Din Sync Multiples and Individual Pin In/Outs Box

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Bryan B
Posts: 354
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:13 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Din Sync Multiples and Individual Pin In/Outs Box

Post by Bryan B » Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:20 pm

If you don't know what Din Sync is, here is a bit of background first. This was a standard for controlling music machines before Midi. It was used exclusively on things like TB-303, TR-808, TR-606, as well as a bunch of other things made in the 80's.

I happen to have a bunch of these machines because I like their sound a lot. The problem for me was that the master clock would only send one output and the other machines only had one input. This leads me to owning multiple Din Sync converters to run more than 2 machines at once.

I was frustrated with the lack of products for splitting a Din Sync Signal to use with multiple machines. I started researching what it would take to make my own. I found out that it is all voltage signals at 5vDC or less! There is a 5vDC Start/Stop signal, a 2.5vDC clock signal (24, 48 or 96pulse per quarter note), and 2 other pins that vary per device/manufacturer.

Since it is actually using voltage, I start thinking how can I make this more accessible to use with modular equipment? This is the latest version of what I came up with. I call it the Bitchin' Sync:

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It has 2 identical sections, each with a 3-jack Din Sync Multiple as well as a set of jacks that connect to each of the Input/output Din Pins. If you patch a 1/4" cable across the clock and start/stop inputs, you have a 1 input, 5 output Din Sync Multiple. If you use an LFO (or clock signal in 1/4" form) as a clock in, then you can have up to six Din Syn outputs. This can get fun when you connect the multiples with a sync cable and input 2 different clocks, now you can create a swing! I haven't tried it yet, but I imagine I could record the Sync clock from a machine as audio and use an Ableton clip to have it auto adjust to my tempo! You could also use your Din Sync signal as an LFO using the tempo knob to adjust the rate.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my creation with some like minded modular folk as well as introduce people to one of my latest creations. My intention was more to share this with you than sell them, but if anyone here can't live without one... I hand make and test each one and sell them for $100 (plus shipping). I am making 20 or less of these for the first run.
MemoryMoog Plus (with Kenton Midi Upgrade Kit) MF-101 Lowpass Filter, MF-102 Ring Mod, MF-103 Stage Phaser, MF104M Delay, MF-105M MIDI MuRF, MF-107 Freq Box, MF-108M ClusterFlux and CP-251 Control Processor.

alx002
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:51 pm

Post by alx002 » Wed Nov 18, 2009 8:01 am

Are you selling this box??

It could interest me !!!

Thanks

Bryan B
Posts: 354
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:13 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Post by Bryan B » Sun Dec 06, 2009 9:19 pm

Sorry Alex, I just now noticed your reply here.

PM'd!
MemoryMoog Plus (with Kenton Midi Upgrade Kit) MF-101 Lowpass Filter, MF-102 Ring Mod, MF-103 Stage Phaser, MF104M Delay, MF-105M MIDI MuRF, MF-107 Freq Box, MF-108M ClusterFlux and CP-251 Control Processor.

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Voltor07
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Post by Voltor07 » Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:43 am

Those boxes are a true thing of beauty! :shock:
Minitaur, CP-251, EHX #1 Echo, EHX Space Drums/Crash Pads, QSC GX-3, Pyramid stereo power amp, Miracle Pianos, Walking Stick ribbon controller, Synthutron.com, 1983 Hammond organ, dot com modular.

Bryan B
Posts: 354
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:13 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Post by Bryan B » Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:35 pm

Thanks Voltor07!
MemoryMoog Plus (with Kenton Midi Upgrade Kit) MF-101 Lowpass Filter, MF-102 Ring Mod, MF-103 Stage Phaser, MF104M Delay, MF-105M MIDI MuRF, MF-107 Freq Box, MF-108M ClusterFlux and CP-251 Control Processor.

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Prime NL
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Location: E-Troid, NL

Post by Prime NL » Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:24 pm

Did some advertising for you on a Dutch Synth forum.... :wink:

Bryan B
Posts: 354
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:13 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Post by Bryan B » Mon Dec 07, 2009 2:40 pm

Thanks for doing that! I have only sold a handful of these so far, so anything helps.

I have been personally using one of these along with the Silent Way LFO (Din24 default) to keep my machines (TR-808, TB-303, TR-606) in time with Ableton Live. No drifting issues like you get with a Midi to Din converter.

I have also made a clock and start/stop from the FreqBox VCO (clock) and the CP-251 squarewave (start/stop).

Add an LFO into an existing Din signal (via the individual pin jacks) and you start to get a crazy swing. The LFO either adds in extra pulses, or absorbs multiple pulses inside of one larger pulse, which makes the machines speed up and slow down.

I thought my TR-606 was going to explode when I reset it with an LFO and cranked it up as fast as it would go. So far, no machines have died or even been broken from my experiments. The tonewrecker overloaded one of his boxes with 3 LFO's, but he just reset them and they were fine again.
MemoryMoog Plus (with Kenton Midi Upgrade Kit) MF-101 Lowpass Filter, MF-102 Ring Mod, MF-103 Stage Phaser, MF104M Delay, MF-105M MIDI MuRF, MF-107 Freq Box, MF-108M ClusterFlux and CP-251 Control Processor.

Bryan B
Posts: 354
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:13 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Din Sync Multiples and Individual Pin In/Outs Box

Post by Bryan B » Tue May 03, 2011 10:39 pm

I get e-mails from people from time to time asking if these are still available. They are and if you e-mail me you I have a PDF manual with all kinds of ideas on how to use it with your DIN Sync and modular synth setup. Thanks for looking.
MemoryMoog Plus (with Kenton Midi Upgrade Kit) MF-101 Lowpass Filter, MF-102 Ring Mod, MF-103 Stage Phaser, MF104M Delay, MF-105M MIDI MuRF, MF-107 Freq Box, MF-108M ClusterFlux and CP-251 Control Processor.

theparegorickid
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 1:14 pm

Re: Din Sync Multiples and Individual Pin In/Outs Box

Post by theparegorickid » Sun Aug 28, 2011 1:19 pm

I just recently started using silent way and have found myself looking for a nice and consistant way for all my toys to sync. I was looking at just making a jack to din sync cable and as I was looking for some instruction I came across your device. If you happen to have any of these still available I would love to purchase one.
Tim Propst
Eureka, CA

email me off list at: [email protected]

thanks,
t

Bryan B
Posts: 354
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:13 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN

Re: Din Sync Multiples and Individual Pin In/Outs Box

Post by Bryan B » Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:53 pm

I just saw this post and e-mailed you Tim. Thanks for your interest!
MemoryMoog Plus (with Kenton Midi Upgrade Kit) MF-101 Lowpass Filter, MF-102 Ring Mod, MF-103 Stage Phaser, MF104M Delay, MF-105M MIDI MuRF, MF-107 Freq Box, MF-108M ClusterFlux and CP-251 Control Processor.

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