Recommended CV to Midi Modules to Pair with Metropolix

@Intellijel.
Would you recommend any particular CV to MIDI modules to purchase, that would work well for sequencing Soft Synths in Ableton from Metropolix?

I heard some work better than others.

Hi… i use ES-8 by Expert Sleepers. I send midi from my modular to Logic Pro and VCV Rack.

I have an ES-8 too, but I still need an option to convert the CV to MIDI at the computer end.

ES-8 Doesn’t send MIDI it sends CV / Audio.
So you’ll still need a tool on the computer to convert it.

I use Ableton and there’s a suite of CV tools, a MIDI to CV device exists but not the other way around.

I don’t think you’re actually sending MIDI from the ES-8, you don’t need to convert it for VCV Rack.

I want to control midi soft synths from my modular, not virtual modular stuff in VCV.

The only one that comes to mind for me is the Befaco CV Thing. Yes it’s actually called the VC thing, that’s not just me not remembering the real name of it.

I haven’t tried it but you can check it out here: CV_thing | Befaco

They’ve also got the VCMC which has a bit more to it: VCMC | Befaco

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Yeah Befaco CV Thing and the bigger VCMC module are awesome at CV to midi. You have to mess with the input delay setting to make sure it tracks the pitch from Metropolis/x but once you dial it in it’s great. Super rad modules for activating any midi keyboards

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one thing to note about Befaco CV Thing (and VCMC) is that with the current firmware, it won’t output a new note message without a corresponding gate. I don’t have my Metropolix yet, but I’m guessing that for sequences with legato/slides, this could be a problem. i mentioned this limitation to them on another forum and they seemed receptive to adding something to make legato possible to the firmware in the future, but for now, it remains to be seen!

Thanks Scott, Thanks freqout.
Yeah, CV Thing was one of the ones I was looking at actually.

@freqout, do you have a Metropolix on the way?

Would you be able to report back if it works with legato/slides when it arrives?

Metropolix is here, but I don’t have any space in the rack at the moment for CV Thing. I can say pretty confidently though that without the gate coming out of Metro going low, the CV Thing won’t change notes. I’m hoping they’ll change it in firmware sometime in the future.

As for slides, I’m not really sure how that works, but it seems like implementation could be different from synth to synth? I haven’t gotten far enough in learning the Metropolix to know if you could even send out info about slides through the A or B outputs.

Bit roundabout but you could use vcv rack to convert cv from es8 to midi then route it to ableton using one of those cross app midi tools.

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Anyone ever mess with the Expert Sleepers Disting CV to Midi?
That said the Befaco ones totally rule. Good to just hear feedback on different options.

I’ve spent some time with ES CV to MIDI in Ableton 11. So far I’ve managed to get good results recording MIDI in – as in, getting the midi to line up with the grid – but I haven’t figured out the way to get the monitoring latency sorted. It’s very trial and error but the idea of using Metropolix in the rack and in the DAW is very attractive.

At this point, I’m not sure if it’s an issue that can be solved in Ableton, or if it’s some latency introduced by the virtual midi port I’m using in OSX. I suspect it’s the latter, so I’m trying to find a way to get rid of that.

ES silent way manual does suggest that the Vst version of the plugin allows direct connection with the DAW, but I’ve not figured that out just yet. I will be sure to report back if I find the solution.

One more note - I’m sending clock from ableton via cv tools as it allows for 24 pulses per sixteenth – at the moment it seems to sync but the Metropolix reports the bpm 0.1 below actual (even if i change amplitude and length params on the Ableton device).

Checking back into this post. I’m still keen on a CV to Midi module.

Does anyone know if they updated the firmware to work with slides etc?

Befaco one is really the only solid solution for this in Eurorack. Anything else at this point is a hack/cheap alternative and you will get the results you pay for. I have nothing whatsoever to do with Befaco, just being realistic.

Befaco VCMC is amazing for all midi to cv needs. The sliders are a particularly great addition for me and my workflow.

Paired with my FH-2 I feel my midi to cv and cv to midi is taken care of.

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Ordering a Metropolix (and a Quadrax) in a couple of hours. Looking forward to trying the CV-to-MIDI through the Factotum as well. It would be great if the CV expanders could also be configured as CV-to-MIDI converters thought I imagine they’re completely different piece of hardware under the hood.

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I’d love if there was a CV->MIDI expander too since there’s currently no CV->MIDI interface for 1u that I’m aware of (other than maybe the plum audio O_C but it’s super expensive if that’s all you want to use it for).
You’d need an adc instead of a dac so I don’t think it’s that big a difference :slight_smile: Maybe we’ll see it one day! It would really be a huge advantage since you could have the palette + midi modules as a midi hub for the rest of your rack!

Just received my Befaco CV things and it works really well. note that there is a neat feature : delay gate in case it arrives before note but didn’t have to use that feature… maybe i will have to with other seq
Now I can sequence my digitone with metropolix and this is pure joy !
such a shame Metropolix isn’t midi but CV things is more versatile than an expander so even if Intellijel releases one one day it’s still a better option.

Metropolix works well with Doepfer A-192-2.
If the pitch does not match, please turn the trimmer potentiometer to adjust.