NOTE: Switchcraft “Tini-Jax” are the standard historical Buchla audio cable
connections and are just slightly larger diameter and longer length than
3.5mm connections. Many synth manufacturers now use 3.5mm cables.
3.5mm cables often work in a Tini-Jax jack.
COMMON BUCHLA SYSTEM STUFF
Before getting into the details of particular modules, lets pursue some items
that all 200 modules share in common. First the connections: Like its
predecessors--the 200, and 100--the 200e and 200h series differentiates
between control voltages, signals, and pulses.
Control voltages
(C.V.’s) are used to specify parameter levels, range from 0
to 10 volts, and are interconnected with banana jacks and cords.
Pulses
are used for timing information, and have two levels: 10 volt pulses
transmit only transient information; while 5 volts carries the sustain
information. Pulses, like C.V.’s, also employ banana interconnections.
Signals
(audio signals) are the raw material of electronic music, and ultimately
become the sounds we actually hear. They are nominally 1 volt in amplitude,
but can range from infinitesimally small to 20 db in excess of the nominal.
Signals are connected via Tini-Jax connectors and shielded patchcords.
Color-coding of cables and Banana Jacks:
Note that both types of patchcords are color coded to indicate their length-- a
handy feature in complex patches.
But more importantly, banana receptacles/jacks are color coded to indicate
their function:
C.V. INPUTS are black (and sometimes grey.)
C.V. OUTPUTS are blue, sometimes violet, and occasionally
green (such as velocity on 225’s).
Pulse INPUTS are orange*.
Pulse OUTPUTS are invariably red.
(*The Music Easel/208 includes some exceptions to the color-coding standard,
Orange is used for it’s association with the 208 EG fader and switch covers.
Yellow is likewise used for the 208 Pulser output, though it’s CV output is a cross
between a pulse output and a CV output.)
