The simplest thing is connect the audio output of your Moog directly in to Channel X input. Set it for DC input, and input the range of 0.1V to 1V per division. You cust run a solid core (not stranded) wire wrapped around an audio cable into the BNC connection, although depending on your grounding situation adding a ground wire may improve your signal quality.
If you can ever get around to it, if there is an X/Y mode on your scope (doesn’t appear to be, could be wrong), the Lissajous patterns from pairs of filter outputs (BP vs LP, etc…) can be AMAZING. Providing there are phase differences, and I don’t think you can avoid this.
Assuming you just want to look at the audio output of the Sub37 you can start out with a PC Oscilloscope program that can receive input from your sound card. Just connect your keyboard to a line in jack on your PC and set it as the source for the oscilloscope program. I can recommend Christian Zietnitz’s “Soundcard Oscilloscope” for PC, which is free to use noncommercially.
I recently hooked it up with my Sub37 to better understand what the output of the oscillator looks like as it blends through the waveform shapes. It helped me train my ears to find the pure 50/50 square wave, and it can give lots of insight into what modulation routings are doing.
I just bought a pocket Oscilloscope through Amazon called the DSO202 for less than £100. It is about the size of a mobile phone and uses an LCD colour screen.
I connected the probe to a jack lead plugged into the Sub 37’s headphone socket and it works great !
Thank you all for your different answers / suggestions !
@ MRNUTTY :
What do you mean by " You cust run a solid core (not stranded) wire wrapped around an audio cable into the BNC connection, although depending on your grounding situation adding a ground wire may improve your signal quality. " ? Could you please reword it in simple terms for a newbie like me ?
What is an X/Y mode, what does it do and why is it usefull ?
@ Logarhythm :
Could you please tell me which settings you’re using for this program to look at the waveforms of your sub37 ? (If possible take some screenshots and post it here).
@ UncleToad
It looks interresting… Could you please post a video of your DS0202 oscilloscope (youtube or anywhere) so i could see a preview of it and also tell me which settings you are using ?
@qubits, not sure how much plainer I can make it: take a piece of wire and wrap it around the TIP of an audio cable plugged into your synth output, and poke the other end into the CH X input of your scope. If you get excessive 60hz, then you need to add a ground connection.
WRT to X/Y mode the CH X input would provide Y-axis displacement, and the CH Y input would provide X-axis displacement. Liekly as not, your scope can only do Y-axis displacement on either channel, and X-axis displacement is determined by the time base selected with Time/Div.
You are right it is more scope than you need, but the ones that ebay seller sells have been serviced and calibrated vs a used one you might find cheaper.
I went that route rather than purchasing the O’Tool module in 5U which cost about the same.
You can find some really good deals on some vintage scopes on ebay for much cheaper if you just want to monitor waveforms. No guarantees regarding how long they will last though.
Do you want to monitor waveforms or take real measurements and work on gear?
I’ve got some questions for the analog oscillocopes owners :
About the probe :
i see there are different kinds, actives, passives, what the difference between the two ?
I see there are 1x, 10x and 100x probes, what’s the difference between the three, which one should i use for the sub 37 and for let’s say a 50 mhz oscilloscope ?
If my oscillator is 50 mhz should i use a 50 mhz probe or can i use a 100 mhz or even a 10 mhz one ?
Is the connecting on the probes all the same (can i buy any probe (according to the setting 1, 2,3) for any analogic oscillator ?)
There are lots of smartphone apps that provide basic oscilloscope functionality (Free!) all the way up to pro-level features for $29.99. There’s even one for $399.99.
Yes but having a hardware analog oscilloscope instead of having a software oscilloscope is the same difference between having a VST of a mini moog and a real mini moog… If we are on a sub 37 forum, it’s because we love analogic machines, right ?
@qubits, that may be true. But if you’re only going to look at the output of the synth, then try a app scope first to see if it’s alll that interesting to you. Back when I had a modular PAIA synth and an X/Y there was a lot of cool stuff to look at - lissajous patterns! You won’t see that with the setup you’re planning.
It helped me train my ears to find the pure 50/50 square wave, and it can give lots of insight into what modulation routings are doing.
