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Blacklung
Published on 07/22/03 at 20:03
100% analog synthesizer, monophonic, MIDI controllable.
- 1 + SUB-OSC VCO with adjustable balance between the two. Square wave or sawtooth (sub-oscillator: square wave only).
- 1 LFO assigned to the pitch and filter. Square wave or triangle.
- ENV 1 assigned to the filter and VCA. Attack / Decay or Attack / Decay / Release.
- 1 VCF 12 or 24dB. Can self-oscillate. CV on / off to vary the cutoff frequency according to the pitch of the note played.
- The VAC can be set to track the envelope or not (gate).
- Setting the portamento.
- Setting the "tune" General.
- MIDI IN, setting (the screwdriver!) MIDI channel.
- A few shots that I did not used (CV, GATE, etc.).
- VCF IN. Attention to process external sounds with the Microcon filter, we will have to solder cables plug in Y and read the instructions (which is only 2 pages ... it mignoon!).
- There is a microscopic red button "trigger" to audition the sound and, secondarily, to prevent the envelope to retrigger as long as it is maintained.
I do not note the maximum here because I just discovered with amazement the MFB-Synth, which provides, in roughly the same price range, three oscillators, three waveforms, two envelopes and a sequencer 32 no. .. the Microcon takes a blow ...
UTILIZATION
The Microcon is a usability issue: each function has its uses and is cleverly placed on the panel. We arrive at the research that in seconds.
The management of MIDI is staggering for such a small machine: the synth reacts course Notes / OFF, but also Pitch-Bend, and the cutoff can be controlled by glide-Change Control (CC # 1 respectively and CC # 65 ) by pressing 10 notes at once, there is a small mode "panic", there is even an "auto-glide" which resembles the slide of the TB-303 (just do overlap in the two notes the sequencer so that they are related ... very handy).
SOUNDS
Contrary to its technical characteristics may suggest, the Microcon is not just a "bass station". Of course, it can easily produce large wild sounds filled to the brim with bile acid, and very infrabass round sweep everything that passes in front of your woofers, but it can also make very warm leads, small sounds difficult or even pads surprisingly lively and complicated (in particular by setting the LFO at the bottom it goes into the audible frequency-).
I could also make quite realistic electric bass, theremin and very expressive, and even sounds that strangely resemble xylophones!
The Microcon synth is a recent and audio output is very clean (for analog). Nothing to do with the breath of a Korg MS-20 example (but maybe that MS-20 is a bad example in terms of breath: the one I played a few times was a true asthma) .
OVERALL OPINION
This synth is about the size of a VHS tape (as wide, slightly longer and thicker). The underside of the housing consists of a single piece of aluminum shielded, the top is bulletproof. The buttons are very pleasant to the touch and resist just enough when they are running (nothing to do with the dirty buttons plastoc 'my MS2000R).
The Microcon is a tank, but with leather interior and sport steering wheel. And to continue the comparisons "auto" to con: next to the Microcon, the MS2000 is a Citroen C15D van customizeable (and indeed may need to be me to stop talking about the MS2000 here: it is of course very practice, but I do not think I would have bought if I had bought the Microcon before ...).
I ordered it directly on the website Technosaurus (www.technosaurus.ch (http://www.technosaurus.ch)), two years ago almost to the day. The service is impeccable: the order was quick, they respond quickly and nice to all mails (they forgot to put the doc in the box: I received the PDF hour after my request accompanied by an apology!). The president himself is responsible for all this ... Moreover, I suspect to be only 3 or 4 in the enterprise) is a really good memory!
I highly recommend this synth to anyone who wants a true analogue quality for cheap. It's really a charming machine (besides, I break the jaws of all those who make fun of his name).
- 1 + SUB-OSC VCO with adjustable balance between the two. Square wave or sawtooth (sub-oscillator: square wave only).
- 1 LFO assigned to the pitch and filter. Square wave or triangle.
- ENV 1 assigned to the filter and VCA. Attack / Decay or Attack / Decay / Release.
- 1 VCF 12 or 24dB. Can self-oscillate. CV on / off to vary the cutoff frequency according to the pitch of the note played.
- The VAC can be set to track the envelope or not (gate).
- Setting the portamento.
- Setting the "tune" General.
- MIDI IN, setting (the screwdriver!) MIDI channel.
- A few shots that I did not used (CV, GATE, etc.).
- VCF IN. Attention to process external sounds with the Microcon filter, we will have to solder cables plug in Y and read the instructions (which is only 2 pages ... it mignoon!).
- There is a microscopic red button "trigger" to audition the sound and, secondarily, to prevent the envelope to retrigger as long as it is maintained.
I do not note the maximum here because I just discovered with amazement the MFB-Synth, which provides, in roughly the same price range, three oscillators, three waveforms, two envelopes and a sequencer 32 no. .. the Microcon takes a blow ...
UTILIZATION
The Microcon is a usability issue: each function has its uses and is cleverly placed on the panel. We arrive at the research that in seconds.
The management of MIDI is staggering for such a small machine: the synth reacts course Notes / OFF, but also Pitch-Bend, and the cutoff can be controlled by glide-Change Control (CC # 1 respectively and CC # 65 ) by pressing 10 notes at once, there is a small mode "panic", there is even an "auto-glide" which resembles the slide of the TB-303 (just do overlap in the two notes the sequencer so that they are related ... very handy).
SOUNDS
Contrary to its technical characteristics may suggest, the Microcon is not just a "bass station". Of course, it can easily produce large wild sounds filled to the brim with bile acid, and very infrabass round sweep everything that passes in front of your woofers, but it can also make very warm leads, small sounds difficult or even pads surprisingly lively and complicated (in particular by setting the LFO at the bottom it goes into the audible frequency-).
I could also make quite realistic electric bass, theremin and very expressive, and even sounds that strangely resemble xylophones!
The Microcon synth is a recent and audio output is very clean (for analog). Nothing to do with the breath of a Korg MS-20 example (but maybe that MS-20 is a bad example in terms of breath: the one I played a few times was a true asthma) .
OVERALL OPINION
This synth is about the size of a VHS tape (as wide, slightly longer and thicker). The underside of the housing consists of a single piece of aluminum shielded, the top is bulletproof. The buttons are very pleasant to the touch and resist just enough when they are running (nothing to do with the dirty buttons plastoc 'my MS2000R).
The Microcon is a tank, but with leather interior and sport steering wheel. And to continue the comparisons "auto" to con: next to the Microcon, the MS2000 is a Citroen C15D van customizeable (and indeed may need to be me to stop talking about the MS2000 here: it is of course very practice, but I do not think I would have bought if I had bought the Microcon before ...).
I ordered it directly on the website Technosaurus (www.technosaurus.ch (http://www.technosaurus.ch)), two years ago almost to the day. The service is impeccable: the order was quick, they respond quickly and nice to all mails (they forgot to put the doc in the box: I received the PDF hour after my request accompanied by an apology!). The president himself is responsible for all this ... Moreover, I suspect to be only 3 or 4 in the enterprise) is a really good memory!
I highly recommend this synth to anyone who wants a true analogue quality for cheap. It's really a charming machine (besides, I break the jaws of all those who make fun of his name).