CV Out for external Hardware

[sasasch]

Hi.

I realised that my Audio Interface has DC coupled Outputs ( Motu M4) so I could use it to control my hardware synths ( TD-3, Hydrasynth ) via CV.
So I need a Rack extensions to do it right ?
Is there something availble or any ideas how I could do that with build in devices of Reason to get CV out ?
For example I would like to control the FIlter of the TD-3 since it it not possible via midi....


Regards
Sascha

[crimsonwarlock]

You need these: https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/bundle/cv-io-bundle/

[sasasch]

AH yeah, but CV out should be enough I think. Thanks

[ekss]

If you only need cv out then https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... -to-audio/ is enough.
Be sure you're audio interface supports outputting direct current (DC), and use the appropriate cables. Otherwise you might damage it. Read more about this here: http://www.expert-sleepers.co.uk/siwacompatibility.html

[challism]

AH yeah, but CV out should be enough I think. Thanks

Might as well buy the bundle, though.

[crimsonwarlock]

AH yeah, but CV out should be enough I think. Thanks

Might as well buy the bundle, though.

That was my idea as well

[ekss]

Might as well buy the bundle, though.

That was my idea as well

Agree, I just wanted to point out that there's the option for only CV out if that's what Sascha really wants.

[crimsonwarlock]

Agree, I just wanted to point out that there's the option for only CV out if that's what Sascha really wants.

I thought it to be obvious that they are available individually as well. However, for a tenner more he can have the bundle, and when out is working, it's just a small step to wanting stuff going the other way as well

[Faastwalker]

You need these: https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/bundle/cv-io-bundle/

Absolute GOD level send those RE's. Like Venus' arms!! I use with them with Expert Sleepers ES-3 and ES-6 modules to send / receive CV. But, if OP has a MOTU interface with DC coupled outputs (I believe most MOTU interfaces have this) then they may not even need these RE's. Check out this (now ancient, Reason 4) video from Reason guru Peff;

[crimsonwarlock]

But, if OP has a MOTU interface with DC coupled outputs (I believe most MOTU interfaces have this) then they may not even need these RE's. Check out this (now ancient, Reason 4) video from Reason guru Peff;

Wow, I didn't know that Thor could do such routing. This shows how powerful Reason is, try this natively with any other DAW

Not using any hardware synths myself, by the way, I sold most of my hardware gear about two decades ago. But I still have a soft spot for this kind of tech.

[Faastwalker]

But, if OP has a MOTU interface with DC coupled outputs (I believe most MOTU interfaces have this) then they may not even need these RE's. Check out this (now ancient, Reason 4) video from Reason guru Peff;

Wow, I didn't know that Thor could do such routing. This shows how powerful Reason is, try this natively with any other DAW

Not using any hardware synths myself, by the way, I sold most of my hardware gear about two decades ago. But I still have a soft spot for this kind of tech.

Pretty amazing what could be done back then with Reason 4 and the right type of interface. I was blown away by Peff's video when I watched it 13 years ago (he has a bunch of Reason controlling analogue gear videos on YouTube from the same period). Took me another 10 years or so before I reached Reason controlling external analogue gear nirvana myself. Got there in the end, thanks to Expert Sleepers and Robotic Bean + plus an ADAT I/O capable interface. Never did make it to a DC coupled interface. No need, thanks to Expert Sleepers and their amazing Eurorack modules

[selig]

I was about to try the whole Expert Sleepers approach back when I was shopping for a new MIDI controller. Ended up with the Novation SL mkIII which happens to include two channels of CV output plus clock. I worried it wouldn’t be robust enough (can’t handle audio rate modulation, for example) but I’ve not found it to be a limitation for every day work.
And it certainly beats the cost of a dedicated system and the extra connections required to make it work, despite the limitations - at least for my work. I also cannot bring CV back into Reason with this setup, but with all the amazing software solutions for modulation I’m not feeling the need to do this!

All to say, there are more and more options every day that don’t require workarounds, some even included in products you may use every day!

[sasasch]

HI,

back again. It worked with the Robotic Beans well. Checked it electrically also with on Oszilloscope before I started any connections.
But sadly recognised that the FIlter of the TD-3 isn't a CV input. . It is a FIlter In for Audio Signals, which does not help me to controll the FIlter automated. So, may be I will sell the TD-3 and buy the TD-3 MO which has better midi implementations.

[DJMaytag]

If anyone wants to get super complex with their CV/gate/clock/MIDI out rig, let me know and I can share a Combinator for getting all this stuff to work properly.

Finally got around to racking up the ES-6, ES-3, ES-5, ESX-8GT (x2), ESX-8CV (x2), & ESX-8MD. I used to have them in a RackBrute 3U.

[DJMaytag]

The Silent Way suite of VST’s is a really nice way to control a lot of the hardware I have above, but it has some other items like SW LFO, which is easily my favorite LFO. All the plugins have audio level outputs, so no need for conversion. As noted above, using the CV-IO bundle is needed for converting its audio outputs to internal Reason CV. It’s worth it to get both the CV-I and CV-O.

[Faastwalker]

Finally got around to racking up the ES-6, ES-3, ES-5, ESX-8GT (x2), ESX-8CV (x2), & ESX-8MD. I used to have them in a RackBrute 3U.

That's a lot of Expert Sleepers Lots of capabilities / possibilities there. How bloody good are Expert Sleepers. Super stoked with the ES-3 / ES-6 modules I use. Being able to send / receive CV and Audio to and from Reason using these (with a little help from the Robotic Bean's CV-IO RE's for the CV) is phenomenal. The bridge between Reason and modular / external CV gear (and MIDI as well in your set-up).

A lot of stuff is said about Live's CV Tools. Obviously, you still need a means to get the CV in and out of Live. But with that in place I'm convinced Reason is every bit as powerful, if not more so, for this type of thing. It's had devices that can do this since launch. But it rarely seems to get much attention. So good to see threads like this popping up highlighting this side of Reason.