This page provides information on the physical hardware inputs and outputs used to transmit audio and non-audio (e.g. MIDI, CV, Gate, Trigger Clock).
For recording from another device’s line output. The line input uses TRS 1/4” / 6.35mm connector, which may accept a single-ended / unbalanced signal, a differential / balanced signal, or a stereo signal.
Input impedance: 4k.
For recording with an external microphone use the 3.5mm / 1/8” jack. Gain is set via the “mic gain” switch, which also affects the internal microphone. Stereo and mono microphones are supported. 4.5V plug-in power is supplied on the tip and ring of the connector, each through a 3.9k resistor.
The Deluge’s main audio outputs are two quasi-balanced (that is, resistor-balanced but not differential) 1/4” connectors. They will work with non-balanced cables too. For best noise rejection, use balanced cables when connecting the Deluge’s outputs to balanced / differential inputs.
Output impedance: 47 ohms.
Deluge will detect if only the “L / MONO” output has a cable inserted (but not the “R” output or headphone output), and will output all sound in mono.
In this case all panning and ping-pong delay will be deactivated, and stereo samples will be condensed to mono. This allows you to work on your music on a stereo setup, but not necessarily need to change anything if you are faced with a mono setup.
This can drive headphones, or can be used to connect other equipment with a 3.5mm / 1/8” connector - perhaps computer speakers or a car stereo.
Many functions on the Deluge can be controlled externally via MIDI commands. Common applications of this are:
Some MIDI commands are song-specific. With them, you can:
Song-specific MIDI commands
Other MIDI commands are “global” - controlling core Deluge features like playback and recording. Of these, some can only be set via the settings menu, but those functions with a dedicated button may be set up more intuitively, as described in this section. These are:
Global MIDI commands
The process for assigning an external control (the type which will send a MIDI note-on) to a function for which you can see a button / pad is as follows:
Now that MIDI control is assigned, anytime that you hold down the button, whatever buttons or pads that MIDI control is assigned to will blink pink - or just blink their normal colour in the case of non-pad buttons. To un-assign MIDI control from a button or pad, just press it while holding down the MIDI button.
And, you can now use the button or key on your MIDI controller to enact whatever function you assigned it to on the Deluge.
An individual sound within a kit clip may be set to be played via a MIDI controller (e.g. a keyboard) by assigning an individual key or button on the MIDI controller to that sound (i.e. row)’s audition pad.
Setting up a MIDI keyboard to play a synth clip the way one would normally play a keyboard, i.e. with each key corresponding to a different note, is a similar process: while in clip view for the track, hold down the learn button, then hold down any audition pad, and then press any key on the MIDI keyboard.
This same process can be used on a CV clip to cause incoming MIDI to control a CV / gate output, effectively turning the Deluge into a MIDI-to-CV/gate converter.
Song-specific MIDI commands are saved along with the song. Global ones, once set, remain the same no matter what song you are working on.
MIDI controllers with knobs that send CC messages can also be set up to control synth and sound parameters in the Deluge.
The Deluge has two 5 DIN MIDI ports for MIDI Input and Output.
The Deluge’s USB type-B connection can be used as a connection to your computer as a USB MIDI device, for use in any software that supports MIDI.
The Deluge can use its USB type-B connection to act as a USB Host. This requires Deluge to be DC powered, a USB device connected and then Deluge to be powered up.
| Message type | Message description | Transmitted | Recognised |
|---|---|---|---|
| Velocity | Note ON | YES | YES |
| Velocity | Note OFF | NO | NO |
| Aftertouch / Pressure | Polyphonic | YES | YES |
| Aftertouch / Pressure | Channel | YES | YES |
| Pitch bend | - | YES | YES |
| CC, general | - | YES (Where numbers assigned by user - see MIDI CC control and sequencing) | YES (Parameter must be “learned” by user - see Assigning knobs to parameters) |
| Bank select | CC 0 | YES | NO |
| Bank select | CC 32 | YES | NO |
| PGM change | - | YES | NO |
| Channel mode | All sound off | NO | NO |
| Channel mode | Reset all controllers | NO | NO |
| Channel mode | Local control | NO | NO |
| Channel mode | All notes off | NO | YES |
| System common | System exclusive | NO | NO |
| System common | MIDI Time Code Quarter Frame | NO | NO |
| System common | Song position pointer | YES | YES |
| System common | Song select | NO | NO |
| System common | Tune request | NO | NO |
| System real-time | Clock | YES* | YES |
| System real-time | Start | YES* | YES |
| System real-time | Continue | YES* | YES |
| System real-time | Stop | YES* | YES |
| System real-time | Stop | YES* | YES |
| System real-time | Active sensing | NO | NO |
| System real-time | Reset | NO | NO |
As well as audio sounds, rows in a kit may be set to output a set MIDI note. This makes it convenient to sequence MIDI notes together which might be far apart or even on different channels.
To set a selected kit row to output midi:
Once that is set, holding down the row’s audition pad will show the MIDI output’s info on the display.
Turning the two gold knobs (while still holding the audition pad) will change the channel and note respectively for that row.
For interfacing with analog hardware, the Deluge includes 2 CV outputs, 4 gate outputs (which may also be set individually to output a trigger clock and / or “run” signal), and a trigger clock input.
These all have the signal on their “tip”, ground on their “sleeve”, and their “ring” connected to ground via a 10k resistor.
CV and gate, to describe them briefly, are an analog means of transmitting monophonic note information between devices. They were common before the advent of MIDI, and are still used on some modern analog hardware, particularly that of modular or boutique varieties. CV (control voltage) represents pitch as an analog DC voltage, and gate (sometimes known as “trigger”) indicates whether the note is currently “on” or “off”. A CV-gate pair is commonly used together.
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to research adequately the compatibility and safety of connecting the Deluge’s CV and gate outputs to as many varieties of other equipment as possible. However, due to the nonstandard nature of CV and gate and the limitless ways in which users may choose to use these signals, Synthstrom Audible takes no responsibility for any ill effect caused by your use of these outputs. It is up to the user to, for instance, verify whether a given connected piece of equipment will operate correctly and safely given the range of voltages that the Deluge may output.
In particular, if you intend to use one of the gate outputs as a trigger clock, see the warning about output voltage in the trigger clock section below.
CV and gate are notoriously nonstandard. Different synthesizers expect to see pitch represented with voltage (CV) according to different standards, and their gate / trigger inputs may be either polarity.
The Deluge has been designed to support the widest range of CV / gate standards possible. A number of settings are available in the settings menu.
Each CV output may be set, in 0.01V increments, to any value between 0.01V and 2.00V per octave, or to “Hz per volt”.
Analog synthesizer manufacturers typically adopt one of several standards here:
| Standard | Used by |
|---|---|
| Hz per volt | Yamaha and Korg |
| 1V per octave | Moog, Roland, ARP and Doepfer |
| 1.2V per octave | Buchla and EML |
| 0.32V per octave | EMS |
| 0.26V per octave | Used on oscillator 3 of the EMS VCS3 |
And each gate output may be set to either of:
| Gate output type | Description | Used by |
|---|---|---|
| V-trig | represents a note being on by outputting a positive voltage (12V or 5V selectable), and outputs 0V the rest of the time. | Roland, Sequential Circuits and ARP |
| S-trig | represents a note being on by “shorting” out the output to ground. When the note is off, the the Deluge “pulls up” the output’s voltage to 12V or 5V (selectable) with a 10K resistor: this is not a strict part of the S-trig standard but many devices do this and it is believed to be fully compatible and safe (see disclaimer above), and is in fact necessary (*) for Yamaha synthesizers. | Yamaha, Korg and Moog |
Switching Gate Output Voltage
The Deluge’s gate output voltage may be switched between 5V and 12V via the small toggle switch located on the Deluge’s top panel by the gate outputs.
The Deluge’s CV outputs’ range is 0V to 10V.
The Deluge has a “trigger clock” input, allowing it to play as a slave to hardware which outputs a clock signal containing any number of “pulses per quarter-note” (PPQN). It can accept any voltage between 3.3V and 12V. Clock steps are read on the rising edge of the pulses. A device which has a DIN SYNC output could have pin 3 of this connector routed to the tip of the Deluge’s trigger clock input. PPQN can be set, along with an auto-start setting, in the settings menu. For more information about having the Deluge play as a slave to an external clock source (which could also be a MIDI beat clock), see Tempo and syncing.
If you wish to use the Deluge as a syncing master to send a trigger clock signal to other devices, gate output 4 can be set to output a trigger clock signal, and / or gate 3 can be set to output a “run” signal (goes high while playback is occurring; low otherwise). These output assignments are accessible via the settings menu, as is the trigger clock output PPQN setting.
IMPORTANT
Many devices which receive a trigger clock signal, particularly those whose input is a DIN SYNC, aren’t happy to receive any more than 5V on these inputs.
To set a clip to output CV / gate:
It will now be a CV track, as opposed to a synth, kit or MIDI track. Its notes’ pitch will be output as a voltage on whichever CV output channel you have selected (turn the select knob to change), and the gate output of the same number will convey whether a note is currently “on” or not.
The Deluge can also act as a MIDI-to-CV/gate converter. To do this, create a CV clip, and then “learn” a MIDI channel to it.
Gate outputs (including outputs 3 and 4) can be controlled independently of the CV outputs.
As well as audio sounds, rows in a kit may be set to output on a set gate channel.
This gives access to gate channels 3 and 4, which don’t have a corresponding CV output.
To set a selected kit row to output gate:
Once that is set, holding down the row’s audition pad will show the gate output’s info on the display.
Available gate outputs
Note: Gate outputs 3 and 4 will not output notes if their mode is set to either RUN or CLOCk - see the settings menu for instructions on setting gate outputs’ modes.
