Sync PO with Control Voltage (Stylophone DS-2)?

Pocket Operators
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1

tl;dr What’s the simplest (…or cheapest, or “best”…) way? TIA.

(…)

(Apologies if this has been covered before. I’ve read various - slightly contradictory - things, and I’d be grateful for some clarity. Thank you).

I’d like to use a PO-33 as the master, and sync the LFO of a Stylophone CPM DS-2 (this) to it.

In theory, I think I can just:

  1. connect a splitter cable (1 x 3.5mm stereo to 2 x 3.5mm mono) to the output of the PO-33

  2. connect the “sync” channel of the cable to the “LFO RESET” CV in of the DS-2

  3. select an appropriate sync mode (1, 3 or 5) on the PO-33

  4. press play

But I haven’t tried that, because:

  • the signal levels look kind of wonky (Vpp of PO sync is between 0.6V and 5V; CV IN on the DS-2 is between 0.7V and 12V)

  • I’m wary of damaging either device

Has anyone tried this? Does it work?

Alternatively, should I just buy (e.g.) a Korg SQ-1?

Advice gratefully received; thank you.

2

the actual sync signal that the PO spits out is notoriously low

i think like somewhere around 1v?

so u may run into issues depending on what’s on the receiving end

one way to remedy this is to use something to amplify the sync signal

3

Hey @docshermsticks - thanks for replying :slight_smile:

somewhere around 1v?

1 is between 0.7 and 12 (obviously) so I guess it should work(?) (in theory).

But it’s on the low side of that range, obviously… :thinking:

TBH I’m less concerned about sync’ing the DS-2 to the PO than the other way round. The PO33 user guide says:

warning: sync levels should not exceed 5vpp (volt peak-to-peak).

…so I doubt sending (up to) 12V into the PO is a good idea.

(Meanwhile that Korg sequencer looks really handy…)

4

There are various creative ways to “condition” the PO’s clock. Def not the “right way” but I had these things around and they helped with some picky bastards that wouldn’t listen to the PO by itself. The Korg NTS-1 has clock in and out and I’ve sent clock through this to clean it up. Same goes for the Arturia Microfreak. The TX-6 will listen to the PO’s clock on a track and can send clock on its Cue and Aux outs. Way out on the fringe, there’s the POM-16 modular desktop sequencer (which can occasionally be found for free or cheap) that will accept clock and also outputs clock — and you can choose how it interprets the clock 1/4, 1/2, 1/1 or some such arrangement.

5

Brilliant suggestion - I’ll give it a go. Thank you :+1:

the POM-16 modular desktop sequencer (which can occasionally be found for free or cheap)

I wondered about this …though I haven’t seen it for cheap, let alone free :man_shrugging:

The Korg SQ-1 “speaks Pocket Operator” too (because Volca) which is why I’m considering it; in the long run a sequencer might be the way forward (…though this would mean even more musical gadgets in my life sigh :roll_eyes: Oh well…)

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@docshermsticks @angusofstockholm

I’ve abandoned this (I’m getting rid of the PO-33) but thank you both for your suggestions :+1: