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
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?
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
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.
How long would you say the lag is?
They spec it as a little over 100ms.
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?
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.
pretty sure the tech 21 boost RVB uses one. great reverb pedal by the way!
Quote from: Taylor on July 27, 2010, 03:48:21 PM
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
Wow, Sean, not just a DSP guru but a marketing genius as well. ;)
Quote from: Taylor on July 30, 2010, 04:50:25 PM
Wow, Sean, not just a DSP guru but a marketing genius as well. ;)
And that's why I'm so RICH!!!!!!
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
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...
Quote from: Taylor on July 30, 2010, 06:59:22 PM
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
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.
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.
Old topic I know but I just discovered my Blackstar HT40 Club has an FV-1 in it for the reverb.
Phil.
Recently released ToneWood amp has one.
http://www.tonewoodamp.com/
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.
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. :icon_biggrin:
Answering my own question, many years later:
Old Blood Noise
Catalinbread
Neunaber
Mr. Black
Earthquaker Devices
Red Panda
Keeley
Dr. Scientist (in the Bitrot)
Quote from: SeanCostello on March 12, 2016, 05:18:23 PM
Answering my own question, many years later:
Old Blood Noise
Catalinbread
Neunaber
Mr. Black
Earthquaker Devices
Red Panda
Keeley
Dr. Scientist (in the Bitrot)
Hello Sean, I haven't seen you posting lately over at the Spinsemi forum, I really liked following all your reverb threads. Hope your keeping well.
Quote from: Ice-9 on March 12, 2016, 06:10:05 PM
Hello Sean, I haven't seen you posting lately over at the Spinsemi forum, I really liked following all your reverb threads. Hope your keeping well.
Things are good! Been busy with the plugins lately. I recently released a new Shimmer cart for the Z-DSP (which uses an FV-1).
Not sure if this counts, but Blackstar uses the FV-1 for reverb in their smaller HT series amplifiers.
Quote from: SeanCostello on March 12, 2016, 06:32:07 PM
Quote from: Ice-9 on March 12, 2016, 06:10:05 PM
Hello Sean, I haven't seen you posting lately over at the Spinsemi forum, I really liked following all your reverb threads. Hope your keeping well.
Things are good! Been busy with the plugins lately. I recently released a new Shimmer cart for the Z-DSP (which uses an FV-1).
@SeanCostello , Cool, I also recently posted the source for a shimmer on the spin site. Rather than a huge shimmer it is quite a subtle one, based around one of Keith Barr's excellent reverbs.
@vigilante, Yeah that counts
To add another pedal to the FV-1 list
Subdecay - superstring theory reverb
add to the list:
Coldcraft effects
Alexander pedals
Walrus Audio Descent Reverb
Some of the ZCat pedals.
Quote from: SeanCostello on March 12, 2016, 05:18:23 PMOld Blood Noise
yes, specifically their Dark Star Pad Reverb. Btw it's funny that the FV-1 has two output channels, but the pedal is mono only. However the second channel is not disconnected, there's something going on, perhaps they're mixing it with the first channel or maybe they're feeding it back into the input?
Quote from: charonme on March 22, 2016, 03:53:05 PM
Quote from: SeanCostello on March 12, 2016, 05:18:23 PMOld Blood Noise
yes, specifically their Dark Star Pad Reverb. Btw it's funny that the FV-1 has two output channels, but the pedal is mono only. However the second channel is not disconnected, there's something going on, perhaps they're mixing it with the first channel or maybe they're feeding it back into the input?
Disclaimer: I know nothing about this pedal and reverse-engineering boutique pedals ain't my bag. This post is for general discussion/educational purposes regarding the FV1 only. :icon_wink:
I would guess it's used for the "hold" feature since the FV1 only has 3 control inputs, which are used by the knobs other than Mix. The switch controls can't be used for something like holding the audio buffer because the delay memory automatically gets wiped when switching to another program.
As I talked about 6 years ago on the first page of this thread (yeesh...
time), I've used the second channel for an expression pedal, but the same technique would work for momentary switches like holding a reverb infinitely or a Johnny Greenwood-style buffer hold effect. Send some audio out the second output, use the switch like a burst button switch (http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=76932.0) on this audio, send it back to the second audio input and read the level. If the audio gets quiet, do something in the code.
Quote from: charonme on March 22, 2016, 03:53:05 PM
Quote from: SeanCostello on March 12, 2016, 05:18:23 PMOld Blood Noise
yes, specifically their Dark Star Pad Reverb. Btw it's funny that the FV-1 has two output channels, but the pedal is mono only. However the second channel is not disconnected, there's something going on, perhaps they're mixing it with the first channel or maybe they're feeding it back into the input?
The FV-1 can only do a set number of calculations per audio sample. If you're building a stereo effect with the FV-1, it limits your ability to do more complex effects.
Not saying that's the case here, only that it's a possibility.