SoundForce’s DCO puts a Roland Juno-60/106-style oscillator in your Eurorack rig

This ‘best of both worlds’ design offers analogue waveforms that are digitally controlled for extra stability. It features 10 faders that pay homage to classic Roland synths, while five sound sources are available (Saw, Pulse, Sub1, Sub2 and Noise). These can be mixed together using the faders and the Mix output jack.

The SoundForce DCO is an oscillator for Eurorack based on the architecture of the Juno-60/106 oscillator section. It is a modern homage to that sound using technology from the future. It provides true analog waveforms with digital stability.

Some tech-talk:
A DCO is not an all-analog VCO but also not a digital oscillator. It’s an hybrid design that combines the best of both. Similarly to many VCO’s, the DCO generates its core waveform, the saw wave, by charging a capacitor in an op-amp integrator configuration. A VCO will restart the waveform cycle when the signal has reached its maximum amplitude. But the DCO starts an new cycle when a micro-controller, a small computer chip, commands it to. The micro-controller also controls the rate at which the capacitor is charging, hence the frequency of the oscillator. As with a digital oscillator, the DCO acquires the CV input voltages and turns them into numbers that will later set the frequency of the oscillator. This is done inside the micro-controller using 16 bits sigma-delta analog to digital converters. All signals are true analog signals. The PULSE wave is derived from the SAW wave using a comparator and the SUB oscillators are generated using a flip-flop IC. Furthermore, the use of a very modern micro-controller with built-in 32 bits timers have improved the frequency accuracy a lot compared to the original design

Features:
The SoundForce DCO features 10 slide pots (faders) reminiscent of the Roland synths. 5 sound sources are available: SAW, PULSE, SUB1 (1 octave lower), SUB2 (2 octaves lower) and NOISE. The built-in mixer allows you to mix them together using the faders and the MIX output jack. The PULSE has manual pulse width control, as well as PWM with a CV input and an attenuator. An FM input is also available with an attenuator. The oscillator can be hard synced to another oscillator using the SYNC input.

Specifications:
– 16HP
– Frequency range : 20Hz – 14kHz
– Depth: 24mm (+ power connector)
– Power: +12V 82mA, -12V 26mA
– V/OCT input range -3 to 7V
– FM input range -5V to 5V
– PWM input range -5V to 5V