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Notes: Dark Time is an 2 x8 steps analog sequencer with CV/Gate, USB and Midi interface. It is planned in the first place as an add-on for the Dark Energy but may be used even in combination with other Midi, USB or CV/Gate equipment too.

Features overview

two rows with 8 controls each
for each step:
- rotary control (same knob type as Dark Energy)
- red LED
- three-position switch On/Off/Skip
On = trigger signal is active for this step
Off = no trigger for this step
Skip = step is skipped
- three-position switch Stop/Continue/Jump
Stop = sequence stops here
Continue = sequence continues
Jump/Reset:
If only one of the 16 toggle switches is in the Jump position a Reset is carried out (i.e. sequence jumps to stage 1)
If two or more of the switches are in the Jump position the sequence jumps to the next step with the switch in the Jump position and then continues from this position (until another step with the switch in the Jump position is reached and then the same procedure is carried out again)
several operating modes:
1x16 (i.e. the two rows are daisy-chained)
2x8 (i.e. both rows run in parallel)
1-8 Combi (lower row set individual gate lenght of the upper row)
several running directions:
forward
backward
random
CV scaling: 1V/Octave standard (note: not suitable to control devices with Hz/V scale !)
several voltage / tuning ranges: 1V, 2V, 5V (corresponding to 1/2/5 octaves)
gate voltage 0/+5V (please refer to the remarks below concerning devices with S-Trigger or Korg MS10/MS20)
for units manufactured later than early 2012 (from serial number 120240) the output voltage for Gate/Clock/Reset/Start-Stop can be set to +12V by means of an internal jumper (the corresponding interface boards are marked V2/2011 or V3/2012). The following document describes the modification procedure in detail: Dark_Time_12V_Gate.pdf
if you own a unit manufactured before 2012 (serial number 120239 or less) the following technical document describes how to modify the unit for +12V level of the Gate/Clock/Reset/Start-Stop outputs: Dark_Time_12V_and_5V_Gate_Voltage_Modifikation.pdf
quantization on/off/custom scale (custom scale not yet available in the first firmware version)
when quantization is "off" the resolution is still 10 bit (i.e. 1024 steps over the full rotating range of each potentiometer), from this the term "quantization off" is not fully correct, with quantization "on" the resolution is 13/25/61 steps for 1/2/5 octaves
transpose via switch (-1/0/+1 octave), Midi/USB or external CV input
timing control, selected by a three position switch:
internal via built-in clock oscillator with frequency and pulsewidth controls
external via Midi/USB
external via analog clock/start/stop
analog interface for CV/gate/clock/Start-Stop (inputs and outputs, monophonic 3.5 mm miniature jack sockets)
Midi interface
USB interface (power supply via USB is not possible)
optically adapted to Dark Energy (same knobs, same depth and height, same wooden side plates and so on)
Powered via external power supply (12V AC/min. 400mA) for 230V
powering the device via USB is not possible, because the analog circuits require a dual voltage (+/-12V).
Additional remarks and specs:

for devices with S-Trigger inputs (e.g. Moog) or the Korg synthesizers MS-10/MS-20 a special S-Trig cable is required to connect the gate output of the Dark Time to the Gate/S-Trig input of the synth, details on the FAQ page of our website. You find the price of the special cable in our price list in the accessories section.

Dark Time cannot be used to control synthesizers which use the Hz/V standard for the pitch CV (unless the quantization of the Dark Time is not used). Only for the Korg MS-10 and MS-20 there is a solution to use 1V/Oct control voltage. A corresponding note can be found on our FAQ page: Controlling Synthesizers with Hz/V standard

Distance between the knobs (center - center): ~ 25 mm, diameter of the knobs: ~ 16 mm

Distance between the toggle switches (center - center): ~ 12.5 mm

Distance between knobs and switches (center - center): ~ 20 mm

The metal case is made of 1 mm steel, black coated with white printing

Overall dimensions: about 248 x 145 x 75 mm

Dimension of the metal case only (without side plates and knobs): about 223 x 135 x 55 mm

Side plates dimensions: about 145 x 65 x 12.5 mm (same as Dark Energy)

Weight: about 1.5 kg (without power supply)

The wooden side plates can be removed if desired. They are mounted by means of two screws to the metal box. The holes in the metal box can be used also to mount several devices together (e.g. with common wooden side plates on both ends) or to mount the Dark Time to one or two Dark Energy.

The device can be positioned horizontal (desk top) or vertical

These parts are included: power supply (12V AC/min. 400mA) for 230V mains voltage with European mains plug, one USB cable (type A-B, 2 m length) and four A-100 patch cables

For the power supply a low voltage DC socket with 5.5 mm outer diameter and 2.1 mm inner diameter is used (even 2.5 mm will work)

Powering the device via USB is not possible, because the analog circuits require a dual voltage (+/-12V).

Notes: The MCV4 is a budget-priced MIDI-to-CV interface to control vintage monophonic synthesizers via MIDI. The MCV4 is provided with 4 analog control voltage outputs (CV1-4) and one gate/trigger output.

MIDI channel, reference note for CV1 (this is the MIDI note corresponding to 0V of CV1 and thus the lowest possible note of the analog synthesizer connected to MCV4) and the controller no. for CV4 are adjusted via learn function. For this the learn button must be pressed and the required MIDI messages sent from the MIDI controlling device (MIDI synthesizer, keyboard, sequencer). The other parameters (retrigger, trigger polarity and assign mode) are adjusted in learn mode via program-change messages.

The Hz/V mode available in the predecessor model MCV1 is not available with the MCV4 because of the many problems occuring with the non-linear Hz/V characteristic. But some synthesizers normally using Hz/V can be be controlled with V/Oct (e.g. Korg MS10/MS20, details you may find in the MCV4 user's guide).

If you want to use all 4 analog control voltages, you need 2 special cables with a stereo 1/4" jack plug on one end (MCV4 side) and 2 mon 1/4" jack plugs on the other (synthesizer side). You may get such cables from your local dealer but Doepfer also offer such a cable (MCV4 cable 1/4" stereo, 2 x 1/4" mono). If you need it Doepfer recommend to order it together with the MCV4.