Prototype: Benjolin – GORGA (Tribute to Rob Hordijk)

Benjolin – Gorga is a redesign of Rob Hordijk’s Benjolin. It’s a 3U 16hp Eurorack module (128.5 x 80.9 mm).

Benjolin Gorga is a Versatile Eurorack Synthesizer Module with two VCO’s, a powerful VCF and Rungler! It brings Chaos harmonics in to your setup. It is a synthesizer on with the ability to do cross modulation on it’s own.

As I was taking care of my wife at the hospital, I decided to redesign Forestcaver’s Benjolin v1.6 As I was finishing this, Rob Hordijk passed away and I would like to dedicate this to him. I always wanted to have a Benjolin and thought it as a great module to begin my journey in building my own modular synthesizer. For this prototype I’m very grateful to PCBway for supporting the PCB production. The result came in a great quality especially the mate black panel with ENIG finishing.

The board come with several changes, which is:

• 1206 components instead of 0603 which allows a much friendlier hand soldering
• DIP package for SSM2164 as in Indonesia it’s pretty hard to find SMD components
• Gorga Graphics for Panel (Panel size is still as eurorack standard so no efficient cost production can be made)
• 100mm x 78mm circuit board redesign which allows a much cheaper PCB production.
• Optionable switch footprints, as the small switch is quite difficult to find in Indonesia
• Rearranged the layout a bit so all the knobs is on the right side
• Circuit PCB in size of 100 x 78 mm, significantly reduce the cost of printing. PCB printing companies such as PCB way have $5 for 10 pcs offer if the pcb is bellow 100mm sizes.
• The panel design is enhanced with #Batak‘s #Gorga (Indonesian tribe from Sumatra) drawings

At this time of posting, I haven’t been able to test the Benjolin. This is simply because I haven’t finished my Eurorack case, which must wait as I’m preparing for the birth of my first child. Please stay tune in future post for the build. But for those of you who would like to try, all source of the design can be found in my Github: https://github.com/squaresolid.