With its new ConVertor E1 & MIDVertor E1 modules, Sonicsmith opens the colorful, versatile Eurorack world for guitarists, bassists, and other musicians.
A Eurorack oscillator needs 1V / oct information to react to pitch. A keyboard or sequencer that sends out cv/gate data is usually used for this. If you don’t want that, there is the option to let it swing continuously by using no 1v/oct data at all. Perfect for drone and noise musicians. For all those who have problems with keyboards or sequencers, there is hope.
Sonicsmith from Poland, known for their audio-controlled synthesizers, has now packed their well-known technology into a new Eurorack module line.
SonicSmith ConVertor E1
ConVertor E1 is a DCO that is controllable via audio, cv, and MIDI. The latter requires the digital expander MIDVertor E1. At the same time, the module is a converter for your audio signals (guitar…) to the cv/gate. No question, the highlight is here the TRS audio input, which allows you to play the oscillator with a guitar signal. Thinking further, you could use it to control an entire setup consisting of this oscillator with the guitar. A dream for guitar players with an interest in modular synthesizers. With the expander, you can also add a sustain pedal input, arpeggiator to MIDI + back, and more.
In the audio control mode, the internal oscillator is going to stay frequency locked to the input audio’s pitch giving you control voltage outputs for pitch, envelope, and gate for your modular system. A classic interface converts MIDI data to cv/gate, this one converts audio to cv/gate.
Oscillator Voice
The oscillator features true-sine, triangle, square, or sawtooth waves that are available in the SYNTH output. With the p-shift knob, you can shift the relative pitch of the internal oscillator and the pitch CV output with a 5-octave range in semi-tones. FM CV input accepts external CV sources to shift the oscillator pitch. Further, it has an internal VCA, VCF quantizer, attenuverters, LFO’s, routing, and different modes of operation. You can recall and save presets thanks to digitally-controlled functions.
SonicSmith MIDVertor E1
As already mentioned, there is also the MIDVertor E1 interface module (6HP) which creates the link between audio and MIDI. It translates ConVertor E1’s pitch, env, and gate in MIDI data and gives you MIDI outputs. You can daisy chain up to 6 parallel ConVertor E1’s on one interface module that makes remote preset switching, arpeggio, sustain/expression pedal, and polyphonic operation possible.
Both modules are interconnected via the new parallel high-speed “Sonicsmith bus” system. This runs in 16-bit and is MIDI 2.0 compatible. According to the developer, they will also release very soon the FIRM 2, a full synth voice with 2 DCOs with sync, LFOs, VCF, ADSR… based on the same technology
At first glance a very unique module, especially because it allows you to interact differently with your Eurorack system.
SonicSmith ConVertor E1 is available now for pre-order for 321,59€, the MIDVertor E1 for 239,13€, or both modules together for 527,74€. Shipping starts in March 2021.
More information here: SonicSmith
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