Vermona 14

[DavidDever]

They usually have schematics on their document site. So I'm sure they'd be happy to share this one too. Either way, the best way to find out is to write them an e-mail.

Heh heh–the first thing that usually stops working when a company ceases trading is that they stop answering e-mails, often at the direction of their attorneys!

Frankly–for a company of a certain size, one might ultimately be better served by Kickstarter-hosted projects, which are generally open-source (hardware design files, firmware, etc.) and isolate the designer / manufacturer from a liability perspective. Under $1K US, it's probably not a big deal, but anything over that is not a minor purchase and deserves to be backed by a proper company, or, by a community-based funding framework that encourages (and rewards) transparency rather than reticence (which IMHO has been the Vermona model to date).

[Paul Dither]

Heh heh–the first thing that usually stops working when a company ceases trading is that they stop answering e-mails, often at the direction of their attorneys!

But Vermona didn't stop trading. They just released one particular synth that's limited, that's all.

Frankly–for a company of a certain size, one might ultimately be better served by Kickstarter-hosted projects, which are generally open-source (hardware design files, firmware, etc.) and isolate the designer / manufacturer from a liability perspective. Under $1K US, it's probably not a big deal, but anything over that is not a minor purchase and deserves to be backed by a proper company, or, by a community-based funding framework that encourages (and rewards) transparency rather than reticence (which IMHO has been the Vermona model to date).

I can't speak for or about Vermona, since I've never owned any of their products. I'm still wondering whether you base your judgement on actual experience or just suspicion. In other words: have you ever tried to contact Vermona in a support-related case?

[DavidDever]

I can't speak for or about Vermona, since I've never owned any of their products. I'm still wondering whether you base your judgement on actual experience or just suspicion. In other words: have you ever tried to contact Vermona in a support-related case?

Yes.

To wit–in a previous career, I owned an import / distribution company, so my perspective on customer support expectations is founded in actual commercial experience!

Both Waldorf (mark II) and Modal handle direct support quite well, by comparison–as does, of course, DSI. Let the money follow the goodwill....

[Paul Dither]

I can't speak for or about Vermona, since I've never owned any of their products. I'm still wondering whether you base your judgement on actual experience or just suspicion. In other words: have you ever tried to contact Vermona in a support-related case?

Yes.

To wit–in a previous career, I owned an import / distribution company, so my perspective on customer support expectations is founded in actual commercial experience!

Both Waldorf (mark II) and Modal handle direct support quite well, by comparison–as does, of course, DSI. Let the money follow the goodwill....

I'm not questioning your experience. I just tend to follow the motto "in dubio pro reo" until there's an actual reason for concern based on multiple bad customer experiences.

[DavidDever]

I can't speak for or about Vermona, since I've never owned any of their products. I'm still wondering whether you base your judgement on actual experience or just suspicion. In other words: have you ever tried to contact Vermona in a support-related case?

Yes.

To wit–in a previous career, I owned an import / distribution company, so my perspective on customer support expectations is founded in actual commercial experience!

Both Waldorf (mark II) and Modal handle direct support quite well, by comparison–as does, of course, DSI. Let the money follow the goodwill....

I'm not questioning your experience. I just tend to follow the motto "in dubio pro reo" until there's an actual reason for concern based on multiple bad customer experiences.

Yeah, there was great complexity around the relationships between Touched By Sound / MAM / HDB Audio / Vermona which led to a lot of finger-pointing and "I'm not responsible for", when it came time to repair a set of contest giveaway items which arrived broken / non-functional in their sealed boxes.

Times change, though, and while I suspect that the current commercial offshoots (HDB Audio-Vermona, EMC-Schmidt, etc.) may in fact be perfectly reasonable to deal with, I'm still quite wary of product support from smaller manufacturers with little or no established distribution / support footprint in the United States, full stop–especially with regard to higher-dollar items.

[Sacred Synthesis]

A visit to the Vermona headquarters:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFwEy4ilMdI

[Sacred Synthesis]

Vermona 14 Specifications:

VCO 1
Octaves: 16', 8', 4', FIX
Tune Coarse: ± one octave
Tune Fine: ± 1/2 note
Waveforms: sine, saw, rectangle
Pulse-width: can be set manually between 50 % and 95 %
EG 1 intensity: about ± 2 1/2 octaves
sub-oscillator: sine, one octave below main oscillator

VCO 2
Octaves: 16', 8', 4', FIX
Tune Coarse: ± one octave
Tune Fine: ± 1/2 note
Waveforms: sine, saw, rectangle
Pulse-width: can be set manually between 50 % and 95 %
EG 1 intensity: about ± 2 1/2 octaves
 sub-oscillator: square, one octave below main oscillator
frequency modulation through LFO and sine-wave of VCO 1
hard-sync through VCO 2

VCO 1 and VCO 2
Master Tune: about ± 1/2 note
glide with legato function
pulse-width-modulation through LFO (up to 100% pulse-width)

Mixer
Volumes of both oscillators and sub-oscillators can be controlled individually
noise generator (white noise)
Volume control for external input

Filter
Type: lowpass with resonance
Slope: 12, 18, oder 24 dB/octave
Tracking: OFF, Half (50%), Full (100%)
Modulation sources: LFO, EG 1, Sinus-Wellenform of VCO 1 (can additionally be controlled by EG 1)

VCA
Modes: ON, EG 2, EG 2 + LFO
Individual volume controls for main outputs and headphone outputs

Envelope Generators EG 1 und EG 2
Type: ADSR
Attack: 1 millisecond to 10 seconds
Decay: 1 millisecond to 10 seconds
Release: 1 millisecond to 10 seconds
Legato mode can be switched on/off per envelope generator

LFO
Waveforms: saw up
saw down
square
triangle
sine
sample & hold

Frequency range: 0.05 Hz (= 20 seconds) to 100 Hz
Can be synchronized to internal or external clock
Reset function

Vibrato Generator
Waveforms: Sinus or Dreieck
Frequency range: 0.05 Hz (= 20 seconds) bis 100 Hz
Modulation destinations: VCO 1
VCO 2
VCO 1 and VCO 2

Modulation intensity can be controlled by aftertouch and/or modulation wheel

VCF MOD
Modulation destinations: Cutoff-frequency
filter-FM-intensity through sine waveform of VCO 1
Modulation intensity can be controlled by aftertouch and/or modulation wheel

Keyboard
44 keys, half-weight (Fatar)
Aftertouch
Velocity for controlling Cutoff-frequency and/or VCA modulation through EG 2

Pitchbender
can be adjusted freely between ± 1/2 note up to ± 1 octave
Modulation destinations VCO 1
VCO 2
VCO 1 and VCO 2

Arpeggiator
Modes: ARP (classic arpeggiator mode)
SEQ (complete arpeggios can be stored)

Up to 60 notes with velocity
Arpeggios can include rests between notes
Same notes can be used more often (with help of sustain-pedal)
variable gate length: 20 %
50 %
80 %
100 % (legato)
random values between 20 % and 80 %
random values between 20 % and 100 % (legato)

Pattern: Up (1, 2 and 3 octaves)
Down (1, 2 and 3 octaves)
Up & Down (1, 2 and 3 octaves)
Alternate Up
Alternate Down
Zufall (1, 2 and 3 octaves)
Order forward
Order backward

can be triggered by LFO, internal or external clock

Connections
audio outputs: headphones (1/8“- und 1/4“- jack)
unbalanced 1/4“- jack (line)
transformer-balanced XLR output (line)

audio input, 1/8“- jack
CV/Gate outputs (1/4“- and 1/8“- TRS jacks) Gate Out
modulation wheel
1V/octave
pitchbender

Sustain pedal inputs, 1/4“- jack
Volume pedal, 1/4“- jack with trim-pot for minimum volume
MIDI connections: IN
OUT
THRU

MIDI
Send:  Keyboard, polyphon
Arpeggiator
MIDI-Control-Changes for controlling Mono Lancet and Mono Lancet ’15 parameters

Receive: MIDI notes

Dimensions and Weight
Dimensions: about 77 cm x 31 cm x 15 cm (width x depth x height)
Weight: 6.5 kg

[LoboLives]

I played one at Moog Audio here in Toronto when I put my down payment on the Two Voice Pro. I wasn't really overly impressed with it. I think it would have been much better if they took the concept of the PerFourmer and put a keyboard on it. The Vermona 14 just felt very...I dunno bland? It doesn't sound bad but it's really nothing I can't get out of my Sub 37 which is cheaper and has more features

[Sacred Synthesis]

If it's a simplified Sub 37, but with 44 keys, I'm happy with that.  But the above list of features?  Goodness gracious, it's beautiful.  I certainly don't need more than that to make music for the rest of my life.

[LoboLives]

If it's a simplified Sub 37, but with 44 keys, I'm happy with that.  But the above list of features?  Goodness gracious, it's beautiful.  I certainly don't need more than that to make music for the rest of my life.

I just think it's incredibly expensive for what it is but if it works for you go for it.