These Videos Show Digitana SX-1 Synth Can Be Noisy, Dissonant, Tender & Melodic

Remember the FSOL-Digitana SX-1 announced earlier this year? It's a 'stand alone expander' based around the Synthi AKS KS Expander. It is the result of ongoing collaborations between Digitana Electronics and the legendary UK band The Future Sound of London. It shares all the features of the Synthi AKS KS Expander but requires no Synthi to use it (though one can of course be used with it) and in addition has a host of new features described below.  

There have been a flurry of videos released via Digitana's Facebook page recently of the second ever SX-1 ever built. This machine has been on tour already and while we'd expect some strange drones, chirps, and otherworldy sounds to emanate from this synth, we were more suprised (in a very good way) when it came to the melodic sounds video. The later showed the SX-1 can produce tender, delicate, emotive sounds beyond the dissonance you might expect.

Let's start with this video first:

Before we jump into the next video, there's more details about the spec of this synth below. We'll intersperse the video within this.

DUAL ANALOGUE VCO

Each VCO features sine/triangle and square waves and 'wave-folding' (voltage controlled) that adds higher harmonics/distortion to each waveform for amazingly rich and varied timbres, even unfiltered! Each VCO is frequency controllable via CV1 or CV2 which can either be external or MIDI generated from the built in MIDI-CV converter or 'free running'. The frequency range of the VCOs is very wide, from LFO to high frequency audio. Two modulating waveforms are available (speed controlled by the Sample & Hold clock or LFO) via toggle switches to modulate the wave-folding of VCO1 and VCO2. These same waveforms are also available to modulate CV1 and CV2. All VCO1 and VCO2 waveforms are individually available either 'pre' or 'post' the filter/envelope/delay/distortion sections via 3.5 mm jacks.

SLEW LIMITER

A Slew Limiter (SL) which acts on CV1 and CV2, with separate control over the amount of slewing applied to a rising or falling input voltage ('attack'/'decay') by front panel pots. The slew rate is switchable between linear/logarithmic response. The latter allows for long slew times. Obvious applications of the SL is adding portamento (glide) to a pitch CV. The SL also has an invert toggle switch that inverts as well as slews the input. With attack and decay levels set at zero the SL can also thus act as a standard voltage inverter.

Here's a short video demonstrating the new distortion section of the SX-1:

OCTAVE SHIFT

Octave Shift is controlled by two front panel rotary switches, giving octave shifts of plus or minus three octaves, independently on CV1 and CV2.

LFO

Choice of triangle or square wave forms with variable shape. Hi/lo frequency ranges.

SAMPLE & HOLD (S&H)

LF398 based S&H with variable clock (panel LED shows rate). Input source is either from the LFO or the output of the slope generator.

DUAL ENVELOPES, ATTACK AND DECAY TYPE

Triggering via gate signals g1 and g2 (which can either be external gates or MIDI generated) or by the output of the slope generator. Bypass options are on each.

DUAL FILTERS, 24 DB/OCTAVE TYPE

Voltage controlled frequency with S&H or slope generator CV sources. Bypass options on each.

Here's a video of Alina's first test flight of our second FSOL-DIGITANA SX-1 synth .."this one built by her :0) . Just using two of the 9 audio outs, straight into 2 genelec monitors. No effects or any external cv/gate control in this test..just internal triggering. This prototype has some new features like a choice of vco1/vco2 or vco1+vco2 waveforms through the ekko delay either pre or post filter sections..."

ANALOGUE (BBD) DELAY

Analogue (BBD) delay section with a choice of audio inputs and voltage control of feedback via LFO or slope generator outputs.

SLOPE GENERATOR

Voltage controlled rise/fall envelope source with triggering via gates g1 or g3 (which can either be external gates or MIDI generated). Pot control of rise and fall times and levels. A toggle switch allows the generator to be in either one shot or auto re-cycle mode.

DISTORTION

This section can overdrive the audio output of the delay section with added LFO modulation.