a legend is back...System-700 in eurorack

wendallsan · Post by **wendallsan** » Sat Sep 28, 2019 1:17 pm

Just saw the 717 appear on your site and Modular Grid. Looks amazing!

And still 12 steps!

LektroiD · Post by **LektroiD** » Sat Sep 28, 2019 5:12 pm

wendallsan wrote:Just saw the 717 appear on your site and Modular Grid. Looks amazing!

And still 12 steps!

I wish I would see the 721 Audio Delay appear... Wishful thinking

LektroiD · Post by **LektroiD** » Mon Sep 30, 2019 3:15 pm

Modulart_JP wrote:
I was looking at the manual and reading through the various modules, the Frequency to Voltage feature on the 714 looks interesting. Is this something that's likely to be looked at?
Great on paper, not so great in real life...

Also there is a two-channel phaser (720B) with a lot of really nice features, is this likely to be cloned in the near future?
Nothing you can't do with 2x 711's.
Because this is what the 720 basically is...
To be exact, the 720 is 2x 711's with the addition of a frequency shift pot for each phaser.
Have a look at the schematics and you'll see that's something you can easily add to the 711.
You could make a break-out 4HP module you put between 2x 711's.

It also has an inverter circuit. Having 2x 711's plus breakout for 2x frequency pots, plus switched inverter and 2x bypass switches is a lot of unnecessary HP. I'm sure this could be compacted into reasonable HP count in a single module, like the 720B...

Happy with all the modules so far, but missing the 720B & 721 will be a real shame

wendallsan · Post by **wendallsan** » Tue Oct 01, 2019 12:17 pm

I'm gonna go for the sequencer! But I have questions.

The Pulse Shaper: not positive what it does. My best guess is that it takes a trigger signal and creates a gate? What does the Threshold Level pot do? If it takes trigger signals, my guess is that those would be pretty high voltage (5-10V) so I'm not sure why a Threshold pot would be needed if it is used to set the 'minimum' voltage required to generate a pulse. Does the Switch-on Time pot set the length of the gate? What applications could this module be used in?

What is the relation between the Pulse Shaper and the Sequencer? Is the sequencer a series of a bunch of these pulse shapers? The Sequencer description says there are 12 PCB's involved, how similar are they, or are they each unique?

How challenging is the sequencer build relative to building a "Block 1" (3 VCO's, 2 VCF's, 2 VCA's, 2 LFO's, a Phaser, a Mixer, a S&H, an amp/Env Follower/Integrator, and an ADSR) from your SYS-700 series? Because that's what I've done so far and that took me about 3 months to complete. Just so I have an idea of the time commitment I'd be putting into this project.

I will admit that it is seriously tempting just to build 2 of these badboys/badgirls.

And here I thought "Block 6" (the VCO bank) was my next project.

3vcos · Post by **3vcos** » Tue Oct 15, 2019 9:15 pm

Modulart_JP any chance of an update?
I'd like to see the quad filter and more details on the sequencer.

Thanks!

wendallsan · Post by **wendallsan** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 11:38 am

3vcos wrote:Modulart_JP any chance of an update?
I'd like to see the quad filter and more details on the sequencer.

Thanks!

There is a QUAD filter?

filterstein · Post by **filterstein** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 2:50 pm

see post from 24 September:

- 715 Multimode Filters (available by the end of this week)

LektroiD · Post by **LektroiD** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 11:18 am

filterstein wrote:see post from 24 September:

- 715 Multimode Filters (available by the end of this week)

I was wondering if Ori was ok after this announcement, followed by the radio silence, so I emailed him asking how he is. He replied saying that he is fine, just extremely busy. The good news is that he's ok, we just have to be patient.

Good things come to those who wait...

ishi · Post by **ishi** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 4:38 pm

LektroiD wrote: The good news is that he's ok, we just have to be patient.
Good things come to those who wait...

Just started sourcing the System 700 after finishing the System 100. I notice the HFA3046's are even more expensive than half a year ago. I need 9 (or 10) of them.. strange thing is that I can find the CA3046 for almost half, but of course they are DIP. Does anybody know a cheaper source than Mouser/Farnell?

guest · Post by **guest** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 5:46 pm

you could deadbug some DIP variants on, or make a little adapter board. probably the first time anyone would have made a DIP to SMT converter! it should also be noted that the HFA3046, although the same pinout, are not the same transistors as a LM3046/CA3046.

ishi · Post by **ishi** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 9:26 pm

I actually found some DIP-SMT-convertors, but their cost defies the point. The whole thing also looked a bit.. unstable

And concerning the HFA3046.. Yes, I read some old threads about it, but here I follow Ori in his design choices. His "System 100 VCO" also uses it and it seems to work pretty well (although I don't own the original synth).

Well, on second thought, as I'm building multiple VCO's.. it would be interesting to try to "connect" (deadbug?) a CA3046 on one and be able to make the comparison..

Modulart_JP · Post by **Modulart_JP** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 9:30 pm

Yes, I'm alive...

I had to rework the 715 Multimode Filters because although it was working I didn't like the layout.
I should have the new PCB's and panels next week.

More details on the sequencer in a dedicated thread soon.
The pre-orders should start shipping mid-November.
The project was possible because I could secure a supply for the weird Sanyo chips.
Otherwise I would not have done it.
Availability of obsolete chips is the reason I won't make a clone of the delay.
There is no reliable source for MN3004 chips and there is no reissue either.

I had plans for a clone of the Panning module from the 711.
I decided not to go through and didn't release it.
If some of you are interested, I can upload the Eagle files for the PCB and panel.
But keep in mind they were never tested therefore it would be at your own risk.

ishi · Post by **ishi** » Thu Oct 17, 2019 9:34 pm

So good to hear from you!

LektroiD · Post by **LektroiD** » Sat Oct 19, 2019 1:50 pm

Modulart_JP wrote:Yes, I'm alive...

I had to rework the 715 Multimode Filters because although it was working I didn't like the layout.
I should have the new PCB's and panels next week.

That 715 is an instant buy the moment it goes up for sale.

Availability of obsolete chips is the reason I won't make a clone of the delay.
There is no reliable source for MN3004 chips and there is no reissue either.

I managed to get some, they are expensive, but can be sourced.

Could the design be reworked to make it possible to also use other MN30xx BBD variants? Fitzgreyve had the same issue with his System 100m delay, just a few component changes away per BBD: download.php?id=32591

I had plans for a clone of the Panning module from the 711.
I decided not to go through and didn't release it.
If some of you are interested, I can upload the Eagle files for the PCB and panel.
But keep in mind they were never tested therefore it would be at your own risk.

Sounds good, I would love a copy of the Eagle files.

moog55 · Post by **moog55** » Sun Oct 20, 2019 2:02 pm

LED-man wrote:Are there sound demos available?

I'd like to hear some quality sound demos as well.

wendallsan · Post by **wendallsan** » Tue Oct 29, 2019 11:06 pm

moog55 wrote:
LED-man wrote:Are there sound demos available?
I'd like to hear some quality sound demos as well.

I don't know what passes for "quality" around here, but here is me jamming with mine.

Beats are from a TR-08 run into the system via a Erica Synths Pico Input module, reverb on the whole mix is via a Music Thing Modular Spring Reverb, notes are provided by a Mutable Instruments Marbles at some fairly extreme note range settings, so you know, the typical random generative modular bleep-bloop fare. Echo in post via software because everything needs a little echo and I've not bought a eurorack echo module yet.

Everything else is straight outta Pharamasonic SYS-700 PCB's.

All sounds are from the system's 3 VCO's. No filters are involved in this particular patch, the higher pitched voice is VCO 3's square wave output synced to VCO 2 to and then modulated by a sine LFO to achieve its timbrel sweeps. The (usually) lower voice is an unfiltered saw wave with the pitch CV from Marbles run through the system's Integrator to give it some gangsta pitch glide. I have the system's 2 VCA's inline with the two synth voices: one modulated by an ADSR triggered by Marbles that also modulates the synced VCO's pitch a bit for a little extra shimmer/howl, and the other hooked up to a slow sine LFO and just fading the lower voice's volume in and out slowly. I don't touch the system at all during the recording other than turning a few knobs on Marbles, it's just playing itself.

I mainly wanted to test my new audio recording interface to make sure I could record things.

It worked.

You now suffer or enjoy the results.

https://dansteeby.com/2019-10-29-mod-jam/
https://dansteeby.com/2019-10-30-mod-jam/

Modulart_JP · Post by **Modulart_JP** » Wed Nov 06, 2019 11:19 pm

The new 715 PCB's and panels are here.
I just need to make sure they are OK.
If so, the 715 Multimode Filters will be available next week.

Here are the files for the 711 Panning:
https://www.pharmasonic.jp/711_panning.zip

The ZIP includes the Eagle files for the PCB and the files for the panel in DXF, FPD and Eagle formats.
As said before, they are UNTESTED.
Use them at your OWN RISKS.
The module is designed for this VU-meter:
https://esr.co.uk/shop/contents/en-uk/p ... 7.5mm.html

robertloud · Post by **robertloud** » Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:00 pm

Hi Modulart JP! Man these look cool and now I'm planning on when to build! A couple questions:

1. I'm about to invest in some 5U spaces and I'm curious if you still plan to make larger panels?. I really enjoy the bigger modules than eurorack, although I have some eurorack for modules that I love, so I wouldn't mind building a case for these.

2. It's probably a nit picky thing, but I love the aesthetics of modulars (especially if I build a whole case of these) and I noticed that the newer modules have all capital letters to label the function (more like the system 700) and the first few have capital and lower case letters. Is this something you plan to make more uniform in the future? Of course if they sound great, that's all that really matters, but I'd love to have the fonts coordinated.

Thanks! It seems like you and I have similar taste in synths because I keep ending up on your site for different things. Love it!

LektroiD · Post by **LektroiD** » Sat Nov 23, 2019 12:25 am

Modulart_JP wrote:The new 715 PCB's and panels are here.
I just need to make sure they are OK.
If so, the 715 Multimode Filters will be available next week.

Any news?

diode_destroyer · Post by **diode_destroyer** » Tue Dec 03, 2019 10:13 pm

LektroiD wrote:Calibrating the 703F VCF... I see no change on any of the poles when I test at the points indicated. I have my scope set to 50mV and all pots fully CCW. I am grounding the scope from the socket ground. Each pole is giving zero reading on the scope but rotating the trimmers from 0-100k has absolutely no effect on the scope reading.

The filter appears to work as expected with an audio input, but I would like to calibrate the individual poles properly.

Ok, I got my VCF 703F to calibrate / see changes by doing the following:
Calibrate the width and offset trimpots as you would normally do.
Now, set all knobs CCW.
Put a 5 Vp sine wave (~261.63ish Hz or whatever) into one of the audio inputs and turn up that pot (max it out if you want). Also turn up Freq pot all the way.
Now, probe the opamps (CA3140s) that follow the CA3080s (not the CA3080s outputs themselves) on their outputs (always pin 6). See my image below. When you turn the corresponding pole trim pots (do in sequence 1,2,3,4) you will see the sin waveform move up and down (DC offset) on the scope. Adjust each pole such the the waveform has no DC offset sequentially.

Related comment: I LOVE ALL OF PHARMASONIC'S STUFF! THANKS!

wendallsan · Post by **wendallsan** » Wed Dec 04, 2019 11:10 am

diode_destroyer wrote:Ok, I got my VCF 703F to calibrate / see changes by doing the following ...

Great explanation on calibrating this module! My 703F is awfully quiet, and I wind up usually running the output from it into to an audio signal amplifier to bring the signal volume back up. I bet I need to take another round at calibrating mine. Much of the calibration instructions seem to be taken from the original System 700 manuals and are pretty concise, which can lead to confusion in folks like myself that have virtually no idea what they're doing electronics-wise.

wendallsan · Post by **wendallsan** » Thu Dec 19, 2019 10:16 am

Any word on the 717 sequencer modules shipping dates for those who have pre-ordered?

wendallsan · Post by **wendallsan** » Fri Dec 27, 2019 11:43 am

Any news on the 717 Sequencer for those of us who have pre-ordered?

gslug · Post by **gslug** » Sat Dec 28, 2019 4:48 am

Why did I read this thread? I've resisted modular up until now, but the prospect of a System 700 has pushed me down the rabbit hole...

wendallsan · Post by **wendallsan** » Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:40 am

gslug wrote: ↑
Sat Dec 28, 2019 4:48 am
Why did I read this thread? I've resisted modular up until now, but the prospect of a System 700 has pushed me down the rabbit hole...

These Pharmasonic modules are what made me 'bite the bullet' and get into Eurorack and modular. That was 6 months ago and I'm now dealing with ~600hp of modules.

I could NOT pass up the chance to own a System 700, though.

MUFF WIGGLER

MUFF WIGGLER

a legend is back...System-700 in eurorack

Re: a legend is back...System-700 in eurorack

Re: a legend is back...System-700 in eurorack

Re: a legend is back...System-700 in eurorack