Please HELP! I need Sub Phatty firmware version 1.0.

[reyescult]

I need to get a hold of the original version of the OS that shipped with my Sub Phatty (delivered to me on 05/05/2013). I'm guessing it's 1.0, but maybe not.

Reason: I created a synth bass on the Sub Phatty that became the driving force for my first new track in over four years. I was nearing the point of tracking everything to audio when I decided to experiment with sending the Sub Phatty midi clock. Up until that point, I had not had any major issues with the Sub Phatty. Afterward, my nightmare had begun. In addition numerous oddities in behavior, my patch was all but lost.

I would boot the unit, and the patch would sound one way. I would send it external midi notes, and it would change and become close to the original. I would arrive at the preset (#15) from different locations, and it would sound different depending on the previous preset. I had found a preset combination that would get me back close to the original, but I did not track it when I had the chance. Instead, I updated the firmware to 1.2.3, and the preset was all but lost. Even when the preset is restored from the Sysex I captured before the update.

I have downgraded from 1.23 to 1.2.1 and to 1.1.5 (which is the earliest I have found on the forum), and nothing gets be back to the behavior it had exhibited prior to update. My guess is that the original preset I created sounds the way it does due to underlying issues or 'bugs' in the original shipping OS that may not be updating/displaying the actual settings correctly. I'm hopeful that downgrading back to the version of the OS that shipped with the unit will allow the Sysex to be recalled as it had sounded before the firmware update.

This has been absolutely heartbreaking as I am unable to recreate what was such an integral part of my first finished track in years.

[Amos]

the shipping version is 1.0.3; I'll post it in the morning.

[reyescult]

Thank you Amos! It is much appreciated.

[Amos]

OK, here is the production firmware, v1.0.3.
http://www.moogconnect.net/downloads/su ... elease.syx

I don't recommend using this version unless you are trying to recapture some special mojo from a certain preset...
there are a number of bugs which have been fixed in later versions.

to reyescult: I hope this version brings back the special qualities of that sound you're after.
If it does, please record the audio without delay, and send me the original sysex file and the audio recording.
My goal in making updates to the firmware was to preserve the sound of older presets as exactly as possible, while fixing bugs. There are some fairly elaborate "translations" which occur when loading older presets into the newer OS, and if your original presets don't sound the same it means I have some more work to do on the translation routines.
Thanks for your help.

Cheers,

Amos

[ul303]

Hi,

Interesting stuff!
I remember an interview of Jean Michel Jarre where he said something like "music comes from accidents".
Could a bug in the OS bring better of at least different sounds? Rather philosophical than technical thought

[reyescult]

@Amos

Amos, you are a life saver. Reverting back to firmware v1.0.3 got me back to as close as I was gonna get to the original patch, which is much appreciated.

In doing so, I discovered that Aftertouch may be at the root of the issue. In fact, I didn't realize Aftertouch was supported until v1.2.3. Aftertouch is definitely malfunctioning in v1.0.3. In addition, the preset seems to be recalled differently depending on which preset is active prior to selecting the new preset.

Test files are located here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/691 ... _files.zip

Test 01 scenario (Aftertouch related):

1. Load test_bank.syx into a Sub Phatty running firmware v1.0.3 directly after power up, and before sending any midi information to the unit from an external source.

2. Selet preset 15 and play from the SP keyboard. The patch should sound very dark with a very low cutoff setting. *However, if the unit is running firmware 1.0.3 and has never received Aftertouch, Midi Clock, etc., It may actually sound as it did when I created it.

3. Now play the SP from an external keyboard with Aftertouch at a high velocity value. The patch cutoff will be raised considerably, getting the patch back somewhere close to what was originally expected. The SP should continue to maintain this cutoff value even after selecting a new preset and returning to preset 15.

Test 02 senario (Preset selection related)

1. After performing Test 01, select preset 15 to insure it still has a brighter cutoff setting.

2. Select preset 13. It should be a variation of preset 15, but with higher settings for velocity to cutoff and filter env decay/release.

3. Re-select preset 15 and you will notice that the cutoff value has become brighter/higher.

4. Select preset 13 and play a few notes. This should be a relatively dark sounding preset.

5. Re-select preset 15 and you will notice that the cutoff value has lowered back to close to the original value achieved after Test 01.

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In addition, I have experienced an issue with the tracking of the Main Volume knob, as well has the SP going pear shaped after sending it Midi Clock.

My Setup:

Hackintosh:

Gigabyte Z68XP-UD3 with UEFI
Intel I7 3700K with 16 GB Ram, 500 GB SSD and nVidia GTS 250

Mountain Lion 10.0.3
Cubase 7.0.4
Sub Phatty connected via USB

Please let me know if you have any more questions. Thanks again for getting the release firmware to me so quickly.

[reyescult]

@ul303

We call those 'Happy Accidents', and I have had more than a few in my years writing music. I would argue this is exactly the case here, which makes it difficult to re-create.
I simply manually initialized the panel of an existing preset and created from there. I have no idea what any of the under the hood settings were. I definitely think is sounded the way it did due to some issues with the firmware.