Ixox PreenFM3

• Fabricant : Ixox
• Modèle : PreenFM3
• Catégorie : Synthétiseurs numériques en rack
• Fiche créée le : 11/12/2020

Description

• Several independent instruments (4 for preenfm2 and 6 for preenfm3).

• Powerful arpeggiator (Mutable-Instruments opensource algorithm) per instrument.
  • 1 gate effect
  • 4 rapid access performance parameters
  • The 4 instruments can be saved all at the same time in combo presets.
  • Each instrument has its own modifiable midi channel. They can share the same for FAT multiple timbres notes.
  • 28 FM algorithms from 3 to 6 operators
  • preenfm2 : 1 effect Slot per instrument (chose among 32 filters such as LP, HP, formant, crusher…)
• pfm3 has 16 voices what ever the number of operators is (pfm2 has 8 voices with 6 operators / 14 voices with 3 operators FM algorithm.). Each voices has:

• • 7 low frequency modulators (3 LFOs, 2 enveloppes, 2 step sequencers).
  • 12 matrix rows : 16 sources, 32 destination (LP, HP, gate, stereo, MI, attack…)
  • Arpeggiator, LFOs and step sequencers synchronizable on external midi clock or internal clock.
  • preenfm3 : Effect is per voice

• Operator features:
  • 7 builtin waveforms + 6 user waveforms read from the usb drive.
  • Stereo panning (at the carrier operator level)
  • 8 envelope parameters per operator. Time and level for 4 envelope points.
• Direct Scala scale file loading for microtonality. Up to 128 Scala scales selectable. pfm3 allows a different scala scale per instrument.
• Modular Randomizer
• Midi over USB
• Custom bootloader to make firmware upgrade easy
• USB powered
• Comprehensive user interface. pfm2 has a 4×20 characters display, pfm3 has a 240×320 color TFT display.
• Small, portable and easy to build
• PreenFM3 only : A built-in 6 voices sequencer (step mode and real time).
• PreenFM3 only : A mixer part.
  
  • The 6 instruments can use any of the 6 independant audio output (mono or stereo)
  • Microtonal scale per instrument.
  • Midi split and filter per instrument

FAQ

I'm looking for a DX7 emulation, should i build a preenfm3 ?

Short answer : No.

The preenfm can read DX7 file but the emulation is not great. The internal engine is very different.
Don't buy it if you're after a DX7 sound.
But if you're after a powerfull polyphonic FM synth with a flexible 12 rows modulation matrix and lots of LFO, a graphical display and a clear animated user interface : Go :)

Is the preenfm3 firmware open source ?

yes.

Is the preenfm3 open hardware ?

The main PCB is not. I need to sell PCBs to cover the expenses of all the prototypes i ordered for the preenfm3.
The control board is open hardware. So you can customize it adding new buttons, leds, encoders, pot etc...
I’ll also provide a version of the enclosure for 3D printing.

What are the differences with the preenfm2 ?

• More powerful MCU with more memory which allowed me to :

  • increase the number of voices to 16 with 6 operators FM
  • sample frequency is 48Khz vs 42Khz for the preenfm2.
  • The selected effect is now applied per voice and not for the full instrument
  • 6 independent instruments

• Unison mode (will be ported to the preenfm2 when i have free time).

• 240×320 pixels color TFT display for better UI and an oscilloscope.

• Midi filter and note shift per instrument.

• Scala scale per instrument.

• 3 dual channel 24 bits DAC to offer 6 independent audio outputs.

• Mixer section (Volume, pan, compressor per instrument)

• Sequencer section : real-time and step sequencer