Prototyping Nearness, a minimal panning mixer module

[billyhologram]

If you’ve never done SMD before, grab a few SMD practice kits on eBay. They cost about a dollar. Really takes the stress out of it.

[drxcm]

I need some TXn Nearness in my nearness!
Seriously love to have one of these in 2hp but my god, my DIY skills are not up to scratch. Interest expressed!

[Flaminggarlic]

This little module is such a great idea! I’m an avid Synth DIY hobbyist and I’d love to get my hands on a couple of pcbs and panels to build, if that’s a thing that’s happening.
Thanks

[hi.mo]

do anyone have a spare panel for it?

[bmoren]

I don’t have any at the moment, but you can order PCB panels using the files I posted above.

[bmoren]

[burn]

ohh that looks special

[karst]

looks amazing. are the top and bottom pots to attenuate the left and right channel outputs?

[bmoren]

No, there will be 7 attenuators for the inputs only, with these you should be able to build your output levels. the sort of go diagonally. I’ve made the 2hp stereo output for that task, eventaully I might adapt a 8 or 10hp full nearness ‘final stage’ module which combines the original nearness with the pots for the 7 inputs and a stereo output. I’m doing it in pieces for now to make sure that everything comes together before going all the way.
After all, this is a modular system, so I figure the output is perhaps best left to another module of your choice.

This is by no means a final layout, but I’ve really just started getting it together.

[karst]

thanks for the arrows, I apparently have low visual comprehension this morning and somehow thought there was a pot for every jack. I like the idea of using the individual attenuators to affect the mix.

really looking forward to this!

[taichi]

Looks great! and 20 characters

[bobbcorr]

I’m Loving It.

As I wrote way back in the innocent days of 2017…

FWIW, I think of the three “add on” capabilities, only on/off and attenuate play well together.

…I’m now wondering whether dual-function pots exist that could function as on-off buttons as well as twisty attenuators? Push to turn on and off, rotate for levels, with a built-in LED? Like this?

[bmoren]

It would get rather large at that point. It’s possible sure, but not at 6 or 8hp. with that functionality you’re looking at more like 10-12hp + 2 rows of encoders to keep enough space for the knobs. I haven’t seen something as small as the Song Hui pots with encoder click and LED before…

In keeping with the modular idea, it’d be east to build a module with a set of 7 in/outs with passive switches to accompany nearness to get you the on/off capability.

[burn]

An idea I had was to have just a single pot that would sweep through all of the gains, in a similar way that the Verbos Harmonic Oscillator width or spectral tilt works. You basically just wiggle the pot til everything sounds good. On nearness, setting the pot at zero would set all gains to zero, the pot at full sets all gains to max. In between, every permutation of gain on the outs is possible.

Just musing. I dont have anywhere near the skills needed to pull it off.

Love my 2 nearness more than anything.

[desolationjones]

That’s a crazy idea! I imagine it would be like using the Just Friends INTONE control, watching the various LFOs come in and out of phase with each other. But it would basically need 128 discrete knob positions just for all digital ON/OFF combos, ignoring the possibility of nice smoothing.

[burn]

Yeah, exactly like INTONE. Its funny playing with JF and HO how little determinate control you have, but things always come out just lovely.

Edit: If you dont like the idea of 1 pot, how about 2? Control the gains like an EQ curve with centre and cut/gain. Sorry. I’ll go back to hacking norns.

[bobbcorr]

I’m probably missing something but I thought the LED pot that I referenced in the link above was the same size as the one in your mockup if you leave the knobs off (which I would). If anything the module might get deeper. No matter, just spitballing here.

[bmoren]

A couple things about that encoder, it’s 12mm instead of 9mm so it’s a bit bigger it seems, as to account for the additional 2 pins for the LED and button, I assume (the datasheet is terrible). Also encoders spin around infinitely so there’d have to be something to ‘reset’ the volume to zero which would likely include, as you said, making it much deeper (physically, to account for a microcontroller or some other circuitry). Certainly not impossible, but this is already super tight in 6hp and I’m not really interested in re-working @billyhologram’s fantastic circuit too much. Personally, I’d be more interested in making a passive 4-6hp 7 channel on/off switch to accompany it. If I was going to go for something that complex, I’d look to do something like @burn and @desolationjones are talking about, that sounds exciting!

[bobbcorr]

All excellent points, thank you for taking the time to explain all of this. I am eternally envious of electronics makers - do your magic and have fun!

[grey]

Yeah, the “panning” between a mix of channels ala Just Friends sounds really intriguing. If those 6 encoders were CV inputs instead, that would make it a fun companion to a Just Friends and could effectively produce similar results. JF pairs well with most anything. @bmoren Instead of making it one PCB, perhaps taking a breakout board approach that connects to Nearness could yield some fruitful and creative companions?