Pittsburgh Modular - Lifeforms SV-1 Blackbox

Compared to many semi-modular budget- and starter-systems the SV-1 Balckbox really shines with its second audio oscillator containing a dual sub-oscillator as well. The MIDI implementation of this unit is pretty good either due to a flexible MIDI/CV converter. Pittsburgh Modular's popular state-variable multi mode filter has been used and a variety of handy tools completes this fine desktop synthesizer.

Blackbox SV-1 has plenty normalizations, making it possible to use the system quickly without any patch cords. For instance the MIDI/CV converter is pre-patched to the VCOs and other sections, VCO 2 modulates internally VCO 1, the the mixer's inputs and outputs are normalized to oscillators and filter, likewise the modulation routing is pre-patched. All normalizations can be deactivated with patch cords.

The MIDI/CV interface is equipped with a lot of outputs: 1V/octave CV, gate, MIDI Clock, velocity and one programmable CC output. In addition there are two outputs of a digital, MIDI clock synchronized LFOs. Alternatively you can patch an external clock into the bi-directional clock socket which overrides the MIDI Clock. This way the LFOs can be synchronized to the other clock.
The MIDI input is a 3.5mm stereo socket - a suitable adaptor cable for connecting a standard MIDI cable with a five-pin plug is supplied.
The MIDI interface also contains an arpeggiatior with various modes.

The SV-1 Blackbox provides two fully-fledged analog oscillators. The first one has five waveforms (blade, pulse, sine, triangle and sawtooth), PWM and sync. Blade is an unique waveform thats shape is modulated via the PWM input. VCO 2 generates four waves and just like the first oscillator it has a 1V/octave input and a FM input.
Besides that two sub-octaves are generated from VCO 1's signal.

The four-channel mixer internally mixes the oscillator signals but you can patch other signals as well, e.g. the noise from the Tools section or other audio material. The mix of channels 1+2 and 3+4 are available separately.

The nice sounding multi-mode filter offers three filter types: high pass, low pass and band pass. The cutoff CV input is equipped with a bi-polar attenuator which allows to invert the modulation's polarity.

Level is the VCA with one signal input, one signal output and one CV input.

Modulation-wise there are two generators: a LFO with two wave forms and an ADSR envelope.
In the Tools section we find the outputs of the sub-oscillators and the noise generators and a sample & hold circuit.
Besides that there's one signal amplifier with two outputs, a signal splitter and an output section with level control and headphone amplifier.