DPO vs Spectraphon

video upload by Cinematic Laboratory

"So how do these two compare? Let's have a friendly 'competition' where both win, a bit of drama and some cool patch examples that show the major differences.

A short observation reveals a similar layout of two VCO's and an FM-bus in the center. But Spectraphon's deck-knobs are used for adjusting the bands in a parametric EQ, while DPO's knobs are used to design and sculpt waveforms. Spectraphon uses statistic models of captured sounds, DPO makes original complex sounds that just can't be captured in a spectrum array - and it offers a mighty wavefolder. So DPO is a fruit, and Spectraphon is a fruit processor that makes/blends juice.

It takes a lot of space to use both in a single case so you may need to make a choice. Using an XPO next to the SP brings you closer to the DPO and you can make a lot of new sounds, but again, the DPO's internal routings make all the difference.

There are four challenges in this video: the 'drone', 'sweet dreams', 'processing audio' and 'bad dreams'. Both modules meet at neutral ground, and can use the same configuration of Marbles, Ripples, Stages, Veils and Clouds. It's been a bit like playing chess against myself so there's no winner. In the 'drone' challenge they were limited to their own rows, the other challenges allowed using everything, including each other. These two rows make up really cool starterkits too.

00:00 Introduction
02:04 Challenge 1: The Drone
06:06 Challenge 2: Sweet Dreams
09:49 Challenge 3: Processing Audio
12:01 Challenge 4: Bad Dreams"