Division 6 Dual Mini Manual
Dual Mini Synthesizer Build Instructions
Make sure you have everything before you start soldering!
1
Install Diode
What You’ll Need:
To make assembly easier, we’re going to install components from shortest to
tallest. This way when you ip the board over to solder them, your work
surface will hold them in place. Let’s start with the diode.
To prep the leads, hold the body of the diode and bend the two leads 90
degrees.
Insert the diode into the holes marked D9 on the main PCB. Polarity does
matter for diodes, so when you insert it into the board, make sure the black
stripe on the diode lines up with the stripe on the silkscreen pattern.
Bend the leads outward underneath the board to hold the diode in place.
Flip the board over, solder the diode leads, then trim them just above the
solder joint.
For a quick soldering tutorial, visit division-6.com/solder
·Dual Mini Synthesizer Kit · Soldering Iron · Solder · Wire Cutters · Small Phillips Screwdriver · 9mm Nut Driver
2
Install Resistors
Working one value at a time, prep the leads of the resistors like you did with
the diode.
Insert the resistors into their proper locations (see BOM). Polarity doesn’t
matter for resistors, but your board will look neater if you line up all the
tolerance bands (gold) the same direction. Bend the leads outward
underneath the board to hold the resistors in place.
Flip the board over, solder the resistor leads, then trim them just above the
solder joint.
3
Install Ceramic Capacitors
Install and solder C3-C6. Polarity doesn’t matter for these capacitors.
4
Install IC Sockets
Page 1/4
Polarity doesn’t matter
Polarity DOES matter
Continued...
Insert the IC sockets into the board. Note that one end of each socket has a
notch in it to indicate which end of the IC has pin 1. Make sure to align these
notches with the notches indicated on the silk screen pattern.
Flip the board over and solder one pin on each corner of both sockets. This
makes it easy to reposition the sockets in case they aren’t seated all the way
down against the board; just reheat the corner pins and adjust the socket
positions as necessary.
Once you are happy with the positioning of the sockets, solder the remaining
pins. The pins are short enough that they don’t need to be trimmed.
Dual Mini Synthesizer Build Instructions
7
Install Power Connector
Insert P3 into the board, aligning the notch in the connector with the notch
indicated on the silkscreen pattern. Make sure the connector is at against the
board, then solder it into place. The pins are short enough that they don’t
need to be trimmed.
Page 2/4
6
Install Electrolytic Capacitors
Insert C1, C2, C7, and C8 into the board. Polarity does matter for electrolyt-
ics, so make sure the (-) stripe is lined up with the - (round) hole on the PCB
(and is opposite the “+” marking on the silkscreen pattern). Solder the
capacitors into place and trim the leads.
5
Install Regulator
Insert VR1 into the board, making sure the at side of the part is lined up with
the at side on the silkscreen pattern. Solder and trim the leads.
Flip the board over! From here on out, all the parts go on the other side
8
Install LEDs
Slip an LED spacer onto each LED D1-8.
Insert the LEDs into the PCB and bend the pins outward to hold the LEDs into
place. Polarity does matter for LEDs; you’ll notice that they all have a at
side on their package. If the at side is hard to see, each LED also has a long
and a short pin to indicate polarity.
FLAT SIDE = SHORT PIN = NEGATIVE (-) = SQUARE PAD ON PCB
It doesn’t really matter which color you put where, but the LEDs in your kit
were chosen with the following layout in mind:
You may want to temporarily t the front panel in place to make sure all the
LEDs are straight and line up with the LED holes in the panel. Solder and trim
the leads.
Install Pots
Dual Mini Synthesizer Build Instructions
Page 3/4
12
Attach Standos
Using 2 silver screws, attach the 2 standos so that they protrude from the
same side of the board you just installed the pots on. The holes for the
standos aren’t labeled, but they have thick silver rings around them.
Insert all the pots, making sure they are as straight and at to the PCB as
possible. Solder one mounting tab on each pot. Temporarily install the front
panel to ensure all the pot shafts are poking through the center of their holes.
If any pot needs adjustment, simply heat up the one tab you soldered and
adjust the positioning of the pot.
Once all the shafts are lined up to your satisfaction, solder the remaining pins
on the pots.
9
Install Buttons
Insert tact switches S1-S4 into the PCB. They t 2 dierent ways, and either
way is ne. They will snap into place, making it easy to ip the board over and
solder them. Make sure they are at and straight as you insert them. You may
want to temporarily place the the front panel to make sure the buttons line up
with the holes in the panel. Once everything is lined up, solder the button
pins. The pins are short enough that they don’t need to be trimmed.
10
Install 3.5mm Jacks
Insert J1-J26 into the main PCB, soldering one pin of each as you go to hold it
in place. Check to make sure that they are at against the board and lined up
with the silkscreen pattern; reheat and reposition if not. Place the front panel
on the jacks to ensure alignment, and solder the remaining pins.
11
Be careful here, because there’s one pot per synthesizer that’s dierent from
the rest! R7 and R20 are 1M (say B105 on the bottom), where all the others are
10k (say B103 on the bottom).
Continued...
Dual Mini Synthesizer Build Instructions
Page 4/4
13
Install Front Panel
Place the front panel on the module. Install the hex nuts on all the jacks.
Screw the two black screws into the standos to hold the top of the panel in
place.
14
Install Microcontrollers
Before inserting U1 and U2 into their sockets, you may need to bend the pins
inward a bit so that they’ll line up with the holes. Lay each IC on its side on a
at surface, then gently press down on the top of the chip so that the pins
bend evenly. Repeat for the other side of each chip.
Insert the chips into their sockets, making sure that the pin 1 notches on each
chip and socket are aligned with each other. Both ICs are identical, so it
doesn’t matter which chip goes into which socket.
15
Power Up
THE END
That’s it, you’re nished! It’s time to test out your handiwork. Connect the
module to a Eurorack power supply using the provided cable. Turn on the
power.
Both the synthesizers should blink their rmware revisions on the LEDs, then
the LFO LEDs should start blinking at LFO rate.
Connect the OUT jack to an amplier/speaker. Make sure the FILTER pot is all
the way up and LFO>VCO and LFO>VCA are set to the 12:00 positions. Press
the GATE button; you should hear some audio.
Now you can use the controls to dial in the sound you want.
Troubleshooting:
·If the module has no power at all, check to make sure the diode is
installed the right direction. Also use a voltmeter to verify that your
Eurorack power supply is working.
·If any LED seems to be stuck on, it may be installed backwards.
·For any other problems, start by checking all your solder joints. They
should look shiny and smooth, not dull. Look for blobs and shorts
between adjoining pads.
Calibration instructions can be found at
division-6.com/dualsynth
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