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Re: [Doepfer_a100] Understanding Mixers vs. VCAs

2013-11-12 by Florian Anwander

Hello Steve,

a VCA is an electronic volume fader. Instead of the knob you are using a 
control voltage. The A-132 is the most basic form of a VCA.

A (passive) mixer is several volume faders which sum up several input 
signals into a single output signal. It uses real faders or 
potentiometers with knobs. Sometimes there is also a knob for the output 
level. The A-138 has four inputs with knobs and a knob for the output.

A voltage controlled mixer is the same as a normal mixer, but it uses 
controlvoltages instead of knobs. (Doepfer does not have a real simple 
VC-Mixer. The A-135-1 is a combination of a passive signal adjustment 
and voltage controlled adjustment)


What might have you troubled is the A-130 and A-131. These are 
combinations of a two channel mixer (with knobs) and the output level is 
controlled by a voltage via a VCA.

And what might you trouble also: nearly each VCA module has also a knob 
which provides a voltage, that is used to control the VCA. So from the

Florian

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