Advertisement
Quick Links
DIY Build Instructions – KOSMODROM CORE [v 1.2 PCB SET]
First of, thank you for your purchase of the KOSMODROM CORE DIY Kit. If you are a DIY Synth novice, you have selected a great module to
strengthen your skills. If you are a veteran [or, as we like to say at Tsyklon Labs - "Hero of Synthesizer DIY"], then this kit will be super fun
and you will likely have it assembled in short order. Also, if you are not familiar with component naming, please check out page 14.
First, let's make sure that you have everything on hand before we heat up the iron. The tools you will need are as follows:
- Soldering Iron [if you have both a fne point and a chisel point, that will work well] and Solder
- Wire Cutters
- Needle Nose Pliers
- Wire Strippers that can strip 24AWG wire
- 2.5mm Allen Wrench or Small Phillips Screw Driver for tightening M3 screws on PCB Standofs
- 10mm Deep Well Socket for tightening Potentiometer nut and 7mm for Toggle Switch nut
- Knurled Nut Tool [Xicon 382-0006] or 8mm Socket for tightening Jack nuts
Verify that you have the following parts [if something is missing, contact us right away for replacements – diy@tsyklon.com]:
Qty Part Description
1 Kosmodrom CORE Printed Circuit Board
1 Kosmodrom CORE Aluminum Front Panel
4 10k Current Limiting Resistor for Red LED
4 39k Current Limiting Resistor for Blue LED
4 3mm, Round, Common Cathode, Red/Blue LED
1 PCB Mount DPDT Toggle Switch
1 PCB Mount Audio Taper 1M 9mm Pot
1 Knob - Black Aluminum, 13mm x 16mm for 1/4" Plain Shaft
1 Shrouded Pin Header – 10-pin, 2x5, 2.54mm Pitch
1 Eurorack Power Cable – 10 conductor, 2x8/2x5 Pin Headers
2 3.5mm Jacks
2 3.5mm Knurled Nuts
DIY Build DOC/BOM
KOSMODROM CORE
PCB Component ID
CORE PCB
CORE Front Panel
R101, R103, R105, R107
R102, R104, R106, R108
LED101, LED102, LED103, LED104
SW_GND_LIFT
VR_ATTEN
VR_ATTEN
POWER
POWER
IN, THRU
IN, THRU
V 1.2
Page 1
Advertisement
Subscribe to Our Youtube Channel
Summary of Contents for Tsyklon Labs KOSMODROM CORE v 1.2 PCB SET
- Page 1 First of, thank you for your purchase of the KOSMODROM CORE DIY Kit. If you are a DIY Synth novice, you have selected a great module to strengthen your skills. If you are a veteran [or, as we like to say at Tsyklon Labs - “Hero of Synthesizer DIY”], then this kit will be super fun and you will likely have it assembled in short order.
- Page 2 [Chaos Divider Signal PCB BOM Continued] Qty Part Description PCB Component ID 1 Neutrik Panel Mount XLR Jack AUDIO_XLR 2 Screw – M3 x 18mm Metric Black-Oxide, 2.5mm Allen Driver AUDIO_XLR 2 Locking Nut – M3, 5.5mm Nut Driver AUDIO_XLR 2 Spacer –...
- Page 3 PART I – Unpacking the kit 1-1) Let us begin by inspecting some of the parts that came with the kit. First, take a look at the Core PCB. [front and back sides are shown]: 1-2) Next, we will inspect the Core Front Panel. Check for chips or fakes in the powder coated panel as well as any issues with the screen printing.
- Page 4 PART II – CORE PCB Assembly 2-1) Start by inserting the resistors into the front side of the PCB. It is important to get all of these to lay as fat as possible against the front of the PCB to ensure proper clearance under the transformer. Solder the resistors and trim their leads. You may need/want to refow some solder after trimming the leads to make sure that you have not cut into your solder joint.
- Page 5 This is what the PCB should look like with all of the LEDs installed: 2-3) Next, insert the I/O Jacks, Ground Lift Switch and Attenuator Potentiometer into the front side of the PCB - DO NOT solder these components yet. Note, the ground pin for the jack is the one outside of the molded plastic part of the jack. This is the pin that goes towards the left and right sides of the PCB: 2-4) Once you have the jacks, switch, and potentiometer seated, install the front panel and then the jack nuts and nuts for the Attenuation potentiometer and Ground Lift toggle switch.
- Page 6 2-5) Once last check/adjustment before soldering - double check that all of the components are still seated against the PCB. If so, you are good to go. If not, jiggle the components [technical term] to make sure that they are seated fush against the PCB and Front Panel. You may need to loosen the jacks a little bit to get it right - but do not forget to re-tighten them! 2-6) Solder the jacks, switch, and potentiometer to the PCB.
- Page 7 2-10) Prepare the transformer for installation by removing the protective tape and cardboard ring from the threaded post. Unknot the transformer wires and make sure that you will be able to remove the nuts without catching them on the wires or having to place undue stress on the wires.
- Page 8 2-13) At this point, double check that there is a little clearance between the bottom of the transformer and the top of the four resistors that are mounted under the transformer. If everything looks good, you can also carefully lean the LEDs against the transformer – it will make the ground lift indication look nice: 2-14) Next, trim the Yellow, Black, and Orange transformer wires so that they reach their labeled PCB pads with a little slack –...
- Page 9 2-15) Strip 0.25” [6mm] of the insulation of the Green wire that came with your Kosmodrom CORE kit and solder it through the back of the PCB to the “XLR_G” pad: 2-16) Before we continue, take one last look at all of the solder joints you have made so far. Touch up any cold solder joints. 2-17) Hold the PCB so that it is front side up and drop the XLR jack into PCB.
- Page 10 2-19) Next, insert both long screws through the front panel and through the tabs on the XLR jack, through the spacers, and fnally through the PCB. Insert the lock nuts onto the ends of the screws and tighten. Your stack up should look similar to the picture below. Be sure that you install both of the long screws to hold the XLR jack in place: 2-20) Solder the Green wire to the ground pin of the XLR jack.
- Page 11 2-21) Next, trim the Red, Brown, and Grey transformer wires so that they reach the appropriate pin on the XLR jack with a little slack – 2.0” [50mm] long should be plenty of length, but double check that the wires will reach the XLR jack pins before you cut. You can see the wire routing in the picture below.
- Page 12 2-23) Almost there! Install knob onto attenuator potentiometer. It is easy to turn the potentiometer shaft entirely clock-wise or anti-clock- wise, install the knob so that the indicator line is pointing to the correct end-stop line and tighten the two screws that will hold it in place: 2-24) Power up and Play! Job well done, Udarnik!! DIY Build DOC/BOM KOSMODROM CORE...
- Page 13 Expressions of Gratitude A Siberian Sized Spasibo to Kurt for assembling the Core kit to proof the DIY Build Documents. Your feedback has been invaluable in ensuring the quality and accuracy of these instructions. Ursa Major [like giant Russian Circus Bear sized] thanks to Hannes Pasqualini at Papernoise for taking the disjointed thoughts, suggestions, and ramblings of my childhood love of all things Cosmonaut and turning them into the FREAKING AWESOME visual language that would be at home in a space station 250 miles [402 km] high traveling at 17,000 mph [27,359 kph].
-
Page 14: Component Type
INTERPRETING COMPONENT DESIGNATIONS FOR TSYKLON LABS MODULES As much as possible, we have tried to be very consistent with how our components are labeled on our Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). Aside from being consistent component to component, PCB to PCB, and module to module within our own products – we have also done as much as possible to be consistent with standard naming conventions used by other module designers.
Need help?
Do you have a question about the KOSMODROM CORE v 1.2 PCB SET and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers