Eurorack parts: Difference between revisions

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The Eurorack format was developed in parallel by [[Analogue Systems]] and [[Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH|Doepfer]], with different approaches to module power connectors and front panel mounting holes. These days the Doepfer standard predominates.<ref>[https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8419&start=all&postdays=0&postorder=asc Analogue Systems: Doepfer compatibility], Mod Wiggler forum, October 2009</ref><ref>[http://electro-music.com/forum/topic-36446.html Analogue Systems or Doepfer as 1st Modular system?], Electro-music.com forum, August 2009</ref> The format is based on [//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsches_Institut_f%C3%BCr_Normung DIN] 41494 [[Eurocard]] standard.<ref name="hinton">[https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=45388&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc Some general questions on euro-designing] by [[Graham Hinton]], Mod Wiggler forum, October 2011</ref>
==== Panels ====
Doepfer specifies the Eurorack front panel material as 2&nbsp;mm anodized aluminium.<ref name="a100m">Doepfer [http://www.doepfer.de/a100_man/a100m_e.htm A-100 Construction Details]</ref> In practice panels from other manufacturers may slightly differ, e.g. Synthwerks use the closest gauge that [http://metalphoto.com/ Metalphoto] offer which is 0.0625" (1.59&nbsp;mm). Also check data sheets for front panel parts, e.g. the maximum recommended thickness for [[3.5&nbsp; mm Cliff 1384 jack]]s is 2.5&nbsp;mm.<ref name="guage1">[https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=51475&start=all&postdays=0&postorder=asc Aluminum Panel Guage???], Mod Wiggler forum, January 2012</ref>
Front panel dimensions in the the Eurorack format are specified in U and HP not in inches or millimeters. One U (unit) or in German HE (höhen einheit) is 1.75&nbsp;inches equivalent to 44.45&nbsp;mm. The panels height is [[3U]] (3x1.75"=5.25" or 133.35&nbsp;mm) less any allowance for mounting rail flange. Width is measured in HP (horizontal pitch) or in German TE (teilungs einheiten); 1 HP is 5.08&nbsp;mm, 1/5", 0.2" or 200mil. The actual width of a front panel is a few tenth of a&nbsp;mm less than whatever multiple of 5.08&nbsp;mm it is, to give some tolerance for final assembly. A [[19-inch rack]] has a usable width of 84 HP.<ref name="hinton" /><ref name="a100m" /><ref name="confused">[https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=55022&start=all&postdays=0&postorder=asc confused about euro panel spec standard.], Mod Wiggler forum, March 2012</ref><ref name="measures">[http://www.electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18281&postorder=asc Standard measurements in front panels], Electro-music.com forum, May 2007</ref><ref>[http://electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17529&start=125 Thomas Henry's SN76477 Super Controller Module] by [[Matthias Herman]], Electro-music.com forum, July 2007</ref>
 
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For front panels up to 10 HP two mounting holes are sufficient, wider than this and four mounting holes are usual. To attach the modules to the mounting rails M3x6 DIN 7985 cross recessed pan head machine screws are used. The mounting hole diameter is 3.2mm (0.13"), centered 3mm from top and bottom edges and 7.45mm from the left edge. The horizontal distance between the mounting holes has to be a multiple of 5.08mm.<ref name="hinton" /><ref name="a100m" /><ref name="confused" />
==== Mounting rails ====
[[File:Eurorack panels on Gie-Tec rails.jpg|thumb|200px|Eurorack panels mounted on Gie-Tec rails, with sliding nuts. Note the lip along one edge of the rail.]][[File:Eurorack panels on Vector rails.jpg|thumb|200px|Eurorack panels mounted on Vector rails, with sliding nuts.]]Unless attaching the panels directly into the wood of an enclosure; Doepfer aluminium mounting rails from Schroff or Gie-Tech usually have a 1.2mm lip and are fitted with a number of square nuts or a threaded strip with M3 tapped holes, spaced with 5.08mm between centres.<ref>TipTop [http://www.tiptopaudio.com/manuals/z-rails.pdf Z-Rails dimensions]</ref> Be careful not to get Schroff rails that take M2.5 screws.<ref>[https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=249254&sid=159dd8651e429dd3d944d75988436079 Schroff Rails for a Eurorack Rast?]</ref> Vector T-Strut rails do not have a lip and take a M2.5 threaded strip or 4-40 square nuts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vectorelect.com/Catpdf/New%20Page%2049.pdf |title=VectorPak T-Struts |accessdate=2015-05-22 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501030431/http://www.vectorelect.com/Catpdf/New%20Page%2049.pdf |archivedate=2015-05-01 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |df= }}</ref> Nuts are more fiddly than threaded strip, but the modules can then be butted flush against each other, for example when Analogue Sytem and Doepfer-style modules share the same rack rails.<ref>[https://www.gearslutz.com/board/electronic-music-instruments-electronic-music-production/814685-why-no-talk-analoge-systems-modules.html Why no talk of Analoge Systems modules?], Gearslutz.com forums, February 2013</ref>
 
Brands using M2.5 square nuts or tapped strips and M2.5x6mm machine screws: [[4ms]], [[Elby Designs]] (SRS), [[Enclave]], [[Rittal]]<ref name="enc">[https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1612192&sid=46c8558b1dfe3ee80c6a2ef51a264eb1 Enclave cases rails...], Mod Wiggler forum, July 2014</ref><ref name="sergesque">[https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1385152&highlight=#1385152 &#91;IC&#93; 4U Single Function 'Sergesque' panels], Mod Wiggler forum, 13 December 2013</ref>
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* [https://www.ponoko.com/ Ponoko]
For FPE and Schaeffer, you need to supply the blank Euro panel.
 
 
You can also draw your front panels very easily with this extension of the free software Inkscape [http://inkscape.org/]
 
[https://synthpanels.design/ synthpanelsdesign]
 
=== Project panels ===
Panels for specific projects can be purchased from:
* [http://grayscale.info/panels/ Grayscale], USA
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20151211113518/http://modularaddict.com/parts/panels.html Modular Addict]
* [http://synthcube.com/cart/index.php?route=product/category&path=74_76&limit=300 synthCube], USA
* [http://www.thonk.co.uk/product-category/panel/ Thonk], UK
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=== Front panel labelling options ===
''See [[PanelsPanel (homebrew)]]''
 
== Front panels parts ==
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==== Doepfer ====
Doepfer modules, (the de facto standard)<ref name="hinton" /> use two row of 8 [[pin header|male pin headers]] for connecting power and [[normalising]] [[CV/gate]]. The pins are 0.1" (2.54mm) apart and at a 0.1" pitch. The interconnection is done via ribbon cable with 1.27mm (0.05") pitch, and using female sockets, 16-pin to the supply bus and either 16 or 10-pin to the module. The colored wire on the ribbon cable indicates -12V.<ref name="def"/><ref>Doepfer [http://www.doepfer.de/a100_man/a100t_e.htm Technical Details A-100]</ref><ref name="ta">[https://web.archive.org/web/20190614005350/http://analogue-heaven.1065350.n5.nabble.com/some-help-building-a-rack-for-doepfer-tp25377p25380td25377.html Re: some help building a rack for doepfer] by [[Tony Allgood]], Analogue Heaven email list, 29 June 2006</ref><ref name="dcon">[https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=37111&start=all&postdays=0&postorder=asc Doepfer connectors?], Mod Wiggler forum, June 2011</ref> Pins are numbered from pin 1 with even numbers along one side and the odd numbered ones along the other.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://connector.pinoutsguide.com/16_pin_IDC_male/ |title=16 pin IDC male connector diagram and applications pinouts |accessdate=2015-05-22 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150428223123/http://connector.pinoutsguide.com/16_pin_IDC_male/ |archivedate=2015-04-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 
==== Cwejman ====
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[[File:Lowpass Filter LC.svg|thumb|right|150px|LC filter to further reduce the amount of output ripple and transients on a switching PS.]] A good clean power supply unit (PSU) is the most important part of a modular system. A proper [[Power supply (linear)|linear power supply]] and good distribution makes a big difference to the stability and sound quality of the system.<ref>[https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1470018 Best Eurorack Power Supply (PSU) for your buck?], Mod Wiggler forum, 23 Feb 2014</ref>
 
[[Power supply (switching)|Switch-mode power supplies]] (SMPS) are smaller, lighter, and much more efficient (give off less heat) than linear power supplies but produce noise, (above the audio range) on their output.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-3242EN.pdf |title=Understanding the Importance of Low-Noise Linear Power Supplies |accessdate=2016-03-04 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219163349/http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-3242EN.pdf |archivedate=2012-12-19 |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |df= }}</ref> About 1% of the output voltage of a switching power is a sawtooth ripple at the switcher frequency. Due to the fast output switching and the parasitic inductance of the output filter capacitor there may also be short voltage spikes at the peaks of the sawtooth. Use low inductance capacitors with short leads to minimize these voltage spikes. Adding a small LC filter to the output can further reduce the ripple and transients to a tenth of their level.<ref>[http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/lm2574.pdf Output voltage ripple and transients], LM2574 data sheet</ref>
 
=== Safety ===
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== References ==
{{From Mod Wiggler wikiWiki|vertical Mount Components}}
{{split_to|[[Eurorack panel components]]|22 April 2016}}
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
<!-- * [https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ModularSynthPanels/ Modular Synth Panels], Yahoo group -->
* GitHub, [https://github.com/rahji/eurorack-ears rahji/eurorack-ears], CAD drawings for Eurorack rails, ears/brackets
* The Eurorack Database – [https://web.archive.org/web/20150528001000/http://www.eurorackdb.com/node/h_diy_sources Eurorack DIY Resources]
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060111050127/http://www.musicfromouterspace.com/ Music From Outer Space]
* [http://yusynth.net/index_en.php YuSynth]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170430151727/http://cgs.synth.net/ CGS]
* [https://github.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=Eurorack&type=Repositories&ref=searchresults GitHub]