MFB SYNTH LITE II Operator's Manual
Operator’s Manual
MFB-SYNTH LITE II
General
---------------------------------Thank you for buying the MFB SYNTH LITE II. It is an analogue synthesizer module that
can be controlled by MIDI data. The SYNTH LITE II is monophonic and, therefore, can
play one note at a time. The unit’s sound engine is equipped with 83 memory locations
allowing you, the user, to access lots of different sounds, just by calling them up.
Setup
---------------------------------Plug the included power supply to the POWER jack at the rear of the LITE II. AUDIO OUT
connects to a mixing console or directly to your sound system’s amplifier.
To play the SYNTH LITE II connect the MIDI OUT of your keyboard or computer sequencer
to the MIDI IN jack of the module. External audio can be processed by connecting any
appropriate line level signal to the AUDIO IN jack. It is then passed to the SYNTH LITE
II’s VCF and VCA. Finally switch on the LITE II by pressing ON/OFF.
Function
---------------------------------The SYNTH LITE II includes all classic elements of analogue subtractive synthesis:
oscillators, voltage controlled filter and amp, envelopes and a low frequency oscillator
for modulations. Find detailed information below...
Oscillators
---------------------------------The LITE II has two main oscillators OSC 1 and OSC 2 that each offer selectable saw
tooth and square waveforms. In addition OSC 1 offers ring modulation (OSC 1*2) or even
triple ring modulation (OSC 1*2*3) if all LEDs are lit. OSC 2 also offers an impulse
waveform shape.
The octave of each oscillator can be set to 16`, 8` or 4`. Furthermore OSC 2 can be
detuned by INTERVAL at a plus-minus one octave range. With this control you access 32’
and 2’ octaves, coarse intervals and light detuning. INTERVAL only refers to OSC 2. The
overall tuning of the synthesizer is set by TUNE.
An additional 32’ square sub oscillator is available, too. Press RECORD and then control
the pitch interval with OCTAVE OSC2 (pitch down) and WAVEFORM OSC2 (pitch up). The
level is controlled in the same way with OCTAVE OSC1 (level down) and WAVEFORM OSC1
(level up).
Important: Make sure to press RECORD again after editing to avoid overwriting user
memories or sequences accidentally.
VCF
---------------------------------Each oscillator’s output is set with its LEVEL control. These signals plus any signal
connected to the AUDIO IN are mixed and routed into the voltage controlled low pass
filter. CUTOFF sets the filter working point. Any frequency higher than the cutoff
frequency will be attenuated. And since the VCF operates with 24 dB/oct the
attenuation is quite steep and effective. EMPHASIS enhances the CUTOFF frequency area
by boosting it. When turning up EMPHASIS fully clockwise the filter even starts to selfoscillate with a sinoid wave. It might be useful to couple the cutoff frequency to
incoming keyboard notes. This can be done in the System Settings by setting Keyboard
Follow to ON.
External signals connected to AUDIO IN are routed directly to the VCF.
CONTOUR adjusts the cutoff modulation by envelope ADSR.
VCA
---------------------------------The final stage in signal processing is the voltage controlled amplifier. Its shape is
controlled by envelope ADSR 2.
ADSR
---------------------------------The SYNTH LITE II has two envelope generators: ADSR1 (VCF) and ADSR2 (VCA). They
each offer four parameters. ATTACK (time from zero level to maximum level when
triggering a note), DECAY (time from maximum level to sustain level), SUSTAIN (level
while holding a note) and RELEASE (time from sustain level to zero level after releasing
a note). RELEASE has no individual control. It is either fixed in duration or equivalent to
DECAY (set in System settings).
LFO
---------------------------------The LFO (low frequency oscillator) offers selectable triangle, saw tooth and square
waveforms. RATE sets the oscillation speed between approximately 10 sec and 100 Hz. If
all three LEDs are lit the LFO is set to saw tooth one-shot mode. Here, the modulation is
not cyclic but runs through the waveform only once when triggered.
DEPTH sets the modulation target and intensity. Turn counter clockwise from centre to
modulate the oscillator section in pitch (or pulse width) with increasing intensity. Turn
clockwise from the centre position to modulate the filter’s cutoff frequency. Leave the
control in centre position disables LFO modulations.
Oscillator sync
---------------------------------Oscillator sync is activated if all OSC 2’s LEDs are lit. Every new wave cycle of OSC 1
forces OSC 2 to restart its cycle, too. OSC 2 is therefore controlled or synchronized to
OSC 1 frequency. With Sync activated, modulation will only target OSC 2, resulting in
intense timbres instead of pitch modulations.
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