microcell
granular processor
user DIY build guide v1.0
For a full description of functionality, including firmware upgrades and
calibration instructions, check the Supercell user manual at
grayscale.info/supercell
– most details are identical. For a delineation of
the Superparasites firmware modes, check the
microcell.cc
website. For
documentation of the individual Parasites and Kammerl functions, see
mqtthiqs.github.io/parasites/clouds.html
and
kammerl.de/audio/clouds
and for basic functionality questions, check the original Mutable manual
for Clouds at
mutable-instruments.net/modules/clouds/manual/
DIY Build Guide
This is a straightforward build with just a few quirks and a lot of solder
joints. Please review the steps below before starting your build.
1. PARTS COUNT.
It’s always a good idea to take inventory before starting
a build. You should have 19 jacks (with nuts), 11 pots, five tact switches
(with caps), one LED switch, and a total of 16 LEDs (two red, four green,
ten yellow), plus one front panel, one front panel PCB, one SMD
subassembly, and one power cable. If anything is missing or damaged,
please send an email to
and we’ll respond ASAP.
2. HEADERS.
Attach the unsoldered headers to the rear PCB, then fit the
headers to the unpopulated front PCB. This ensures good alignment
between the two boards. Solder one pin on each end of each header, then
separate the assembly and solder the remaining header pins. This keeps
the SMD board from being accidentally damaged during soldering.
3. TACT SWITCHES.
Solder the five tact switches in place. They do not
have a specific orientation and can be installed either way.
4. JACKS.
Fit the LEFT input and RIGHT output jacks to the PCB and
solder all three pins of each jack. Fit the remaining jacks in place (some
jacks have the ground pin slightly offset due to adjacent headers). Fit the
panel to the jacks and hand-tighten a nut onto the L IN and R OUT jacks.
This will hold the panel in place. Now solder the remaining jacks, making
sure that they are flush against the PCB before being soldered. After all
jacks have been soldered, remove the panel.
5. LED SWITCH.
Fit the LED switch (labeled HOLD on the panel). Note
that the switch has a specific orientation. On the bottom of the switch you
will see + and – signs. The + side should be located closest to the top
edge of the PCB. Once you ensure that the orientation is correct, solder all
eight pins in place. The + pin is quite close to the adjacent header, take
care not to touch the header with the soldering iron.
6.LEDS.
Fit the LEDs to the PCB, noting the correct orientation (long leg
goes on the + side, indicated by the PCB silkscreen) and color (which is
also indicated on the silkscreen). All of the LEDs look identical, but they
are bagged separately and labeled R (red), Y (yellow), and G (green) so
take care not to mix them up. Reinstall the panel, hand-tightening the
knurled nuts for the LEFT input, RIGHT output, and O.VCA jacks. Push
each LED through its corresponding hole in panel, then solder one leg of
each LED. Check your work to make sure that none of the LEDs is sitting
too low with respect to the panel. If any of the LEDs are too low, reheat the
solder joint (carefully) and reposition the LED. Once all the LEDs are
properly positioned, solder the other leg on each LED. Trim the legs of
each LED with pliers or side cutters as you work or when all LEDs have
been soldered in place. Remove the panel when you’re finished.
7. POTENTIOMETERS.
Fit the pots to the PCB. You may need to bend
the support pins (the two legs on each side of the pot) slightly towards the
body for them to fit into the PCB. The pots may also be a little sticky, this
is normal. Install the tact switch caps now as well, because this is the last
time you’ll need to install the panel. Push them on firmly. Once the caps
are on, fit the panel once more and hand-tighten the LEFT IN, MIX, and
SHAPE nuts to ensure that the panel is parallel to the PCB. Now solder the
support pins of each pot and check your work as you go, because if a pot
is misaligned it will rub against the panel and it will be harder to turn. Once
all of the pots are aligned, solder the remaining three pins on each pot.
After this, you can install the remaining nuts on each jack and tighten them
all the way, the panel should not have to be removed again after this point.
8. STANDOFFS.
Earlier PCBs have three holes for standoffs, located
between the pots. Standoffs are not required and were not included with
the DIY kits, so this detail can be ignored. The holes will not be present on
subsequent versions of the PCB.
9. POWER UP.
Attach the included power cable (note the -12V orientation)
and power up the module. The VU meters will animate on startup, so you
can check those four LEDs easily. Tap the TIME and BANK switches to
cycle through those LEDs as well. Check the IN and OUT switches (which
mute the inputs and outputs respectively), only the red LED in each VU
meter will be illuminated. Test the main I/O and all of the CV inputs, along
with the pots. If something isn’t working, check the solder joints for each
component (and the solder joints for the board-to-board headers) and look
for mistakes. In most cases, reflowing dodgy joints and/or adding just a
little more solder will fix the problem.
10. CALIBRATION.
The SMD subassembly is tested and calibrated at the
factory, so this step is not required. Calibration will only be required if you
update the firmware or decide to install the “Core” firmware. microcell
ships with the “Superparasites” firmware installed by default. If you need
to recalibrate, check the Supercell manual at
grayscale.info/supercell
for
detailed instructions.
That’s it, you’re done. Now make something interesting! If you’re active on
social media, please tag @grayscalemodular with your creations. For tech
support, missing parts, etc send an email to
and we’ll
respond as soon as possible.
Open Source
Thanks to Mutable Instruments for making the original Clouds hardware
and firmware available under open-source licenses (CC BY-SA 3.0 and the
MIT License, respectively). The CC BY-SA 3.0 license grants a broad range
of rights related to the Supercell/microcell source files but it does not grant
any rights to use intellectual property such as trademarks, brand names,
and logos. Grayscale, Supercell, microcell, Mutable Instruments, and
Clouds are trademarks of their respective owners and should not be used
on any derivative works without permission.
Grayscale Supercell: grayscale.info/supercell
Supercell source files: github.com/grayscalemodular
Clouds manual: mutable-instruments.net/modules/clouds/manual
Clouds source files: github.com/pichenettes/eurorack
Superparasites code: github.com/patrickdowling/superparasites/
CC BY-SA 3.0: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/us
Firmware Credits
The Supercell “Core” firmware offers the original four DSP modes from
Clouds. This code was released by Mutable Instruments under an MIT
License. The “Superparasites” firmware incorporates alternative Clouds
firmware code from Matthias Puech (Parasites) and Julius Kammerl (Beat
Repeat) which was also released under the MIT License and used with
permission. Patrick Dowling (known for his extensive work on the
Ornament & Crime firmware) merged these existing alternate firmware
libraries into one consolidated firmware.
