What are all the devices that use the Spin Semi FV-1?

[SeanCostello]

Hi all:

I'm trying to track down all the devices that are known to use the Spin Semiconductor FV-1. This includes commercial pedals, homebrew projects, mixers, what have you.

I have heard that the Electro-Harmonix Holy Stain uses the FV-1. Any other commercial pedals?

Thanks,

Sean Costello

[Taylor]

I don't think anybody announces it and I haven't seen inside anybody's stuff using it. But, I'm fairly certain Kilpatrick Audio and Z.Cat are using it. This thing supposedly uses it too:

http://www.sergiospin.com/iSpin.htm

I'm using it for some of my stuff as well. Why do you ask?

[SeanCostello]

Honestly, I'm just curious. I like the chip, and am trying to see how widely it has been adopted.

A few modular synth manufacturers are starting to use the FV-1 as well. The Z-DSP apparently uses it:

http://www.tiptopaudio.com/zdsp.php?goto=features

Sean

[Taylor]

I'm definitely curious how they've handled the lag on the pot inputs with that. I would assume that CV lag would not be tolerated in a modular environment, but since they have voltage control of the 3 pots, either they've disregarded the lag or figured out a workaround. That's probably my biggest complaint about the FV-1.

[markseel]

How long would you say the lag is?

[Taylor]

They spec it as a little over 100ms.

[markseel]

So that's how long it takes for the value seen by the low-speed ADC to be place in a RAM location accessible by the DSP program?
Seems really long.
Perhaps it's long due to some kind of low-pass filtering or averaging of the ADC value to prevent spurious or large changes from producing some unwanted audio artifact?

[Taylor]

Yep, there's internal filtering on the pot inputs to keep them from jumping between values. I wish they had left that off and let us do that ourselves, but they didn't. I use a workaround where I send a low freq audio oscillator to a volume pot and then to the left audio input. Detect envelope on that and you get a pot input with no lag. The tracking on this is less precise though.

I'm just wondering how Tip Top dealt with that? If you have a modular where you send ADSR CV to one of the pot inputs and also to an analog filter, it would be really noticeable if the Z-DSP tracks the envelope 100ms later than the analog filter. Maybe I'll just ask them.

[cloudscapes]

pretty sure the tech 21 boost RVB uses one. great reverb pedal by the way!

[SeanCostello]

I'm just wondering how Tip Top dealt with that? If you have a modular where you send ADSR CV to one of the pot inputs and also to an analog filter, it would be really noticeable if the Z-DSP tracks the envelope 100ms later than the analog filter. Maybe I'll just ask them.

They could say that it models the natural lag found in optoisolators. The Buchla synths made heavy use of Vactrols, so they had some natural (asymmetrical) lag built in. Not to say that the FV-1's lag sounds anything like a Vactrol - but you could say that if you needed to explain something away in marketing.

Sean Costello

[Taylor]

Wow, Sean, not just a DSP guru but a marketing genius as well. 

[SeanCostello]

Wow, Sean, not just a DSP guru but a marketing genius as well. 

And that's why I'm so RICH!!!!!!

[Taylor]

Here's a trick for that:

rdax wallet,1
sof -2,0
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wrax wallet,0

[octfrank]

D*MN! I was a designer of the chip and even I didn't know that trick! Wonder if it will work on stocks and home values as well...

Here's a trick for that:

rdax wallet,1
sof -2,0
sof -2,0
sof -2,0
sof -2,0
sof -2,0
sof -2,0
sof -2,0
sof -2,0
wrax wallet,0

[Taylor]

Just be careful not to use an odd number of SOFs, or you'll wind up in deep debt to the Accumulator. And he didn't get that name for nothin'. His interest rate will make you cry.


Yay FV1 humor; I think I should get a nerd merit badge for that.

[Ice-9]

I know this is an old thread, but I thought I would mention that Fender use the FV-1 for reverb in the EVH5150 50 watt 2x12 combo. Nothing special about it just a basic plug in pcb with no Eeprom. I'm not sure but I doubt if they have had there own code burned directly to the chip.

[GuitarPhil]

Old topic I know but I just discovered my Blackstar HT40 Club has an FV-1 in it for the reverb.

Phil.

[Digital Larry]

Recently released ToneWood amp has one.

http://www.tonewoodamp.com/

[MetalGuy]

More info on which devices are built around the FV-1 can be found in the other forum where everything possible is gutted and traced.

[Ice-9]

A few of my commercial pedals use the FV-1

1. The Goldmine Reverb
2. eTap2HW and Baby Blue Tape Echo, firmware on this is the excellent etap2hw code designed by Piet Verbruggen.

A new design is on its way to DIY scene as well, which I think brings this to a new level of Fv-1 effects. 'GuitarPhil' knows of what I talk.

The FV-1 is a very popular and capable IC which brings DSP to the masses.