MCV4 MIDI TO CV/GATE INTERFACE

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MCV4 is a budget-priced MIDI-to-CV-Interface to control vintage monophonic synthesizers via MIDI. MCV4 is provided with 4 analog control voltage outputs (CV1...4) and one Gate/Trigger output.

  • 4 analog control voltages CV1...CV4
  • voltage range for CV1...4: 0...+5V, 8 Bit resolution (equivalent to 1/4 semitone resolution)
  • CV1 for pitch control (normally VCO CV)
  • CV2...4 for voltage control of other functions (e.g. VCF frequency, loudness, modulation)
  • MIDI control of CV1..4:
    • CV1: note on/off with pitch-bend, 1V/octave characteristic
    • CV2 monophic after-touch
    • CV3 velocity and/or volumen (controller #7)
    • CV4 velocity and/or any controller (setting of the controller-no. via learn button)
  • pitch-bend is used for CV1 generation with 1/4 semitone resolution
  • gate output type can be selected via jumper inside the device between voltage trigger (+5V or power supply voltage) and S-trigger (switched trigger)
  • MIDI channel and reference note for CV1=0V adjustable via learn button
  • different assign modes for CV1 (highest note, last note, reference note)
  • retrigger on/off while playing legato
  • gate/trigger polarity normal/invertet
  • two 1/4" stereo jack sockets for CV1/2 and CV3/4
  • 1/4" mono jack socket for gate/trigger
  • learn button with LED for adjusting MIDI channel, reference note for CV1, controller for CV4
  • optical display of gate/trigger via LED
  • MIDI-In, MIDI-Thru
  • non-volatile memory for parameter settings
  • orange-red metal case, approx. 95x75x35 mm
  • external power supply 7...12V/100mA required
  •  

Remarks:

MIDI channel, reference note for CV1 (this is the MIDI note corresponding to 0V of CV1 and thus the lowest possible note of the analog synthesizer connected to MCV4) and the controller no. for CV4 are adjusted via learn function. For this the learn button must be pressed and the required MIDI messages sent from the MIDI controlling device (MIDI synthesizer, keyboard, sequencer ...). The other parameters (retrigger, trigger polarity, assign mode ...) are adjusted in learn mode via program-change messages.

The Hz/V mode available in the predecessor model MCV1 is not available with the MCV4 because of the many problems occuring with the non-linear Hz/V characteristic. But some synthesizers normally using Hz/V can be be controlled with V/Oct (e.g. Korg MS10/MS20, details you may find in the MCV4 user's guide).

If you want to use all 4 analog control voltages you need 2 special cables with a stereo 1/4" jack plug on one end (MCV4 side) and two mon 1/4" jack plugs on the other (synthesizer side). You may get such cables from your local dealer but we also offer such a cable (MCV4 cable 1/4" stereo - 2x1/4" mono). If you need it we recommend to order it together with the MCV4. Same applies to the power supply. We offer a power supply that can be switched between 230V and 115V.

MCV4 special cable (1/4" stereo jack plug - 2 x 1/4" mono jack plug, length 90cm)

The English MCV4 user's guide is available as HTML and PDF.