2 layers200.4 × 251.2 mm
2 layers70 × 70 mm
Cacophonator
phastmike/cacophonatorCacophonator KiCad project
- Size
- 70 × 70 mm
- Copper layers
- 2
- Thickness
- 1.6 mm
- Parts
- 53
- Nets
- 31
- Pads
- 109
- Tracks, vias
- 196, 8
- Pours
- 1
- Routed
- Yes
- KiCad
- KiCad 9.0 (file 20241229)
- Created
- 8 Mar 2025
- Updated
- 25 Mar 2025
Overview
Cacophonator is an open-source printed circuit board by phastmike, from the phastmike/cacophonator repository on GitHub. It is a 2-layer board of 70 × 70 mm with 53 parts on 31 nets, routed with 196 tracks and 8 vias.
It is built around the 1N4004W. Its parts include 14 resistors, 11 capacitors, 4 diodes, 2 connectors and 2 switches. It belongs with the audio and music boards of this library.
Main components
1README
README.mdCacophonator
This repository contains the KiCad project of a try at recreating an instance of the cacophonator by Arthur Harrison.
Build iteration
V1 THT
- Using THT (Through-hole) components
- Designed for JSL 166x116x70mm Box
Modifications to the original
- Added a potentiometer to control the output amplitude (volume)
- Should be a logaritmic (log) potentiometer
- Added DC Input jack with diodes for multiple, concurrent, power sources
- Battery (9V)
- DC IN (9 or 12V))
Notes
Designed with KiCad 9.0
Top cover layout tryout
Box (166x116x70mm)
BOM - Bill of Materials
Links
- https://www.theremin.us/Circuit_Library/cacophonator.html
- https://syntherjack.net/catophonator/
- https://vitrolxul.mitiendanube.com/productos/cacophonator/
- http://analogmodularsystem.blogspot.com/2014/01/cacophonator-i.html
- https://milwaukeemakerspace.org/2011/09/cacophonator/
- https://beavisaudio.com/projects/cmossynthesizers/
- https://blacblob.qsdf.org/2018/10/03/cacophonator/
- https://static.flickr.com/100/312128991_4e7175fa40.jpg?v=0
- https://www.ti.com/lit/an/slyt336/slyt336.pdf?ts=1739280684395
- https://www.flickr.com/photos/53178019@N00/page2
- https://electro-music.com/forum/post-328159.html
- https://dimsos.dk/cacophonator/cacophonator-take-2-v8/
- https://www.matrixsynth.com/search/label/Cacophonator
- http://www.subtlenoisemaker.com/cacophonator_noir.html
Parts
53| Qty | Value | Footprint | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 10k | Resistor_THT:R_Axial_DIN0204_L3.6mm_D1.6mm_P5.08mm_Horizontal | R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R11, R13 |
| 10 | MountingHole | MountingHole:MountingHole_3.2mm_M3_ISO7380_Pad | H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, H6, H7, H8, H9, H10 |
| 6 | 1M | Connector_JST:JST_PH_B2B-PH-K_1x02_P2.00mm_Vertical | RV1, RV2, RV3, RV4, RV5, RV6 |
| 3 | 0.01uF | Capacitor_THT:C_Disc_D7.0mm_W2.5mm_P5.00mm | C3, C4, C5 |
| 2 | 100 | Resistor_THT:R_Axial_DIN0204_L3.6mm_D1.6mm_P5.08mm_Horizontal | R12, R14 |
| 2 | 1N4004* | Diode_THT:D_DO-35_SOD27_P7.62mm_Horizontal | D3, D4 |
| 2 | 2200pF | Capacitor_THT:C_Disc_D7.0mm_W2.5mm_P5.00mm | C1, C2 |
| 2 | 22uF | Capacitor_THT:CP_Radial_D7.5mm_P2.50mm | C9, C11 |
| 2 | 4.7uF | Capacitor_THT:CP_Radial_D4.0mm_P2.00mm | C8, C10 |
| 1 | 100k log | Connector_JST:JST_PH_B3B-PH-K_1x03_P2.00mm_Vertical | RV8 |
| 1 | 10k | Connector_JST:JST_PH_B2B-PH-K_1x02_P2.00mm_Vertical | RV7 |
| 1 | 22 | Resistor_THT:R_Axial_DIN0204_L3.6mm_D1.6mm_P5.08mm_Horizontal | R10 |
| 1 | 2200uF | Capacitor_THT:CP_Radial_D10.0mm_P5.00mm | C7 |
| 1 | 22uF | Capacitor_THT:CP_Radial_D4.0mm_P2.00mm | C6 |
| 1 | 40106 | Package_DIP:DIP-14_W7.62mm | U1 |
| 1 | 560 | Resistor_THT:R_Axial_DIN0204_L3.6mm_D1.6mm_P5.08mm_Horizontal | R15 |
| 1 | 9V | Connector_JST:JST_PH_B2B-PH-K_1x02_P2.00mm_Vertical | BT1 |
| 1 | AUDIO OUTPUT | Connector_JST:JST_PH_B2B-PH-K_1x02_P2.00mm_Vertical | J2 |
| 1 | CHARGE | Connector_JST:JST_PH_B2B-PH-K_1x02_P2.00mm_Vertical | SW2 |
| 1 | Jack-DC | Connector_JST:JST_PH_B2B-PH-K_1x02_P2.00mm_Vertical | J1 |
| 1 | LED | Connector_JST:JST_PH_B2B-PH-K_1x02_P2.00mm_Vertical | D2 |
| 1 | MUR210G* | Diode_THT:D_DO-35_SOD27_P7.62mm_Horizontal | D1 |
| 1 | POWER | Connector_JST:JST_PH_B2B-PH-K_1x02_P2.00mm_Vertical | SW1 |
Similar boards
- 4 layers99.7 × 99.7 mm
Diode tayloe sdr
SomethingFourier/SDR-Receiver
Super Heterodyne Direct Conversion Hybrid I/Q SDR Receiver
279 parts3 - 4 layers64 × 59 mm
Doorbell
gunnarbeutner/doorbell
doorbell.kicadsch / doorbell.kicadpcb are the authoritative source — edit them in KiCad. build.sh never authors copper; it runs the checks KiCad's own DRC/ERC can't express and exports the fab outputs:
119 parts1MIT - 4 layers89 × 89.5 mm
SDR v3-TayloeDetector FINAL
JDPennockGB/ENGR357-SDR-PennockRoque
A custom-built, high-performance Software Defined Radio (SDR) receiver powered by the Raspberry Pi Pico (RP2040).
120 parts1 - 2 layers100 × 100 mm
Audio in usd sound rp pico
snarrn/Raspberry_Pi_Pico_MultiBoard
This is a PCB with OLED, LaserTag, two Radio Receivers, Oscillotor, Sound Card for PC, Smoke Detector, LEDs, Maze Game, Accelerometer, Motor/Speaker Drivers, two Proximity Detecters, Thermometer, Photo Detector, Etc.
275 parts1MIT - 2 layers80.5 × 45.1 mm
Ra5 2022
pedrohqr/ra5_2022_m
Base/carrier board for a modular PLC (Programmable Logic Controller): an I/O front-end with no main MCU of its own — sensing and metering peripherals are driven by a separate MCU+LTE modem card that plugs into the…
154 parts - 2 layers217.1 × 393.8 mm
Sweepv2
davidphilipbarr/Sweep
Sweep - a small promicro based keyboard inspired by the Ferris.
53 parts2.1k - 2 layers121.9 × 81.3 mm
Rgb to hdmi
hoglet67/RGBtoHDMI
Bare-metal Raspberry Pi project that provides pixel-perfect sampling of Retro Computer RGB/YUV video and conversion to HDMI
53 parts1kGPL-3.0
Questions
How big is the Cacophonator PCB?
It measures 70 × 70 mm and has 2 copper layers, 1.6 mm thick.
What parts does the Cacophonator use?
53 parts, built around the 1N4004W. The full list of its parts is on this page, with links to each part's symbol and footprint where PCBKit's library has them.
Where can I download the Cacophonator KiCad files?
From the phastmike/cacophonator repository on GitHub, at the commit this page was made from: the board is kicad/cacophonator.kicad_pcb and its schematic kicad/cacophonator.kicad_sch. PCBKit opens the board in the browser, with nothing to install.
Can I use the Cacophonator design in my own project?
Its repository states no licence, so its author keeps all rights: ask phastmike before reusing the design.