Tristan wrote:
PLL type deals like the Second Voice and the original PLL (clone thereof): pretty bad tracking in my opinion, noisy, not very controllable in most settings, it's cool that they can go nuts but if everytime you play it it reacts differently (especially the original PLL clone had this) then it gets a bit tricky I think.
Besides that the nasty sounds aren't really as cool as the Noise Box or Orbit and the nasty octave down isn't really as cool as the Mantis II either, it can get in the same ballpark but then it's not really controllable so it might get there but it also might very well not get there even though you're running the same settings.
i'm not familiar with the second voice, but I own an original Analogue Harmony Synth, Snazzy FX MIni-Arc, and Schumann PLL. And they are quite the amazing pedal, in my opinion. rolling off the tone control and using the neck pup is crucial for good tracking if that is what you are looking for. and playing to the instrument goes a long way.
The Infanem Analogue Harmony Synth
"The harmony synthesis circuits are (mostly) monophonic and identical to each other except for the interval selections available. The Range control adjusts the center frequency of the synthesizers and changes both the tracking range and tonal quality of the voices. It allows for them to be set to allow proper tracking, upward octave glitching, lower octave glitching, and anything in between. Faux polyphony can even be achieved by setting one voice with low Range to track low notes and another with high Range to track high notes. It's analog and not perfect but there are lots of tricks possible with just little tweaks of the Range.
Intervals available are:
Harmony 1: one octave down (-12 semitones), a perfect fifth shifted down one octave (-5 semitones), a perfect fourth (+5 semitones), a perfect fifth (+7 semitones), a major sixth (+9 semitones), and an octave up (+12 semitones)
Harmony 2: two octaves down (-24 semitones), one octave down (-12 semitones), a perfect fifth (+7 semitones), a major third shifted up one octave (+16 semitones), two octaves up (+24 semitones), and a perfect fifth shifted two octaves up (+31 semitones)
The Amplitude Tracking control allows the synthesized signals to follow the dynamics of your input signal. For stringed instruments, this means you get attack and decay that mimic the behavior of your strings. For everything, this means that the synthesized voices will follow swells, tremolo, and anything else that modulates your input amplitude.
Internal trimpots allow for adjustment of Instrument volume, Fuzz gate threshold, and a master volume control for the synthesized voices and fuzz. These can be adjusted to accommodate a great deal of input sources from the weakest guitar pickups to high-output synthesizers."
Just loaded with kick ass.
Then the Snazzy FX Mini-Arc which is basically a schumann pll taken to extremes. Another great tracker once you understand how to play the pedal. This pedal is truly full of just so much potential.
"It has the capability to take your guitar input, track it precisely, add an octave of your choice below or above, an interval of your choosing above (or below) and the capability to mix the two in any combination with the original signal or a dirty version of the original signal. This is huge. You can now create chords or thickened notes in thousands of combinations, all by changing the mix knobs and the position of the Interval and Octave selectors.
But that's just the beginning. In addition to the Octave and Interval sections, there is also an Infinite Hold section which allows you to stomp on a second switch and let the note go on and on and on and on. While the sound is droning, there is an additional octave down effect that you can play on top of the continuous sound. Think of it this way - you could be playing a lead, the lead could be mimicked a 3rd above, and 3 octaves below, and then get mixed with a distorted version of the same guitar. Then, you could step on the infinite switch, and start playing the distorted guitar and an octave below on top of the already holding 3rd above and 2 octaves below. Its really something you have to hear in action.
There is also a Gate/Sustain switch. This allows you to have notes blend continuously into each other as you play or create very artificial staccato effects. But Wait….That is only half of the action. There is also the Magic Selector. This rotary switch allows you to switch from 8 different presets which come with THE MINIARK. Preset one is the normal mode, where your guitar creates an interval and an octave. But, choose any of the other seven modes and the operation of this device is sent into alien territory with Swells, Crazy Vibrato, Super Fuzz, or even clarinet like sounds, all flying out of the machine.
There is a rich array of CV Outputs. You get an Env Out which is useful for controlling an external device. You can, for example, plug this into the SNAZZY FX TRACER CITY. There is a gate out, for controlling an external synth, sequencer, or Modular Sythesizer, and the special Square Out."
And then the Schumann PLL is perhaps the best tracker of the three...but it becomes a moot point when you learn how to play them. It has tonal varieties more similar to the Mini-Arc than the Infanem.
"The PLL is an analog harmonizer that turns your input signal into a square wave and then has a multiplier and divider that adds intervals to your note. Two harmony notes are controlled by the loop function which controls how it tracks your original note.
makes one note into a chord
make any triad out of one note
makes it sound like there's someone else playing along with you
set the loop control to decide how it follows your playing
the three notes are a three-channel mixer that gets into a master volume
Comes with the MOMENTARY switch accessory. This lets you mute the two harmony voices momentarily or turn them on momentarily.
it's not easy to explain everything it does but put most simply, it's a square wave generator that's controlled by an input signal (guitar, synth, drum machine, etc). the 'signature' of the sound ultimately lies in the tracking circuit which is of itself an amazing thing. from my experience, most analog tracking circuits of this nature suck (MS20, sherman filterbank2, analogue systems pitch-to-CV) but the PLL gives unprecedented control over how accurately or inaccurately you wish it to track a signal, and can cause wonderfully lively twitches and bumps of the pitch (if you want). and though it can become chaotic, it'll still be in key (or not, if you want). i'd describe the sound it generates as highly shapable harmonic-specific distortion. germanium overdrives act upon the squarewave and it's multiplier and divider to add 'beyond fuzz factory' fuzz. the overall tone depth is determined by the levels of the square wave (root) and harmonics (mult and divider). the post-mix waveshaper does alot to tone-down or amp-up the front egde of the sound after you get your harmonics dialed in. there's still other stuff you can mess with to alter the sound (like playing your instrument) but that's it in a nutshell"
i can see why someone wouldn't like them, they are $$$.
