Magneto-Dynamic Infundibulator
I HAVE CONSTRUCTED A MAGNETO-DYNAMIC INFUNDIBULATOR
*ahem!*
No, seriously, I have! Watch the video and you can construct one too! You’ll need an XLR cable, a transformer (like a 600 ohm telephone transformer with three windings), some little diodes like stompboxes use for clipping, and a teeny capacitor. Two of everything, for stereo. You’ll want a soldering iron (if needed, I can make a How To Solder video) and either a multimeter, or in a pinch, guitar cables and some kind of amp (as shown in the video). With these, you too can build what I’ve built.
This is a real thing. It’s inspired by the $3500 Gyraf Audio G21 “Magneto-Dynamic Infundibulum”. That is much better than this, much like a vintage Klon Centaur is much better than a modern MXR Distortion+ bought off Amazon.
But, you probably can’t have a Gyraf Audio Magneto-Dynamic Infundibulum (or a vintage Klon Centaur). And if you could, you’re probably not watching my videos. But you can have a magneto-dynamic infundibulator! And what’s more, you can use it: the homebrew version performs very respectably considering its humble origins. It leaves a lot out, but since you’re homebuilding it, you can experiment and see how many features of the Infundibulum you can incorporate. This device follows consistent principles, which I explain. It’s all in the video!
This sort of thing is supported by my Patreon. Support that, and I will construct again! I’m not sure if I’ll end up with anything quite this impressive, but let it be known that I’ve never been only about the software and plugins. I’ve developed everything from stompboxes to speaker designs (the SubKick video shows glimpses of some speakers I’ve made, you might not have noticed what they are since they’re so huge and strange) and I would love to bring my patrons along for the ride :)
I need to build this doohickey ASAP, it’s exactly what I need. I can’t find the transformers here in Ukraine. In the US they seem to go for 6 bucks a piece, but shipping is $120 hahaha. There are lots of two winding ones though. If I take an unbalanced output from my mixer, run it through the first winding and mess with the second winding (add diodes/capacitor), is it going to do anything? Congrats on getting the mixer by the way.
Here’s a question: Gyraf say their thing sounds like a Studer A80, only with lower noise floor. Now if I have an A80 in the signal chain anyway (because I’m recording to an analogue master), would I even need the um/ator thing?
For anyone looking to make one of these, I’m finally getting around to it and in trying to source similar transformers I found out that the specific one Chris is using in the video is a Xicon model that is out of production, but the Triad Manetics TY-300P is basically identical (specs and cosmetics – it looks like literally the same part) and is in stock at Mouser for $6.25 as of this post. I haven’t got mine yet but it should be perfect for this.
I’ve built this clipper today
Very easy but clever design
For this one I picked up a 1:1:2 triad magnetic transformer, some zener diodes (with VF=1,2v)
I assembled the whole thing in a protoboard to have much more to experiment on the fly . The cross diodes for the 1:1 windings and the caps as well as thé clipper set up for the 2:1 winding
I ended up with getting rid of the 1nF caps and swap the values from 1nf to 100uF… from 1nf to 1uF… sincerly .. it didnt make any difference to my Ears. Then it became a little phasey in the mid range till 20uf; where the sound was distorded in a weird way. Phasy et ringing .
Things got much better When replacing caps with résistances . At the end , surprisingly, I went for a simple 1ko potentiometer paralleled to the third winding and the diode bridge. It gave me a Nice Control over the distorsion ratio, as well as a very musical behaviour: along with the clipping mode, it’s acting-out a bit like a compressor that hoovers the transients
Threshold is around -18dbfs ; it’s a bit low. I wish I had some other diodes around to give it a try. Also because it’s a passive design, we are stick to a fixed threshold.
The sound is Nice for an analog clipper; but I would définitively go for a digital one for a real mastering processing. But for sound designing it’s very cool. Fun, cheap and easy to built
Thanks Chris
I always thought yoûre a Genius
I ended up with another 1:1 simple and cheap transformer, in series with thé first one. Crossed d’iodés wired, in the same principle. Plus a switch that let me route the signal at the begining of the chain, at the middle or at the end.
Being passive, transformers interacting on each others. Switching from one position to another changes radically the behaviour. It’s a bit like choosing betwin a feedback or a feedforward configuration. Plus the distorsion pot that lets me adjust thé distorsion properties
I love it for recording percussive takes, anaything atonal with a high crest factor. Lovely
Otherwise, it’s truly amazing to use it on a drum bus. Monitoring into mono, ajust thé distorsion on both Channels, either for the best transparency or not…. Try to end up with something distorded but not phasey, and reingage the stereo… so cool!
Even on a master you can get some incredible result if you target a bit less than 3 dbs of GR ( like a conventionnal digital clipper)
Getting further without distorting too much is possible. But you then get some sort of « wooshed » transient, a bit like a average tape recorder does. Signal is softened in a singular way
In consequence, I now understand why the original unit is so called. Magnetic, it’s like in a tape head that throws the signal into a magnetic band, and bring it back with all the physical limitations involved. As a result, signal is altered in a certain way. Limitations come from the tape in a recorder, and from the diodes on this cliper. But before, the magnetism of thé transformer acts like a soft knee, where the curve is given by the switch. Thats why it’s not true peak and also why the threshold varies according to the input level.
That all for me!