Nonlinearcircuits VCO Demo

video upload by Randy Piscione

"This is a demo of an older Nonlinearcircuits VCO, based on a Mikulic/Electronotes core with phase sync and pan-pulse circuitry from the Aries AR-338.

The video starts with a sequence, and scope shots of four of the five waveforms the VCO puts out. I didn’t bother with the triangle, but there is a pulse, then saw, then pan pulse and processed saw. These are eventually blended together, and then the left side VCO is faded in. This one is hard synced to another VCO. The equipment list is at the bottom of the description.

The PCB is not designed for Eurorack so I built a dual version to fit them behind a double panel. I originally built it in 2015, made a new panel in 2018, and it stopped working shortly after that. Each VCO required 50 hookups, so 100 wires, 200 solder joints. Ouch!

When it failed, for no apparent reason, I removed all of the point-to-point wiring, couldn’t figure out what happened, and put it aside for quite a few years. If only I had known then what I know now, the failure was a simple IC problem. I had purchased TL074s from eBay that turned out to be pirate versions. It would’ve been a one minute fix. I decided to tackle it again recently, and re-soldered all of the wires. Unfortunately, I used crap wire, so off those came, and I did it again! Still had some issues but with substantial help from John at PM Foundations, we were able to bring it back to life.

Sequence – Pamela’s Workout, Analogue Solutions Oberkorn, NLC VCO, PM Foundations 3080 VCO, Doepfer A-143-2 Quad ADSR, Bastl A B C (X2), Frequency Central Waverunner (X2), ALM Pip Slope, d:Machinery Red LFO, PM Foundations Mod+

Drums – PM Foundations ER-808 (TB-808 tribute)

Bass – PM Foundations SEM tribute modules (8080 VCO, 3080 VCF, ADSR-D, etc.)

String-ish thing – PM Foundations resemble (X4), Full Bucket FB-3300 VST, Full Bucket Modul Air VST

Lead – Mutable Instruments Anushri

Cameo pad – Roland Juno 60

I think that’s it."