Doepfer Dark Energy III Announced

Doepfer announced some interesting new stuff for the upcoming NAMM  exhibition later this week.

(January 25/28 2018, Anaheim, Hall A, booth 10706)

I will post the new A-100 modules in another blogpost, but first the exciting Dark Energy III

Dark Energy III is the successor of the Dark Energy II, a monophonic stand-alone synthesizer with USB and Midi interface. Main differences between II and III are an

improved VCO (no warm-up period, additional triangle waveform, wider frequency range), resettable LFOs, improved ADSR and a lot of internal access points for DIYers.

This will make it easier for DIY-ers to create their own breakout boxes with extra functions, like Organzoner did a while ago... He posted a great video with a step-by-step tutorial on how to expand the capabilities of the Doepfer Dark Energy 2 by adding a breakout box...

The filter of the Dark Energy II has been unchanged.

The sound generation and all modulation sources are still 100% analog, only the USB/Midi interface contains digital components. 

􀂃 VCO:
o Triangle based, 10 octaves frequency range
o Tune control and Octave switch – 1 / 0 / +1 octave
o FM input with selectable source (ADSR / off / LFO1)
o Manual PW control and PWM with selectable source (ADSR / off / LFO2) for rectangle wave
o Waveform switch
o Additional external CV inputs for frequency and pulsewidth of the rectangle
􀂃 VCF:
o 12dB Multimode VCF with continuous mode control (lowpass – notch – highpass - bandpass)
o Manual Frequency control and FM with selectable source (ADSR / off / LFO2)
o Resonance control, up to self oscillation
o Additional external CV and external audio input
􀂃 VCA:
o Linear control scale
o Manual Amplitude control and AM with selectable source (ADSR / off / LFO1)
o Additional external CV input
􀂃 Envelope:
o Improved ADSR type with 3-position range switch
o Additional external gate input
o Control LED
􀂃 LFO:
o Two resettable LFOs (external Reset inputs)
o manual frequency control and 3-position range switches
o Waveform switches triangle/square
o LED controls

More info at http://www.doepfer.de/home_e.htm

Dark Energy II Specifications Announced

From the Doepfer website:

The Dark Energy (I) has to be discontinued because an important electronic part (CEM3394) is no longer available. (Read more on that HERE)
We are working on the redesign of the Dark Energy at full speed.
The new Dark Energy II will look like the Dark Energy I at first sight.
Only the function of some controls and switches will differ from the Dark Energy I.

Dark Energy (I) picture by Marc Weerts
from the band 87PM

These are the most important differences between Dark Energy I and II:

- 12dB multimode filter with lowpass, notch, highpass and bandpass (instead of 24dB lowpass of Dark Energy I)
- the previous LM control of the filter becomes the filter type control (continuous crossfade lowpass - notch highpass - bandpass)
- the LM function of the filter is no longer available
- the waveform switch is used to select between saw and clipped/distorted saw (in the center position the saw is off)

- the basic waveform of the VCO is saw (not triangle like the Dark Energy I).
- because of the pure analog circuit and the temperature control it takes about 30 minutes until the VCO is in tune.
- the VCA has a exponential scale (not the combined linear/exponential scale of Dark Energy I)

All other functions will remain unchanged.
Even the price will be the same (currently Euro 428).
The Dark Energy II will be probably available summer 2012.

Doepfer hopes to have a (working?) prototype ready for the MusikMesse in Germany, which starts next week.

Dark Energy II Announced

Well, it looks like Dieter Doepfer announced the discontinuation of the Dark Energy today.

In the Doepfer Usergroup he stated that " the Dark Energy will be discontinued as the CEM3394 chip is no longer available and the negotiations with the manufacturer (OnChip, the Curtis Electromusic successor) concerning a new productions series of the CEM3394 were not successful so far. 

We think about a redesign of the unit (Dark Energy II) but it will be another instrument with a different sound and features (e.g. probably a 12 dB multimode filter with lowpass, highpass, bandpass and notch (like the A-121 Multimode Filter- (they will probably use parts of the DIY Synth circuit (e.g. the multimode VCF) for the Dark Energy II design) - instead of the 24 dB lowpass)."

Dark Energy picture provided by Marc Weerts
from the band 87PM

Logically this would mean that the A-111-5 Mini Synth Voice will also be discontinued since it has the same circuitry inside.

The Dark Energy did have a unique sound, mainly because of the linear filter FM.
There is no A-100 VCF available that offers this feature and even the VCO and VCA are unique.
The VCO is close to the A-111, but there is no A-100 VCA module available with the combined linear/exponential response of the Dark Energy/A-111-5 VCA.

Personally i do not think Dark Energy II will be the best name for a module like this and that they should go for another name instead, since it will be a completely different instrument with a unique character.
Feel free to leave some name-suggestions below or on the PatchPierre Facebook page.

Doepfer probably still has a bunch of Dark Energy's and A-111-5 modules left in stock*, but if you really want one you should get one before they are gone...

* Update:
From Dieter Doepfer in the Doepfer Usergroup:
" ...we miscalculated the relation of the Dark Energy / A-111-5 sales. The A-111-5 stock will last much longer than the Dark Energy stock. I expect that the Dark Energy will be sold out in 2-3 months, but I suppose that the A-111-5 stock will last one year or even longer."
Update II:
" ~ 4000 Dark Energy's were made, and ~ 300 A-111-5 modules "


Dark Energy sound demo by MarcJX8P

Find other discontinued A-100 modules HERE (updated feb.2012)
Curious what chip is inside your synthesizer?

Check http://curtiselectromusic.com/,
http://synthtech.com/cems.html and
http://sequencer.de/synth/index.php/Chips_in_Synthesizers

How To Hide an Arpeggiator

An arpeggiator is a feature available on some synthesizers that automatically steps through a sequence of notes based on an input chord, thus creating an arpeggio.

One of my biggest personal complaints about the 'original' A-190 MIDI-CV Interface was the fact that the front-plate had the text 'arpeg.' on it while an arpeggiator function wasn't even implemented (and still not) in this module.

Doepfer recently stated that "...there were plans to add an arpeggiator when the module was designed about 15 years ago. But we found that the processor power is not sufficient to add this feature..."
He also stated that the new A-190-3 USB/Midi-to-CV module does have an arpeggiator available. ( the A-190-3 is the modular version of the Dark Link and Dark Energy USB/Midi interface, watch an 8-minute video about the Dark Energy's arpeggiator functions below ).

The same functions should work on the A-190-3 ( and Dark Link ) too, but i haven't had any hands-on time with this module to check and haven't seen much info on the web.
It does look like a very basic arpeggiator that will be hard to program, only with external MIDI-controller-messages ( like the R2M if i am correct ), but it is a good start.
I would rather see a more dedicated arpeggiator module from Doepfer, with easy accessible buttons and switches for the different settings and run-modes. Something like the Toppobrillo Quantimator (PDF) or the forthcoming Flame Chord Machine would be nice...

The weird thing though is that the whole arpeggio function is not mentioned anywhere on the module's web-page while this is such a useful function.
In fact; it's the first A-100 module that has a (basic) arpeggiator (!)

Because an A-190-3 manual isn't available yet, you can find a bit more info on how the arpeggiator works in the Dark Link manual ( PDF /page 13)*

*thanks to Paul Rogalinski for the tip

Video: Using Doepfer Dark Energy Arpeggiator

Detailed reference video by Dmitry Shtatnov with Doepfer Dark Energy internal arpeggiator + live song performed using Dark Energy and A-100 modular system.

Most Wanted - Future Modules Update

It is always good to keep an eye on the posts from the Doepfer Yahoo Usergroup.
Not only to get answer to all the A-100 questions you have, the DIY-tips, and the interesting module discussions but also for Dieter Doepfer's own input, troubleshooting and the occasional company updates.
In one of his latest posts he announced a few interesting 'new' things on Doepfer's to-do list, including a few that are not yet on Doepfer's Future Module page.

The ones you can already find on that page are the A-190-5 polyphonic USB/Midi-to-CV/Gate interface, the A-142-4 Quad Decay, A-195-1 Pitch-to-CV/Midi/USB interface, A-192-2 CV/Gate to Midi interface, A-143-4 Quad VCO/VCLFO and the A-100 touch keyboard.

The original A-126(-1)

I already blogged about the forthcoming A-157 Trigger Sequencer (not much info on the Doepfer site, only in a NAMM 2010 brochure), but the update of the A-126 module was new for me.
The A-126-2 Frequency Shifter II will be a redesign of the old module. 

Because of availability of the special circuit CEM3382 used in the original module's internal quadrature VCO, the 'original' A-126 is no longer available and they had to stop the production of this module. 

It looks like Doepfer is now working hard on a succeeding model without an internal VCO.

Other modules that were mentioned were a VC Slope Generator ( no specs or further info available, but maybe something like the Serge Universal Slope Generator ?- i'm only guessing !), a Master Clock module/synced LFO, the A-100 bus board V2 with some Analoge Systems connectors ( no more Analogue Systems-to-Doepfer adaptors necessary? ), and an A-100 miniature power supply redesign 

Besides that, Dieter posted that they are also still working on various non-A-100 Doepfer products like the Dark Matter (Dark Energy expander with Noise, S&H, a second VCO, Multimode-VCF, additional waveforms and maybe some other effects), the Dark Link, and an expansion board for the DIY Synth. 

" ... still on our to-do list. But I can't say in which sequence the planned products will be released."

Note: Please don't call or mail them too often at Doepfer about release-dates or updates of future modules. The Doepfer website is updated very regularly, so you will find all the latest info there...