Re: [AH] How to attenuate a trigger or gate

From Frank Bonarrigo
Sent Sun, Jan 13th 2019, 02:25

Mc-4 puts out 12 volts at the mPx and gate and I want to try and trigger =
drum modules. A higher trigger like that I believe would make it sound =
like the accent was always on. Or damage something?=20


> On Jan 12, 2019, at 5:11 PM, Brian Willoughby =
<xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx> wrote:
>=20
> Good question. I=E2=80=99ll let Frank explain his specific situation.
>=20
> It=E2=80=99s entirely possible that a modern module might be limited =
to 5 V inputs. I do not have any specific product examples, but digital =
modules are almost always limited to 5 V. There seem to be quite a few =
MIDI-to-CV and CV-to-MIDI converters that only work with 5 V, maybe +/-5 =
V. I get the impression that full +/-10 V and +/-15 V or even +/-18 V =
systems are getting more and more rare these days.
>=20
> Most vintage gear runs on +12 V or +15 V or higher power supplies, so =
a 10 V input is no problem for any of the transistors (discrete or IC). =
Granted, even a circuit running on 5 V could tolerate a 10 V input if a =
current-limiting resistor were added in series, such that the resistor =
would absorb the 5 V drop without slamming damaging current into the =
input. However, not all circuit topologies can work with just a =
current-limiting resistor. This is true for both discrete transistor and =
op-amp circuits. There are a few op-amps that actually specify that the =
inputs will tolerate high voltages so long as the current is limited to =
a specific maximum. I=E2=80=99ve seen some that can specifically =
tolerate +40 V or even +50 V even when the supply voltage is lower, but =
I would not assume that everything would survive this treatment unless =
specifically called out.
>=20
> Unfortunately, the passive attenuation solutions suggested might not =
work in all situations. It really depends upon the specifics of the =
gate/trigger input. An active gate/trigger level converter should work =
in all situations, because changes in the load of the connected =
gate/trigger input would not affect the output voltage of the level =
converter. In a passive converter, different loads will produce =
different results. The differences may not be important, but they=E2=80=99=
re there.
>=20
> Brian Willoughby
>=20
>=20
> On Jan 12, 2019, at 12:40 PM, Florian Anwander wrote:
>> Just a stupid question: What for?
>> I don't know any trigger-/gate-in circuit, that would require an =
attenuation. Or do you want to use the gate as control voltage?
>>=20
>> Am 10.01.19 um 19:07 schrieb Frank Bonarrigo:
>>> Are there any ways to attenuate a gate or trigger signal variably ? =
Im sure the answer is simple in modular format but are there jacks you =
can get? Like a conversion jack. Im having a hard time explain it. I =
know.  Some thing that would bring a hot signal down to a certain range.
>>=20
>=20
>=20