Studio Electronics

collapse expand iconDescription

TONESTAR is an ARP® 2600-inspired synth voice, pre-patched like Pearlman's prodigy, and fully in-the-box modular, allowing for highpass/bandpass/notch filter tones, and bristling X-mod effects. Connect CV / gate and twist 'n' switch, or pull its tones and voltages apart one 3.5mm cord at a time.

26 knobs, 7 switches, and 21 jacks make for complex and satisfying signal flow, color and collisions. If it gets reedy, route the triangle wave around the VCF, and push that Sub.

The VCO is the same as the Oscillation, the Boomstar, and the Omega. It's kind of a combination of Arp®, Oberheim® and Moog® circuits (sort of a greatest hits), time-tested, very stable—very good tracking over a very large range. This module is a TONESTAR—its own thing—and not a 2600 clone attempt; nevertheless, the Tone tugs lovingly at times on the sleeve of the 2600.

It is a single oscillator, 2600 VCF, pre-patched and yet fully modular classic synth voice.. Its primary use would be as a go-to bassline/lead tool, or a premium quality, entry-level, complete synth module, for root-to-leaf sound design, and multiform analog exploration/expression.

26 Knobbed and "Shafted" Potentiometers
VCO: FREQUENCY, PULSE WIDTH, LFO (^), GLIDE, MOD (ADSR), SAW*, SQUARE*, SUB, TUNE; Noise: LEVEL; VCF: FREQUENCY, RESONANCE, TRACK, DRIVE, ADSR, MOD (LFO); LFO: DEPTH (OSC), SPEED; ENVs: (ADSR) ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, RELEASE, (AR) ATTACK, RELEASE; VCA: FEEDBACK (filter), VOLUME

7 Switches
VCO: OCT (up/down), FREQ/PW, NO VCF; VCF: FREQ/RESO; LFO: TRIANGLE/SQUARE*; ENVs: DRONE, MASTER; VCA: IN/MIX

21 Jacks
VCO: TRIANGLE*, SAWTOOTH*, SQUARE*, MIX, 1V/O, MOD IN; NOISE: NOISE (white); LFO: DEPTH, TRIANGLE*, SQUARE*, SPEED; VCF: EXT IN, FIL OUT, MOD IN; ENVs: MOD IN, ADSR OUT, AR OUT, GATE IN; VCA: IN/MIX, VCA IN, OUTPUT
Studio Electronics Tonestar 2600

collapse expand iconFeatures

All Controls—arranged in order of signal flow—and Patch Points
  • VCO:
  • FREQUENCY, PULSE WIDTH, OCT – +1/-1, LFO (^)FREQ/PW, GLIDE,
  • TRIANGLE*/NO VCF MOD (ADSR) SAWTOOTH, SQUARE, SUB, TRIANGLE, SAWTOOTH, SQUARE, MIX, 1V/O, TUNE, MOD IN
  • Noise:
  • NOISE, LEVEL
  • VCF:
  • FREQUENCY, RESONANCE, TRACK , DRIVE, FREQ
  • ADSR – Filter to ADSR envelope attenuator.
  • MOD (LFO) – Filter to LFO attenuator.
  • EXT IN – External audio input.
  • FIL OUT – Filter audio output.
  • MOD IN – Frequency or Resonance modulation CV input.
  • LFO:
  • TRIANGLE/SQUARE, DPTH (OSC), SPEED, DEPTH, TRIANGLE, SQUARE, SPEED
  • ENVs:
  • ATTACK, DECAY, SUSTAIN, RELEASE
  • DRONE/MASTER – Indefinite/instant sustain, and master mode for ADSR routing switch. Center off.
  • ATTACK
  • RELEASE
  • MOD IN –ADSR OUT – ADSR
  • AR OUT – AR Output.
  • VCA:
  • FEEDBACK, VOLUME, VCA/CV, IN/MIX VCA IN, OUTPUT
Details
  • PCB Mounting Scheme - Through-hole.
  • Filter - Discrete, voltage controlled, 24/db/oct cascaded transconductance low-pass filter, employing six pairs of hand-matched transistors.
  • Size - 32hp.
  • Depth - 35mm including connectors.
  • Power Usage - 130mA, 80mA (+12 / -12)