Doepfer MCV8 - cykong.com

Doepfer MCV8 Midi-to-CV Interface

The MCV8 is a very flexible midi-to-cv converter with various different modes, with 8 CV & 8 Gate outputs.

The CV can be configured to do the usual 1V/Oct or the Korg/Yamaha type Hz/V.

The Gate output can also be jumper configured to do +5V / +7.5V and/or the Moog type S-Trigger.

I got this around 2003/2004, originally planned to use on my Korg 800DV, but both the 800DV and the MCV8 are kinda taking up quite some space, and they never got round being hooked up.
So in June 2005, I decided maybe I should sell this off on eBay.

Strangely, although I see people mentioning their MCV8's on some websites (when googled on MCV8) but there doesn't seem to be any website with a little more detailed info and/or images for this interface. So even though I am selling this, I've decided to keep these info on my webpage for anyone who needs to find out about the MCV8.

MCV8 LOOKS / LAYOUTS

Front Panel

The front panel is very basic. 2 Number LED and 8 Buttons (with LEDs).

All operations, are done and stored by configuring these 8 buttons.

Rear Panel

The rear is also very simple and straight forward.

In the middle are eight 1/4'' jack sockets for GATE output, and another 8 for the corresponding CV outputs.

On the right, a power switch, standard IEC Mains Socket with fuse holder.
Below that, MIDI In & Thru, plus a small adjust/calibration trimmer.

MCV8 MODES & CONFIGURATIONS

The MCV8 Offers various modes/configurations:

Poly 8 (P8): 8-Voice polyphonic

All 8 CV outputs are pitch outputs (controlled by MIDI note on/off) on the same MIDI channel

Poly 4 (P4): 4-Voice polyphonic

The CV outputs 1-4 are pitch outputs (controlled by MIDI note on/off) on the same MIDI channel.
The CV outputs 5-8 are the corresponding velocity outputs (controlled by the velocity values of the note on/off events)

Poly 2 (P2): 2-Voice polyphonic

The CV outputs 1 and 2 are pitch outputs on the same MIDI channel, 3 and 4 are the corresponding velocity outputs, CV5 is the (monophonic) after touch output and CV 6...8 are controller outputs.

Single 8 (S8): 8-Voice monophonic

Each CV output is a pitch output on a different MIDI channel.

Single 4 (S4): 4-Voice monophonic

The CV outputs 1-4 are pitch outputs on 4 different MIDI channels.
The CV outputs 5-8 are the corresponding velocity outputs.

Single 2 (S2): 2-Voice monophonic

The CV outputs 1 and 2 are pitch outputs on two different MIDI channels.
CV 3 and 4 are the corresponding velocity,
5 and 6 the after touch, 7 and 8 controller outputs.

User Presets

6 user definable presets

So this is actually quite a useful / powerful 8 channel Midi to CV/gate converter.

The printed manual I have is in German, but DOEPFER keeps an English .txt file on their website, under older equipment section.

HEART OF THE MCV8 - THE INSIDE

Surprisingly, the inside is actually quite empty. Only 3 PCBs and a transformer!

To be honest, they could have made this a 1u 19'' rackmount.
Maybe that's what they have done in the successor, MCV24.
But the inside is quite neat, nicely connected with flat cables and header connectors.
Even the transformer connections are connector clips/pins (see below).

The main PCB, is located behind the MIDI sockets.

There is a programmable chip onboard, which carries the probably upgradeable firmware for the unit.
On this one is v3.1.

The CV/Gate Out Sockets are all soldered onto 2 socket board PCBs, 1 above 1 below:

The front, is basically an input & display PCB, mounted directly to the panel:

Viewing from behind:

TRANSFORMER

This particular MCV8 is 220V. Doepfer didn't include any voltage selector switch.

The transformer is a fixed 220V square transformer - so if needed for 110V, it can't be jumped.

However, I think they were prepared for this. All the mains were connected with clip/push-on connectors.

The transformer is simply a 9V transformer.
Since the case has so much space, I suppose, if one needs 110V, it is very easy to mount another 110V->9V transformer inside the case and connect these power wires to that instead.

GATE JUMPER STICKER !

In the middle of this free space inside the rack, there is this sticker label (in German), indicating which jumper to jump for configuring the unit to do Normal +5V or +8V Trigger or S-Trig.

I think this is why the 8 Gate sockets PCB is ABOVE the CV socket PCB, so that when user opens the case to configure the jumpers, the Gate board is the immediate top one.

As of 16th Jun 2005, my Doepfer MCV8 has now been sold
to Mr Tom Stuart, in Edinburgh, UK.

Doepfer MCV8 Midi-to-CV Interface

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Doepfer MCV8 (8 Channel Midi-to-CV Converter)