Dark Time
is an 2 x8 steps analog sequencer with CV/Gate, USB and Midi interface. It is planned in
the first place
as
an add-on for the Dark Energy but may be
used even in combination with other Midi, USB or CV/Gate equipment too.
Features overview
- two rows with 8 controls each
- for each step:
- - rotary control (same knob type as Dark
Energy)
- - red LED
- - three-position switch On/Off/Skip
- On = trigger signal is active for this
step
- Off = no trigger for this step
- Skip = step is skipped
- - three-position switch Stop/Continue/Jump
- Stop = sequence stops here
- Continue = sequence continues
- Jump/Reset:
- If only one of the
16 toggle switches is in the Jump position a Reset is
carried out (i.e. sequence jumps to stage 1)
- If two or more of the
switches are in the Jump
position the sequence jumps to the next step with the switch in
the Jump
position and then continues from this position (until another
step with the switch
in the Jump
position is reached and then the same procedure is carried out
again)
- several operating modes:
- 1x16 (i.e. the two rows are daisy-chained)
- 2x8 (i.e. both rows run in parallel)
- 1-8 Combi (lower row set individual gate lenght of
the upper row)
- several running directions:
CV scaling: 1V/Octave standard (note: not
suitable to control devices with Hz/V scale !)
several voltage / tuning ranges: 1V,
2V, 5V (corresponding to 1/2/5 octaves)
gate voltage 0/+5V (please refer
to the remarks below concerning devices with S-Trigger or Korg MS10/MS20)
for units
manufactured later than early 2012 (from serial number 120240) the output voltage for
Gate/Clock/Reset/Start-Stop can be set to +12V by means of an internal jumper
(the corresponding interface boards are marked V2/2011 or V3/2012). The
following document describes the modification procedure in detail: Dark_Time_12V_Gate.pdf
if you own a
unit
manufactured before 2012 (serial number 120239 or less) the following
technical document describes how to modify the unit for +12V level of the Gate/Clock/Reset/Start-Stop
outputs: Dark_Time_12V_and_5V_Gate_Voltage_Modifikation.pdf
quantization on/off/custom scale (custom
scale not yet available in the first firmware version)
when quantization is "off" the resolution is still 10 bit (i.e. 1024
steps over the full rotating range of each potentiometer), from this the term
"quantization off" is not fully correct, with quantization
"on" the resolution is 13/25/61
steps for 1/2/5 octaves
transpose via switch (-1/0/+1 octave), Midi/USB
or external CV input
timing control, selected by a three position
switch:
- internal via built-in clock oscillator with
frequency and pulsewidth controls
- external via Midi/USB
- external via analog
clock/start/stop
analog interface for CV/gate/clock/Start-Stop
(inputs and outputs, monophonic 3.5 mm miniature jack sockets)
Midi interface
USB interface (power supply via USB is not
possible)
optically adapted to Dark Energy (same knobs, same depth
and height, same wooden side plates and so on)
Powered via external power supply (12V
AC/min. 400mA) for 230V
powering the device via USB is not possible,
because the analog circuits require a dual voltage (+/-12V).
Additional remarks and specs:
-
for
devices with S-Trigger inputs (e.g. Moog) or the Korg synthesizers
MS-10/MS-20 a special S-Trig cable is required to connect the gate output of
the Dark Time to the Gate/S-Trig input of the synth, details on the FAQ
page of our website. You find the price of the special cable in our price
list in the accessories section.
-
Dark
Time cannot be used to control synthesizers which use the Hz/V standard for
the pitch CV (unless the quantization of the Dark Time is not used).
Only for the Korg MS-10 and MS-20 there is a
solution to use 1V/Oct control voltage. A corresponding note can be found on our
FAQ page: Controlling
Synthesizers with Hz/V standard
-
Distance between the knobs (center - center):
~ 25 mm, diameter of the knobs: ~ 16 mm
-
Distance between the toggle switches (center - center):
~ 12.5 mm
-
Distance between knobs and switches (center - center):
~ 20 mm
-
The metal case is made of 1 mm steel, black
coated with white printing
-
Overall dimensions: about 248 x
145 x 75 mm
-
Dimension of the metal case only (without side
plates and knobs): about 223 x 135 x 55 mm
-
Side plates dimensions: about 145 x 65 x
12.5 mm (same as Dark Energy)
-
Weight: about 1.5 kg (without power supply)
-
The wooden side plates
can be removed if desired. They are mounted by means of two screws to the metal
box. The holes in the metal box can be used also to mount several devices
together (e.g. with common wooden side plates on both ends) or to mount the Dark
Time to one or two Dark Energy.
-
The device can be positioned horizontal (desk
top) or vertical
-
These parts are included: power supply (12V
AC/min. 400mA) for 230V mains voltage with European mains plug, one USB cable (type A-B, 2 m length) and
four A-100 patch cables
-
For
the power
supply a low voltage DC socket with 5.5 mm outer diameter and 2.1
mm inner diameter is used (even 2.5 mm will work)
-
Powering the device via USB is not possible,
because the analog circuits require a dual voltage (+/-12V).
Modular version of Dark Time: A modular
version of the Dark Time is not planned. Because of the available space in the
A-100 frame there is not sufficient space for the Dark Time controls (A-100
height ~ 100 mm, Dark Time height ~ 135 mm). It would be necessary to change the
arrangement of the Dark Time controls completely (e.g. smaller switches, lower
section of the controls to the right or left). Our experience with the Dark
Energy/A-111-5 sales does not justify this effort (one A-111-5 corresponds to
about 25 Dark Energy units).
Additional documents and notes:
Latest Firmware
Updates , User Manual Adds, FAQ, Tips & Tricks. Troubleshooting
Template for Dark Time settings (by
our customer Chris Palmieri): Dark_Time_template.pdf
Prices:
Euro 550.00
(version with red LEDs)
Euro 570.00
(version with 17 blue and 4 white
LEDs)
The price in US$
depends upon the exchange rate between Euro and US$ at the payment day.
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