If you need to convert triggers and gates but don't want to modify your valuable vintage gear - these may be useful... aimed at those with no electronics experience or simply if you don't want to spend time building your own converters. Initially designed for my own needs, I've tried to keep these converters simple and affordable.
*NEW* TC-X² MKII Universal Trigger Interface
Two channel trigger/gate converter. Independent channels can convert V-Trig to S-Trig or S-Trig to V-Trig. Automatically detects incoming gate or trigger signal and inverts it. Requires a DC power supply in the range 5v to 15v. The gate output voltage when converting S-Trig to V-Trig is dependent on the DC power supply used - a 9v supply will give a 9v gate or trigger, a 12v supply will give a 12v gate etc. A multi-voltage type psu is recommended as it allows you to choose the most suitable voltage for your particular synth - most will trigger fine with a 9v gate, some vintage synths will require a higher voltage to trigger their envelopes - check your owners manual for specific requirements.
Due to the varying mains voltages and plug types throughout the world, I do not supply a DC power supply - they are easy to obtain locally if you don't already have one in your studio. Negative tip, 2.1mm jack, 5-15v DC.
ABS case, non-slip rubber feet, 3.5mm mini-jacks, LED power on indicator.
£29.95 plus shipping. Order Info HERE TC-X² Universal Trigger Interface
TC-1 Trigger Interface - V-Trig to S-Trig
The TC-1 converts a positive going gate or trigger signal (V-Trig) to an S-Trig signal (+V to GND) as used by Moog and Korg.
The TC-1 is a passive device and requires no power supply. The 'Trig' LED indicates an incoming gate or trigger signal.
Some examples...
ABS case with rubber feet. Standard 6.35mm (1/4") jack sockets.
£21.95 plus shipping. Order Info here
TC-2 Trigger Interface - S-Trig to V-Trig
*Discontinued* - Now replaced by TC-X MkII Details Here
The TC-2 converts an S-Trig or +V to GND gate or trigger signal to a positive going V-Trig or gate signal.
The V-Trig output voltage is dependent on the DC power supply used - a 9v supply will give a gate voltage of approx 9v, a 12v psu will give approx 12v gate voltage etc. Most synths will trigger fine with 9v but some may require a higher voltage - check your synth's manual for specific details.
Requires a DC power supply in the range from 5v to 12v (not supplied). A multi voltage type PSU is ideal.
Here's a short demo - Korg KR-55 triggering a Sequential Circuits Pro-One via the TC-2. Thanks to Tom Höstmark from Sweden.
Some examples...
ABS case with rubber feet. Standard 6.35mm (1/4") jack sockets. Led power indicator. DC 2.1mm jack, NEGATIVE centre/tip.
£24.95 plus shipping. Order info here
*Discontinued* TC-X Universal Trigger Interface - V-Trig to S-Trig/S-Trig to V-Trig
Now replaced by TC-X MKII - Details Here TC-X² Universal Trigger Interface
The TC-X combines the features of both the TC-1 and TC-2 into one box. It will automatically convert V-Trig to S-Trig or S-Trig to V-Trig depending on the signal applied to the input. It will convert short triggers from drum machines or sequencers and also longer gate signals from sequencers and keyboards.
The V-Trig output voltage is dependent on the DC power supply used - a 9v supply will give a gate voltage of approx 9v, a 12v supply will give you approx 12v gate voltage etc. A multi-voltage type DC supply is ideal as it allows you to experiment with different output voltages. Most synths will trigger fine with 9v but some may require a higher gate voltage - consult your synth's manual for specific details. Always use the lowest voltage that provides reliable triggering.
The TC-X requires a DC power supply in the range 5v to 15v negative tip/centre, 2.1mm plug (not supplied). I recommend using either a multi-voltage type if you need to experiment with different gate voltages or a standard 9v negative tip polarity type if you know your specific synth will trigger ok with a 9v gate - most will. More details here.
*New Feature* - For V-Trig to S-Trig conversion the TC-X can be used without the need for a DC power supply in most cases - Korg, Moog etc. (For Yamaha CS range a PSU is still required).
Some examples...
ABS case with rubber feet. Standard 1/4" (6.35mm) jacks. Led power indicator. DC 9-15v, 2.1mm negative tip/centre.
£29.95 plus shipping. Order info here
*NEW* GA-1 Gate Amplifier
Many vintage synths require a gate voltage of 9v or more to trigger their envelopes - early Roland gear such as the System 100 and SH-5 for example. Also some ARP, Oberheim and Sequential Circuits machines. A 5v gate used by many modern devices will not reliably trigger these synths or even trigger them at all. The GA-1 Gate Amplifier takes a 5v level gate signal and boosts it to 9, 12 or 15 volts depending on the power supply used. It can be powered by a standard multi-voltage 'wall wart' type DC power supply allowing you to select a suitable gate voltage output for your particular synthesizer, or a standard 9v negative tip polarity type (Boss PSA or similar). Due to the varying mains AC voltages around the world, and the many different plug types, I don't provide a psu as standard. They are easily sourced locally if you don't already have one. Contact me if you have difficulty finding one and I'll help.
If you have a modern analogue sequencer that uses 5v level gate signals the GA-1 may be what you need to integrate your vintage synth.
ABS case with rubber feet, standard 6.35mm (1/4") jacks. Mini jacks available on request. Led power indicator. Requires a DC power supply, 2.1mm negative tip (centre negative) NOT SUPPLIED.
£23.95 plus shipping. Order info here