Teensy and Eurorack CVs

[jml]

Hi everyone,

I am currently trying to get hold off an Expert Sleepers ES-9 module to bridge Eurorack modules and my computer: The module allows sending back and forth Control Voltages, including Gates, Triggers, Modulation and Audio Signals at very high fidelity. Unfortunately, the module is completely out of stock and the one I ordered is scheduled to arrive in mid March.. While impatiently waiting for it, I was wondering how feasible it would be to use Teensy for a similar purpose: I.e., build a small module based on Teensy with many DC-coupled outputs (±10V) as well as DC-coupled inputs in the same range that allows sending all kinds of signals back and forth between Rack and Computer.

Searching around forums I came across the MAX11300 and breakout board which allow for mixed I/O for up to 20 channels. From what I gathered this would be simple to set up but I might run into precision problems (?). Would there be other chips/approaches you could recommend, or perhaps, from the get go recommend to not waste time on it but rather wait till mid March. Perhaps this is a deep rabbit hole that is unlikely to work out to satisfactory degree?

Cheers, J.

 

[mortonkopf]

@JML, I am using the MAX11300 breakout board in my setup for voltage output being controlled ny the Teensy, and precision is fine. I use its to output -5v to +5v, but as you say, it can also be set for 0-10v. I found the library created by Wolfgang Friedrich, 2014, very easy to use. The breakout module has SPI connections readily broken out, and there is a central block of 20 configurable input or output pins broken out. I have not used the module for input voltages, but this looks very straight forward also. The output voltages hold well, and sending slide voltages does NOT produce any noticeable stepped voltage changes.

 

[mortonkopf]

Here is an image of the relative sizes of the Teensy 4.1 and the MAX11300 breakout module.


there is a very short example of octave pitch and slide voltage here:
https://youtu.be/sTwCMwH0qiw

 

[jml]

Hi @mortonkopf,

thank you so much for sharing your experience with Teensy + MAX11300 breakout! It's great to hear that outputting CV works wells for your module -- I think I will give it a try myself then and explore how it handles inputs.

Cheers, J.

 

[mortonkopf]

of course, the MAX is only 12bit, so no ES-9 comparison, but will get you up and running. would be good to hear your experiences of cv input