Building the Meat Sphere

[Taylor]

Since I've started receiving a few build reports and questions about the Meat Sphere PCB, here's a thread for discussion and posting your builds.

Here's the correct way to orient the rotary switches and pots on the board:


I will be posting a drill template and some of my own build photos shortly. The PCB fits comfortably in a 1790NS enclosure. I've been having a lot of fun with the analog octave down, into the Meat Sphere for synth sounds.

[lwatford]

Can't wait to build this one! Nice and neat, without the offboard wiring mess of all the other clones I've seen.

[karter2000]

Is it possible to build in the pedal control of some parameters, plus the external trigger that the original had?  Either way, I'm buying one  .

[Taylor]

It has the effects loop, yes. I guess to use it as an external trigger (for example, sweep the filter on your bass with a drum machine) you'd want to plug the drum machine into the input and your bass into the return jack.

I couldn't really find info on what the "pedal" (expression) jacks did, but I'm assuming one is a CV connected to the LED side of the optocouplers, so that's easy. Not sure about the other one, but any pot on any pedal can easily be replaced by an expression pedal just by using a switching stereo jack.

[frequencycentral]

Taylor, that is @#$%ing beautiful.

[LaceSensor]

Two comments

1 do the height of the switches and the pots line up well with the enclosure?
2 do You need to reset the switch collars to only 2 positions for the up/down etc?
Or are you left with redundant throws?

Thanks

[Taylor]

Taylor, that is @#$%ing beautiful.

Thanks Rick, that's very kind!

Two comments

1 do the height of the switches and the pots line up well with the enclosure?
2 do You need to reset the switch collars to only 2 positions for the up/down etc?
Or are you left with redundant throws?

1) yes, they can be soldered to be the same depth/height.

2) Yes, the Alpha/Alps switches come with a set washer with a tab that lets you set each switch for the number of throws you need.

[Vince_b]

I couldn't really find info on what the "pedal" (expression) jacks did, but I'm assuming one is a CV connected to the LED side of the optocouplers, so that's easy. Not sure about the other one, but any pot on any pedal can easily be replaced by an expression pedal just by using a switching stereo jack.

From the Meatball user manual:

Pedal1 (see WARNING!! )
Connect the output of a passive (i.e. non-powered,
battery or otherwise) volume pedal (e.g. Boss FV5O or
FV60) to this socket to control the decay time. PLEASE
NOTE: It acts in series i.e. it adds extra decay time to
whatever is dialled in on the Decay pot. With the pot set
at minimum, the range of the pedal will approximate the
normal travel of the pot. With the decay pot at maximum,
the pedal will provide extra long decay times.
Pedal2 (see WARNING!! )
Connect the output of a passive volume pedal to control
the intensity. PLEASE NOTE: Unlike Pedal 1 this works in
parallel with the pot which means that the available range
is limited. The most noticeable effects here will be with the
Intensity pot set to lower values.
WARNING !! The two pedal Input jacks above
are to be used only in the manner described.
Any volume pedal must only be connected to a
SINGLE pedal jack.
DO NOT CONNECT ANYTHING ELSE TO THE
PEDAL JACKS (EG. INSTRUMENTS, AMPS
ETC.) AS THIS COULD RESULT IN PERMANENT
DAMAGE.

[LaceSensor]

Awesome thanks Taylor.

[MarcoMike]

  now I wish I didn't have one already!!

[Taylor]

I couldn't really find info on what the "pedal" (expression) jacks did, but I'm assuming one is a CV connected to the LED side of the optocouplers, so that's easy. Not sure about the other one, but any pot on any pedal can easily be replaced by an expression pedal just by using a switching stereo jack.

From the Meatball user manual:

Pedal1 (see WARNING!! )
Connect the output of a passive (i.e. non-powered,
battery or otherwise) volume pedal (e.g. Boss FV5O or
FV60) to this socket to control the decay time. PLEASE
NOTE: It acts in series i.e. it adds extra decay time to
whatever is dialled in on the Decay pot. With the pot set
at minimum, the range of the pedal will approximate the
normal travel of the pot. With the decay pot at maximum,
the pedal will provide extra long decay times.
Pedal2 (see WARNING!! )
Connect the output of a passive volume pedal to control
the intensity. PLEASE NOTE: Unlike Pedal 1 this works in
parallel with the pot which means that the available range
is limited. The most noticeable effects here will be with the
Intensity pot set to lower values.
WARNING !! The two pedal Input jacks above
are to be used only in the manner described.
Any volume pedal must only be connected to a
SINGLE pedal jack.
DO NOT CONNECT ANYTHING ELSE TO THE
PEDAL JACKS (EG. INSTRUMENTS, AMPS
ETC.) AS THIS COULD RESULT IN PERMANENT
DAMAGE.

Thanks for that Vince. That pretty well explains how to add these controls. Also nice that you can use a volume pedal and a mono cable instead of having to use a dedicated expression pedal wired as a divider. However, as it notes, doing it this way will have limited range and will depend entirely on the type of volume pedal (ie low Z versus high Z Ernie ball pedals).

[lwatford]

should you use the pc mounted pots with the long legs?

Taylor, that is @#$%ing beautiful.

Thanks Rick, that's very kind!

Two comments

1 do the height of the switches and the pots line up well with the enclosure?
2 do You need to reset the switch collars to only 2 positions for the up/down etc?
Or are you left with redundant throws?

1) yes, they can be soldered to be the same depth/height.

2) Yes, the Alpha/Alps switches come with a set washer with a tab that lets you set each switch for the number of throws you need.

[Taylor]

No, I used the regular PC mount pins for that board in the photo.

[GodSaveMetal]

Since I've started receiving a few build reports and questions about the Meat Sphere PCB, here's a thread for discussion and posting your builds.

Here's the correct way to orient the rotary switches and pots on the board:


I will be posting a drill template and some of my own build photos shortly. The PCB fits comfortably in a 1790NS enclosure. I've been having a lot of fun with the analog octave down, into the Meat Sphere for synth sounds.

Mr. Taylor congrats it's an incredible and great work I love that, pots and selectors on board    Thanks for it I'm tuned in this please your layout and PCB for this; your awesome man!!!!!!!!

[gginther]

Fantastic, I have been waiting for this one!! Looking forward to a demo clip 

[Vince_b]

Hey Taylor, can you post the drill template?
I have just received the enclosure that I have bought for the Meat Sphere and I can't wait to start that project!

[Taylor]

Yes, I'll try to draw it up today. My calipers seem to be dying so it might be tricky....

[Vince_b]

I don't want to put pressure on you, I thought that you had already drawn it. If you don't have the time I could probably do it myself when I will receive the board.

[defaced]

If you can do a grid in your PCB software, you can pull the dims from that. 

BTW, good work.  I'll be buying this when I buy the Christine PCB. 

[Vince_b]

I have received my pcb today and I have started populating it but I have a question about the rotary switches. Can I put any of the middle pins (A, B,C) in any of the holes or does it matter which one goes where? I'm pretty sure it doesn't make any difference but I don't want to take the chance of soldering them the wrong way.

I have made a drilling template that I will post by the end of the day for anyone who may need one.