Discussion about the Korg PolySix synthesizer group photo

Yahoo Groups archive

Discussion about the Korg PolySix synthesizer

Index last updated: 2026-03-31 18:47 UTC

Thread

[PolySix] can somebody comment on the procedur to calibrate a polysix

[PolySix] can somebody comment on the procedur to calibrate a polysix

2005-11-01 by Benjamin Wild

hello,
I just midified (verry simple: only midi in / note on/off) my polysix.
now, I'd like to tune each voice and adjust the filter parameters.

- when I do an apreggio I hear 5 even/slightly detuned sounds and one
with an accent..

here is a text version of the service manual.
could you comment it / tell me you experiences ..

benjamin wild


4.7. Pitch check and adjustment:
--------------------------------
Set OCTAVE to 4'; leave others at normal.

4.7.1 Change circuit board slide switch (SW1) to opposite position
(away from
VR1).

4.7.2 Play C6 and adjust VR11 to obtain 0 cent.

4.7.3 Repeat step 4.7.2 for units No. 0 .. No. 5.

4.7.4 Play C2 and adjust KLM-396 VR1 (= KLM-366 VR15) to obtain 0
cent. Do
this for one unit.

4.7.5 Set OCTAVE to 16', play C2 and adjust VR10 to obtain 0 cent.

4.7.6 Repeat step 4.7.5 for each unit. (VR3 is used to adjust for
deviation of
all units).

4.7.7 Play C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, and C6, and confirm that each unit's
deviation
is within specifications. (Refer to Poly-6 deviation standards).


10 | \____
|
\____ __
5 | \____
____/
| \_________________________________/
|
0
+----------------------------------------------------------------
C0 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6 C7

|<----------------- 4' ---------------->|
|<----------------- 8' ---------------->|
|<---------------- 16'----------------->|

PS-6 VCO octave deviation standards
at the final inspection at our factory


4.7.8 Check to confirm that deviation between adjacent octaves
is within
specifications. (For unit 0 only).
(Refer to VCO adjacent octave deviation standards).


+10 |
| ___ |
| \___ |
| \___________________________________
| \______
0 |
________________________________________________________________
| ______
| ___________________________________/
| ___/ |
| ___/ |
-10 |
C0 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5
C6 C7

|<----------------- 4' ---------------->|
|<----------------- 8' ---------------->|
|<---------------- 16'----------------->|

PS-6 VCO adjacent octave deviation standards
at the final inspection at our factory


4.7.9 Confirm that difference between 4' D#4 and E4 is within
2 cents.
(Switch between POLY and UNISON and check unit 0 only).

4.7.10 Switch SW1 to the front while playing C6 (stretch tuning)
and confirm
+8..+12 cent.

4.7.11 Confirm difference of no more than 2 cents between 4' G5 and
G#5. Unit
0 only is OK.

4.7.12 Confirm that KLM-366's VR1 is approximately in the center
position and
not turned in the clockwise or counterclockwise directions.

Re: [PolySix] can somebody comment on the procedur to calibrate a polysix

2005-11-04 by Johannes Hausensteiner

Hi,

When I do the adjustment, especially the VCO tuning, dont do it strictly
according to the serfvice manual. I do one voice starting from a center
position as the manual says, but then I tune the other voices to the
first one. It is easier to do because of the tone beating ("Schwebung")
and the result is better than tuning each oscillator seperately. But my
experience is that you cannot make it 100% exactly. - But it's analog!
That's why we love it.
The graphs show the maximum pitch deviation (tolerance) in Cent versus
the note pitch, which should be in the gvie limits. Normally you would
not care too much about those graphs but set it to "best compromise".
Regarding the "accent": Do the adjustment as told in the service manual
(section 4.8). This gives satisfactory results. If you dont have an
oscilloscope you have to use your ears...

Good luck!

Johannes


Benjamin Wild wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> hello,
> I just midified (verry simple: only midi in / note on/off) my polysix.
> now, I'd like to tune each voice and adjust the filter parameters.
>
> - when I do an apreggio I hear 5 even/slightly detuned sounds and one
> with an accent..
>
> here is a text version of the service manual.
> could you comment it / tell me you experiences ..
>
> benjamin wild
>
>
> 4.7. Pitch check and adjustment:
> --------------------------------
> Set OCTAVE to 4'; leave others at normal.
>
> 4.7.1 Change circuit board slide switch (SW1) to opposite position
> (away from VR1).
>
> 4.7.2 Play C6 and adjust VR11 to obtain 0 cent.
>
> 4.7.3 Repeat step 4.7.2 for units No. 0 .. No. 5.
>
> 4.7.4 Play C2 and adjust KLM-396 VR1 (= KLM-366 VR15) to obtain 0
> cent. Do this for one unit.
>
> 4.7.5 Set OCTAVE to 16', play C2 and adjust VR10 to obtain 0 cent.
>
> 4.7.6 Repeat step 4.7.5 for each unit. (VR3 is used to adjust for
> deviation of all units).
>
> 4.7.7 Play C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, and C6, and confirm that each unit's
> deviation is within specifications. (Refer to Poly-6 deviation standards).
>
>
> 10 | \____
> | \____ __
> 5 | \____ ____/
> | \_________________________________/
> |
> 0 +----------------------------------------------------------------
> C0 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7
>
> |<----------------- 4' ---------------->|
> |<----------------- 8' ---------------->|
> |<---------------- 16'----------------->|
>
> PS-6 VCO octave deviation standards
> at the final inspection at our factory
>
>
> 4.7.8 Check to confirm that deviation between adjacent octaves
> is within specifications. (For unit 0 only).
> (Refer to VCO adjacent octave deviation standards).
>
>
> +10 |
> | ___ |
> | \___ |
> | \___________________________________
> | \______
> 0 |________________________________________________________________
> | ______
> | ___________________________________/
> | ___/ |
> | ___/ |
> -10 |
> C0 C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7
>
> |<----------------- 4' ---------------->|
> |<----------------- 8' ---------------->|
> |<---------------- 16'----------------->|
>
> PS-6 VCO adjacent octave deviation standards
> at the final inspection at our factory
>
>
> 4.7.9 Confirm that difference between 4' D#4 and E4 is within
> 2 cents. (Switch between POLY and UNISON and check unit 0 only).
>
> 4.7.10 Switch SW1 to the front while playing C6 (stretch tuning)
> and confirm +8..+12 cent.
>
> 4.7.11 Confirm difference of no more than 2 cents between 4' G5 and
> G#5. Unit 0 only is OK.
>
> 4.7.12 Confirm that KLM-366's VR1 is approximately in the center
> position and not turned in the clockwise or counterclockwise directions.
>
>
>
>

Re: [PolySix] can somebody comment on the procedur to calibrate a polysix

2005-11-05 by Benjamin Wild

hello Johannes,
thanks for replying.. I didn't mark my problems, so you just did a
general comment..

I'm used to tuning a ms20 via a mcv1, so I know the basic problematic..
but as there seems to be not introduction in how the system works -
the manual is very cryptic to me.

what's the thing with SW1 ?

Show quoted textHide quoted text
> 4.7.1 Change circuit board slide switch (SW1) to opposite position
> (away from VR1).

maybe if I'd just follow each step, it will become clear - but most
times something 'obvious' is missing..


benjamin wild

Re: [PolySix] can somebody comment on the procedur to calibrate a polysix

2005-11-05 by Chromatest J. Pantsmaker

SW1 turns off all of the filters I believe... so that way you're only hearing the VCOs..


Show quoted textHide quoted text
----- Original Message -----
From: "Benjamin Wild" <wildjamin@gmx.de>
To: PolySix@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [PolySix] can somebody comment on the procedur to calibrate a polysix
Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2005 10:03:36 +0100

>
> hello Johannes,
> thanks for replying.. I didn't mark my problems, so you just did a
> general comment..
>
> I'm used to tuning a ms20 via a mcv1, so I know the basic problematic..
> but as there seems to be not introduction in how the system works -
> the manual is very cryptic to me.
>
> what's the thing with SW1 ?
>
> > 4.7.1 Change circuit board slide switch (SW1) to opposite position
> > (away from VR1).
>
> maybe if I'd just follow each step, it will become clear - but most
> times something 'obvious' is missing..
>
>
> benjamin wild
>
>
>
> PolySix "Digiest" Page: http://www.acc.umu.se/~amber/Poly6
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>



.sig
-Chromatest J. Pantsmaker
http://www.chromatest.net

Re: [PolySix] can somebody comment on the procedur to calibrate a polysix

2005-11-08 by Johannes Hausensteiner

Hi,

SW1 switches to "stretched tuning". This means that the overall tuning
is intentionally slightly out of tune. It is stretched a few cent over
the whole 5 Octave range of the instrument. This adds even more
movement and richness to the tone (additional note beating). That is
why you have to switch the switch to the other position during
instrument tuning.
When you are going through alignment and finally satisfied with tuning
accuracy and got the best from the instrument, you test it and you
think: nice, now it sounds really clean. Then you would switch SW1 to
stretched tuning position and you think: wow! what a sound ...

I wish you good luck ... and a fine experience for your ears (and
brain!)

Johannes



Chromatest J. Pantsmaker wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> SW1 turns off all of the filters I believe... so that way you're only
> hearing the VCOs..
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Benjamin Wild" <wildjamin@gmx.de>
> To: PolySix@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [PolySix] can somebody comment on the procedur to calibrate a polysix
> Date: Sat, 5 Nov 2005 10:03:36 +0100
>
>
>>hello Johannes,
>>thanks for replying.. I didn't mark my problems, so you just did a
>>general comment..
>>
>>I'm used to tuning a ms20 via a mcv1, so I know the basic problematic..
>>but as there seems to be not introduction in how the system works -
>>the manual is very cryptic to me.
>>
>>what's the thing with SW1 ?
>>
>> > 4.7.1 Change circuit board slide switch (SW1) to opposite position
>> > (away from VR1).
>>
>>maybe if I'd just follow each step, it will become clear - but most
>>times something 'obvious' is missing..
>>
>>
>>benjamin wild
>>
>>
>>
>>PolySix "Digiest" Page: http://www.acc.umu.se/~amber/Poly6
>>Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>
> .sig
> -Chromatest J. Pantsmaker
> http://www.chromatest.net
>
>
>