MIDI jack standard?

[Haiku]

Just wondering if the Gecholoop's 3.5mm MIDI jack is wired to the "A" or "B" standard. I'm assuming it's Type-A, but don't want to damage anything...

Also, any update on the CV input capability? I've just got my hands on a Teenage Engineering OP-Z, and hope to start exploring the pair.

Loving the Gecholoop so far. It's such a lovely way to engage my ears and hear the world around me from a different angle! I'm currently recording local ambiences to an external device, so I can revisit them in Gecholand throughout the winter.

Cheers, Paul

[mario]

Hi Paul,

Sorry about the slow reply, the notifications were not set up correctly so I missed your post.

Just wondering if the Gecholoop's 3.5mm MIDI jack is wired to the "A" or "B" standard. I'm assuming it's Type-A, but don't want to damage anything...

Yes you're right it is "A" standard, like used by Korg, IKMultimedia, Make Noise and others (I followed the specification here and decided for that group of devices, so for example the Uno synth can be connected directly with a 2.5mm to 3.5mm Jack cable).

Of course better safe than sorry but the risk of damage should be very low, Gecho definitely won't get damaged even if the other device short-circuited its output. The other way around, if the incoming signal was reversed, it will just do nothing, next to the octocoupler there is a protective diode and a current-limiting resistor. Quite often I mistakenly connected one device's output to another, forgetting changing the I/O selector switch, but nothing happened - the voltages and currents involved are very low.

Also, any update on the CV input capability? I've just got my hands on a Teenage Engineering OP-Z, and hope to start exploring the pair.

It is on the TODO list, I definitely don't want to leave this bit unfinished therefore it's still printed on the front panel, next to that switch. But for the next update I want to finish everything around the MIDI first, and that is almost done. I don't have the OP-Z, but if it has a MIDI output then there is plenty of things you could already do with this combination.

Happy to hear you enjoy the loopsynth, if you record something to share with us, please do not hesitate to do so! 

Cheers,
Mario

[Haiku]

Thanks, Mario!

I have finally had a chance to connect and test, and the OP-Z (with MIDI/CV module) works beautifully with the Gecholoop. I'm simply using the OP-Z's "Module" track, set to MIDI channel 1. I'll have to experiment a bit more, but there's so much potential, and it's such a tiny combo...

The physical/electrical build of the Gecho is really impressive: nice attention to detail! I'm hoping to use it outdoors this winter, in some pretty chilly conditions (perhaps -20c). Are the electronics up for that, if I power it via USB from a warm, remote battery stuffed inside my jacket?

Thanks again for such an inspiring device!

[mario]

Thank you for your kind words, glad you like the loopsynth!

And that's an interesting question, we do not have such temperatures here so I do not have any experience with this. Most commercial components are rated at 0 to 70 degrees (as opposed to industrial or military components that can work at wider range), this does not mean that everything stops below zero but I think you may see the functionality slowly falling apart as the temperature goes down. Since it can survive water, it should be fine even if some condensation accumulates inside when temperatures change quickly (although it may stop working until completely dried up).

Components like regulators, CPU and sound chip produce a little heat but it is probably not much to keep them warm enough for long, maybe to make a difference of a degree or two (just guessing). Basically as in any device, nearly all input power is dissipated as heat (with exception of a tiny fraction that is transformed to the light or mechanical energy), the whole device takes less than 100mA, so at 5V that's below 0.5W which is almost nothing (good for batteries, not so good for low temperatures)... Please keep me informed if it froze or not

[Msmiley78]

I have the OP-Z and the GechoLoopSynth V2 in the plastic enclosure. I have the Line Module from TE in the OP-Z which has Midi/CV/PO out & in, and I've got it connected to the Gecho. I am just getting ready to break the surface of this connection between these 2 devices. With the latest Firmware in the Gecho, the OP-Z should be able to make amazing things come out of the Gecho.

I would love any walkthrough you've tried in terms of configuration of the OP-Z's midi settings. I saw you used Channel 1 with the module track, which I'll try. I'm going to try to figure out how to train the Gecho to use all the Midi Pots in the Midi screen of the OP-Z. I would like to be able to control it that way. I could also use the OP-Z and direct the midi via Ableton possibly, through the OP-Z.

These are complicated dreams that I am working on, my midi experience goes back to the early 90's, but this is a different beast.  I would appreciate all comments, if anyone runs into this still.

[mario]

Hi Michael, can't help you with the OP-Z but noticed that you have Chip Pro, what are you using it for? I've got it too, bought it when it came out, with a vague idea to turn it into a synth (everything that has a CPU can be a synth, right? ) but I never figured what to do with it. The specs looked very promising back then, and the price too, pity that it was discontinued.