Advice on using a Dreadbox filter with a Casio CZ-1?

[synchrosystem]

Hi all,

 

I got inspired to use my CZ-1 with a filter unit thanks to this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTXwDCDkOlM

 

However rather than a Dreadbox Erebus, I shopped a Dreadbox Whiteline filter. Now scratching my head wondering how I can pair this filter, normally meant to be mounted in a Eurorack, with the CZ-1.

 

Am I mad/barking up the wrong tree or is there a way to house this filter in its own little box (DIY even) and run sound from the CZ-1 through it?

 

The filter has a 16-pin cable and patch inputs on front. See linked pic.

https://media.sweetwater.com/api/i/q-82__ha-ebf9885967c1ebf3__hmac-594b869fbec7687a3e63dae597aaa4b292d388b5/images/closeup/750-WLFilter_detail1.jpg

 

Thanks in adv

[IanB]

Hm, okay, those are two quite different beasts. The Erebus is a complete synthesizer whereas the Whiteline is a module i.e. one part of a synthesizer designed to be built into a larger system of modules. Those modules then go in a case which has a power supply in it, which connects to that 16 pin ribbon cable. The power supply is simple if you understand such things, just 12-0-12 regulated and the pinout and other specs are here:-

 

https://sdiy.info/wiki/Eurorack

 

You don't need a box per se if you are happy with the mad scientist look with wires everywhere, but for neatness you would want one. Eurorack boxes seem to me to be a bit costly for a wooden box with a simple PSU in it, but OTOH they are made to a certain set of dimensions to fit the modules. As it is, once powered up you plug the CZ into "In" and the "Out" to your amplifier or mixer or interface or what have you. With that you can control the filter cutoff (tone) and the resonance (the whistly peak sound) manually. It won't however respond in any way to what you are playing, so you've just got a high tech tone control with Q.

 

I suspect the guy in the video is using MIDI out from his CZ to trigger the filter on the Erebus, so the envelope restarts when he presses a key on the CZ so it goes pew pew pew, doing that will require extra modules, at least a MIDI-CV converter and an ADSR envelope generator which you then patch into the Whiteline's control inputs.

 

So you may be barking up the wrong tree, in that modular stuff is more aimed at people who like fiddling with the electronics and patching things together with thousands of wires and shouting "IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!" rather than just getting on with a bit of sound shaping. So it depends how you see yourself really, and what further investments you wish to make.

[Jokeyman123]

Better off with one of the Behringer clone devices to hook up to the CZ-been tempted myself-the model D looks nice, so does the Pro-One clone-if you are interested in analog, these will give you something to do. 

[synchrosystem]

I hear you, Jokeyman! I have a Neutron I could run it through but its tasked for other things... so was thinking of an inexpensive additional tone control (with real time tweaking) for the CZ-1.

IanB, thanks for the reply. Scratching my head over the Dreadbox I got vs a MiniFooger (Drive/Boost?) vs the Dwarfcraft Happiness. Latter has CV options.

[Chas]

Cheapest option would be a Korg Monotron. They're noisy and only have a tiny handful of real time controls with no option for triggering from other sources (unless you modify them). However, you do get that unmistakable Korg MS filter to shape and colour whatever sound source you put through it.

[synchrosystem]

Hey Chas. Yeah, read about the Monotron. In the end I found an Electrix Filter Queen for a good price, will see how that works out when it arrives!

[Jokeyman123]

Do you have an XW-P1? Has an audio input can be processes with the XW internal DSP, filters.

[synchrosystem]

Jokeyman, I don't, but thank you!