MFB Synth II

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"Sound wise the MFB-II has a pure analogue signal path (VCO, VCA & VCF) with three VCOs (VCO3 doubles as LFO) and a Moog-type 24 dB/octave lowpass filter, all just like Minimoog and MFB-I. However the MFB-II could Sync VCO2 to VCO1 and VCO3 has PWM. All VCOs have triangle, sawtooth and square waveforms. The pitch of VCO1 & -2 ranges from 4’-16’ and for VCO3 8’-32’, also VCO2 & -3 could be detuned by +/-1 octave.
Compared to MFB-I the VCO3 now operates one octave lower to improve bass sounds. With a shift click VCO2’s & -3’s Interval-knobs doubles as ring modulation adjuster (VCO1*VCO2 and/or VCO2*VCO3). The ring modulation is digital.

Among the most important new features are the two stand alone LFOs which modulate VCO, VCA or VCF. LFO1 offers triangle, sawtooth (falling) and square, while LFO2 triangle, sawtooth (rising) and random (yes!). The LFOs could be set to one-shot mode and work like mini-envelopes, i.e. they only play the waveform once and re-trigger each time you press a key. In the mixer part there is a knob to adjust the level of each VCO, the noise generator and Audio In. If there is nothing connected to the Audio In, the output of VCA is fed back to the filter in a Feedback loop, i.e. you don’t need any cable to do the Minimoog-trick! It is all done internally and the Audio In-knob adjusts the level, very clever little feature.

The filter controls consist of Cutoff (frequency), Emphasis (resonance, will self-oscillate) and Contour (amount). So far it is the same as MFB-I but Manfred Fricke has also added a Key-knob (keyboard follow). The filter envelope (ADSR1) now has a separate knob for Release which was not the case with MFB-I and others like Minimoog and Moog Prodigy. Like you would expect it works just the same with the VCA envelope (ADSR2).

There is three different modulation knobs; MOD.VCO, MOD.VCF, and MOD.VCA, to adjust the modulation intensity. These knobs are bipolar controls with different functions depending on left or right turning from centre. Turn MOD.VCO left and all VCOs will be modulated by LFO, turn right and VCO1 & -2 will be treated by the output of VCO3 (FM!). Left turning MOD.VCF activates LFO and right turn will use the VCO’s much higher rate to modulate the filter (Filter FM). The MOD.VCA chooses between LFO1 (left) and LFO2 (right) for VCA modulation level. The LFO2’s square wave could be set to modulate VCA for some typical tremolo effect.

The MFB-synth II receives keyboard velocity as well as Pitch Bend and Mod-Wheel information over MIDI. Velocity can control VCF and/or VCA. The Step Sequencer sends or receives MIDI Start and Stop (Sync). MFB-II also has a CV In but unfortunately no CV Out. One would wish it was the other way around so it would be possible to use it as a MIDI-CV interface. There is a dedicated knob for Glide control (transition speed)."