Learn How to Solder with ABW’s Metronome and Low-Pass Filter Kits

The Audio Builders Workshop is a DIY audio community that offers group builds and seminars for those interested in designing and making music and audio hardware. While they cater to entrepreneurs, educators, and music professionals, they work with anyone interested in the culture, even those with no experience in building music/audio hardware.

“To encourage musicians and audio engineers to build their own gear, ABW started to run build sessions for everything from microphones to guitar effects pedals. We quickly realized that while people were interested in building their audio gear, many were intimidated by the cost and/or complexity of the projects.”

To help audiophiles and musicians overcome those issues, ABW created some low-cost, simple audio kits designed for those with limited or no experience with soldering, which can be a daunting endeavor. Soldering is a great skill to learn, and ABW released a pair of kits that help build that skill, with their Metronome and Low-Pass Filter Kits. On the Metronome end, the kit provides everything needed to produce a steady beat with adjustable tempos — including unpopulated PCB, electronics, ¼-inch jack, and speaker. It also comes with an LED for silent operation mode that won’t disturb anyone.

The Low-Pass Filter Kit is a more complex build, but still on the accessible spectrum for those with limited or no soldering skills. The filter allows users to process audio in real-time and create audio effects that are akin to synthesizers and other DJ hardware. This kit is similar to the Metronome, except it uses a double-sided PCB over a single, and includes some potentiometers to adjust the filter’s parameters and audio output.

ABW is currently crowdfunding the kits on Crowd Supply for $19 each, which looks to be a great deal.