Mutable Instruments Veils

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User Manual3 pages

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Summary

About Veils Module

Veils Module Overview

Description of VCAs as building blocks and how Veils provides four VCAs with adjustable response and daisy-chained outputs.

Power Requirements and Indicators

Details Veils' power supply needs (-12V/+12V) and LED brightness dependency on current consumption.

Veils Controls and Signal Flow

Response Curve and Offset Controls

Explains the continuously variable response curve (A) and the positive offset control (B) for CV signals.

Gain CV Amount and Input

Details the Gain CV amount control (C) and the normalized Gain CV input (2) for modulation.

Signal Inputs and Outputs

Describes the DC-coupled signal input (3) and the daisy-chained signal output (5) with sum functionality.

Indicator LEDs

Explains the Gain indicator LED (1) and the Output indicator LED (4) and their function.

The Mutable Instruments Veils is a Quad VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier) module designed for modular synthesis systems. VCAs are fundamental components in modular patches, serving various purposes such as shaping the amplitude of sounds with envelopes, animating mixtures of oscillators, adjusting filter modulation with random sources or touch plates, and controlling the amount of FM applied to an oscillator. Veils offers four independent VCAs, each with adjustable parameters, making it a versatile building block for complex sound design and modulation.

Function Description:

The primary function of Veils is to provide four VCAs that can control the amplitude of audio or CV signals. Each VCA features an adjustable response curve, an offset control, and a gain CV amount control. The module's outputs are daisy-chained, allowing for convenient mixing of adjacent channels in groups of 2, 3, or all 4, without the need for external mixers.

Important Technical Specifications:

Power Supply: Veils requires a -12V / +12V power supply, connected via a 2x5 pin connector.
Power Consumption: The module typically draws 50mA from the -12V rail and 50mA from the +12V rail. However, current consumption can reach up to 70mA on either rail, depending on the color and brightness of the LEDs.
Gain Range: The VCAs can achieve very high gains, up to +30dB, particularly with an exponential response curve. Users should be mindful of potential clipping at high gain settings.
CV Input Normalization: The Gain CV inputs (2) are normalized to a constant +8V, providing a default modulation source if no external cable is patched.
Signal Input: The DC-coupled signal inputs (3) accept both audio and CV signals.

Usage Features:

Each of the four VCA channels on Veils offers several controls and indicators:

A. Response Curve: This control allows continuous variation between exponential and linear response curves. An exponential curve is suitable for more dramatic amplitude changes, often preferred for audio signals, while a linear curve provides a more direct and predictable response, often useful for CV signals. High gains (up to +30dB) are achievable with an exponential response curve, but users should be aware of potential clipping.
B. Offset Control: This control adds a positive offset to the CV signal. This is particularly useful for converting a bipolar LFO signal into a unipolar modulation, allowing for modulation that always stays within a positive range.
C. Gain CV Amount: This knob adjusts the amount of gain (amplitude) modulation received from the CV input (2). If no cable is patched into the CV input, this control acts as a direct gain control for the channel. When set to its maximum, a +5V CV signal will result in a gain of 1. CV signals above +5V may cause distortion.
1. Gain Indicator LED: This LED provides a visual indication of the VCA gain. Its brightness is proportional to the gain on a dB scale. The LED will turn off when the signal is muted, offering a clear visual cue of the channel's activity.
2. Gain CV Input: This jack accepts external CV signals to modulate the VCA's gain. As mentioned, it is normalized to a constant +8V if no cable is patched.
3. DC-Coupled Signal Input: This is where the audio or CV signal to be processed by the VCA is patched. Being DC-coupled means it can handle both audio-rate and control-voltage signals without issues.
4. Output Indicator LED: This LED indicates the signal level at the channel's output. Its brightness represents the signal level, and its color represents the signal polarity (green for positive). This provides immediate visual feedback on the output signal's characteristics.
5. Signal Output: This jack provides the processed signal from the VCA. A key feature of Veils is its daisy-chained output architecture. If no patch cable is plugged into an output, the signal from that channel is automatically routed to the next channel's output. For example, if output 1 is unpatched, output 2 will contain the sum of channel 1 and channel 2. If outputs 1, 2, and 3 are all unpatched, output 4 will contain the sum of all four channels. This intelligent routing simplifies mixing multiple channels without requiring additional mixer modules.

Maintenance Features:

Online Manual: A comprehensive online manual is available for detailed information regarding the module's operation and features. This is the primary resource for troubleshooting and in-depth understanding. The manual can be found at mutable-instruments.net/modules/veils/manual.
Community Forum: For help, discussions, and community support, users are directed to the Mutable Instruments forum at mutable-instruments.net/forum. This provides a platform for users to share experiences, ask questions, and get assistance from other users and potentially the manufacturer.
EMC Directives Compliance: The device is compliant with EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) directives. Users are advised to refer to the online manual for detailed information regarding this compliance, ensuring safe and proper operation within electromagnetic environments.
Power Connection Guidance: The manual provides clear instructions for connecting the power supply, emphasizing the correct orientation of the red stripe on the ribbon cable (-12V side) with the "Red stripe" marking on the board. This is crucial for preventing damage to the module.