Even more portability..

The Ambassador System (see post below) just isn't portable enough.. Trying to take such a case on airplanes is out of the question. So I've quickly had to put together something even more portable (..shows next week in Amsterdam).

So this new little frame holds two frac racks, has a bunch of auxillary functions in the base, plus runs off two SLA 12v batteries - no mains power required.

The frame is an old wooden box I found outside a year ago. I added rack strips on each side, but it was a slightly strange height (..I miss measured and ended up having to trim 5mm of metal off the top and bottom of the auxes - ooops - but it still fitted in). Jigsawed as much off the back as possible - its just a little deeper than a frac-rack.

Two 12v SLAs have been strapped into the base - these are just fine for running the system for many hours.

The Aux panel has::
Power
Preamps x 3
Inverter section -- two simple inverters and two attenuverters
3-channel mixers x 2
---- some of the useful modules you always need...
---- and there's still the space in the end-cheeks of the frac-racks to be used for more aux functions..

BugBrand Ambassador Battery Powered Modular

Here's some first pics of my new (just-about) portable system. It runs entirely without the need for mains electricity. Powered by two chunky 12v SLA batteries and with a pretty meaty internal power amp, this allows modular squelch almost anywhere (..first performances were outside by the Bristol harbour during the wonderful Venn Festival weekend). Soon this will be solar powered - going to pick up a couple of powerful panels from the Post Office later today...

This has been called the Ambassador System. Its a pretty chunky frame - at the moment holding three frac-racks of modules (with space for a fourth down below).

Here's a detail of the front. I made a frame for 5u tall frac-width panels so as to fit in a system mixer. This mixer has big stats! ::: four input preamp channels, four aux sends (you can never have enough! There're two sending up to the frac modules and two sending to 1/4" output jacks), plus main channel with C.Anderton Opt-compressor.

Then there's a couple of rough'n'ready panels to hold:
Power Regulators --- I've regulating the 12v bipolar supply down to +/- 10v using 317/337 circuits. Not totally sure if I need to do this though...
Power Connections --- to hook up solar panels etc
Power Stat LEDs - LM3914 based 12v battery testers to see how well the SLAs are charged
Power Amp - actually pretty meaty 20watt amp - its certainly loud when inside the studio! And, with the chunky batteries, this can chug out loud sounds for many hours!

& here's some more details of the mixer build..... repetition!

And here's a wobbly YouTube Demo video::::::

BugBrand Ebay Clear Out

The first set of Ebay auctions is now running. There'll be plenty more added over the next days/weeks... A lot must go!

Have a check through the listings

BugBrand RingModulator

Here's a new BugBox - I was asked to make a custom ringmod for someone recently.. I figured it would be worthwhile making a couple as I'd got the parts. So here's details of the box::::

Built with modular techniques, this is a two input all analogue ring mod built with the powerful AD633 multiplier chip for quality operation.

You can either ring modulated two input signals (or feed the same signal to both inputs for great & wierd octave-up effect) or one input with an internal varispeed oscillator.

- 2 input preamps - independent gain, mono inputs accepting mic or line levels
-- internal varishape oscillator with triangle and square waveforms and speed variable from slow tremelo up to hyper freqs (three way speed switch plus rate dial). The waveshape changes the triangle from ramp-down through triangle to saw wave (ie changes the harmonic content greatly) and squarewave is changed from narrow pulses through to pure square
--- ringmodulation of either In1 vs In2 (don't see that so often?!) or In1 vs Osc. The Osc setting allows so many sounds ranging from smooth or hyperharsh tremolo up into screamy pure noise ringmods - the varishape and varispeed give so many different sounds.
---- output mix to blend the ringmod output with dry1 and dry2 signals
----- modular expansion connectors on the back -> direct 4mm banana outputs from the two preamps and from the oscillator allowing hookup to other modular devices. Standardised output levels ideal for most modular systems.
------ chunky metal case, engraved faceplates, big-assed nicey knobs.
------- AC power (supplied)

So, the 1st box has now gone to the original instigator and the 2nd one is being offered to people on the Bug-mailing list.

Cube Car Boot Sale

If you're in Bristol this Saturday (26th May) then get along to car park of the Cube Cinema between midday and 4pm for a lofi carboot / tabletop sale.

Loads of creative stuff and general good fun.

Seq-pattern Generator Module

New dual design to fit within the BugBrand Modular ways...
Four steps selected by OR'd gate inputs -- a wierd sequencer - if you're clever you could get it to go A,B,C,D,A,B,C,D,etc but generally feeding it with four different clock signals will get it rhythmically jumping between the four steps.
Schematic plans for you to DIY on the BugBrand Electronics Page

Check the squelchy technoid wobbles in this YouTube demo:::

On tour with A Hawk & A Hacksaw & the Hun Hangar Ensemble

The last couple of weeks I've been around the country doing sound for A Hawk & A Hacksaw (Jeremy Barnes & Heather Trost from New Mexico) and the Hun Hangar Ensemble (four musicians from Hungary -- Balasz - cimbalom, Ferenc - trumpet & violin, Bela - sax & clarinet & hungarian bagpipes, Zsolt - double bass). Great fun, wonderful music and a lot of learning (consider that I'm pretty much self-taught doing sound for shows, having only really worked at the Cube (100 capacity) -- so quite a step-up to be working at Brighton Dome (capacity 1400!))

More pics on the BugBrand Photo page, but here's a couple of favourites. As always, these are analogue photos taken on the wonderful little Olympus XA-2 (kind of like a high-class Lomo Kompact Automat but cheaper -- I got mine 10 years ago and its still going strong. They crop up a lot on Ebay for well under 30pounds)

EDIT --- I went to a local CarBootSale last weekend and found an XA2 with flash for the heavy heavy price of only 1pound!