blue = edited.
I'd like to come up with a discussion about all those details and - with your help - establish a place to share our experiences/experiments. I prefer MW as the better place for hardware related discussions - maybe we could also move to a cycling74 forum at a later stage and more Max-related stuff.
I've written a Maxhelp-Patch for the es4encoder~ object which you can download here.
This Help-Patch might be also helpful for those having problems using the eight Gates of the Expander with one value (0-255) independently.
The "binary/integer-thing" and the Max-Help patch has been discussed here
There are so many common points which are hardware related:
- what should or can be controlled (speed and resolution of the ES-hardware etc.)
Only ESX-4CV expanders are running with 1/8 auf the audio sampling rate - i.e. 44.1kHz/5,5125kHz; 48kHz/6kHz; 96kHz/12kHz.
The ESX-8GT always reacts at full audio-rate.
- which ES hardware is optimal? What are the Ups and Downs of ES-3 und -4? (Adat/SPDIF)
this has been solved here
- Trigger and Gates (i.e. how to produce 8V triggers/gate to trigger modules)
The ESX-8GT has jumpers for selecting 12V outputs instead of 5V.
- Rectification (get only positive voltages)
we might only want to shift the voltage +5V (polarizer)
- Interface (controllers, iPad, Touch-OSC, Lemur, MIRA, pedals)
- Max/MSP tool-kit for ES-modules
1st mention here
- Max/MSP Seq, LFO, Random-Generators/Shift-Registers
- Max/MSP Granulator/Sampler/FFT/VST controlled via CV
- MIRA Multitouch - Buchla-esque iPad Controller
- software with audio-rates - like Stretta shows us with B E A P - any benefits with ES-modules? _ (Thanks so much, Stretta! This one of the nicest Max-collections ever!)
- instrument design (creating "one" portable and "easy to use" instrument)
- more
Here are my actual high priority questions - my workarounds/estimations/questions are inline:
1. How do you exchange audio between Modular and CPU? (+12, +4, -10 dB) What do you use? TAI-4, Cwejman or the new ADDAC800X

Synth-out Ch 1+2 goes directly into the LIO-8 DI-inputs and the (software-) trimmer is set to -12dB. Ch 3+4 goes to a Sonifex Redbox RB-BL2. It is a balanced/unbalanced bidirectional converter - it also unbalances and amplifies the CPU-audio which is sent to the synth. The Sonifex has pre-set potentiometers/trimmers which i prefer, since they don't have to be set every time. The quality is very high. Also, i don't want to use too much synth-space and money. It must be of high quality. I also don't want to have too many "big" cables (that are't touched) on the front of my instrument. I'm already fighting against MOTM patch cables - they are too heavy in the Euro-world... anyway - i'm looking for 2 Tai-4...
2. Since i'm planning big (34-40 CV and 34-40 Gates), i would like to share experiences especially about ES-3 and-4. Are there only Gate expanders for ES-3? Are there any benefits of the ES-3 besides speed? Downsides?
I even would try the MUTEC AES-to-Adat (which seem to work with my equipment) - but maybe it can be cleared already. AFAIK there are only Gate expanders for the ES-3. This would keep me going on with the ES-4 since i use a lot CV-lines, LFO and Gates. I just wouldn't get that amount of CV-lines with ES-3 and 8 audio-ch.
This intensifies my need of information. I don't do any envelopes in Max (yet?) because i like to play and listen to EG and VCA/LPG modules - one of my reasons to go hybrid: VCO, Filters, AM/RM, Gates and EG are more alive in the analog world - it would need at least Qbits to reproduce the behavior. The Interface and of course all digital audio-processing can happen on the CPU side and with the best AD/DA conversion. We've reached the next question:
3. Because the "slow" reaction of ES-4 is 5,5125kHz at 44,1kHz: except for snappy envelopes - where else would this be too slow??
Do i get something wrong?? What the hell are you doing at this rate? I could image that extreme snappy envelopes could have short intervals - but 6000 Hz? From my point of view it only could cause problems in timing..., but... ?? Do i miss something? Please tell me!
I am working in 96kHz audio - which means 12kHz ES-4-reaction time. I had some problems with timing - but i believe this is on my side. It's the Gate/Trigger thing which i am still thinking of (see next question). Could it be that signals stack at 6kHz and produce significant dropouts and rhythmic failure?? I can't believe that.
4. Trigger-Signals seem to be hungry! How to convert a 5V-Gate into a 8V Trigger??
If i go with ES-4 and use 5 expanders i will "only" get ±5,3V and 5V-Gates. I.e. the Optomix Strike likes 8V Trigger. How do i get those? I've seen a module which does that - but only 1 time. It must be technically not impossible to build a module with 4 or 8 Gate-to-Trigger converters. Has somebody done that already?
A similar story is going on with 0-10V: it seems to be called rectification - am i correct that a ±5V will not produce 0-10V when fully rectified (by doubling the frequency)? Does it only produce the positive part 0-5V?
The ADDAC207 Quantizer (which i am just going to buy) receives ±5V and gives out 0-10V.
more questions later....
