Elby Designs PolyDAC (X) User manual
PolyDAC (X) Manual
Elby Designs – Laurie Biddulph
Kariong, NSW 2250, Australia
1 of 4
PolyDAC (X)
User Guide
February 22nd, 2008
PolyDAC (X) Manual
Elby Designs – Laurie Biddulph
Kariong, NSW 2250, Australia
2 of 4
Introduction
The PolyDAC(X) is a powerful and flexible 4-note polyphonic MIDI to CV converter that
was originally designed by Paul Maddox with assistance from Tony Allgood who also
initially marketed the product.
The PolyDAC (X) has the following outputs:-
•4 off GATE outputs, factory adjustable from 5V to 15V,
•4 off NOTE outputs, calibrated to 1V/Octave, and
•4 off VELOCITY outputs, scaled over the range 0V to 10V
•1 off PITCHBEND, -1V to +1V
•1 off MODULATION WHEEL, 0V through to 10V
•1 off AFTERTOUCH, 0V through to 10V
•1 off SUSTAIN, switches from 0V to 10V
•4 off CV outputs, 0V through to 10V.
Two control knobs are also provided:-
•TUNE, a global tuning control for all NOTE outputs
•BEND, controls how far the PITCHBEND will go.
Finally, 4 switches provide the following functionality:-
•RETRIGGER - when set to ON, if a new note comes in whilst an old one is held,
then the GATE will `dip’ briefly resulting in a new `trigger’ signal
•MODE – selects one of three modes of operation for the PolyDAC(X):-
oPOLY, this gives you MIDI to CV conversion for 4 voices, each with its own
Note CV, Velocity CV and Gate. Also generated are CVs that correspond to
PitchWheel, ModWheel, AfterTouch, Sustain and four user-definable MIDI
CCs.
oMONO 1, This mode gives you a monophonic MIDI to CV converter. The
four voices all play the same note/gate allowing for some monster stacking of
oscillators. It also has a choice of Retrigger mode and features a 16 note
deep note stack. It has CV outputs for PitchWheel, ModWheel, AfterTouch,
Sustain, as well as four user-definable MIDI CCs.
oMONO 2, This mode gives you four channels of monophonic MIDI to CV
conversion. The 4 channels all being consecutive (eg, 4, 5, 6 and 7). In this
mode the PitchWheel, ModWheel, AfterTouch, Sustain and four user
definable MIDI CCs are controlled by the MIDI channel assigned to voice 1
only. Retrigger sets retrigger on or off for all four channels. Each channel has
its own 16 note deep note stack.
•IGNORE/STEAL - A choice within POLY mode allows note steal or note ignore for
new notes once all 4 voices are in use. With note steal mode on you can also turn
Retrigger on or off, which will retrigger the gate for the new note.
•ASSIGN – this allows you to assign MIDI CC’s to the 4 CV outputs.
PolyDAC (X) Manual
Elby Designs – Laurie Biddulph
Kariong, NSW 2250, Australia
3 of 4
Using the PolyDAC(X)
To use the ASSIGN mode, hold the Assign button for approximately 2 seconds, the MIDI
light will come on solid for a moment and then flash once. This will signify that it is waiting
for the first MIDI CC (CC1) to be assigned. Next send a MIDI CC command from your
controller, the MIDI light will light solid for a moment, and then flash twice, it will now wait
for the second MIDI CC (CC2) to be assigned.
If you don’t send anything for a while, the unit will exit the ASSIGN mode and wait for MIDI
data as per normal, without any changes being made to the current MIDI CC.
You have 4 assignable MIDI CCs, by default they are as follows:-
•CC1 = 74 (cut-off)
•CC2 = 7 (volume)
•CC3 = 5 (portamento)
•CC4 = 2 (breath controller).
The MIDI LED will light whenever a valid command is received that the PolyDAC(X) acts
upon including note data, pitchbend, controller etc.
The 4 voice LEDs light when a voice is active.
External PITCHBEND and MODULATION WHEEL connections
Please refer to the enclosed wiring documents for details on terminating an external
PITCHBEND and MODULATION WHEEL. For PolyDAC(X)s fitted with jacks incorporating
a double-pole switch the plugs are wired as normal. For PolyDAC(X)s fitted with jacks
incorporating only a single-pole switch readers should note that the MODULATION
WHEEL connector needs to be wired differently.
PolyDAC-1U
The PolyDAC-1U builds the PolyDAC in to a 1U full width 19” sub-rack. Supplementing the
PolyDAC in this build is a small power supply module which allows the unit to be powered
from either a single-rail DC supply.
The plug-pack should:-
1) Supply a well-regulated 15VDC @ 250mA.
2) Have a 2.5mm DC Barrel connector with Tip = +ve.
When this unit is delivered it will not have the Rack Ears installed. Carefully prise onpen
the case by teasing the top section away from the rest of the assembly. Slide in the
supplied Rack Ears, replace the top section ensuring that no wires get trapped between
the case support pillars, and secure using the 4 screws supplied.
PolyDAC (X) Manual
Elby Designs – Laurie Biddulph
Kariong, NSW 2250, Australia
4 of 4
MIDI-CV MIDI Note Table
-1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
8.176 16.352 32.703 65.406 130.813 261.626 523.251 1046.502 2093.004 4186.007 8372.014
C 0 12 24 36 48 60 72 84 96 108 120
0.000 1.000 2.000 3.000 4.000 5.000 6.000 7.000 8.000 9.000 10.000
8.662 17.324 34.648 69.296 138.591 277.183 554.365 1108.730 2217.460 4434.920 8869.840
C# 1 13 25 37 49 61 73 85 97 109 121
0.083 1.083 2.083 3.083 4.083 5.083 6.083 7.083 8.083 9.083 10.083
9.177 18.354 36.708 73.416 146.832 293.665 587.329 1174.659 2349.317 4698.634 9397.268
D 2 14 26 38 50 62 74 86 98 110 122
0.167 1.167 2.167 3.167 4.167 5.167 6.167 7.167 8.167 9.167 10.167
9.723 19.445 38.891 77.782 155.563 311.127 622.254 1244.507 2489.015 4978.029 9956.058
D# 3 15 27 39 51 63 75 87 99 111 123
0.250 1.250 2.250 3.250 4.250 5.250 6.250 7.250 8.250 9.250 10.250
10.301 20.602 41.203 82.407 164.814 329.627 659.255 1318.510 2637.019 5274.038 10548.076
E 4 16 28 40 52 64 76 88 100 112 124
0.333 1.333 2.333 3.333 4.333 5.333 6.333 7.333 8.333 9.333 10.333
10.913 21.827 43.654 87.307 174.614 349.228 698.456 1396.912 2793.825 5587.649 11175.298
F 5 17 29 41 53 65 77 89 101 113 125
0.417 1.417 2.417 3.417 4.417 5.417 6.417 7.417 8.417 9.417 10.417
11.562 23.125 46.249 92.499 184.997 369.994 739.989 1479.977 2959.954 5919.908 11839.815
F# 6 18 30 42 54 66 78 90 102 114 126
0.500 1.500 2.500 3.500 4.500 5.500 6.500 7.500 8.500 9.500 10.500
12.250 24.500 48.999 97.999 195.998 391.995 783.991 1567.981 3135.962 6271.924 12543.847
G 7 19 31 43 55 67 79 91 103 115 127
0.583 1.583 2.583 3.583 4.583 5.583 6.583 7.583 8.583 9.583 10.583
12.978 25.957 51.913 103.826 207.652 415.305 830.609 1661.218 3322.436 6644.872
G# 8 20 32 44 56 68 80 92 104 116
0.667 1.667 2.667 3.667 4.667 5.667 6.667 7.667 8.667 9.667
13.750 27.500 55.000 110.000 220.000 440.000 880.000 1759.999 3519.998 7039.997
A 9 21 33 45 57 69 81 93 105 117
0.750 1.750 2.750 3.750 4.750 5.750 6.750 7.750 8.750 9.750
14.568 29.135 58.270 116.541 233.082 466.164 932.327 1864.654 3729.308 7458.617
A# 10 22 34 46 58 70 82 94 106 118
0.833 1.833 2.833 3.833 4.833 5.833 6.833 7.833 8.833 9.833
15.434 30.868 61.735 123.471 246.942 493.883 987.766 1975.532 3951.065 7902.129
B 11 23 35 47 59 71 83 95 107 119
0.917 1.917 2.917 3.917 4.917 5.917 6.917 7.917 8.917 9.917
KEY
440.000 Frequency
In Hertz
Note Name A 69
MIDI Note
Number
5.750 MIDI-CV
Based on
1V/Octave
Half-tone factor = 1.05946309
Table based on A = 440Hz
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