Oscillator Level

[Bryan T]

If I'm making a patch using a single oscillator, are there any reasons to set the oscillator level less than maximum?

Obviously, it affects the output volume, but does it affect other things? Like how the filter responds? The overload? The sound of the oscillator? S/N ratio?

Thanks!

[CTRLSHFT]

try it out! the filter section doesn't really overdrive much (if at all) on it's own at max osc level, but i wouldn't be surprised it you get a slightly different filter response with a lower signal going into it.

[Bryan T]

I did some basic experimenting using the Calibration patch. With the filter all the way open, I couldn't hear any difference between low levels of Osc 1 and high levels of Osc 1, as long as I used the master output volume to compensate for the volume differences.

Similarly, I didn't hear any differences in how the filter responded to the Osc 1 volume, as long as the master volume was changed to compensate.

Where I did hear a difference was with the Overload circuit. I did a lot of experimenting with the Overload turned all the way up. This compresses the signal quite a bit, so you don't have to tweak the master volume to compensate for volume differences when changing the volume of Osc 1. What I found is that lower levels of Osc 1 result in a darker signal, higher levels of Osc result in a brighter signal. That's potentially useful.

Bryan

[Spaghettaboutit]

If I'm making a patch using a single oscillator, are there any reasons to set the oscillator level less than maximum?

Obviously, it affects the output volume, but does it affect other things? Like how the filter responds? The overload? The sound of the oscillator? S/N ratio?

Thanks!

The main reason to change the volume of a single oscillator is that not every wave shape has the same volume....and that certain speakers will emphasize certain frequencies more....normally higher pitches with smaller speakers and lower pitches with bigger speakers....and depending on the wave shape you will have different frequencies emphasized over others....so in other words, if you are playing live and want all presets at the same volume, you might want to keep a square wave at a different volume then a triangle...

Hope this helps, or if this answers what you were asking...(hope I understood that right)