Saturday, August 10, 2013

Doepfer A-190-5 Polyphonic USB/MIDI-to-CV/Gate Interface Preliminary Info

Planned to be released in the fall of 2013*,  so more and more details keep popping up on the internet about the A-190-5 four voice Polyphonic Midi to CV/Gate interface.
The prototype of this module already been displayed at MusikMesse 2013 and at Dieter´s latest workshop in Munich, Germany last month.

The first design of the
A-190-5 (then A-190-3)
To keep the price low, the first design of the A-190-5 was based on Doepfer's  MTV16 Midi-to-Voltage Interface with 16 Analog Voltage Outputs ( an OEM/DIY product that is still available)
The 16 outputs of the MTV16 were buffered and connected to 16 jack sockets.
Additional controls (momentary button, LED, rotary switch) had been added compared to the MTV16.
Early last year Doepfer gave up the idea to built the A-190-5 on base of the MTV16.

The new A-190-5 is now a completely redesigned version that contains an LC display (similar to the A-187-1), some control buttons, a USB interface and higher resolution DACs with higher voltage range (probably 12 bit and 0...+10V).
It will have 12 CV and 4 Gate outputs, different modes (e.g. unisono, four-fold monophonic or polyphonic, and different four voice polyphonic modes)

For each voice a pitch control voltage (CV1, 1V/octave standard to control VCOs), a gate output (to control envelope generators) and two additional control voltages (CV2, CV3) are available. The two additional CV outputs can be controlled by Midi velocity, volume, modulation, pitch bend, after touch or free assignable Midi controllers.

Doepfer A-190-5 Final Prototype
The basic modes can selected by means of a momentary switch (probably Mode or Algor.) and is shown in the LC display.
Certain parameters of each mode can be edited (e.g. the midi channel(s), the midi reference note for 0V CV, assigned controllers for CV2 and CV3).
For this the momentary switch Edit/Play is used.
The parameter values (e.g. midi channels) are shown in the display and can be modified by means of the momentary switches 1...4.
In Play mode the LEDs of these four switches display the gate states.

The range of the CV outputs (CV1...CV3) is 0...+10V (i.e. 10 octaves for CV1). The resolution is 12 bit.
The gate voltages are 0/+5V (maybe even adjustable to 0...+10V for non A-100 applications).

The first version of the module will be available around fall 2013 at the price of approximately Euro 300.00* and will include the most important assign algorithms.
Updates and bug fixes can be installed by the customer via the USB interface.

Update September 1:
Dieter Doepfer: " The A-190-5 is still under development. The hardware (pc boards, frontpanel) is ready made but the firmware is not yet ready. But I hope we will release the A-190-5 still this year."

*Price and release date are still without obligation !

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