STUDIO ELECTRONICS MIDIMINI V30
Many can recall dialing up Midim-g/Midimini patches that fit a song so perfectly that they inspired even greater creativity; shapely, sometimes sinuous sounds whose essence called out to you; emotive sounds you never wanted to change; sounds you lovingly tracked, notated and revered; sounds as vital as the lyrics or lead vocal—that solid, insistent, articulate bounce, bravado, and twangy bang. Was there another sensible, MIDI-driven rackmount choice for immaculate synth bass and lead lines?
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:
• Metal shafted pots throughout
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
• Metal shafted pots throughout
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)
CON
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.
LFO
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.
OSCILLATORS
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.
COLOR
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.
MIXER
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.
FILTER/MODIFIERS
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).
OUT
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.
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
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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).
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.
VOLTAGE - 115/220 switch.
MIDI THRU - Din.
MIDI IN - Din.
AUDIO - 1/4” TS.
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
39 pots, 32 switches, 14 jacks
All Sections—arranged in visual order (l-r).
CON
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.
LFO
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.
OSCILLATORS
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).
COLOR
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.
MIXER
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.
MODIFIERS
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).
OUT
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.
Back Panel Connections
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.
Vitals
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
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