This cool project turns a boring Ikea lamp into a theremin-like synth. Pretty cool. I really like the updated instructions — but real instructions would be nice too. I guess this is more a show piece than a how-to. Nonetheless, it can still inspire someone so I’m posting it anyways.

One thing I’d add is a switch so that the lamp can still be used as a plain lamp. Flick the switch and it would turn into a noisy monster.

Sunnan Synth / ikea hack from Jan van Nuenen on Vimeo.

Robert Moog, may he rest in peace, invented a legendary voltage-controlled filter (VCF). It’s the low-pass filter that gives the MiniMoog its characteristic sound. YUSynth has published the schematics, parts list and PCB layout for the MiniMoog VCF.

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Arman Bohn sent me a couple of links to his projects – and I took forever to put them online. Sorry about that, been busy.

The first one, the Magical Toolbox, is a multi-effect generator built into a tool box. It has a stereo phase-cancelling reverb, fuzz box and ring modulator – All in stereo. It sounds really nice too.

Arman also built a Transmission Electron Microscope. It doesn’t quite work as intended, but it still looks cool, and the sountrack to the demo clip is pretty nice as well.

“The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed.”
- Lloyd Jones

Magical Toolbox [link]

Transmission Electron Microscope [link]

“ADACHI’s self-made instruments are consists of simple electronic circuit, almost case built in tupperware. They never can make precise pitch, but have good sound and noise, easy to operate and carry and worked by battery. Of course the funny and pretty looks are important aspects.”

Tupperware Synthesizers [link][via][via]

This is a project that will surely please guitarists, singers, or any other musicians that play on stage. Basically, you gut out a USB keyboard, keeping only the electronics and you build a pedal that you map to specific keys. This allows you to either scroll down a document (partitions, tablatures, lyrics, etc.) or even control a slide show or audio software.

USB page turner pedal for musicians [link][via]

This project is a bit different from those I normally put up. It’s a kit (actually, a board) for a headphone amp. The difference resides s that it’s not made with what you have lying around, and its more costly.

I made an exception because I have a decent pair of Grados, which I love, and a I drive them with low quality audio mixer, which is OK for the price I paid. The thing is, to properly drive my headphones, I’d need something better, like the M³ headphone amp. Seems interesting. Let me know if you’ve heard anything good or bad about it.

DIY HiFi Headphone Amplifier [link][via]

This project is a bit pointless: a volume limiter that plugs into your iPod or favorite portable audio device, and that you plug your headphones into. Now, given that any intelligent sensible person will lower the volume instead of using this device, its only potential use is forcing your children to use it. However, you know very well that they will unplug it as soon as you turn the back.

Nevertheless, I am featuring this project because of its neat packaging, which can be an inspiration for another more useful project.

Volume Limiter for Portable Audio [link][via]

Here’s a good idea: use an old SoundBlaster card and turn it into a cheesy-sounding General-MIDI box. If I were a porno film producer, I’d definitely need a couple of these for the soundtracks.

DIY general MIDI synth from an old Soundblaster [link & link][via]

I swear, I didn’t see this until I posted yesterday’s post: it’s basically the same thing, but mono (so much for stereo separation anyways), and amplified! I’ll definitely build myself one of these. They’d also make great gifts for guitar playing friends. Refer to yesterday’s project for installing felt in the tin, as it probably helps with the overall sound quality.

Altoids Tin Amplified Mini Speaker [link]

I love just about every project that’s built around the Altoids tins. This one is no exception: mini speakers made of recycled headphones. You could also use those cheap mini-speakers that they sell at your local electronic parts store.

Altoids Tin Mini Speakers [link]

A step-by-step guide that shows you how to put together a basic, battery-operated audio amplifier.

Make a Simple Audio Amplifier [link]

Here’s a great tutorial on how to make your iPod sound better by modding the analog data path after the Digital to Analog Converters. Basically, iPods are made to drive the shitty little white ear buds – not proper headphones like the ones in the picture. I do in fact own a couple of pairs of Grados. Some SR-225 for my computer and SR-80 for my iPod (they have a 1/8″ jack).

Basically, the mods involve replacing certain cheap components by some higher grade ones. While I haven’t tried this myself, I don’t have any difficulty believing that this makes a huge difference. I’d say go for it!

DIY iPod DAC modding [link]

TVs are everywhere, in public place, streaming mind-numbing contents to whatever eyeballs they might capture. The TV-B-Gone is basically a universal remote that shuts off virtually any model of TV ever produced. There’s one catch: if you go to your favorite electronics store and shut down their wall of TVs, you might get in trouble. Until now. Here’s a perfect disguise for the TV-B-Gone: an old iPod! You’ll be able to walk around and do everyone a favor without risking getting cought!

Note that it’s not always a good idea to turn off every TV you encounter: Airports, Train Stations and Sports Bars (especially during the big game) aren’t good targets. Please use them liberally around the holiday period!

The TV-B-Gone iPod Project [link] [via]

Remember the 80s when your coolness factor was determined by the size of your boom box and the number of times you could spin on your back while listening to to Kraftwerk? Well, OK, maybe not, but this project is certainly a nice addition to any iPod and is great for picnics, outdoor parties and BBQs.

Let this your source of outdoor loud music: a really nice (industrial) looking homemade boom box. Just plug in your iPod or laptop, and you’ve got a party!

DIY Boom Box (Ghetto Blaster) [link] [via]

I’m guessing that there are thousands of tons of perfectly good earphones in landfills today, all because their owners threw them away when the mini jack connector came loose, broke off, or got all “squelchy”. This instructable should be printed on the packaging of the earphones when you buy them. It teaches you how to fix the connector when (intentionally not if) it gets damaged.

There’s one thing that bothers me about it though, it’s the look of the finished repair. Very sketchy. I would have used heat-shrink tubing instead, which would look much nicer and be super durable. This set aside, it’s still a nice and useful instructable.

Mini Audio Connector Repair [link]

Instructions on how to make a nice sleeve for the iPod Nano made from an recycled bicycle inner tube. Simple, functional, elegant.

iPod Nano Case from a Bike Inner-tube [link]