Behringer Neutron Service Manual
User Manual
NEUTRON
Paraphonic Analog and Semi-Modular Synthesizer with Dual 3340 VCOs,
Multi-Mode VCF, 2 ADSRs, BBD Delay and Overdrive Circuit in a Eurorack Format
2 NEUTRON User Manual
Table of Contents
Thank you .......................................................................2
Important Safety Instructions ...................................... 3
Legal Disclaimer ............................................................. 3
Limited warranty ............................................................ 3
About the Neutron ......................................................... 4
1. Introduction ............................................................... 5
2. Features ...................................................................... 5
3. Controls ...................................................................... 6
4. Overview ..................................................................10
5. User Congurable Options & Features .................. 12
6. Eurorack Installation ............................................... 16
7. Software Update & Calibration .............................. 17
8. Patch Bay .................................................................. 19
9. Neutron Set-up Examples ...................................... 20
10. Preset Patches ....................................................... 22
11. Troubleshooting ....................................................22
12. Specications ......................................................... 23
13. Glossary .................................................................. 25
Thank you
Thank you very much for expressing your condence in BEHRINGER by purchasing
the Neutron analog synthesizer - with 2 x 3340 VCOs, analog bucket brigade
delay (BBD), soft-clipping overdrive circuit, 5 shape morphing LFO,
12 dB multi-mode 2 pole lter, paraphonic mode, semi-modular
and Eurorack format
3 NEUTRON User Manual
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized
20. Please keep the environmental aspects of battery
Important Safety Instructions
Terminals marked with this symbol carry
electrical current of sucient magnitude
to constitute risk of electric shock.
Use only high-quality professional speaker cables with
¼" TS or twist-locking plugs pre-installed. Allother
installation or modication should be performed only
by qualiedpersonnel.
This symbol, wherever it appears,
alertsyou to the presence of uninsulated
dangerous voltage inside the
enclosure-voltage that may be sucient to constitute a
risk ofshock.
This symbol, wherever it appears,
alertsyou to important operating and
maintenance instructions in the
accompanying literature. Please read the manual.
Caution
To reduce the risk of electric shock, donot
remove the top cover (or the rear section).
No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to
qualied personnel.
Caution
To reduce the risk of re or electric shock,
do not expose this appliance to rain and
moisture. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping
or splashing liquids and no objects lled with liquids,
suchas vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
Caution
These service instructions are for use
by qualied service personnel only.
Toreduce the risk of electric shock do not perform any
servicing other than that contained in the operation
instructions. Repairs have to be performed by qualied
servicepersonnel.
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus
(including ampliers) that produce heat.
or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding-type plug
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide
blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. Ifthe
provided plug does not t into your outlet, consult an
electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
11. Use only attachments/accessories specied by
themanufacturer.
12. Use only with the
cart, stand, tripod, bracket,
or table specied by the
manufacturer, orsold with
the apparatus. When a cart
is used, use caution when
moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid
injury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or
when unused for long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug
is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen
into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed
to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has
beendropped.
15. The apparatus shall be connected to a MAINS socket
outlet with a protective earthing connection.
16. Where the MAINS plug or an appliance coupler is
used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device shall
remain readily operable.
17. Correct disposal of this
product: This symbol indicates
that this product must not be
disposed of with household
waste, according to the WEEE
Directive (2012/19/EU) and
your national law. This product
should be taken to a collection center licensed for the
recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment
(EEE). The mishandling of this type of waste could have
a possible negative impact on the environment and
human health due to potentially hazardous substances
that are generally associated with EEE. At the same time,
your cooperation in the correct disposal of this product
will contribute to the ecient use of natural resources.
For more information about where you can take your
waste equipment for recycling, please contact your local
city oce, or your household waste collection service.
18. Do not install in a conned space, such as a book
case or similar unit.
19. Do not place naked ame sources, such as lighted
candles, on the apparatus.
disposal in mind. Batteries must be disposed-of at a
battery collection point.
21. Use this apparatus in tropical and/or
moderate climates.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
MUSIC Tribe accepts no liability for any loss which
may be suered by any person who relies either
wholly or in part upon any description, photograph,
or statement contained herein. Technical specications,
appearances and other information are subject to
change without notice. All trademarks are the property
of their respective owners. MIDAS, KLARK TEKNIK,
LAB GRUPPEN, LAKE, TANNOY, TURBOSOUND,
TC ELECTRONIC, TC HELICON, BEHRINGER, BUGERA and
COOLAUDIO are trademarks or registered trademarks
of MUSIC Tribe Global Brands Ltd. © MUSIC Tribe Global
Brands Ltd. 2018 All rights reserved.
LIMITED WARRANTY
For the applicable warranty terms and conditions
and additional information regarding MUSIC Tribe’s
Limited Warranty, please see complete details online at
musictri.be/warranty.
4 NEUTRON User Manual
About the Neutron
• Paraphonic, dual analog VCO design which allows for ingenious music
creation.
• Semi-modular design requires no patching for immediate performance.
• Dual 3340 VCOs authentically recreate the classic sound creation.
• 32 in/24 out jack patch bay for sound patching experimentation.
• 5 variable oscillator shapes with pulse width modulation for high quality
sounds.
• Blend or switch the OSC & LFO shape. A unique sound creation tool.
• Paraphonic mode allows both oscillators to be independently controlled.
• Audio-rate LFO with 5 waveform shapes, key sync, delay and MIDI sync.
• 2 assignable ADSR generators for modulation of VCF, VCA etc.
• 8192 stage Delay based on legendar y BBD (Bucket Brigade Delay) technology.
• Overdrive circuit adds grit and edge to your sound.
• Complete Eurorack solution – main module can be transferred to a standard
Eurorack case.
• 36 knobs and 7 buttons give you direct and real-time access to all important
parameters.
• Powerful 12 dB multi-mode 2 pole lter with three types, Low-pass, Band-
pass and High-pass.
• Assignable Sample and Hold with Glide for added creativity.
• Slew Rate Limiter for amazing glissando sound eects.
• White noise generator dramatically expands soundscape creation.
• Pure analog signal path based on legendary VCO designs.
• External audio input for processing external sound sources.
• Servo balanced mono output for the highest signal integrity.
• 3-Year Warranty Program*.
• Designed and engineered in the U.K.
*Warranty details can be found at www.musictri.be
5 NEUTRON User Manual
1. Introduction
An ultra-aordable leap into the warm world of analog synthesis, the BEHRINGER
Neutron gives you the power to create virtually any monophonic sound
imaginable with incredible power and ease.
The pure analog signal path is based on the legendary V3340 VCO chip with
variable oscillator and LFO shapes which can be blended or switched for unique
sound creation. For protection and convenience, the Neutron can even be
mounted in a standard Eurorack, making it ideal for the studio and/or the road.
Owning a Neutron gives you all the power of a monster modular synthesis system
in a exible package with the ability to create bewildering, complex sounds.
1.1 Before you get started
The Neutron was carefully packed in the factory to guarantee safe transport.
Nevertheless, we recommend that you carefully examine the packaging and
its contents for any signs of physical damage, which may have occurred during
transit. If the unit is damaged, please do NOT return it to us, but notif y your
dealer and the shipping company immediately, otherwise claims for damage or
replacement may not be granted.
1.1.1 Initial operation
Be sure that there is enough space around the unit for cooling purposes and, to
avoid over-heating, please do not place the Neutron on high temperature devices
such as radiators or power amps.
WARNING: The Neutron is supplied with a DC power adapter. It meets the
required safety standards. Do not use any other power adapter.
WARNING: Please make sure that all units have a proper ground connection. For
your own safety, never remove or disable the ground conductor from any units or
AC power cords in your system.
Innovative Multi Mode Filter
The very heart of the sound of the Neutron is its highly-exible 12 dB 2-pole
lter, which lets you freely experiment with the cuto frequency and resonance
to create out-of-this-world soundscapes. Neutron’s Filter Mode button toggles
between LFP, BPF and HPF. You can also adjust the at tack, decay, release and
sustain controls to aect the cuto frequency with time. A second lter output
allows further audio contortion with its own dedicated output from the patch
bay.
Distorted Reality
The VCA passes through the powerful sof t clipping overdrive circuit which can
add punch and bite to your creations. This section also features a diverse tone
control to further expand your creative palette.
Oscillator and LFO morphing
The exquisite ability to blend or morph the oscillator and LFO shape lets new
adventures in tone creation begin. By modulating these waveforms, psychedelic
sounds can be cooked up comparable to other synthesizers.
Poly Chain Ready
While it is largely a monophonic instrument (one note at a time) the Poly Chain
function lets you combine multiple Neutron synthesizers for polyphonic sounds.
Bucket Brigade Delay
The Neutron has an impressive analog bucket brigade delay section. Gone is the
cold digital delay chip found in most modern synthesizers and replaced by a
warm analog design. Eects from long dub delays to extreme chorusing can be
created.
1.2 The product manual
This product manual is designed to give you both an overview of the Neutron, as
well as detailed information on each of the controls and parameters. The manual
is based on the initial software release, V1.2.x. Further features may be added
later so please regularly check for software updates. You will nd an overview of
the physical control elements in the next chapter.
1.3 Preparation
CAUTION: Remember to turn your monitors/loudspeakers on last when powering
up your system. Turn your monitors/loudspeakers o rst when powering down
your system.
2. Features
A Past Classic Reincarnated
Great care has been taken in designing the Neutron to achieve new possibilities
in sound creation by reviving a legacy VCO chip from classic synths of yesteryear.
By creating a fresh modern take on a semi-modular synth, the Neutron gives you
the power to harness the prodigious sound of the V3340 chip. Colossal bass tones
through to screaming lead sounds can be achieved to take your sound conception
to the next level.
Paraphonic Performance
Semi-Modular Design
Designed around an elegantly clean, calculated work stream. The Neutron
benets greatly from its semi-modular design, which requires no patching for
quick operation. Just connect your keyboard or computer via MIDI or USB and
start exploring the versatile world of analog music synthesis.
Eurorack Ready
Designed to handle the rigors of life on the road or in the studio, your Neutron
can easily be transferred into a standard Eurorack case for the perfect integration
into your existing system.
Controls and Connectivity
The Neutron has 36 knobs and 7 buttons, all laid out in a highly-intuitive format
that puts the fun back into your music creation. Input and output connections
include: Audio input, MIDI I/O and thru over USB/MIDI DIN plus a full 32 input, 24
output patch bay for countless experiments into the world of modular synthesis.
You Are Covered
We always strive to provide the best possible customer experience. Our products
are made in our own MUSIC Tribe factory using state-of-the-ar t automation,
enhanced production workows and quality assurance labs with the most
sophisticated test equipment available in the world. As a result, we have one of
the lowest product failure rates in the industr y, and we condently back it up
with a generous Warranty program.
Paraphonic mode allows the two oscillators to be independently pitched when
more than one MIDI note is played. This gives tremendous tonal qualities by
hearing two pitches which can evolve and interplay with each other.
6 NEUTRON User Manual
3. Controls
3.1 Top Controls
(1)
(2) (3)
(19)
(12)(13)
(20)
(24) (25)(23)(18)
(5)
(4)
(6)
(7)
(8) (9)
(10) (11)
(45) (46) (47) (48)
(49) (50) (51) (52)
(53) (54) (55) (56)
(57) (58) (59) (60)
(61) (62) (63) (64)
(65) (66) (67) (68)
(69) (70) (71) (72)
(73) (74) (75) (76)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(21)
(22)
(77) (78) (79)
(80) (81) (82)
(83) (84) (85)
(86) (87) (88)
(89) (90) (91)
(92) (93) (94)
(95) (96) (97)
(98) (99) (100)
(37)
(38)
(26)
(27)
(28)
(39)
(40)
(29)
(32)
(41)
(42)
(31)
(30)
(43)
(44)
(36)(35)(34)(33)
(101) (102) (103) (104) (105) (106) (107) (108)(109)
7 NEUTRON User Manual
3.1.1 Oscillator Section VCO (Voltage Controlled
Oscillator)
(1)
(2) (3)
(5)
(4)
(6)
(7)
(8) (9)
(10) (11)
(1) and (3) OSC TUNE - Adjusts the frequency of the oscillators.
(2) OSC MIX - Adjusts the blend between oscillator 1 and 2.
(4) and (5) OSC SHAPE - Adjusts the shape of the oscillator. Can be congured
to switch between xed waveforms or to blend continuously between
adjacent waveforms.
(6) and (7) OSC RANGE - Adjusts the pipe length of oscillators between
32/16/8. +/-10 octave mode enabled when all 3 LEDs are on.
(8) OSC SYNC - OSC 1 will restart the period of OSC 2, so that they will have the
same base frequency.
3.1.3 LFO Section (Low Frequency Oscillator)
(20)(18) (19)
(18) SHAPE - Adjusts the shape of the LFO with the ability to blend between
waveforms.
(19) RATE - Adjusts the speed of the selected LFO waveform.
(20) KEY SYNC - Re-trigger the LFO phase with each new MIDI note.
3.1.4 Noise & VCA Bias
(21)
(22)
(21) NOISE LEVEL - Adjusts the amount of white noise injected into the lter.
(22) VCA BIAS - Opens or closes the VCA.
3.1.5 Delay Section
(9) PARAPHONIC - Allows the two oscillators to be independently pitched
when more than one MIDI note is played. If only one note is received, both
oscillators will play the same pitch.
(10) and (11) PULSE WIDTH (PW)- Sets the pulse width of oscillator pulse/tone
mod waveforms.
3.1.2 VCF Section (Voltage Controlled Filter)
(12)(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17)
(12) FREQ - Adjusts the cuto frequency of the VCF.
(13) MODE - Selects the lter type. Choose between High Pass Filter (HPF), Band
Pass Filter (BPF) and Low Pass Filter (LPF).
(14) RESO - Adjusts the resonance of the lter.
(15) KEY TRK - Applies keyboard tracking to the VCF.
(16) MOD DEPTH - Sets the depth of lter modulation from the FREQ MOD input.
(17) ENV DEPTH - Sets the depth of lter modulation from ENVELOPE 2.
(24) (25)(23)
(23) TIME - Controls the rate of the delay. When the time control is fully to the
right, the longest delay time is set.
(24) REPEATS - Controls the number of repeats or echoes.
(25) MIX - Adjusts the wet/dry mix. When the mix control is turned fully to the
left, no eect will be heard. Turning the mix control fully to the right will
give you the delayed wet signal only. With the repeat control fully to the
right, repeats will be innite and keep building.
3.1.6 Overdrive Section
(26)
(27)
(28)
(26) DRIVE - Sets the amount of overdrive. The drive control can be used to add
subtle overdrive through to wild all-out distortion. Turn to the left for gentle
warming or turn to the right for more aggression and bite.
(27) TONE - Changes the timbre of the overdriven sound. Turning the tone to
the left boosts the lows to create rich warm sounds. Turning to the right
gradually thins out the low end and starts to boost the highs to create sharp
cutting sounds.
(28) LEVEL - Controls the volume of the overdrive output. When fully o you may
hear no audio at the output.
8 NEUTRON User Manual
(77) (78) (79)
(80) (81) (82)
(83) (84) (85)
(86) (87) (88)
(89) (90) (91)
(92) (93) (94)
(95) (96) (97)
(98) (99) (100)
3.1.7 Envelope Section
Envelope 1
Envelope 1 is routed to the VCA CV by default.
(29)
(32)
(31)
(30)
(36)(35)(34)(33)
(29) A [Attack] - Controls the attack time of the envelope.
(30) D [Decay] - Controls the decay time of the envelope.
(31) S [Sustain] - Controls the sustain level of the envelope.
(32) R [Release] - Controls the release time of the envelope.
Envelope 2
Envelope 2 is routed to the VCF lter cuto via ENV DEPTH control by default. See
17. ADSR knobs 33-36 function the same as 29-32.
3.1.8 Output Section
(43) ATTENUATOR 1 - Used to reduce the amplitude of the input signal. ATT1 can
be controlled by a control voltage. See 58.
(44) ATTENUATOR 2 - Passive attenuator, reduces the amplitude of a signal.
Normalized patching routes the LFO to the oscillator Pulse Width inputs to
provide a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM).
3. 2.1 Patch Bay
Input Patch Bay Section
(45) (46) (47) (48)
(49) (50) (51) (52)
(53) (54) (55) (56)
(57) (58) (59) (60)
(61) (62) (63) (64)
(65) (66) (67) (68)
(69) (70) (71) (72)
(73) (74) (75) (76)
(45) OSC 1 – OSC 1 pitch CV.
(46) OSC 2 – OSC 2 pitch CV.
(47) OSC1+2 – OSC 1 and 2 pitch CV.
(37)
(39)
(37) VOLUME - Controls the output level of the synthesizer. The headphone
output is independent of the volume control and has its own control on the
back of the synthesizer.
(38) MIDI IN - Accepts incoming MIDI data from the selected MIDI channel.
3.1.9 Sample & Hold
Generates a random pattern based on the sample and hold clock.
(39) RATE - Controls the rate of the sample and hold clock.
(40) GLIDE - Sets the rate of change between sample values.
(38)
(40)
3.2 Slew Rate Limiter & Attenuator Section
(41)
(43)
(42)
(44)
(48) INVERT IN – The input signal is inverted at INVERT OUT. See 88.
(49) SHAPE 1 – OSC 1 Shape CV.
(50) SHAPE 2 – OSC 2 Shape CV.
(51) PW1 – OSC 1 PW CV.
(52) PW2 – OSC 2 PW CV.
(53) VCF – VCF signal input.
(54) FREQ MOD – VCF cuto frequency CV.
(55) RES – VCF resonance CV.
(56) OD IN – Overdrive signal input.
(57) VCA IN – VCA signal input.
(58) VCA CV – VCA CV.
(59) DELAY IN – Delay signal input.
(60) DELAY TIME – Delay time CV.
(61) E. GATE1 – Envelope 1 gate.
(62) E. GATE2 – Envelope 2 gate.
(63) S&H IN – Sample and Hold signal input.
(64) S&H CLOCK – Sample and Hold clock input.
(65) LFO RATE – LFO Rate CV.
(41) SLEW - The Slew Limiter is used to limit the rate of change in a signal. This
function is sometimes referred to as 'Glide', 'Glissando', 'Lag Processing', or
'Portamento'. The amount of limitation is set by this control.
(42) PORTA TIME - Controls the rate of change between MIDI notes. The eect is
o when turned fully left and increases when turned to the right.
(66) LFO SHAPE – LFO Shape CV.
(67) LFO TRIG – LFO Trigger input.
(68) MULT – MULT signal input. See 92/93.
(69) AT T1 IN – Attenuator 1 signal input.
(70) AT T1 CV – Attenuator 1 CV.
9 NEUTRON User Manual
(71) ATT2 IN – Attenuator 2 signal input.
(72) SLEW IN – Slew signal input.
(73) SUM1(A) – SUM 1 rst signal input. See 98.
(74) SUM1(B) – SUM1 second signal input. See 98.
(75) SUM2(A) – SUM 2 rst signal input. See 99.
(76) SUM2(B) – SUM 2 second signal input. See 99.
Output Patch Bay Section
(77) (78) (79)
(80) (81) (82)
(83) (84) (85)
(86) (87) (88)
(89) (90) (91)
(92) (93) (94)
(95) (96) (97)
(98) (99) (100)
(77) OSC 1 – Output of Oscillator 1.
(78) OSC 2 – Output of Oscillator 2.
3.2.2 Rear Panel
(101) (102) (103) (104) (105) (106) (107) (108)(109)
(101) INPUT – Mono unbalanced audio input using a ¼" (6.35 mm) jack cable for
processing external sound sources.
(102) OUTPUT – Connect to a mixer or audio interface using a ¼" (6.35 mm) mono
jack cable. Remember to turn your monitors/loudspeakers on last when
turning on your system and turn your monitors/loudspeakers o rst when
turning your system o.
(103) PHONES – ¼" (6.35 mm) jack connection to plug headphones in.
(104) PHONES LEVEL – Ensure the volume control is at minimum when putting
on headphones or when turning the synthesizer on or o.
(105) MIDI CHANNEL SELECTION.
Move the four dip switches to select the incoming MIDI channel for the
synthesizer.
(79) OSC Mix – Output of OSC 1/2 mix.
(80) VCF 1 – Main output of the lter.
(81) VCF 2 – Alternate output of the lter.
(82) OVERDRIVE – Overdrive output signal.
(83) VCA – Voltage Controlled Amplier output signal.
(84) OUTPUT – Main output signal, post delay.
(85) NOISE – Output of the white noise generator.
(86) ENV1 – Envelope 1 output.
(87) ENV2 – Envelope 2 output.
(88) INVERT – Inverted version of signal applied to INVERT IN. See 48.
(89) LFO – Output of the Bipolar LFO (-5 V to +5 V).
(90) LFO UNI – Output of the Unipolar LFO (0V to +5 V).
(91) S&H – Sample and Hold output signal.
(92) MULT 1 – Duplicate of signal applied to MULT IN. See 68.
(93) MULT 2 – Duplicate of signal applied to MULT IN. See 68.
(94) M IDI GATE – MIDI gate output.
(95) AT T1 – Output of Attenuator 1.
(96) AT T2 – Output of Attenuator 2.
(97) SLEW – Output of Slew.
(98) SUM1 – Summation of SUM 1(A+B).
(99) SUM2 – Summation of SUM 2(A+B).
MIDI CHANNEL DIP SWITCH SETTINGS
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16
(106) MIDI THRU – The 5-pin MIDI DIN connector is used to pass through MIDI
data received at the MIDI INPUT.
(107) USB PORT – Connects to a computer via standard USB cable. The Neutron
will display in your DAW as a class-compliant USB MIDI device, capable of
sending and receiving MIDI information.
(108) POWER SWITCH – Turns the synthesizer on and o. Make all audio
connections before powering on.
(100) ASSIGN – Assignable output. See User Congurable Options & Features.
(109) POWER INPUT – Connect the supplied power supply only.
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