Extralife Instruments SUPER SIXTEEN User manual

Super Sixteen Build Guide
Guide v1.1 - April, 2021
CPU Board (smaller PCB)
1.1 - Resistors
Install the through-hole resistors by bending the leads and inserting them through the
vias, bending the leads, flipping the PCB, and soldering them. They can go in either way
but it's good to keep all the color codes facing the same way.
1. Install the twelve 1K (1 kiloohm) resistors (brown, black, red,gold)
R103, R104, R105, R106, R107, R108, R109, R110, R111, R112, R113, R116
2. Install the five 10K resistors (brown, black, orange,gold)
R102, R114, R115, R117, R118
3. Install the one 1M (1 megaohm) resistor (brown, black, black, yellow,brown) (blue body)
R101
Install the resistors in this step in the highlighted locations.

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1.2 - Diodes
Install the diodes like the resistors, but be
careful that they are polarized. The stripe
on the diode body must match the stripe on
the PCB silkscreen.
1. Install the two 1N4001 diodes - larger
black plastic diode with silver stripe.
D103, D104
2. Install the two 1N4733A zener diodes -
larger red glass diodes with a black
stripe.
D101, D102
Set aside the BAT85 diode (smaller red
glass diode) - it goes on the other PCB
1.3 - Ceramic capacitors
Install the ceramic caps - they are
non-polarized, so don't worry about
which way is which. Just be careful to
use the right values because they look
similar to one another!
1. Install the four 22 pF capacitors
(code 22J)
C105, C107, C113
and C114 (optional),
2. Install the seven 100nF /0.1uF
capacitors (code 104)
C103, C104, C106,
C111, C112, C115, C116

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1.4 - ICs / Chips
First, install the smallest IC - the Winbond
W25Q80DV flash memory chip (U104) in the
corner of the PCB. This is an SOIC-8
surface-mount package. It is the only
surface-mount part in the project. It comes in
a small black plastic tray which is a piece of a
"reel" of chips.
1. "Tin" only one of the IC's pads on the PCB
by applying a small amount of solder to it.
2. Using tweezers, peel off the clear plastic
protective film and remove the IC from the
reel.
3. Locate the "dot" in the corner of the chip indicating which pin is Pin 1. Match this to the dot
on the PCB silkscreen to orient the chip properly. (see photo)
4. Hold the chip with tweezers and place it on the pads in the correct orientation. At the
same time, heat the tinned pad with the soldering iron to "tack" the IC in place. Hold it
down with the tweezers to make sure the IC sits flat against the board while the solder
cools.
5. Apply soldering flux on the legs of the IC and its pads.
6. Apply some solder to the end of the iron, then touch that liquid solder to IC legs and pads
to flow solder into the joints using the pre-applied flux.
7. If solder bridges form between pads, remove them using additional flux and a clean iron
tip, or use solder wick (aka desoldering braid).

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Next, install the larger through-hole ICs. Straighten the
legs of each IC by pushing them against a flat surface.
Insert them into the PCB and be careful to install them
in the correct orientation by matching the "divot"
and/or "dot" at one end of the IC with the matching
symbols on the PCB silkscreen. If the chip falls out
when the board is upside-down, bend over the corner
legs with a screwdriver so it stays in place for
soldering.
1. Install the ATMega328P-PU microcontroller,
the large 28-pin IC. (Be careful not to confuse it
with the MCP23S17, another 28-pin chip which
goes on the other PCB)
U103
2. Install the MCP4822 DAC. It is the same size as the next IC,
so be careful to read the labels and get both of them in
the right place.
U106
3. Install the TL072 op-amp.
U105
1.5 - Crystal & Inductors (other)
Install the quartz clock crystal and
inductors. The crystal comes in a metal
can, and the inductors look like large
resistors with a darker color. Neither of
them is polarized.
8. Install the one 16mHz crystal
Y101
9. Install the three 220uH inductors
(red red brown gold)
L101, L102, L103

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1.6 - Transistors and Regulators
Install the small TO-92 package transistors by inserting them into the board,
bending the leads out, and soldering them. The flat side of the device must
match the flat side on the PCB silkscreen.
1. Install the four 2N7000 MOSFET transistors
Q101, Q102, Q103, Q104
2. Install the one LP2950-3.3 voltage regulator
U102
On the larger TO-220 package regulator, bend down
each of the leads until they sit at a right angle to its
body. This will allow you to mount it flush against the
PCB.
1. Install the one LM7805 5V voltage regulator
U101
1.7 - Electrolytic capacitors
Electrolytic capacitors are polarized! Install them
by matching the white stripe the white semicircle
on the PCB silkscreen.
1. Install the three 47uF capacitors
C101, C108, C110
2. Install the one 1uF capacitor (C102)
3. Install the one 330uF capacitor (C109)
Note: If you have a very tall 330uF capacitor,
bend its leads first so it can lean over and lay
flat against the nearby IC (U105) and hot-glue it
in place. This will let the module fit in smaller
cases.

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1.8 - Pin & socket header connectors
The dual-row connectors for power and ICSP, J101
and J104 are installed on the top of the PCB and
soldered on the back, like the other components on
the board. It can be tricky to get them to stay in place.
The easiest way is to use alligator clips, hemostats or
locking tweezers. Alternately, you can mount them
using tape, solder them in place, and remove the
tape. If you have a keyed (aka shrouded) 10-pin
power connector (J104), the key (or notch) should face
toward the lower edge of the PCB.
1. Install the two dual-row header connectors.
J101, J104
The single-row headers connect the 2 PCBs together. They (J102, J103) are installed on the
underside of the PCB and soldered on the top. It's easiest to install them by mating the header
pins to the sockets, and loosely fitting them in both PCBs at once to ensure they go in straight.
Place the Control board in your PCB holder, and loosely install the mated header sockets in their
positions on the backside of that PCB (J1, J2). Then set the CPU board on top and fit the pins
through so both connectors are held in place and parallel. Level both of the boards so the
headers sit straight up and down.
1. Solder the header connectors on the top
side of the CPU board.
J102, J103
Carefully remove the boards from your PCB
holder and flip them over so you can access the
top of the Control board.
2. Solder the header connectors on the top
side of the Control board.
J1, J2
Gently prise the PCBs apart by hand, being
careful not to bend or damage the header pins.
Then take a break! You're halfway there!

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Control Board (larger PCB)
NOTE: You should have already soldered the pin headers
on the Control PCB in the previous step!
2.1 - Resistors
Install the through-hole resistors on the Control Board.
1. Install the twelve 100 ohm resistors
(brown, black, brown,gold)
R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, R10,
R11, R12
2. Install the three 680 ohm resistors
(blue,grey,brown,gold)
R14, R15, R16
3. Install the three 1K (1 kiloohm) resistors
(brown, black, red,gold)
R13, R17, R18
4. Install the two 10K resistors
(brown, black, orange,gold)
R19, R22
5. Install the two 100k resistors
(brown, black, yellow, gold)
R20, R23
6. Install the two 1M (1 megaohm) resistors
(brown, black, black, yellow, brown) (blue body)
R21, R24

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2.2 - Ceramic Capacitors and Diode
Install the ceramic capacitors and the one remaining diode. Near each IC you'll place a pair of two
ceramic caps, one 100nF and one 100pF. The BAT 85 diode mounts near the bottom of the
board, between the gate output jack and the
potentiometers.
1. Install the three 100 pF capacitors
(code 101)
C3, C6, C9
2. Install the three 100nF /0.1uF capacitors
(code 104)
C2, C5, C8
3. Install the one BAT85 diode (note the
polarity and match the stripe on the diode
to the stripe on the PCB)
D19
2.3 - ICs / Chips
Install the three through-hole ICs. Note that the
orientation of the large MCP23S17 IC is opposite
from the other two ICs. Match each IC so the
notch at one end matches the notch on the PCB
silkscreen.
1. Install the one MCP23S17 I/O expander IC
U2
2. Install the two 74HC595 shift register ICs
U1, U3

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2.4 Transistors
NOTE - Updated April 2021
The transistors are easy to install - just bend the leads, and solder as usual. However, please take
note of the orientation of the 2N3906 transistors, which may not match the silkscreen.
On PCBs labeled version 2.2 and earlier, the
silkscreen orientation is reversed. While the
seven-segment display will still work with
reversed transistors, it will be much less bright.
On all versions of the PCB, the 2N3906
transistors should be installed with the flat side
facing *away* from the top edge of the PCB. This
will greatly increase the display brightness (and
also the electric current usage of the module -
adding roughly 60mA at peak).
The 2N3906 transistors in the photo above are installed in the
correct orientation on a v2.2 PCB with incorrect silkscreen.
1. Install the three 2N9306 transistors next
to the display, with the flat side facing
away from the top edge of the PCB.
Q1, Q2, Q3
2. Install the two 2N3904 transistors next to
the large IC, orienting them as marked on
the silkscreen.
Q4, Q5

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2.5 - Tactile Switches
Next you can install all twenty-one 6mm tact switches.
It's very important that they all sit flat against the PCB
so that the button caps line up properly with the front
panel. Push them down and they should "click" against
the PCB as the "gull-wing" bent leads should hold them
firmly in place. The leads can sometimes be bent during
transit so don't force them too hard, and bend the leads
gently back into position if necessary.
This step requires making 84 individual solder joints!
Take it slow and take a break in the middle.
1. Install the twenty-one tactile switches
S1, S2, S3 … S21
2.6 - Potentiometers, Encoder, Hex Standoff
At last, it's time to install the through-panel components! The potentiometers and encoder should
be installed into the PCB, and then aligned using the front panel before and during soldering.
Otherwise it is possible to misalign the pots, and it will be very difficult to fix!
Before fitting the front panel, install the 10mm hex standoff via an M3 screw in the hole just below
the encoder (see diagram). This will keep the panel at the proper height and angle.
1. Install the hex standoff near the encoder (SW3)
2. Press-fit the encoder and potentiometers into
place. You may have to bend the mounting tabs
inward slightly.
3. Install the front panel, clamp it in your PCB
holder and flip the assembly over. If you don't
have a PCB holder, install the hex nuts on the
potentiometers and the M3 screw into the hex
standoff to hold the panel in place during
soldering. Do not put a hex nut on the encoder.
4. Solder the 3 control pins of each potentiometer
and the rotary encoder.
SW3, RV1, RV2, RV3, RV4

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2.7 - 3.5mm jacks
Remove the front panel and set the PCB on a
flat surface. The WQP518MA jacks have 3 pins,
and one is sprung outward. This outer pin can
be bent out to provide some spring tension and
hold the jacks in place while the front panel is
installed.
Insert the jacks into the PCB and re-install the
front panel to keep the jacks aligned during
soldering. Again, secure the front panel in your
PCB holder and affix the hex nuts to hold it flat.
With the panel fastened, there may be a small
(~1mm) gap between the jack body and the PCB.
This is fine! It is more important that the jacks sit
flush against the front panel so that the strain
of plugging and unplugging cables is taken up
by the panel rather than the solder joints.
1. Solder the six WQP518MA 3.5mm jacks (J4, J5, J6, J7, J8, J9)
2.7 - Pushbuttons
The DR640 buttons require careful installation.
Make sure to align the flat side of the button
with the flat side on the PCB silkscreen.
Insert the buttons into their places, then reinstall
the front panel and flip over as before.
The buttons will fall down and rest in the front
panel cutouts. You can either tape the buttons
down, or solder one leg in place, then with your
other hand, push the button in to rest flat on
the PCB while heating that leg with the
soldering iron. Hold it in place while letting the
solder cool, and then solder the other 3 legs.
1. Install the two DR640F2 LFS buttons
SW1, SW2

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2.8 Electrolytic Capacitors
The electrolytic capacitors on the control board
must be bent sideways to lay flat against the
PCB in order to fit in the space underneath the
front panel (see photo). Bend the leads before
inserting them in the PCB or soldering, as it will
not be possible to do so afterward! There should
be enough just space between the
potentiometers for the capacitors to lay flat on
their side. Make sure to observe the correct
polarity and match the stripe on the capacitor to
the white semicircle on the PCB.
1. Install the three 47uF capacitors
C1, C4, C7
2.9 - Seven Segment Display
The seven segment display is easy enough to
install - just make sure you orient it right-side up!
It's in the correct position with the decimal points
near toward the center of the PCB.
Insert the display into its place, then re-install
the front panel as before, and flip the boards
over. Let the display fall slightly to sit flat against
the panel and solder it in place. Be sure that the
display doesn't fall partway into the cutout and
end up at an odd angle.
1. Install the BA56-12GWA 3-digit
seven-segment display
J1
This diagram shows the location of the display
and the electrolytic capacitors

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2.10 - LEDs
Installing the LEDs should be fairly straightforward
if the panel is mounted properly. You must be sure
to orient all of the LEDs correctly, by placing the
short leg of the LED in the square pad/hole on the
PCB.
1. Insert the two 5mm LEDs near the glide
button and gate out jack.
D17, D18
2. Insert the sixteen 3mm LEDs near the
switches.
D1, D2, D3 … D16
3. Make sure the hex standoff is installed near
the encoder. This will keep the panel at the correct height from the PCB.
4. Cover the Gate LED and Glide LED in the front panel with masking tape or painter's tape.
This will keep the LEDs from falling through the panel and ending up too tall. You can
leave a little slack in the tape to enable the LED to sit slightly proud of the panel.
5. Now, install the front panel. Install the hex nuts as necessary to keep it in place, or
carefully insert into your PCB holder.
6. Flip the board over and seat the LEDs into the cutouts in the front panel. Grab each LED's
legs and wiggle it until it drops down into the cutout. The panel should hold the 3mm leds
almost flush with the front, and the tape will do the same for the 5mm leds.
7. OPTIONAL: Look at the front of the control panel. If the 3mm LEDs stick too far out when
seated into the panel (some LED manufacturers may have different size tolerances!), use
painter's tape to cover all the 3mm LED holes to keep them at the right height.
8. Double-check that the LEDs are installed in the correct orientation, with the short legs in
the square holes on the PCB. Every LED should be oriented in the same direction.
9. Solder all of the LEDs. (D1, D2, D3 … D18)
10. Remove the masking tape and flip the assembly over to inspecti t. The LEDs should now
sit just proud of the front panel. If one or more are misaligned, use the soldering iron and
pliers to adjust their positions now before clipping the component leads.

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Front panel assembly
3.1 - Inspection & cleanup
Congratulations! You've finished the soldering and have earned a break. Drink some tea, take a
nap, etc, because there's a little more work to do and it's not a good idea to rush through it.
When you're refreshed and ready, take this chance to perform a thorough visual inspection of
both PCBs. Use bright light and magnification to inspect all of the solder joints, and use a felt-tip
marker to mark which ones you think need extra attention (there are always a few!). Apply some
flux, use more solder, reflow, or use desoldering braid as needed to clean up the joints.
When you are satisfied with your soldering, clean up any flux residue from both PCBs using an
old toothbrush and some isopropyl alcohol. Blot the boards dry with a paper towel and let them
sit for 15-20 minutes to dry fully.
3.2 - Electrical and functional tests
Before applying any power to the module, you should first check for short circuits. Use a
multimeter in continuity mode with an audible buzzer.
1. On the CPU board, test for any shorts between the center pins of the power connector
and the outer pins of the power connector (between +12v / GND, and -12V / GND).
2. On the CPU board, test for shorts between any of the legs of the larger LM7805 voltage
regulator (between +5V/GND, +12V/+5V, and +12V/GND).
3. On the Control board, test for shorts between the outer two legs of any potentiometer,
e.g. RV1. (between +5V/GND). With the knob turned all the way left or right, you will find a
short between the middle leg of the potentiometer and one outer leg - this is normal.
Once you are satisfied, attach the 2nd hex standoff to one of the PCBs by inserting a screw
through one of the mounting holes near the middle of each PCB, and threading on the hex
standoff on the underside of the board. Mate the two boards together using the header pins,
and insert a screw into the other side of the standoff. Do not overtighten! You can flex or crack
the board if you are not careful.
Now, at last, you can power up the board by connecting it to a eurorack power supply, being
careful to observe the polarity of the power connector. You should see the display light up and
the LEDs begin blinking. Check that all of the knobs and buttons are working!

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3.2 - Button caps
Disconnect the power supply, and lightly fit the front panel on the control board - do not install
the hex nuts or screws just yet as you may need to remove it again soon.
Install the four large button caps by sliding them through the front panel and onto the square
plungers of the four topmost tactile switches. Rotate the cap until it seats onto the switch. These
larger caps are somewhat difficult to install and may require some force. Having the front panel in
place will help you keep them straight while you push them on. The cap should "click" onto the
switch and sit nearly flush with the front panel. Once seated, the switch should operate easily and
"click" with each press. If the button feels squishy or stuck, remove the front panel, and gently pry
the button cap off the switch by inserting a small flat-bladed screwdriver under the cap and
twisting it until the cap slides off. Do not force the cap off by pulling at an angle, as this may
damage the switch. You may be able to install a stuck cap more easily with the front panel
removed, but be very careful to line it up perfectly straight before pushing it on.
Install the seventeen small button caps in the same way. These caps will slide on more easily
than the others, and it's easiest to do this with the panel installed. They will "click" on once when
pressed, and then click again when pressed with greater force. After the second click they will sit
nearly flush with the front panel. You may wish to use a flat tool such as the butt end of a
screwdriver, pen, or marker to push the caps on rather than using your fingers. Try to avoid
putting too much force on the components on the rear PCB - brace the assembly against your
hand rather than a tabletop if possible.
3.3 - Hex nuts
Once the button caps are installed, place a flat washer over each of the four potentiometers.
Then install the four 10mm hex nuts on the potentiometers. It is not necessary to install a nut on
the encoder. Instead, install the black screw (or metal screw if desired) in the hole near the
encoder and tighten it on the standoff.
Install the six 8mm hex nuts on each of the 3.5mm jacks near the bottom of the panel. Use a
socket rather than pliers to tighten them to avoid scratching the panel.
3.4 - Knobs
Finally, install the knobs on the potentiometers and encoder by aligning the flat side of the shaft
with the flat in the knob body, and pushing it on until it is nearly flush with the front panel. The
four knobs with an indicator line go on the potentiometers and the one knob without a line goes
on the encoder.
Congratulations! You've finished building the Super Sixteen. Practice and enjoy!