Reon Driftboxes SE, J, and W

REON drift boxパフォーマンス Published on Mar 9, 2016

Note the video above is from March in 2016, so these are not technically new. Reon gear tends to be promoted via Japanese channels. As you can see their website is primarily in Japanese only.  They also do a bit of one off and customized gear. Check out the pink one!

Previously featured Reon driftboxes included the driftbox S, S ver II, R, Q, V, E, C, T, and G announced here, back in 2013. There were also modular versions and a Roland branded DriftBox R model announced in 2015. You can find demos and pics via the Reon label here.

BTW, the different spellings and capitalizations I'm using for Driftbox is on purpose. Roland branded it DriftBox with a capital D and B, and Reon interchanges between driftbox, all lowercase, and Driftbox with the capital D. I have also seen it as Drift Box.

That said, not featured here on MATRIXSYNTH before now, are the driftbox SE, J, and W. The following are some details Google translated from Reon.

driftbox SE 4 Voice-8 Paraphonic Synthesizer

Driftbox SE with the first digital oscillator in the series has 4 voice 2 DCO configuration, each DCO can select from 6 waveforms. It also supports MIDI input, enabling connection with a wider range of external devices.

Thirteen knobs arranged on a compact panel and two DCOs and VCFs are equipped with a Steiner-Parker analog filter, which emits that wild character unique to the driftbox series. And the "DRIFT" joystick symbolizing driftbox creates a complicated and brilliant sound that never can be produced by other synthesizers.

Operating principle of driftbox "cross modulation"

The driftbox consists of three blocks: cross modulation by VCO 1, VCO 2 and modulation of VCF. Modulation between VCOs by frequency in the audible range = In addition to FM modulation, VCF is oscillated and modulated to create a sound with more complicated change.

Features

8 Paraphonic-4 Voice-2 DCO, Digital Oscillator
Selectable from 6 waveforms
Oscillator · cross modulation
Hard sync function
"Cross-modulation operation with" drift "joystick
VCF: 12 dB / oct Steiner-Parker analog low-pass filter
AD / ASR Two EG and Reverse mode

Operable with MIDI IN, Ext GATE IN, Ext CV IN

Driftbox SE is capable of diverse cooperation with various analog devices. However, it can be connected simply to MIDI / CV / GATE compatible keyboard and used as a 4 voice digital synth. Below is an example connection with a CVCV / GATE compatible keyboard."

driftbox J Programmable Joystick

Sequence audio input with two joysticks
The first VCA / CV controller in the driftbox series

driftbox J is the first VCA-CV controller + sequencer in the series, assuming a combination of a driftbox S / R synthesizer and an external device such as a sequencer. Two large joysticks control the CV output on the X axis with VCA on the Y axis. Although oscillator is not installed in driftbox J itself, by inputting audio and CV / GATE / MIDI signal from the outside, it is possible to change the level and pan without changing the audio signal groove, output the processed CV It is possible to manipulate parameters of other synthesizers.

It corresponds to synchronization by CV or MIDI as master / slave, and in manual / loop mode it can record movement of two joysticks in real time with built-in 16 step sequencer. You can also use the step mode to input stick motion for each step.

Also, real-time operation with programmed VCA and joystick can be output at the same time. By integrating programs and manual operations, sequence changes and expressions that do not predict live performance etc. are created. You can also combine multiple driftboxes J to create more complex and radical movements.

Features

2 Joystick VCA controller

XY dual CV controller
2 C manual CV output control and attenuation
2 channel programmable CV sequence output
16 steps · Program memory

Step input and manual / loop input
MIDI / GATE synchronization

Master / slave operation with gate pulse signal
Slave operation by MIDI"

driftbox W Multi-Modulation Analog Synthesizer

Series strongest modulation function with 5 drift sticks
More free and brilliant analog sound

driftbox W is equipped with LFO in series analog fully 2 VCO + VCF configuration of series tradition, it is possible to make sound using up to 4 oscillators. Moreover, the "DRIFT" joystick is adopted in all sections, and the delay effect which can also perform feedback modulation is built in, and it produces a more versatile and brilliant analog sound more than expected.

Modulation by DRIFT stick

VCO 1/2: X axis - oscillation frequency, Y axis - Oscillator volume
VCF: X axis - Cutoff frequency, Y axis - VCF modulation level
EFFECT: X axis - Delay time (maximum 350 ms), Y axis - Effect output level
DRIFT: X axis - LFO frequency, Y axis - Output level

Operating principle of driftbox "cross modulation"

The driftbox consists of three blocks: cross modulation by VCO 1, VCO 2 and modulation of VCF. Modulation between VCOs by frequency in the audible range = In addition to FM modulation, VCF is oscillated and modulated to create a sound with more complicated change.

Features

Modulation with five "DRIFT" joysticks
Equipped with external output terminal of joystick signal
Adopt complete analog circuit
2 VCO configuration 0.1 Hz to 10 kHz sweep
Waveform selection function by volume
-24 dB / oct VCF Analog · ladder · low pass filter
Wave crossfade LFO installed
Built-in delay effect
Modulation with delay feedback
Equipped with two output terminals with delay mix and delay only
Oscillator · Cross modulation and hard sync
Operable with Ext GATE IN, Ext CV IN"