Hows it goin yall---my first post and first time on these forums!
I have a summer research project I am doing and I was wondering if any of yall had some ideas/questions/answers to these.
1. How would you hook up a VCO to a speaker system (hot/cold wiring system)? Does this involve a VCA?
2. Where could I find a VCO that has multiple outputs for different frequencies that can be sent to separate speakers?
3. What powers a Quartz Voltage Controlled Resonator? (other than voltage-like a battery or a power amp?) Does the resonators, which to me look like just small pieces of circuitry, need an amplifier as well; or do they just resonate by themselves through their shell?
Any ideas?
Thanks
C3
VCO and Speaker Set-up Questions
2hello, welcome to the forum.
1. what kind of VCO? unless you want the output to be very quiet you'll need some sort of amplification. maybe even both preamp and power amp stages.
2. no idea. you might just have to make a number of VCOs and link the controls. again, it depends on the VCO you're using. if you employed some kind of square wave oscillator and a multiplexer then you could tap off each octave at each stage, but i doubt you'll be doing that as you'd be limited to square-wave only.
3. do you have any articles on these or anything? no matter how they produce a waveform, they'll definitely need an amplifier as the output from them will be minimal.
1. what kind of VCO? unless you want the output to be very quiet you'll need some sort of amplification. maybe even both preamp and power amp stages.
2. no idea. you might just have to make a number of VCOs and link the controls. again, it depends on the VCO you're using. if you employed some kind of square wave oscillator and a multiplexer then you could tap off each octave at each stage, but i doubt you'll be doing that as you'd be limited to square-wave only.
3. do you have any articles on these or anything? no matter how they produce a waveform, they'll definitely need an amplifier as the output from them will be minimal.
VCO and Speaker Set-up Questions
3Im looking for an oscillator that can produce primarily waves in the 20hz to 20khz preferably with sign, triangle, square, and sawtooth wave switching (pulse optional). Im not sure exactly who makes these (I can find some on ebay, but I am not sure if they are quality) or where to get them.
The oscillator needs to somehow hook up to this speaker via hot and cold wiring. So I am guessing there needs to be some kind of amp 2nd in line in the circuit after the oscillator. This amp needs to have the ability to have hot/cold wire jacks for a speaker. The speakers are about 6x6x6 inches.
The optimum setup I am going for is an oscillator that has multiple outputs, like I could have one frequency buzzing at 150hz and another at 275hz and another at 50. Each of these frequencies would be going to their own individual speaker. It would also be nice to have the ability to change the settings on these frequencies (wave type, freq, amplitude).
So envision this:
An oscillator that has the ability to send multiple frequencies out of itself to a board/amplifier that keeps these frequency channels separate. Each channel feeding to a speaker that plays the frequency. So oscillator 1 sends a 150hz to channel 1 of the amp and the amp feeds the corresponding speaker in channel 1 the frequency to be played. This set up maybe with 3 speakers involved.
The crystal resonators are actually involved in two other projects I am doing that require higher pitched frequencies (ultrasonic)
I have a couple websites on the crystal resonators.
About how they work:
http://www.4timing.com/techcrystal.htm
And a manufacturer (this gives you a better look at the physical product)
http://www.rakon.com/models/crystal-search
Keep asking questions if you have them---this is a learning experience for me and I enjoy every bit of it!
The oscillator needs to somehow hook up to this speaker via hot and cold wiring. So I am guessing there needs to be some kind of amp 2nd in line in the circuit after the oscillator. This amp needs to have the ability to have hot/cold wire jacks for a speaker. The speakers are about 6x6x6 inches.
The optimum setup I am going for is an oscillator that has multiple outputs, like I could have one frequency buzzing at 150hz and another at 275hz and another at 50. Each of these frequencies would be going to their own individual speaker. It would also be nice to have the ability to change the settings on these frequencies (wave type, freq, amplitude).
So envision this:
An oscillator that has the ability to send multiple frequencies out of itself to a board/amplifier that keeps these frequency channels separate. Each channel feeding to a speaker that plays the frequency. So oscillator 1 sends a 150hz to channel 1 of the amp and the amp feeds the corresponding speaker in channel 1 the frequency to be played. This set up maybe with 3 speakers involved.
The crystal resonators are actually involved in two other projects I am doing that require higher pitched frequencies (ultrasonic)
I have a couple websites on the crystal resonators.
About how they work:
http://www.4timing.com/techcrystal.htm
And a manufacturer (this gives you a better look at the physical product)
http://www.rakon.com/models/crystal-search
Keep asking questions if you have them---this is a learning experience for me and I enjoy every bit of it!
VCO and Speaker Set-up Questions
4By definition, an oscillator produces one function (edit: which may contain multiple frequencies) at a time. If you want separate frequencies coming from separate outputs, you will need multiple oscillators to do it. The Analogue Systems RS95 is a great oscillator and produces all the different waveforms you want. A few companies (Analogue Solutions and ModCan come to mind) produce dual VCOs but these are usually somewhat limited in function, for example narrower range or less available waveforms. If you're looking to produce very complex functions maybe something from Buchla or Serge would be your best bet, although they don't allow you to send the different component frequencies of a sound to different destinations, they are capable of some pretty unique effects.
And yes, you'll need a power amp, or in your case, multiple amps. Think of the oscillator like an electronic keyboard with no keyboard. It produces an instrument or line level signal that will not power a speaker on its own. VCAs will not be necessary unless you want to control the relative level of your oscillators from another voltage source, like an LFO or envelope generator.
And yes, you'll need a power amp, or in your case, multiple amps. Think of the oscillator like an electronic keyboard with no keyboard. It produces an instrument or line level signal that will not power a speaker on its own. VCAs will not be necessary unless you want to control the relative level of your oscillators from another voltage source, like an LFO or envelope generator.
Don't shun it. Fun it.
VCO and Speaker Set-up Questions
5Message below-Response to TAF post
Additional details and requirements of my project enclosed.
-----------------------------------------------------
T.A.F.
That rack mount would work great but the only problem is these tones will be running for about 2 weeks straight. Buying 3 keyboards AND 3 amps would be a bit much (amps are fine but keyboards...meh---also I need other frequencies than just the ones found on a keyboard).
Thing is, I have to be able to set the frequency on the oscillator to say 150 hz (an exact frequency) and let it run for that long by itself.
On the topic of amps, Im guessing the amp wouldnt have to be very powerful just running some small speakers. Is there a model of amp that is relatively cheaper just to run some tones to speakers?
Any ideas?
C3
Additional details and requirements of my project enclosed.
-----------------------------------------------------
T.A.F.
That rack mount would work great but the only problem is these tones will be running for about 2 weeks straight. Buying 3 keyboards AND 3 amps would be a bit much (amps are fine but keyboards...meh---also I need other frequencies than just the ones found on a keyboard).
Thing is, I have to be able to set the frequency on the oscillator to say 150 hz (an exact frequency) and let it run for that long by itself.
On the topic of amps, Im guessing the amp wouldnt have to be very powerful just running some small speakers. Is there a model of amp that is relatively cheaper just to run some tones to speakers?
Any ideas?
C3
VCO and Speaker Set-up Questions
6I suspect you would be very happy with three RS95s. They're very stable and will hold tuning well over the kind of time periods you're talking about. They will also produce subsonic frequencies down to about half a Hz or a bit less. I think my keyboard analogy might have led you a little off track. No keyboard is necessary to use these modules for what you want to do. You just power it up, set the frequency using the dial and away you go, it will output that frequency for as long as it stays turned on.
As far as amps, maybe look at something like a cheap surround amp for a home AV set up. It'll have 6 or 8 channels of amplification and I think most would be adequate for powering the kind of speakers I think you're talking about.
Sounds like an interesting project anyway!
As far as amps, maybe look at something like a cheap surround amp for a home AV set up. It'll have 6 or 8 channels of amplification and I think most would be adequate for powering the kind of speakers I think you're talking about.
Sounds like an interesting project anyway!
Don't shun it. Fun it.