AndyB Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Hi all. I was wondering if anyone knows of a good online electronics course or book that covers the basics. I've done a little general searching, but it would be great if someone could point me to something that meshes well with the audio field in particular. I'd like to be able to read simple circuit diagrams and understand them, build and fix my own cables, and build some simple projects (for example, I want to build a bloop slate). Any leads would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Lesson 1: Do a search for "Ohm's Law." Learn it and its corollaries. It will be the basis for most of the electronics portion of what you're going to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Feeley Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 I flipped through this book in a store and it looked pretty good. Granted, that's not the same as working my way through the book and I pretty much already know the subject so I looked at it from a different angle. But worth a gander, I'd say: http://www.makershed.com/products/make-electronics-book Maker Shed also sells "Learn to Solder" kits that look both decent and fun: http://www.makershed.com/search?q=solder&type=product Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Hi Andy, Soldering your own equipment can be a very challenging and rewarding experience. My recommendation would be to start with an easy DIY project. There are many starter friendly diy kits available. (some can even be quite useful) If you study the schematic while making your project you'll see a lot of the theory being translated into practice. Reading just the book has never really worked for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted September 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Thanks for the replies. I like the hands on approach as well, Lucas, so I may go that route. I have some old XLR cables I can practice soldering and desoldering on first, and then move on to a small project kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soundtrane Posted September 7, 2014 Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 Soldering - an art, if not just a craft... There are a lot of videos - mostly decent, so please see as many as you can, even if they are talking about the same thing. Imagine you are in a classroom in college with early calculus being taught - and you could be in 30/40/50 other classrooms as well, one at a time. Wow.... the internet does offer this, and the options to jump ahead, skip to the next one, etc. if you see some videos of high-end soldering - like doing surface mount devices, etc - even if you will never do this level of work, it still inspires - there is always something more to do if one wants to. my .02... -vin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted September 7, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2014 I'm looking at getting the Make book linked above and this for starters http://www.amazon.com/Pro-Line-Helping-Soldering-Illuminated-Magnifier/dp/B00IK4WHA4/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1410124852&sr=1-4&keywords=basic+soldering+kit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucas Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 Some other things that will make your soldering adventures easier; - wirestripper http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dindustrial&field-keywords=Wirestripper - Heat shrink http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_4?url=search-alias%3Dindustrial&field-keywords=heat+shrink+tubing&sprefix=Heat%2Cindustrial%2C473&rh=n%3A16310091%2Ck%3Aheat+shrink+tubing - desoldering wick - digital multimeter with continuity testing Some good starter projects are cables, guitar effect pedals even some mic pres. Last but not least, print this diagram! http://hblstore.co.uk/media/cable-wiring-diagram.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Feeley Posted September 8, 2014 Report Share Posted September 8, 2014 Two dangerous (I mean fun) time-suck sites: Robotics, Raspberry Pi, Arduino, drone, and related projects: http://www.adafruit.com Simple(ish) studio/music kits and adventures: http://www.diyrecordingequipment.com Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strei Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 OpenCulture has these textbooks available for free: A First Course in Electrical and Computer Engineering by Louis Scharf, Colorado State Electrical Engineering Digital Circuit Projects: An Overview of Digital Circuits Through Implementing Integrated Circuits by Charles W. Kann, Gettysburg College Electromagnetics and Applications by David Staelin, MIT Electromechanical Dynamics by Herbert H. Woodson and James R. Melcher, MIT Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering I by Don Johnson, Rice University Introduction to Nanoelectronics by Marc Baldo, MIT Introduction to Physical Electronics by William Wilson, Rice University Lessons In Electric Circuits by Tony R. Kuphaldt, Bellingham Technical College Operational Amplifiers: Theory and Practice by James K. Roberge, MIT Signals, Systems and Inference by MIT Signals and Systems, by Alan Oppenheim and Alan Willsky, MIT System Design for Uncertainty, by Michael S. Triantafyllou, MIT They also have 100's of free college level courses available ranging from online videos to entire semester's worth of lectures, lesson plans and student participation: http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses#Engineering (Mechanical, Civil and Electrical) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Here's one: I knew the author, Gordon McComb, back in the 1980s and 1990s, and he was a very sharp guy who knows his stuff. I took the Cleveland Institute of Electronics mail-order course back when I was a teenager, and I learned just enough to seem like I almost know what I'm talking about. I leave the real electronic theory to the engineers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikewest Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 In the analogue days electronics DIY was easy. With some added light mechanical engineering skills you could service mixers and recorders provided you had some service and circuit diagram information. I kept my Nagras and mixers in great order even when working overseas. Nowdays with complex digital and RF devices it's best to limit yourself to basic stuff. Yes all the info above is great, develop soldering skills and maybe reading circuit diagrams. It's great to relax afetr a big shoot and just focus in a worktop bench and what you need to fix Good luck! mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Steigerwald Posted September 9, 2014 Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 EEV Blog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyB Posted September 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2014 Thanks everyone! That's a lot to sort through. I think I'm going to start simple, learning how to build and repair basic cables. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squareboy Posted September 10, 2014 Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 Thank's for the topic, a lot of great stuff to read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wyatt Tuzo Posted September 10, 2014 Report Share Posted September 10, 2014 Did anyone else here subscribe to Nuts and Volts? I used to love when those would arrive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Plute Posted November 30, 2014 Report Share Posted November 30, 2014 I’m sure the OP has found a book/course by now, but here’s another one to add to the list. A former electronics instructor of mine just released an introductory electronics book geared toward audio professionals called “Electronics Concepts, Labs, and Projects: For Media Enthusiasts, Students, and Professionals”. It covers electronics theory, basic soldering, troubleshooting audio gear, and how to make TRS and XLR cables. A few video tutorials are included as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmassey Posted November 30, 2014 Report Share Posted November 30, 2014 LOOOOOOONG time subscriber to Nuts and Volts...Popular Electronics.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen Trew Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 Jumping ahead is of no use without the basics. Seriously, most of what I've used to design electrical and electronic devices is from knowledge built on what I learned in 4th grade science class. All devices have a power source connected to a load in a circle (circuit). When the circuit is complete (on), it is closed. When it's incomplete (off), it's open. When the load is bypassed, the circuit is shorted. Whether it's a flashlight, a bloop slate, or a super computer, you can only do three things with a circuit: open it, close it, or varying degrees of both. Once a circuit is understood, the rest is learning about the varying degrees and the mechanics of putting it all together. Other than repeating 4th grade, a very good way to lay the foundation is with these two books: http://www.radioshack.com/getting-started-in-electronics-book/6200100.html#.VIJ460vVf78 and one that is very similar (possibly an earlier version): http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Shack-Basic-Electronics-McWhorter/dp/B000HHZJHU Looks like someone hand-transcribed it, and is available to see in it's entirety here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/3137551/Radio-Shack-Basic-Electronics GT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Visser Posted December 6, 2014 Report Share Posted December 6, 2014 If you are at all interested in learning boolean logic and general TTL circuit design, I'd consider delving into the world of "Electronic Engineering" and state machine design. It was one of my freshman engineering courses and the one course that has stayed with me through these years, although completely separate from traditional EE. Going from basic theoretical things like gates... NOT, OR, NOR, XOR, AND, NAND, then onto flip flops and latches, multiplexing, demultiplexing, all the way up to understanding how to interface with advanced DSP chips. At least a very basic understanding of this aspect of electronics can only help, even if your primarily interested in the analog side of things. Nelson Pass has a very cool consumer audio DIY site that distills some of the simpler concepts from his commercial audiophile product line. He is open to personally answering questions and the DIY projects are always accompanied by essays that attempt to educate one on the design and possibilities for one to depart from the design - you can tell he really is passionate about teaching and excited about people learning above and beyond the scope of his projects. I find the section about Op Amps elegantly simply explained and deep at the same time. https://www.passdiy.com Fred Forssell runs Forssell Technologies and has a section on his website the "How-to Guide" and "Schematic" which is extremely interesting reading, especially as much of it pertains to microphone preamplifiers and summing design (mixing). There is a section on the discrete op amp, which is a mere fragment of the mojo that goes into his commercially sold op amps (which he's famous for), but gets you thinking. http://www.forsselltech.com If you love API gear, Classic Audio Products of Illinois is a wonderful resource for API parts and modern interpretations of these classic designs. http://classicapi.com/catalog/index.php Joe Malone in Australia has a very cool company that sells PCBs all the way up to finished products. A lot of mic preamps, line drivers, meters, power supplies, EQ, compressors, etc... http://www.jlmaudio.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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