify (both A and B halves) the XLR output. An XLR output is called a "balanced output". A standard instrument signal on a single span of wire, is called an "unbalanced output" because it's sending an unbalanced signal.  Amusingly enough, an unbalanced signal is called unbalanced, because the "balanced signal" was invented later, and requires two wires and two signals. A balanced line was invented to overcome issues that unbalanced lines have which is most notably, line noise. The balanced line rejects line noise over long distances. The way a balanced line works is pretty much genius. The following explanation presumes you understand signal phasing issues and the noise cancellation. One a wire, extraneous noise and other intermittent and transient electromagnetic signals get trapped by the copper (or aluminum) of the wire that your intended signal is traveling on. For a balanced signal to work, the "balancing system" will take the original signal, and make a copy. It will then invert this copy and send both the original, and the inverted copy on separate wires in the balanced cable you happen to be using. As both signals pass through the cable, and since they are traveling side-by-side, they will each pick up the same errant signals and noise.
 ===The XLR Jack===
-Here's where the magic of a "balanced" cable now gets put into play. On the receiving side: the console, or mic preamp, or whatever is receiving a balanced line as an input will take both of those signals and invert one of them again. The balanced cable was intentionally designed this way. Using the zero-sum effect of combining two signals that are phased 180-degrees opposite of each other, any errant signals or line noise will now also have its phase inverted. When the two musical signals which have now been put back into phase are mixed back together again, the errant signals and other line noise (not intended) have now had their phases reversed and therefore get mixed together out-of-phase. The two out-of-phase signals of the errant noise then cancel each other out, thereby rendering a clean signal once again.
+Here's where the magic of a "balanced" cable now gets put into play. On the receiving side: the console, or mic preamp, or whatever is receiving a balanced line as an input will take both of those signals and invert one of them again. Using the zero-sum effect of combining two signals that are phased 180-degrees opposite of each other, any errant line noise will now also have its phase inverted. When the two musical signals which have now been put back into common phase are mixed back together again, the other unintended errant signals and other line noise now had their phases inverted and as a result get mixed together out-of-phase. The magic: The two signals of the errant noise, each 180-degrees from each other then collide and cancel each other out, thereby rendering a clean signal once again.
 This is why XLR cables can be found in much longer lengths. They've been engineered to use the property of phase cancellation to "disappear" unwanted line noise and other possible signals that the line may be otherwise picking up.

@@ Line 15: / Line 15: @@
 * Knob 3 - '''"Air"''': Never really had a control like this. It sounds like it focuses (clockwise) or muddies the output sound.
 * Footswitch 1 - '''"On/Off"''': This footswitch toggles the pedal between engaged/active ("On"), and bypassed ("Off")
 ==Bypass: True==
@@ Line 23: / Line 28: @@
 The other thing that you'll notice, especially with DeadAstronaut's current build manual: the PCB was designed to be housed in a smaller 1590B-sized enclosure.  However, in order to accommodate the XLR output jack, DeadAstronaut's manual shows the PCB sitting inside a larger 1590BB-style enclosure. If you can forego the XLR out, building this in a 1590 is perfectly acceptable.  We're currently working on seeing if a 125b / 1590N1 enclosure will be able to house both the PCB and the XLR output jack despite the all-around smaller size.
 ===PCB Issue===

@@ Line 75: / Line 75: @@
 ----
 ;Additional Sources
 [[Category:Pedals]][[Category:Filter_Pedals]][[Category:DeadAstronautFX_Pedals]][[Category:Thermionic_Pedals]][[Category:PCB-Only_Pedals]]

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 ===PCB Issue===
-After running and checking the circuit on the PCB for building, we noticed that the output traces on the board have been printed in reverse: output 1 is actually output 2 per the schematic, and vice-versa.  Something you may want to keep in mind if you've bought an AstroSim from DeadAstronaut yourself.  Probably would have pulled my hair out spending hours trying to figure out why the jack didn't have any sound.
+After running and checking the circuit on the PCB for building, we noticed that the output traces on the board for the headphone jack have been printed in reverse: output 1 is actually output 2 per the schematic, and vice-versa. For all intents and purposes, it really doesn't matter since it's a mono signal that's coming from a common source: the output of IC1_B.
-This will probably be a new practice moving forward on all PCBs before assembly.
+But studying the traces on the PCB against the schematic, and making notes in anticipation of the build, will be a new practice moving forward.
 ==Pedal Manual==
@@ Line 33: / Line 33: @@
 ==Phase Inversion: Yes==
-Didn't actually expect this to invert phase when we received this but an inspection of the schematic shows that the very first gain stage inverts the signal, and then doesn't get corrected ("What about IC2_B??", you say?  Read on...).
+First thing to note: IC1_A: Inverts signal. This original inversion is never truly undone by any subsequent active stages in the circuit. So this pedal inverts phase. Done.
-DeadAstronaut actually designed this specifically for the XLR output. An XLR output is called a "balanced output" as opposed to an instrument cable, which is an "unbalanced output". The reason being is in order to reject line noise. The way a balanced line works is actually pretty smart. What will happen is that the two signals, each inverted from the other, will tend to pick up the same sorts of errant signals and noise as these signals travel simultaneously, and side-by-side in the balanced cable.
+When we first got this and before we analyzed the circuit, we didn't expect this to invert phase. Upon inspection of the schematic we noticed that the very first gain stage inverts the signal, and then doesn't get corrected.
-This is why much longer cable lengths for XLR (typically microphone) are so easily tolerated. They've been engineered to use the property of phase cancellation to "disappear" unwanted line noise and other possible signals that the line may be otherwise picking up.
+; "Well, what about IC2_B??", you say?
-Note that the other half of the first Opamp which goes to the headphone output doesn't invert the signal again in order to put it back into it's original phase.
 {| class="wikitable" style="left; margin-right:20px; background-color:#eeffee;" cellpadding="10"

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
-; Thermionic Studios is building one(1) AstroSim. It will be available for rental once completed.
+; Thermionic Studios is building two(2) AstroSim cabinet simulators. They will be available for rental once completed.
 ==Controls==
 [[File:PedalImageTemplate.png|right|frame|<div style="text-align:right">Image from [http://www.thermionic-studios.com Reference Image]</div>]]
-* Knob 1 - '''"Control1"''': Adjusts the control1 feature with fully clockwise being maximum.
+* Switch 1 - '''"Gain"''': Switches between three different gain settings, left to right: Bright, Dark, and Middle.
-* Knob 2 - '''"Control2"''': Adjusts the control2 feature with fully clockwise being maximum.
+* Switch 2 - '''"Vintage/Modern"''': Switches the the sound of the output between a vintage or a modern speaker cabinet.
 * Footswitch 1 - '''"On/Off"''': This footswitch toggles the pedal between engaged/active ("On"), and bypassed ("Off")
-==Bypass: Buffered/True==
+==Bypass: True==
-Delete whichever header piece is incorrect and provide a small description for the other.
+The DeadAstronaut AstroSim is a true bypass effect.
 ==General Information==
-Additional Feature Description - Technical elements
+This has been built into a pedal, but this may well have been the overlooking of the function of a cab sim since DeadAstronaut has been building pedals prior to building this "effect". The true benefit of such an effect is to be able to plug an instrument signal chain directly into a mixing console instead of pulling out an amp and mic'ing it up. A cabinet simulator can make all of that set up irrelevant if you know that the cab sim is the kind of tone you're looking for. But, if this "effect" is the last piece of equipment before plugging directly into a soundboard, then the question still stands if this effect shouldn't be on a pedalboard but sitting instead on a console or computer recording interface.
-===Ad-libbing===
-Never forget that regardless of whatever informational section, good descriptions of things (in this case pedals) require ad-libbing additional Subjects/Titles, and Sub-Subjects/Titles. This is important as particular and peculiar features regarding a pedal stand out, and thus require calling out.  Let form follow function.
+The other thing that you'll notice, especially with DeadAstronaut's current build manual: the PCB was designed to be housed in a smaller 1590B-sized enclosure.  However, in order to accommodate the XLR output jack, DeadAstronaut's manual shows the PCB sitting inside a larger 1590BB-style enclosure. If you can forego the XLR out, building this in a 1590 is perfectly acceptable.  We're currently working on seeing if a 125b / 1590N1 enclosure will be able to house both the PCB and the XLR output jack despite the all-around smaller size.
 ==Pedal Manual==
-==Phase Inversion: Yes/No==
+==Phase Inversion: Yes==
 {| class="wikitable" style="left; margin-right:20px; background-color:#eeffee;" cellpadding="10"
 |-
 ! Schematic ID || Electronic Part || Action || Phase State
 |-
-| X || X || X || X
+| IC1_A || NE5532 || Inverts || Inverted
 |}

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 [[DeadAstronautFX]] Astro-Sim Cabinet Simulator.  Background information - cultural elements.
-* '''Thermionic Studios is building one(1) of these pedals and it will be available for rental once completed.'''
 ==Controls==

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:26, 17 November 2020
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−	[[Category:Pedals]]\|[[Category:Filter_Pedals]]\|[[Category:DeadAstronautFX_Pedals]]\|[[Category:Thermionic_Pedals]]\|[[Category:PCB-Only_Pedals]]	+	[[Category:Pedals]][[Category:Filter_Pedals]][[Category:DeadAstronautFX_Pedals]][[Category:Thermionic_Pedals]][[Category:PCB-Only_Pedals]]