Description

In essence, System Sound is a two channel mixer with a microphone, digital oscillator (sine/noise), two tilt EQs and a power amp. Simple standard circuits are connected in a clever way to enable various drones, noises, sound art and chaotic messes even with no input source connected. Version three adds ”aux” inputs, an ”out cut” switch, has many circuit tweaks, a new amp chip and (not least) is a two-level design with real pots and knobs and screwed-on rubber feet.

Instantly get the sound of a cheap and horrible mixer feeding back, without patching. Add the microphone and some noise to make things even less stable. Mangle drum loops, guitars, scream into the microphone or gently saturate the oscillator.
Send it to your favourite modulation effect and zone out making drones with a touch of feedback to spice things up. Use a speaker to resonate your environment. Find hidden resonances in everyday objects using noise or the sine wave.

Create your own feedback system sound system!

System Sound was designed to be a feedback noise device for experimental music, sound design, sound art and more. It features a two-channel dual-input mixer with normalled feedback, an omnidirectional microphone, a digital tone generator (sine/noise) with FM, two tilt equalisers, effects send and a power amp.

Simple building blocks are connected in a clever way to enable many kinds of drones, noises, pulsations and chaotic messes even without anything plugged in — or treatments of external sounds ranging from light distortion to feedback-distortion-fm mayhem. The outputs consist of a line out (all channels mixed), send out (post blend, with level control) and speaker outputs with funky connectors (same signal as line out, but with a level control). The new amp chip has delicious wavefolder-like distortion (depending on load – folding is slight with 8Ω speakers, 4Ω gives much more). Distortion is a big theme in System Sound, but it can also be soft and gentle.

Features: 

• Two dual inputs
• Omnidirectional electret microphone
• digital oscillator, switchable from sine to noise (both with frequency control)
• Two powerful (and slightly different) tilt equalisers
• FM switch to send one input to the oscillator frequency input
• Effects send with a blend to select which pair of sources are (mostly) sent, and even more gain
• A normalled feedback loop for both inputs (pre send gain, post blend). Instant no-input!
• A power amplifier with funky Fahnestock quick-connectors and master volume
• A line output for sending to a recorder, mixing desk, bass amp, etc.
• 9V power input, Boss-style, or optional 9V battery adapter (not recommended for driving large speakers).

System Sound 3.0 – Build Guide | User Manual

Video below shows Version 2, similar mangling is possible with version 3!