Analogue Systems RS140 Midi/CV Converter

Analogue Systems RS140 Midi/CV Converter Product Details

Description

Midi/CV Converter. 2x20 display. 5 controller outputs, individually defined. 3 trigger outputs individually defined, trigger, gate, S trigger or midi clock. 1 CV out (On 2 sockets) 64 memories selectable as patches over midi.

With all the power of a powerful stand-alone MIDI to CV converter, it provides ten voltage outputs that allow you to control every aspect of a modular analogue synth's sound generation. It is, therefore, a perfect complement to other monophonic synthesisers, as well as to the RS Integrators for which it was designed.

Unfortunately, there is a community of Luddites that clings to the view that analogue is good, so digital must be bad. MIDI, being digital, falls into the "bad" camp, and is (they believe) to be avoided. Don't fall into this trap (a) because it's a load of old hogwash, and (b) because MIDI will open up many possibilities for creative synthesis using your RS Integrator.

The RS140 is based upon a simple menu system displayed on its 2 line x 20 character LCD. The display is backlit to aid its use in darkened conditions. The main menu (the top level of the menu hierarchy) offers access to six sub-menus that control every aspect of the RS140's operation.

Controller Menu

You can select from 131 options for each Controller source. These are the 128 MIDI CCs, plus velocity, aftertouch, the

pitch wheel, and (on Controller 1 only) the RS140's internal LFO. There are four voltage options for each of the five Control ler Outputs. A fourth option - MIDI Clock - allows you to generate a stream of clock pulses related to MIDI clock data in the input signal.

Triggers

The RS140 provides three Trigger outputs that you can configure as conventional triggers, S-Triggers, and gates. This means that you can use the RS140 with S-Trig synthesisers such as the Minimoog. You may select multi-triggering or single triggering (Note: this setting affects all three Trigger outputs simultaneously). If MIDI Clock is present in the input signal, you can generate a stream of pulses at the Trigger outputs. For any given MIDI Clock input rate, you may select from the nine options in this menu to determine the output clock pulse rate. Use this facility to synchronise changes in your patch - or to drive Sequential Controllers such as the RS200 - in synchronisation with your MIDI equipment.

Early monosynths such as Moogs and ARPs used low-note priority to determine which note played at any given time. Later instruments (most Yamahas, Korgs, and Rolands, amongst others) used high-note priority. This menu allows you to tailor the RS140's response to your preferred playing style.

CV Output Settings

Althoughmost vintage analogue synths respond to a 1V/Oct pitch relationship, the Minimoog was based upon a 1.02V/Oct scale.

This option, therefore, allows you to use the RS140 to control a Minimoog correctly. Furthermore, acoustic keyboards are tuned to a "stretched" scale that sharpens notes very slightly as you play higher and higher up the keyboard. You can use the 1.02V/Octave option to provide this tuning. The RS140 will then increase the output (pitch CV) voltage by 1.02V rather than 1V

when you play an octave higher on your MIDI keyboard or sequencer. This, in turn, ensures that the Integrator's oscillator tuning i s stretched in an appropriate fashion.

Internal LFO

The RS140 offers a fully featured internal LFO with multiple waveforms, MIDI sync, and MIDI-controlled gain.

You can determine the LFO frequency in 0.1Hz steps across the range from 0.2Hz to 12.9Hz.

Memories

The RS140 provides 64 user memories. These make it quick and easy to recall specialised setups for specific patches.

You can, of course, freely edit a memory, and any changes will be stored automatically (i.e. you do not need to perform a "Save") in the user area (memory 0). These changes will be retained when you switch off the RS140. The RS140 will tell you whether a selected memory is used or blank, helping you to avoid overwriting existing configurations that you may wish to keep. However, if you press "Select", the memory will be written, whether it was previously blank or not.

Program changes in the range 0 to 63 are received and acted upon. Changes outside this range are ignored.

Miscellaneous

The RS140 will act as a MIDI monitor. This allows you to investigate the data within the incoming MIDI stream, and is an

invaluable aid in troubleshooting a large MIDI system. You may display the firmware version of your RS140. You can also use this menu to erase all memories and the user area, returning the RS140 to its default values.

Features: