Thursday, March 31, 2016

Doepfer A-184-2 Voltage Controlled Crossfader / Triangle-to-Sine Waveshaper

More News fom the Superbooth event in Berlin (March 31st - April 2nd, 2016)

The A-184-2 Voltage Controlled Crossfader / Triangle-to-Sine Waveshaper is the combination of two functions and planned primarily as an expansion module for VCOs or LFOs (e.g. A-110-1, A-110-2, A-145, A-147-2).
A-184-2
The upper section is a very precise triangle-to-sine converter (thank's to Tim Stinchcombe who recommended this circuit).
It can be used to convert any triangle waveform into a (nearly) perfect sine. 
The converter is much better than the simple diode converter used in the A-110-1, A-111-1, A-145 and A-147-2. 
Two trimming potentiometers are used to optimize the sine shape. 
The converter should be assigned to one VCO or LFO because the trimming potentiometers have to be re-adjusted if the input level or DC offset of the input signal changes. 
If the trimming potentiometers are deliberately mis-adjusted it can be used also as a waveshaper for non-sine waveforms (e.g. sine-shaped at the top of the signal and a peak at the bottom, even voltage controlled by applying an additional voltage to the waveshaping circuit, "circuit-bending" notes will be available).

The lower section is a Voltage Vontrolled Crossfader. 
It has two inputs A and B. The two signals are mixed together with variable percentage. When the manual control CF is fully CCW only signal A appears at the CF Out socket. When the manual control CF is fully CW only signal B appears at the CF Out socket. In the center position of the manual control both signal appear with the same level.
In addition a control voltage input CV with attenuator is available to enable voltage control of the crossfade.
Two LEDs display the crossfading shares of input A and B.
The crossfader uses two high quality VCAs (SSM2164). Inputs and outputs are DC coupled. Consequently it can be used for audio signals and slowly varying control voltages as well.

The sockets of the upper section (triangle and sine) are normalled to the inputs A and B of the crossfader section. That way the crossfader is used to fade between triangle and sine of the VCO or LFO connected to the waveshaper.
If other signals are plugged into the input sockets A and B these signals are used for crossfading.

The main application is to fade between two different waveforms of a VCO or LFO, but the module can be used for any other signals too as the waveshaper and crossfader sections are independent apart from the normalled sockets.

4 HP wide, Price: about Euro 80.00
Available around spring/early summer 2016 

This is a preliminary information about the planned module. The features are still subject to change and all specifications are still preliminary without any obligation !

New Doepfer High End VCOs A-111-2, A-111-3 and A-111-4 Thru-Zero Announced

Doepfer has announced two new High End VCO's at the Superbooth event in Berlin (March 31st - April 2nd, 2016)

The A-111-2 is based on the CEM3340 Rev G chip
There was a close cooperation between Doepfer and OnChip since 2015 regarding to the new re-issue of the CEM3340 and they received the first samples in January during NAMM for development.
The first production batch of the CEM3340 Rev G arrived 2 weeks ago and the production of the A-111-2 has started during the next few days (they are still waiting for the latest front panel and pcb samples). 
Doepfer expects the first modules to be finished around the end of July/August. 
The A-111-3 is also based on the CEM3340 Rev G ,and Doepfer is working on a Thru-Zero VCO based on the CEM3340 Rev G too (module A-111-4).

The Doepfer A-111-2High End Voltage Controlled Oscillator II is the successor of the obsolete High End VCO I A-111-1 and here are the most important features of the planned module:

Triangle core, min. 15 octaves pitch range (typ. 0.5Hz - 20kHz)
perfect 1V/octave tracking over min. 12 octaves (typ. 5Hz - 20kHz)
Exponential frequency controls and inputs:
Tune (~ 1 octave range)
Fine (~ 1 semitone range)
A-111-2 Prototype June 2016
Octave (range switch with 6 positions)
1V/octave CV input
XFM input with attenuator
access to bus CV (via jumper, optional)
Linear frequency controls:
LF (manual linear frequency control: fully CW = standard setting for usual VCO applications, fully CCW: close to 0Hz frequency)
LFM input with attenuator, DC coupled

Pulsewidth controls for rectangle output:
PW (manual pulsewidth control from 0%/output = fixed at "low" state up to 100% / output fixed at "high" state)
PWM input with attenuator
Hard Sync input
Soft Sync input
Waveform outputs:
Sawtooth
Rectangle (with PWM)
Triangle
Sine
Nearly "perfect" waveforms (no glitches)
High end triangle to sine converter with excellent sine waveshape (thanks to Tim Stinchcombe who recommended this circuit)

14 HP Width
Price: about Euro 250.00
Available: spring/early summer 2016

The other new High End VCO  is the A-111-3 High End Precision VCO with a panelwidth of just 4HP.
Essentially it's the same basic circuit as the A-111-2 but with reduced features:

A-111-3 High
End Precision
VCO
Triangle core, min. 15 octaves pitch range (typ. 0.5Hz - 20kHz with appropriate external CV)
Perfect 1V/octave tracking over min. 12 octaves (typ. 5Hz - 20kHz)
Exponential frequency controls and inputs:
Tune (~ 1 or ~ 10 octaves range, selectable via internal jumper, maybe different ranges in the final version)
1V/octave CV input
XM input with attenuator
access to bus CV (via jumper, optional)
Linear frequency controls:
LM input with attenuator, DC coupled


Pulsewidth controls for rectangle output:
PW (manual pulsewidth control from 0%/output = fixed at "low" state up to 100% / output fixed at "high" state)
PW input (without attenuator)
Sync input (selectable hard or soft sync via internal jumper)

Waveform outputs:
Sawtooth
Rectangle (with PWM)
Triangle
Nearly "perfect" waveforms (no glitches)
Only 4HP wide panel

Price: about Euro 150.00
Available: spring/early summer 2016

All features, specifications, prices, date of delivery are still without obligation
Source: http://www.doepfer.de/home_e.htm