Monday, July 13, 2015

Doepfer A-163 Voltage Controlled Frequency Divider Tutorial Videos by Raul Pena

Raul Pena's next set of Doepfer tutorial videos is all about the A-163 Frequency Divider.

" The frequency of the input signal (preferably the rectangle output of a VCO) is divided by an integer factor N (N = 1, 2, 3, 4 ... up to 32). N can be adjusted manually and modulated with an external control voltage (e.g. from LFO, ADSR, Random, MIDI-to-CV, Theremin, Light-to-CV, analog sequencer) with attenuator.
The control input has polarizing function, i.e. the manually adjusted dividing factor can be modulated upwards or downwards. The basic idea of a polarizer is described in the modules A-133 Voltage Controlled Polarizer and A-138c Polarizing Mixer.

A-163 Frequency
Divider
The output waveform is rectangle with 50% duty cycle. Unlike the A-115 with fixed dividing factors

Applications: dynamic voltage controlled frequency division of audio signals or modulation signals. More details concerning frequency division of audio signals can be found in the Trautonium or A-113 information.

Inputs: CV In, Audio In (rectangle)
Output: Audio Out (resp. rectangle modulation CV out after modification)
Controls: Manual N, CV attenuator

After a small modification (a capacitor has to be shortened or replaced by a wire for DC coupling) the A-163 can be used for low-frequency control signals too.

Remark: From 2007 the module is equipped with an additional jumper at the bottom side of the pc board. This jumper is used to select DC coupled (jumper installed) or AC coupled mode (jumper removed).
If the module is used to divide slowly changing signals (like clock, trigger, gate or rectangle signals of an LFO) the DC coupled mode has to be selected. For audio signals the AC mode is recommended."
(2, 4, 8, 16) the dividing factor of the A-163 is voltage controlled and can be any integer value between 1 and about 20 (but only one output). In contrast to A-113 the dividing factor of the A-163 is voltage controlled and the output waveform is rectangle (the A-113 has 4 sawtooth outputs with 4 adjustable but not voltage controlled dividers).

Video: Doepfer A-163 Voltage Controlled Frequency Divider (Full Playlist)

" A short overview of the basic features of the A-163 VC Frequency Divider. A short audio demonstration is provided.
Sound and Video by Raul Pena."

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Doepfer A-180-3 Dual Buffered Multiple Announced

A-180-3 Dual
Buffered
Multiple
Following the many requests in the Doepfer Yahoo-group, Doepfer announced today that an A-180-3 Dual Buffered Multiple will soon be released.

Module A-180-3 is a dual buffered 1-in-3 multiple.
The signal applied to the input socker appears as a buffered signal at the three output sockets. 
Each output has it's own buffer, i.e. the three output sockets are not simply connected to each other. The lower output of the upper unit is normalled to the input of the lower unit. 
That way the module works as a single 1-in-6 buffered multiple provided that no signal is applied to the input of the lower unit.

Application: copying/buffering of control and audio signals.

Update by Dieter: "the prototype pcb of the dual buffered multiple (A-180-3) arrived and has been tested. As expected no problems occured. The
module will be released about September 2015. The price will be the same as the A-138u because it very similar (i.e. Euro 50)"

ps Doepfer is closed from June 20 until July 05, 2015. No shipping, no helpdesk, no repairs during this time.

Friday, May 29, 2015

Doepfer A-166 Dual Logic Video Tutorials by Raul Pena

Raul Pena just published the first tutorial video on the Doepfer A166 Dual logic module.

The A-166 is a Dual logic module with 3 inputs for each unit.
The logical states of the inputs ("1" = high / "0" = low) are linked together in 3 ways: AND, OR, EXOR (exclusive OR). The three functions are available simultaneously at three outputs with LED display of the output states.

Additionally two inverters are avaliable to obtain the inverted functions NAND, NOR and NEXOR.
The sockets of each triple unit are "normalized", i.e. the switched contact of socket 2 is connected to input 1 and the switched contact of socket 3 is connected to input 2.
Provided that no plug is inserted into socket 1 resp. socket 2 the socket is connected to the input above it.
This simplifies the usage of the module when only 2 signals are combined. E.g. the logic functions AND and OR have different neutral input levels ("1" is the neutral state for AND, "0" is the neutral state for OR).

Here's the playlist , future videos will be added automagically every week on Thursday or Friday.

Doepfer A-166 Dual Logic Tutorials by Raul Pena

Check out Raul's latest survey at
Other places to find Raul's World of Synths on the Web:

Also read: Doepfer A-166-2 Logic Module Announced
More info: http://www.doepfer.de/a166.htm

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Colored Doepfer Knobs

Yay... Doepfer decided to produce and sell knobs in multiple colors.
The modules are still delivered with grey knobs.
Because of logistic reasons it's not possible to deliver modules with different colored knobs, but the customer is able to order the knobs separately and replace the grey knobs by the new ones as the knobs are simply plugged on the potentiometer shafts.

The colored rotary Knobs, diameter 15 mm, height 15 mm, for 6 mm axis with 18 teeth, can be used also in other products like MAQ16/3, Dark Energy or Dark Time.

You can find the new knobs on the price list in the Doepfer website's spare parts section...


Friday, May 08, 2015

Doepfer A-111 High-end VCO 2 Video Tutorials by Raul Pena

For his next Doepfer tutorial video series, Raul Pena returns to the classics...

A-110 Standard VCO vs A-111 High-end VCO(2)
Module A-111-1 (VCO2) is a voltage controlled oscillator. 
The VCO has a range of about 12 octaves, and produces four waveforms simultaneously: pulse (rectangle), sawtooth, triangle and sine waves. 
The VCO's frequency is determined by the position of the range switch, tune and fine tune controls, and the voltage at the two pitch CV inputs, CV 1 and CV 2. Footage (the octave of the fundamental) is set by the Range control, which has seven octave steps. 
The Tune control is used for coarse tuning, and the Fine control for fine tuning of the VCO pitch. 

The A-111 can be modulated by both exponential and linear FM (frequency modulation). 
You can control the pulse width of the square wave either by hand, or by voltage control - Pulse Width Modulation, or PWM for short.
The A-111 also has inputs for Hard Sync and Soft Sync.

As the special circuit CEM3340 used in this module is no longer available the module has to be discontinued.

Doepfer A-111 VCO2 Tutorials (Playlist):

Check out Raul's latest survey at

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

MusicMesse Reports by @Flixxx (Playlist)

MusikMesse 2015 in Frankfurt took off today, with the Roland modulars/modules as the most talked about eurorack releases. Read all about that on the other blogs ;-)
Pretty refreshing to see this year are Felix' (The Tuesday Night Machines) excellent video-reports from the floor... Here's his playlist, enjoy!
(it looks like he is still adding episodes at the time I write this, so feel free to chech this blogpost again tomorrow or later this week)

MusikMesse 2015 playlist by +The Tuesday Night Machines

" OFFICIAL WEBSITE:http://nightmachines.tv
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/Flixxx (@Flixxx)
Ello:
http://ello.co/nightmachines
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/nightmachines
Instagram:
http://instagram.com/tuesdaynightmach...
Bandcamp:
http://nightmachines.bandcamp.com
My other YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/flx04part2"

Friday, February 27, 2015

Doepfer A-106-5 12dB SEM Filter Tutorial Videos by Raul Pena

While I was gone, Raul Pena kept on making new A-100 video tutorials.
Here's the next series (now presented here as a playlist instead of weekly updating a blogpost), showing you all the ins and outs of the A-106-5 SEM Filter.
A-106-5 12dB
SEM Filter

Module A-106-5 is a 12dB multimode filter that is based on the filter circuit of the Oberheim SEM module.
The filter is equipped with a band pass output and a combined low/notch/high pass output.
For this output a control knob defines the relation between low and high pass signal. 
If both signals appear at the same level (i.e. middle position of the Mix knob) one obtains a notch filter. Otherwise the low or high pass signal predominates. 
The module does not feature self oscillation in contrast to most of the other filters of the A-100 system. 
The module generates a distorted audio signal if the level control is set to about 50% (i.e. center position) or more with A-100 standard signals like VCOs.

Inputs:
Audio In, CV1 In without attenuator, CV2 In with Polarizer
Outputs:
Bandpass Out, Low/Highpass Mix-Out
Controls:
Audio Attenuator, CV2 Polarizer, Frequency, Resonance, LP/HP Mix

Click HERE for more A-106-5 on PatchPierre.Net

Doepfer A-106-5 12dB SEM Filter Tutorial (Playlist)

"... Sound and Video by Raul Pena."

Check out Raul's latest survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K3Z9PVF
Other places to find Raul's World of Synths on the Web: