Anyone Using a CL Rolzer with Serge/LW/Bugbrand?

[hollunderkurve]

Hello fellow wigglers, I was just reading up more and more on the CL Rolzer and have been wondering about how, or if any of you out there might use the Rolz with either Bugbrand or Serge/LW. I did find one video showing someone using a Rolz to trigger a chirper and DRM, but other than that not much...

I have a Bugbrand set up that I love, will soon have a LW serge-style panel (thank you Charlie!), and was just thinking about how all the ways in which something like the Rolz could act as a very odd, non- traditional "sequencer/controller" for either of those systems... or as a potential way in which they could be brought to "talk" to one another (of course they don't need the mediation of a third party... they have so much to say to one another on their own ) I assume it should not be a technical voltage problem (given what I have read about the Rolz on the CL website), but was just more interested in people's experiences with those devices.

Thanks!

[architexture]

The browns on the rolzer output a -10v spike. As long as your equipment is setup to handle that it's OK.

Really though, most synths use a +10v spike as a pulse. So the brown outs on a rolzer won't likely trigger something external. The browns also act as inputs, but whatever output you are sending from will also receive a -10v spike when the rolzer triggers. It could potentially fry the gear you are attempting to send a trigger from.

My advice is to get an oscilloscope and check what is being sent back and forth.

Also, be sure to use shared grounds and read the spec for your other banana gear.

[hollunderkurve]

architexture - thanks for the advice, especially about the -10V pulse... it must not be a problem for Bugbrand gear (if done right) since I have found these two pictures (one is a video on instagram, but I don't have instagram...) where a synthvoice and some Reds are working with it - perhaps these people are around here somewhere..

[GrantB]

Hopefully your Serge panel will have a CGS381 Dual Processor on it. Turn that brown upside down, and mix multiple rolls.

[BugBrand]

There won't be any danger from the amplitude of voltages coming from external devices to the bug and they should work (as in function as expected) just fine.

The worry would more be whether amplitudes of typically 10V Peak-to-Peak (+/-5V or 0 to +10V) would be fine for the CL stuff - what are the power supply rails for such things? I thought some were lower voltages - eg. power rails of 0V to +9V (centred around +4.5V).

You can always attenuate, etc, but I would be wary of any situation where some careless connection caused an issue - you want to be able to patch without worry and I'm not yet sure enough about CL voltage ranges to be able to say either way with certainty.

[chrisdermo]

I have sent bugbrand 10v Peak to peak signals to CL many times and its always been fine (only as far as +/- 5v though never - 10v). Just my experience.... Don't take that as an endorsement from either manufacturer as it being OK.
Did it regularly with my tetrax and continue to now with my meng qi sidraw which contains sidrassi pcbs.

My experience with the floating +4.5v and the oscillators and gesture outputs from those instruments is that it required a significant attenuation or offset to be able trigger things on the Bug in much of a meaningful way. If you're using them as modulation sources though it's fine.

[hollunderkurve]

Hopefully your Serge panel will have a CGS381 Dual Processor on it. Turn that brown upside down, and mix multiple rolls.

it will not in fact, but will have 2x DTG, 1xSSG, a Stroh's Flexwave Osc, Dual VCA, VCFQ, Stereo Mixer, +1 tiny little WM.... (Very excited about this!). That should also provide some options too i believe without getting into too many problems with voltage? I will need to chat with Charlie. I will also soon be the proud owner of one of Tom's Matrix mixers which might also add another way/more options.

Everyone else - thanks for the info about Bug-CL experiences and voltage issues. Sounds like there still might be some potential problem spots- need to get more details. If I was to get a Rolz the situation would then not be sending Bug Voltage to the CL, but the other way around, which does not sound like it could pose as many problems...

[hollunderkurve]

My advice is to get an oscilloscope and check what is being sent back and forth.

also, yes. you are right. will get on it at some point. any suggestions on moderately sized/priced option(s)?

[architexture]

Something like this is nice
amazon . com/gp/product/B01J16NV54


Good oscilloscopes have come down significantly in price. They can also help you better understand your CL gear and how it would interact with other gear, AND if you need to fix or build anything it's super handy

Cheers

[architexture]

This comment has the most detailed response

viewtopic.php?f=19&t=225536&p=3255177#p3255177

[hollunderkurve]

randomly re-opening this thread since a rolzer will now be arriving on my doorstep. just re-read all the comments. thank you all for the helpful hints/tips/other threads that have helped me understand much more of what i need to think through when integrating this in with my other LW and BB gear. I have also read up much more on the rolzer (circuits) as well. It seems that as long as I keep the browns patching only within/between to rolzer itself, there should be no dangerous voltage issues using the oranges to trigger and/or cv control other gear.

also:

Hopefully your Serge panel will have a CGS381 Dual Processor on it. Turn that brown upside down, and mix multiple rolls.

I think I finally understand this comment! haha and I think tom's matrix mixer (which I have been having a lot of fun with) will offer up a range of options of how to invert the voltages of the browns and mix some odd rollzzzz

cheers

[northerntao]

I think tom's matrix mixer (which I have been having a lot of fun with) will offer up a range of options of how to invert the voltages of the browns and mix some odd rollzzzz

That matrix mixer looks like a blast! If I expand my blues further, that's at the top of the list, though its a lot of real estate!

Never thought about using it to invert the browns on my plumbutter 2.

I wonder if it's safe to use the DC mixer on the Dual Mixer to do the same? I'll ask Tom, but I would assume the attenuverters on the DC mixer are -/+ 10v as they aren't listed as an exception in the SynthVoice manual

https://www.bugbrand.co.uk/index.php?ma ... cts_id=134