Mastodawn

Andrew "Ace" Arsenault Jan 22, 2023

So I've been building a 100% analog polyphonic synthesizer with an unique twist. To use only vacuum tube era technology from the 1930s.

Over 300 neon gas diodes create the sound you hear. Pretty awesome for technology from 100 years ago.

Still a work-in-progress, but I wanted to post a video of it with the innards spread out across the workbench. : }

I call it the "Neon String Machine"

#synthesizers #music #electronics #audio #synthwave

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Ruediger Gad

@AceArsenault that's super great. Thanks for sharing. :)
How is your experience with the longevity of the tubes? With so many tubes, do you need to replace some frequently? (Reason for the question is that I heard that tubes would have a shorter lifetime than, e g., transistors. But I really don't know much about that.)

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Andrew "Ace" Arsenault Jan 22, 2023

@ruedigergad

So yeah, the neon gas diodes do have a lifespan to them.

It's proportional to their current draw.

So I designed everything to run ultra low currents to prolong their life.

It should outlive me. : ]

Part of the reason for going with neon diodes is they have no filament, So they don't burn out like a lightbulb does. which is the biggest failure point with traditional heated cathode vacuum tubes.