Intellijel Planar2 User manual

Planar
2
Multi-Axis Vector Controller & Recorder
Manual (English)
Firmware Version: 1.2 | Revision: 2021.10.04

TABLE OF CONTENTS
COMPLIANCE 3
INSTALLATION 4
Installing Your Module 5
OVERVIEW 6
Features 6
A Cornucopia of Control 7
FRONT PANEL 8
Inputs 9
Outputs 10
Controls 11
X/Y CONTROL 19
GATE GENERATOR 21
QUAD FUNCTIONS 23
Manual Quad Crossfader 23
Crossfading With Fewer Than Four Inputs 24
Quad Panner 26
Quad Router 26
Four Quadrant CV Generator 27
CV GESTURE RECORDER 28
Record & Play Joystick Movements and Gates without Metric Constraint 28
Syncing Record & Playback to an External Trigger 31
USING CV INPUTS 34
Cartesian Automation 35
Polar Automation 36
Scan Automation 37
CV Automation Example 38
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USING A Gx OR Qx GATE EXPANDER 39
Installing the Gx/Qx 39
Using the Gx/Qx 40
CALIBRATION 41
Automatic Calibration 41
Manual Calibration 41
Calibration Testing 43
FIRMWARE UPDATES 44
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 45
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COMPLIANCE
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by Intellijel Designs, Inc.
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Any digital equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for
a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits
are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference
when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications.
This device meets the requirements of the following standards and directives:
EMC: 2014/30/EU
EN55032:2015 ; EN55103-2:2009 (EN55024) ; EN61000-3-2 ; EN61000-3-3
Low Voltage: 2014/35/EU
EN 60065:2002+A1:2006+A11:2008+A2:2010+A12:2011
RoHS2: 2011/65/EU
WEEE: 2012/19/EU
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2 Manual 3

INSTALLATION
Intellijel Eurorack modules are designed to be used with a Eurorack-compatible case and power
supply. We recommend you use Intellijel cases and power supplies.
Before installing a new module in your case, you must ensure your power supply has a free power
header and sufficient available capacity to power the module:
● Sum up the specified +12V current draw for all modules, including the new one. Do the same for
the -12 V and +5V current draw. The current draw will be specified in the manufacturer's
technical specifications for each module.
● Compare each of the sums to specifications for your case’s power supply.
● Only proceed with installation if none of the values exceeds the power supply’s specifications.
Otherwise you must remove modules to free up capacity or upgrade your power supply.
You will also need to ensure your case has enough free space (hp) to fit the new module. To
prevent screws or other debris from falling into the case and shorting any electrical contacts, do not
leave gaps between adjacent modules, and cover all unused areas with blank panels. Similarly, do
not use open frames or any other enclosure that exposes the backside of any module or the power
distribution board.
You can use a tool like ModularGrid to assist in your planning. Failure to adequately power your
modules may result in damage to your modules or power supply. If you are unsure, please contact
us before proceeding.
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Installing Your Module
When installing or removing a module from your case always turn off the power to the case and
disconnect the power cable. Failure to do so may result in serious injury or equipment damage.
Ensure the 10-pin connector on the power cable is connected
correctly to the module before proceeding. The red stripe on the
cable must line up with the -12V pins on the module’s power
connector. Different modules use different ways to indicate the
-12V pins. Some may be labelled with “-12V;” a white stripe next
to the -12V pins; the words “red stripe;” or some combination of
these. Additionally, some modules may have shrouded headers,
thus preventing backward connections.
Most modules will come with the cable already connected but it is
good to double check the orientation. Be aware that some
modules may have headers that serve other purposes so ensure the cable is connected to the right
one.
The other end of the cable, with a 16-pin connector, connects to
the power bus board of your Eurorack case. Ensure the red
stripe on the cable lines up with the -12V pins on the bus board,
which may be indicated with a “-12V” label, a white stripe, or
even a shrouded header (to prevent backward connections).
If you are using another manufacturer’s power supply, check their
documentation for instructions.
Once connected, the cabling between the module and power
supply should resemble the picture below:
Before reconnecting power and turning on your
modular system, double check that the ribbon cable is
fully seated on both ends and that all the pins are
correctly aligned. If the pins are misaligned in any
direction or the ribbon is backwards you can cause
damage to your module, power supply, or other
modules.
After you have confirmed all the connections, you can
reconnect the power cable and turn on your modular
system. You should immediately check that all your
modules have powered on and are functioning correctly. If you notice any anomalies, turn your
system off right away and check your cabling again for mistakes.
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2 Manual 5

OVERVIEW
With its smoothly responsive precision joystick, Planar
2 facilitates hands-on vector control of two
entirely independent sets of outputs (quadrants A-D, and axis X/Y), plus the ability to capture and
playback your gestures. Recording your joystick movements enables the creation of organic and
complex envelopes, wild and wobbly LFOs, or extended sonic evolutions. It mixes, morphs, routes
and pans audio inputs; triggers gates; outputs control voltages and is itself CV-controllable. Planar
2
puts the ‘joy’ back in ‘joystick,’ and the ‘fun’ back in ‘function generator.’ Its multitasking and tactile
interface makes it a flexible and unique control device, no matter what your musical genre.
Features
● Vector control of two independent sets of outputs: one quadrant-based (outputs A, B, C, D) and
one dual-axis based (outputs X and Y).
● X/Y Controller: two-axis CV generator sends either unipolar (0V to +10V) or bipolar (-5V to +5V)
signal out the X and Y outputs.
● Four Quadrant Controller: With nothing connected to inputs A-D, outputs A-D become
joystick-controlled individual unipolar (0V to +10V) control voltage sources.
● Quad mixing & crossfading: Vector mixing and crossfading of four independent inputs (A, B, C,
D) to either individual outputs or the mixed output.
● Quad panning: connect a mono source to Input A and use the joystick to pan it to any of the four
outputs. Connect a stereo signal to Inputs A and C and pan it forward and backward in
quadraphonic space.
● Quad routing: Send audio to Input A and patch outputs A-D to four different processors
(i.e. VCF, wavefolder, delay, etc.), then use the joystick to dynamically route the signal through
the different effects.
● Gate Generator: Generate gates either manually (by pressing the Manual Gate button) or
automatically whenever the joystick is in motion.
● CV Gesture Recorder: Record joystick motions (including gates) to play back either as 1-shot
complex function generators or as looped, LFO-like functions. Start time and length can sync to
an external trigger, and punch-in/out recording is supported.
● External CV Inputs: In addition to its built-in joystick, Planar
2 has two CV inputs, which allows
external CV control of quadrant outputs A-D and axis outputs X/Y. A mode switch alters how CV
affects these outputs, allowing for some advanced automation techniques (such as circular and
spinning motions) that would otherwise be difficult to automate.
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2 Manual 6

A Cornucopia of Control
Planar
2
’s deceptively simple interface belies the tremendous depth of control that it offers. Over the
next several pages we’ll provide a detailed explanation of every feature, plus provide examples to
showcase these features — which should give you numerous ideas of how to deploy Planar
2 in your
own patches. We’ve grouped these discussions into different headings, which we’ll explore
individually:
● Installation - This section discusses how to install Planar
2 into a eurorack system, and apply
power to the module.
● Front Panel - This section discusses each input, output, knob, button, light, switch and joystick
on the Planar
2
.
● X/Y Control - This section discusses using the Planar
2 as a two-axis dual CV controller.
● GATE Generator - This section discusses using the Planar
2 to generate gates — either
manually with the push of a button, or automatically whenever the joystick is in motion.
● Quad Functions - This section discusses using the Planar
2 as a four-quadrant quad crossfader,
panner, processing router and CV source.
● CV Gesture Recorder - This section discusses how to record your joystick motions (including
gates), and play them back either as 1-shot complex function generators or as looped complex
LFOs.
● Using CV Inputs - This section discusses how to process the two CV inputs and use external
CV to modify the four quadrant outputs (A, B, C, and D) or the dual-axis X/Y outputs.
● Using a Gx or Qx gate expander module - You can connect an optional Intellijel Gx or Qx gate
expander module to the Planar
2 — increasing its utility as a programmable gate generator, or to
trigger gate events that correspond to directional changes in joystick position.
Even though this manual will discuss many of these features and operations independently, it’s
important to realize that many can be used simultaneously and in various combinations, resulting in
some mind bending sonic manipulation.
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FRONT PANEL
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Inputs
In the previous illustration, the green numerical labels indicate Planar
2 inputs.
[1] A IN, B IN, C IN, D IN
Each of these jacks accepts an input signal, which the Planar
2 routes through an internal VCA,
attenuates, and passes on to the correspondingly lettered output jacks [5] , or sums to the MIX
output [6] jack.
VCA levels may be adjusted and/or automated by any of the following means:
● the physical position of the joystick
● the recorded motion of the joystick
● any modulating signal present at the CV 1 [2] and CV 2 [3] inputs.
Each input jack is normalled to the one on its left. So if nothing is plugged into IN B , then it takes
its feed from IN A ; if nothing is plugged into IN C , then it takes its feed from IN B , etc.
[2] CV 1 input
The first of two control voltage inputs, which Planar
2 can use to further define the values sent to
either outputs X [8] and Y [9] , or to outputs A-D [5] and MIX [6] . Each CV input has its own
attenuverter [G] & [H] beneath it, and beneath those is a MODE switch [I] , which changes the
way Planar
2 interprets the incoming control voltage. CV control of Planar 2 is discussed
thoroughly in “ Using CV Inputs .”
[3] CV 2 input
The second of two control voltage inputs, which Planar
2 can use to modify the values sent to
outputs X and Y , or the relative levels of outs A-D .
[4] TRIGGER input
If a cable is connected to this jack, Planar
2 synchronizes its recording and
playback times to incoming triggers, enabling remote control of these
operations. This is particularly useful if you patch in a divided clock, since it
lets you create recordings that conform to a certain number of bars or
beats, or quantize the playback time of an existing recording. If nothing is
connected to this jack, recording and playback are started (or stopped)
immediately upon pressing the RECORD or PLAY buttons. See “ Syncing
Record & Playback to an External Trigger ” to learn more about triggering
recording and playback functions.
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Outputs
In the previous illustration, the red numerical labels indicate Planar
2 outputs.
[5] A OUT, B OUT, C OUT, D OUT
These are the direct outputs of the four internal VCAs, through which Inputs A-D [1] are routed.
Output levels may be adjusted and/or automated by any of the following means:
● the physical position of the joystick
● the recorded motion of the joystick
● any modulating signal present at the CV 1 [2] and CV 2 [3] inputs.
If nothing is connected to Inputs A-D , then these outputs can be used as 0V-10V CV sources
for controlling external modules, as described in “ Four Quadrant CV Generator .”
[6] MIX OUT
This is the summed output of the four internal VCAs, through which Inputs A-D [1] are routed.
This output is particularly useful if you’re employing Planar
2 as a 4-input mixer/crossfader, as
described in “ Manual Quad Crossfader .”
[7] GATE OUT
This jack sends a gate signal out of Planar
2
. You can trigger gates manually or automatically.
To trigger gates manually, press the Manual Gate button [L] . As long as the Manual Gate
button is being depressed, the GATE OUT signal remains high.
Additionally, you can trigger gates automatically if the SENSE switch [J] is on (up position). This
causes Planar
2 to send a high gate signal to the GATE OUT jack whenever the joystick is
moved, and the gate will remain high for as long as it senses joystick movement. Planar
2 can
record and playback gates generated by either technique, as described in “ CV Gesture
Recorder .”
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2 Manual 10

[8] X OUT
Outputs a voltage corresponding to the X-axis on Planar
2
. The X-axis value is controlled by a
number of factors, including: position of joystick along the X-axis; recorded value of joystick; CV
input, CV mode; and state of the XY button [B].
This jack outputs either unipolar voltages (0V to +10V) or bipolar voltages (-5V to +5V)
depending on the position of the corresponding Polarity switch [E] . The X/Y indicator
LEDs [F] display the polarity of this jack’s output voltage (red = negative; green = positive),
along with the absolute voltage level (brighter = more voltage).
[9] Y OUT
This jack performs identically to the X OUT jack (described above), but outputs Y-axis values,
rather than X-axis.
Controls
In the previous illustration, the BLUE alphabetical labels indicate Planar
2 controls.
[A] Joystick
The joystick allows you to directly control both the X [8] and Y [9] control voltage outputs, and
the A , B, C, D [5] and MIX [6] outputs — either separately or together, depending on the state
of the XY [B] and ABCD [C] buttons. Joystick movements can be recorded and played back
using the RECORD [M] and PLAY [N] buttons, and the joystick may generate gate signals
when moved (if the SENSE [J] switch is in the ‘up’ position).
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2 Manual 11

[B] XY button
This button controls the various ways in which the joystick, internal recording and CV inputs all
affect the X [8] and Y [9] control voltage outputs. The button has three states:
● LIT = CV IN + (JOYSTICK or RECORDING)
When the XY button is lit, the joystick sends its position to the X and Y outs. If you are
playing back your recorded joystick movements, then the recorded values are sent to the
X and Y outputs instead of the joystick’s actual position. Any input present at the CV 1
and CV 2 jacks is added to the joystick/recorded values per the setting of the MODE
button & indicator LEDs [I] .
● FLASHING = JOYSTICK
When the XY button is flashing, only the joystick’s present location is sent to the X and
Y outs. Any recorded joystick movements are ignored as are the two CV inputs.
● UNLIT = CV IN
When the XY button is not lit, both the joystick position and any recording of the joystick
movements is disabled, and the joystick is ‘virtually’ centered, sending a static voltage to
the X and Y outputs. CV input is active, allowing external control of the X and Y outputs.
Accessing these three states involves either quickly-pressing the XY button or
pressing-and-holding it for 1 second. Specifically:
● Quick-press the XY button to toggle it ‘on’ and ‘off’.
If the XY button is on (either steadily lit or flashing), quick-pressing the button turns it off.
If the XY button is off, quick-pressing it turns it on and sets it to the LIT state.
● Press-hold the XY button to switch between the two ‘on’ states (LIT and FLASHING).
If the XY button is on (either lit or flashing), press-holding the button toggles between
the LIT and FLASHING states. If the XY button is off, press-holding the button turns it
on and sets it to the FLASHING state.
NOTE: Planar
2 checks the status of the XY button approximately every 30 seconds, and if it’s
changed, writes the new state to memory. This ensures the module powers on with the XY
button in the same state as you last used it.
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[C] ABCD button
This button behaves exactly the same as the XY button [B] , described above, only it governs
how outputs A , B, C, D [5] and MIX [6] are affected by the joystick, a recording, or the CV
inputs.
NOTE: As with the XY button , Planar
2 checks the status of the ABCD button approximately
every 30 seconds, and if it’s changed, writes the new state to memory.
[D] Quadrant indicator LED (x4)
These LEDs indicate the voltage level present at each of the four quadrants, and thus the
relative levels of the A-D outputs [5] (or the relative level of each in the MIX [6] output).
[E] Polarity switches
These are 2-position switches that set the polarity of the X OUT [8] and Y OUT [9] control
voltages. There are two of these switches — one for each CV output ( X and Y ). Specifically:
● UNI : In this position, moving the joystick along the corresponding access generates
voltages between 0V and +10V.
● +/- : In this position, moving the joystick along the corresponding access generates
voltages between -5V and +5V.
NOTE: The position of this switch also affects X and Y outputs of any previously recorded
joystick movements or the values summed with CV 1 and CV 2 .
[F] X/Y indicator LEDs
These LEDs indicate both the level and polarity of the voltage being sent from the X OUT [8]
and Y OUT [9] jacks. Negative voltages light the red LED and positive voltages light the green
LED. The LEDs glow brighter as the absolute voltage level increases.
[G] CV 1 Input attenuverter
Scales and/or inverts the incoming voltage at the CV 1 input [2] . When the attenuverter is fully
clockwise, Planar
2 uses the full range of voltages present at CV 1 to affect the relative values of
quadrants A-D and/or axis X/Y. Rotating the attenuverter toward “noon” (straight up) decreases
the amount of CV 1 ’s effect, and at “noon” it has no effect at all. Rotating the attenuverter further
clockwise inverts the voltage, until the maximum inverse effect is applied when the attenuverter
is fully counterclockwise.
[H] CV 2 Input attenuverter
Scales and/or inverts the incoming voltage at the CV 2 input [3] as described above.
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[I] MODE button & indicator LEDs
Press the MODE button to cycle through the three ways in which the CV 1 [2] and CV 2 [3]
inputs may influence the level of outputs A-D [5] , their relative levels in the MIX OUT [6], or the
X [8] and Y [9] outputs. Specifically:
Cartesian Mode : If the left LED is lit, CV 1 and CV 2 operate in cartesian
mode. This means CV 1 maps to the X-axis and CV 2 maps to the Y-axis .
For more information, see Cartesian Automation .
Polar Mode : If the right LED is lit, CV 1 and CV 2 operate in polar mode.
This means CV 1 maps to rotation and CV 2 maps to radius . This allows
you to easily create spinning or swirling effects using only simple
waveforms (such as a sawtooth wave to create a 360° spin). For more
information, see Polar Automation .
IMPORTANT: By default CV 2 (and thus, the radius) is set to 0V, meaning
you won’t hear or see the effect of CV 1 unless you patch a voltage other
than 0V into CV 2 .
Scan Mode : If both LEDs are lit, CV 1 and CV 2 operate in scan mode.
Scan mode requires the presence of a joystick recording, which the CV
inputs then control. Specifically, CV 1 locates a precise point along the
recording’s time axis, while CV 2 controls the linearity of that axis. This lets
you scrub either forward or backward through any portion of a CV
recording. For more information, see Scan Automation .
NOTE 1: CV inputs affect the Planar
2 outputs only if the corresponding output buttons are LIT
or OFF. If an XY [B] or ABCD [C] button is FLASHING, then CV input is ignored for that
particular set of outputs.
NOTE 2: Planar
2 checks the MODE status approximately every 30 seconds, and if it’s changed,
writes the new state to memory. This ensures the module powers on in the same mode as you
last used it.
[J] SENSE switch
If this switch is on (up position), then Planar
2 senses movement of the joystick, and sends a high
gate signal to its GATE OUT jack [7] whenever the joystick is in motion. When you stop moving
the joystick, the gate goes low. This is particularly useful for triggering external envelopes/VCAs
in synchronicity with joystick movements.
Note that when SENSE mode is on, you can still create gates manually using the Manual Gate
button [L] .
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2 Manual 14

[K] GATE out indicator LED
This indicator lights blue whenever a high gate signal is being sent out Planar
2
.
[L] Manual Gate button
Pressing this button sends a gate signal to the GATE OUT [7] jack. The gate
signal remains high for as long as the Manual Gate button [L] is held down.
When recording, Planar
2 records all your manual gate presses and plays them
back accordingly.
[M] RECORD button
Use the RECORD button to record joystick movements, which you can then play
back as a loop (great for using the joystick to create complex LFOs) or as a
one-shot (ideal for using the joystick to design complex envelopes). You can
record for approximately 4 minutes, and with a resolution that smoothly and
accurately captures all the subtle nuances of your joystick movements.
How you operate the RECORD button depends on what (and how) you wish to
record:
● UNSYNCED RECORDING: If nothing is connected to the TRIGGER [ ] input
[4] , then recording begins immediately after you press and release the RECORD
button. The RECORD button glows red to indicate you’re recording. Recording stops
(and the red light goes out) after you press and release the RECORD button a
second time. Alternately, you can stop recording by pressing and releasing the PLAY
button [N] , which not only stops recording but causes it to play back instantly.
● SYNCED RECORDING: You can synchronize recording to an external signal by
using the TRIGGER [ ] input [4] . In this instance, recording does not start (or
stop) the instant you release the RECORD button, but is instead started (or stopped)
at the arrival of the next trigger signal. In other words, when synchronized to the
TRIGGER input, pushing the RECORD button arms the recording, while the trigger
signal starts the recording. An armed RECORD button rapidly flashes red while
waiting for the trigger signal.
With this feature you can, for example, send the output of a clock divider to the
TRIGGER input, thus ensuring your recordings conform to some metrical length.
● PUNCH-IN/OUT RECORDING: If you press-and-hold-down the RECORD button
while an existing recording plays back, you will overwrite a section of that recording
for as long as you continue to depress the RECORD button. When you release the
RECORD button, punch-in recording stops.
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2 Manual 15

This allows you to make small edits to existing recordings or to evolve a recording
over the course of a song.
NOTE: To erase a recording entirely, press and hold the PLAY button for over one second.
For more information about recording, see CV Gesture Recorder , later in this manual.
[N] PLAY button
Press this button to start and stop playback of your recorded joystick
movements.
The PLAY button has four visual states:
● UNLIT : If the button is not lit, it means there is no recording, and therefore
nothing to play back. Pressing an unlit PLAY button does nothing.
● PULSING : If the button is pulsing, it means there is a recording in memory, but
that it’s not currently playing. If you press a pulsing PLAY button with nothing
plugged into the TRIGGER [ ] Input [4] , then playback will begin
immediately and the PLAY button will light solid.
● LIT : If the button is lit solid, it means the recorded joystick movements are
currently playing back. You can stop playback at any time by pressing the PLAY
button. Once stopped, the PLAY button pulses. Note that a recording will play
back either in 1-shot mode or will loop in one of two modes, depending on the
state of the LOOP button [P] .
NOTE: Press and hold a lit PLAY button for over one second to erase the internal
recording completely.
● RAPID FLASH: A rapidly flashing PLAY button indicates that the PLAY button
has been pressed, but that Planar
2 is waiting for a trigger signal at its TRIGGER [
] Input [4] . Once the trigger is received, Planar
2 plays the recording and
lights the PLAY button solid.
[O] TRIGGER indicator LED
This LED lights briefly each time Planar
2 receives a signal at its TRIGGER [ ] input jack
[4] . This is particularly useful if you’re syncing your recorded joystick motions with an external
clock, since it gives you a visual indication of the rhythm and will help you time the start and
stop points of your recording.
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[P] LOOP Button
This button controls whether or not your joystick recording will loop and, if so, how it loops in the
presence of external triggers. The button has three states:
● UNLIT : If the LOOP button is unlit, then your recorded joystick movements will play only
once when you press the PLAY button [N] to start playback. This makes Planar
2 work as
a complex function generator.
If you’re using the TRIGGER [ ] Input [4] , then pressing the PLAY button arms
playback and the first trigger will play back the recording one time. If you want to
playback the recording again, you must press the PLAY button to re-arm playback and
then send it a trigger.
● LIT : If the LOOP button is lit, then your recorded joystick movements will loop
continuously when you press the PLAY button [N] to start playback. Playback will stop
when you hit the PLAY button again.
If you’re using the TRIGGER [ ] Input [4] , then pressing the PLAY button arms
playback and the first trigger will start playing back the recording in a loop. The recording
will loop continuously until you press the PLAY button again to stop it. While a loop is
playing, each subsequent trigger restarts the loop at the beginning. For example, if you
have a 4-bar recording, but send triggers to Planar
2 that are spaced 2-bars apart, then
only the first two bars will loop (since the loop is retriggered every 2-bars). Conversely, if
you have a 3-bar recording and your triggers are spaced 4-bars apart, Planar
2 plays all
three bars then loops back to the beginning to play the first bar — at which point the next
trigger causes the loop to reset to the first bar again (meaning the loop plays bars
1+2+3+1+1+2+3+1+1+2+3… etc).
● FLASHING : If the LOOP button is flashing, then your recorded joystick movement will
play once when you press the PLAY button and then automatically re-arm playback as
Planar
2 waits for a new trigger at its TRIGGER [ ] Input [4] .
If you’re using the TRIGGER [ ] Input [4] , then pressing the PLAY button arms
playback and the first trigger will play back the recording one time, then wait for a new
trigger to replay the recording. Each time Planar
2 gets a trigger it plays the recording. So
if you have a 4-bar recording, but send triggers to Planar
2 that are spaced 2-bars apart,
only the first two bars will loop (exactly as with the LIT state). However, if you have a
3-bar recording and send triggers every 4-bars, then Planar
2 will play through all three
bars once, pause while it waits for the next trigger, then play the three bars again. In this
situation, a flashing LOOP button would play: 1+2+3+rest+1+2+3+rest… etc. Contrast
this to the playback pattern of the LIT LOOP button state.
If you’re not using the TRIGGER [ ] Input [4] , then a flashing LOOP button
behaves the same as an unlit LOOP button.
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Accessing these three states involves either quickly-pressing the LOOP button or
pressing-and-holding it for 1 second. Specifically:
● Quick-press the LOOP button to toggle it ‘on’ and ‘off’.
If the LOOP button is on (either steadily lit or flashing), quick-pressing the button turns it
off. If the LOOP button is off, quick-pressing it turns it on and sets it to the LIT state.
● Press-hold the LOOP button to switch between the two ‘on’ states (LIT and
FLASHING).
If the LOOP button is on (either lit or flashing), press-holding the button toggles
between the LIT and FLASHING states. If the LOOP button is off, press-holding the
button turns it on and sets it to the FLASHING state.
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2 Manual 18

X/Y CONTROL
In its most simple operating scenario, the Planar
2
joystick acts as a two-axis CV generator. Moving the
joystick along the X-axis generates control voltages
from the X OUT jack, while moving the joystick along
the Y-axis generates control voltages from the
Y OUT jack. You can switch the polarity of each axis
between unipolar (0V to +10V) and bipolar
(-5V to +5V).
To use the joystick to generate control voltages
from the X and Y outputs:
1. Connect the X OUT jack to a CV input on some
module you wish to control.
In this example, we’ll connect the Planar
2 X OUT
jack to the FM2 input on a Polaris filter, and we’ll
set the Polaris’ FM2 attenuverter fully clockwise.
2. Connect the Y OUT jack to a CV input on some
module you wish to control.
In this example, we’ll connect the Planar
2 Y OUT
jack to the Q IN jack on a Polaris filter, and we’ll
set the Polaris’ Q attenuator to roughly the noon
position.
3. If the XY button on the Planar
2 is not lit, quickly
press it to turn on the XY outputs and light the
button. For this example, it doesn’t matter whether the XY button is flashing or lit steady —
either state enables the joystick to control the X and Y outputs.
4. For each output ( X and Y ), use the corresponding polarity switch to define the joystick’s
voltage control range. Specifically:
UNI: In the UNI position, moving the joystick along the corresponding access generates
voltages between 0V and +10V, which means any control voltages generated by the
joystick will be added to the baseline value of the parameter you’re modulating. So in
this example, setting X’s polarity to UNI would cause the joystick to only increase the
Polaris’ Cutoff frequency above whatever value you’ve set on its panel.
+/-: In the +/- position, moving the joystick along the corresponding access generates
voltages between -5V and +5V. This means, when the joystick is right of the center
point (X) or above it (Y), it will add to the baseline value of the parameter you’re
Planar
2 Manual 19