Studio Electronics Midimini V30
December 2019 brings the SE Midimini V30 to the table, and nothing has been lost in the translation of this end-of-decade Analog essential. A raft of brand-new hardware features, extensive software sweetening, and modular connections open the window even wider to an already stunning Analog view.
It’s highlight time again:
- Through-hole build: Every. Single. PC board.
- Classic 4-pole, 24 db/oct Lowpass Ladder, with voltage-controlled Cutoff.
- 14 3.5mm (Eurorack) Outs-to-Outs compatible Patch Points, including CV & Gate
- New fancy COLOR vibe: ENV1>OSC2, OSC3>OSC2, Boomstar Hardware Ring Mod & Noise.
- Oscillator 2 Sync: Modulate (sweep) both OSC1 and OSC2 via ENV1>OSC2.
- Amp Drive: Boomstar Modular AMP saturation and overdrive, imported into ‘V30 world.
- Output Feedback loop and gain control—interacts expressively with Amp Drive.
- MIDI-syncable, AFM*-capable, multi-waveform LFO, routable to VCO and VCF.
- LFO Out patch point with level control, for deep modulation or oscillation creation.
- LFO Gate: LFO pulse of VCF/VCA from the SE-02.
- OSC 1 Triangle Wave to amplifier, for high Resonance/low frequency compensation.
- Envelope 2 Master Mode: ENV2 (VCA) assumes control of Filter (VCF) Envelope.
- Independent Release control of Filter and Amplifier.
- Flexible Linear and Exponential Glide.
- Front Panel-mounted External Audio input with level control.
- Handy Boomstar Drone feature for eternal sustain and easy tuning.
- Low/Last/High Note Priority, ENV1 invert, VCF/VCA dynamics & VCF (ENV1) Multi-trigger.
- Boomstar MIDI Learn feature for MIDI, Aftertouch, and Modwheel.
* Audio Frequency Modulation
Root Level Geeky:
Where we needed mil-spec audio tapers, because PC Mount tapers underperform in critical areas, we hand-wired in PEC Cantina pots (a commercial mill spec variant), for the attacks and decays—resonance too. The balance of the pots (PC Mount linear taper) are made by Alpha, a very good quality offering with heavy grease; strangely, the higher quality hand-wired pots use a lighter grease making them feel scrapey by comparison, but they are almost 10 xs as expensive, pushing up the V30 build cost a bit.
• Sturdy and reliable Mountain Switch toggle switches
New V30 Features (left to right)
GLIDE – Linear, Exponential—includes Filter—under versatile software control.
NOISE/OSC3 – Noise/Oscillator 3 Modmix selector switch.
CV OUT – Main Control Voltage Output patch point.
VCF – Voltage Controlled Filter Cutoff attenuator.
WAVEFORM – SE-02 Waveform shapes switch.
RATE – Audio Rate Modulation Modulation speed attenuator, with switchable MIDI SYNC.
LFO OUT – Lo Frequency Oscillator Output patch point, with amount attenuator.
MAIN CV IN – Main Control Voltage Input patch point. Main Control Voltage Input patch point (-10 to +10, internal CV is +/-5v).
OSC1 CV – OSC 1 Control Voltage input patch point—additive.
OSC2 CV – OSC 2 Control Voltage input patch point—additive.
OSC3 CV – OSC 3 Control Voltage input patch point—additive.
ENV1 to OSC2 – Cross-modulation of OSC 2 by ENV1 (filter) attenuator.
OSC3 to OSC2 – Cross-modulation of OSC 2 by OSC 3 attenuator.
RING MOD – Hardware Ring Modulation attenuator.
NOISE – Noise Output patch point.
OSC1 – OSC 1 Control Voltage Output patch point.
AMP DRIVE – Boomstar Modular AMP module’s amplifier saturation & overdrive circuit.
^1 NO VCF – Triangle to VCA switch—bypasses VCF.
FBK GAIN – Feedback Gain control (shares pot with EXT IN).
EXT IN – Front panel located External Audio Input with attenuation.
LEARN – Under the hood hub for MIDI Channel, Aftertouch, and Modwheel.
ENV1 INV – Filter Envelope inverter.
LFO GATE –Low Frequency Oscillator gate trigger of ENV1 and ENV2.
ENV2 MSTR – VCA Envelope override of VCF Envelope switch.
VCF CV – Voltage Controlled Filter Control Voltage Input patch point.
ENV2 OUT – Envelope 2 Output patch point with attenuator.
GATE IN – Gate in patch point (0-10 volts).
GATE OUT – Gate out patch point (0-10 volts).
FEEDBACK – Oscillator/Filter Feedback loop control.
REL1 – Envelope 1 Release (Decay) switch.
DRONE – Instant, indefinite VCA sustain switch..
REL2 – Envelope 2 Release (Decay) switch.
VCA CV – Voltage Control patch point—disconnects ENV2.
SPECS AND ARCHITECHTURE
All Sections—arranged in visual order (l-r).
GLIDE – Portamento (pitch slide between notes) attenuator.
LIN/EPX – Linear/Exponential Glide switch.
P. BEND – MIDI pitch bend attenuator.
VCF DYN – Voltage Controlled Filter Dynamics attenuator.
MODMIX/LFO – LFO/OSC 3/Noise Modulation Mix attenuator.
NOISE/OSC3 – Noise and Oscillator 3 MODMIX interaction switch.
CV OUT – Control Voltage Output patch point.
VCO – Voltage Controlled Oscillator 1-3 modulation attenuator.
VCF – Voltage Controlled Filter Cutoff attenuator.
WAVEFORM – Waveform shape switch.
RATE – Modulation speed attenuator.
SYNC – MIDI Sync switch.
LFO OUT – Low Frequency Oscillator Output patch point with attenuator.
RANGE (1) – Oscillator 1 octave switch.
MASTER TUNE – Master Tune attenuator.
WAVEFORM (1) – Oscillator 1 Waveform selection switch.
RANGE (2) – Oscillator 2 octave switch.
OSC2 FINE – Oscillator 2 Fine Tune attenuator.
WAVEFORM (2) – Oscillator 2 Waveform selection switch.
RANGE (3) – Oscillator 3 Octave switch.
OSC3 FINE – Oscillator 3 Oscillator Fine Tune attenuator.
WAVEFORM (3) – Oscillator 3 Waveform selection switch.
TRANSPOSE-LO/MED/HI – Master octave selection switch.
OSC CONT-KEY/PNL – OSC 3 Keyboard/Panel control switch.
OSC MOD – Modmix Modulation amplifier switch—MIDI modwheel controlled.
OSC2 SYNC – Oscillator 2 to Oscillator 1 hard Sync switch.
MAIN CV IN – Master Control Voltage Input patch point.
OSC1 CV – OSC 1 Control Voltage input patch point (additive).
OSC2 CV – OSC 2 Control Voltage input patch point (additive).
OSC3 CV – OSC 3 Control Voltage input patch point (additive).
ENV1 > OSC2 – Envelope 1 to Oscillator 2 Sync attenuator (SWEEP on the Midimini).
OSC3 > OSC2 – Cross-modulation of Oscillator 2 by Oscillator 3 attenuator.
RING MOD – Ring Modulation attenuator.
NOISE – Noise generator attenuator.
WHT/PNK – White/Pink Noise selection switch.
NOISE – Noise Output patch point.
OSC1 – Oscillator 1 Control Voltage Output patch point.
OSC1 – Oscillator 1 volume attenuator.
ON– Oscillator 1 on (off) switch.
OSC2 – Oscillator 2 volume attenuator.
ON – Oscillator 2 on (off) switch.
OSC3 – Oscillator 3 volume attenuator.
ON – Oscillator 3 on (off) switch.
AMP DRIVE – Boomstar Modular AMP module’s amplifier saturation & overdrive circuit.
ON – Amp Drive on (off) switch.
^1 NO VCF – Triangle to VCA switch—bypasses VCF.
FBK GAIN – Feedback level control (shares EXT IN pot).
EXT IN – External Audio Input—requires gate voltage—with attenuator.
MOD – On/off switch for routing modulation from the Modmix amplifier to Filter Cutoff.
CUTOFFF– Filter frequency attenuator.
EMPHASIS– Resonance or Q attenuator.
CONTOUR – Envelope 1 modulation to Filter Cutoff attenuator.
1/3 – 1/3 total amount of Key Tracking switch.
2/3 – 2/3 total amount of Key Tracking switch.
ATTACK – VCF Attack stage control
DECAY – VCF Decay stage control.
SUSTAIN – VCF Sustain stage control.
LEARN – Under the hood hub for MIDI Channel, Aftertouch and Modwheel.
GATE – Gate signal indicator LED.
ATTACK – VCA Attack stage control
DECAY – VCA Decay stage control.
SUSTAIN – VCA Sustain stage control.
PRIORITY LO/LAST/HI – Note trigger Priority switch.
ENV1 INV – Envelope 1 (Filter) invert switch.
MULT TRIG – VCF Envelope Multi-trigger switch.
LFO GATE – VCF/VCA LFO Gate switch.
ENV2 MSTR– VCA Envelope override of VCF Envelope switch.
VCF CV – VCF Control Voltage input patch point.
ENV2 OUT – Envelope 2 Output patch point with attenuator.
GATE IN – Gate Input patch point.
GATE OUT – Gate Output patch point (8.2 volts).
VOLUME – Main level attenuation.
FEEDBACK – Synth Output to External Input Feedback loop control.
REL1 – VCF Key/external gate release switch.
DRONE – Instant, indefinite VCA sustain switch.
REL2 – VCA Key/external gate release switch.
VCA DYN – Amplifier Envelope Dynamics switch.
POWER – Lighted switch.
VCA CV – Voltage Controlled Amplifier Control Voltage Input patch point.
AC INPUT – 500 mA; 100 Volts to 240 Volts AC, 50/60 Hz Input.
VOLTAGE – 115/220 switch.
MIDI THRU – Din.
MIDI IN – Din.
AUDIO – 1/4” TS.
PCB Mounting Scheme – Through-hole.
Filter – 4 pole, 24 db/oct, lowpass ladder filter, with voltage-controlled Cutoff.
Dimensions – 19” (48.26 cm) Wide x 6 1/8” (15.56 cm) Deep x 7.5” (19.05 cm) High – 4 rack spaces
