HexinverterMindphaser Complex Oscillator

Hexinverter Mindphaser

Mindphaser from Hexinverter Electronics builds on the legacy set forth by the Buchla 259 Complex Wave Generator, but is a far cry from a clone. It gets its name from the thru-zero phase modulation circuit, a feature not always seen on a complex oscillator. Mindphaser starts with a pair of sawtooth-core oscillators: the carrier and modulator, and both range in frequency from sub-audio to supersonic. The modulator oscillator has an octave/range switch to select between frequency ranges and puts the oscillator into the sub-audio spectrum. Both oscillators feature linear, exponential, 1V/oct CV inputs and individual waveform outputs.

As its name implies, the modulator oscillator modulates the carrier oscillator and wavefolder through the mod bus. Select between the pulse, sawtooth, and sine waveforms as the modulation source. Any CV attenuator that features a small triangle next to it receives modulation from the mod bus unless a patch cable overrides this normalization. The index control acts a macro modulation knob—it controls the depth of all the modulation before the input attenuators, so turning it up sends the modulation oscillator to all destinations, providing sweeping changes to the carrier oscillator. The sync switch syncs the modulator to the carrier, providing more related modulation.

The waveshaping and phase modulation sections are where things get really interesting. The sine wave from the carrier oscillator passes into the waveshaping section to add harmonics and sonic interest. As for the wave folder, it's an analog triangular or rampoid folding circuit with a five-octave range that begins to clip the waveform at high settings. Additionally feed the folded waveform back onto itself using the feedback control. With no wave folding, the feedback will morph the sine wave into a triangle or sawtooth waveform, depending on if the folder is in the triangular or rampoid mode. Control the amplitude of the waveform or add additional ring mod harmonics with the thru-zero amplitude control. A soft clipping switch adds a bit more character to the folded waveform.

After the waveshaper, the carrier oscillator passes into the thru-zero phase modulation bus. This phase control is separate from the core oscillator's phase, so adjusting the phase doesn't affect the other waveforms from the carrier oscillator. The character of the phase-shifting varies between the triangular and rampoid folding modes, and the phase modulation mod bus is separate from the waveshaping and frequency modulation bus with its own index and index CV control. By default, the sine wave from the modulator passes into the phase modulation bus, but plugging a cable into the source jack breaks this connection.

Mindphaser excels as a source of complex tones and timbres. It combines stable and wide-ranging oscillators with an extensive sonic shaping with a plethora of frequency, waveshape, and phase modulation possibilities.

Mindphaser Features

• Complex oscillator with wave and phase shaping
• Dual sawtooth core oscillators, carrier and modulator
• Mod bus controls frequency and waveshaping through normalization
• Turning up the mod bus index modulates all destinations at the same time
• Analog wave folder with two modes, five-octave range, and feedback
• Thru-zero amplitude modulation for ring mod sounds
• Thru-zero phase modulation separate from core oscillator
• Individual waveform and final waveshaped outputs
• Waveshaper and phase modulation section features either attenuators or bipolar attenuverters
• Sync the modulator to the carrier
• Range switch that acts as an octave or low-frequency switch