About

About me

Hiro Akihabara is a developer of SnapBeat. I’m an electrical engineer who loves designing product and hip-hop music. 
Currently I’m living in Vietnam and developing original hardware product at an apartment room.

Profile_picture_hiro_akihabara
photo_R_and_D_room
3D printers for making SnapBeat

Why I started to make original sampler?

I love hip-hop music. One day, I became interested in music production instruments such as sampler and drum machine to create my own beat. But samplers in the market looks so complicated and made me overwhelmed. Because I was an electrical engineer, I decided to make simple sampler by myself.

Finally, I found that making original music instruments was my dream job.

Development Archive

Photo of Hand-made prototype, the simple Lo-fi sampler
Photo of Hand-made prototype, the simple Lo-fi sampler
2022

Handmade prototype

This is the first prototype using breadboard and voice recorder board kit to verify the idea of making Lo-fi sampler using ISD1700 chip.
photo of prototype ver.1, the simple Lo-fi sampler
photo of prototype ver.1, the simple Lo-fi sampler
2022

Prototype Ver.1

Ordered PCB and made its cases by 3D printer. This version used DIP package voice recorder chip. Problem was its size. The cases were bigger than my 3D printer's working area, so they were divided to two parts. photo of snapbeat proto ver1, the simple Lo-fi sampler
photo of prototype Ver.2, simple Lo-fi sampler
photo of prototype Ver.2, simple Lo-fi sampler
2023

Prototype Ver.2

This version implemented and tested interesting feature of ISD1700 voice recorder chip. It realized pitch control function by the external potentiometers (volume). And there were additional LPF modules for boosting basses.

IMG_20230328_085426_041_R
IMG_20230328_085426_041_R
2023

Prototype Ver.3

Finally, decided to make design concept as "simplicity". Made it as simple as possible with minimum functions. As a result the PCB size reduced and the cases became to fit in my 3D printer working area without dividing it. From this version, used SOP package voice recorder chip. photo of snapbeat ver3 PCB, the simple Lo-fi sampler
hackster and hackaday logo
hackster and hackaday logo
2023

Shared on hardware community

Shared the prototype Ver.3 on hardware community website such as hackster.io and hackaday.io.

IMG_20230720_072603_923_R
IMG_20230720_072603_923_R
2023

The first product

Optimized components in terms of cost and availability. Re-designed cases for better strength and productivity. Finded PCB assembly partner in Vietnam and manufactured small volume by automation.

SnapBeat_PCBA_kit_photo, the simple Lo-fi sampler

Manufacturing Partner

PCB (Printed Circuit Board) and components are imported from China. They are assembled to be PCBA (PCB assembly, so called pre-soldered board) in Vietnam with trustful partner. The every assembled PCBA will be checked in Vietnam and shipped to customers worldwide.

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SMT chip mounter at manufacturing partner
photo_PCB_check_jig
test JIG for PCBA made by 3D printer

I help you develop your own product

As a freelance prototype engineer, I will support your project from idea to final product.
I can do tasks below.

  • design schematic and PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
  • programming Arduino
  • assemble and check PCBA (Printed Circuit Board Assembly)
  • design cases by Blender 3D and make them by 3D printers
  • publish 3D rendering image of the product

If you have an idea but don’t know how to make product, please contact to me.