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Features and Notes

Cross-Fader (XFAD)

The CROSS-FADER (XFAD) is an equal-power cross fade unit. The module has two signal inputs. As one signal increases in level at the output under manual or voltage control, the other signal decreases in level at the output. This effect is used to accurately fade one sound in while fading another out. Cross-fading with voltage control permits a smooth transformation between two different timbres. If a sound and its reverberated image (available with the Wilson Analog Delay) are sent through the cross-fader, the reverb mix can be voltage controlled. This effect can be used to modify the spatial characteristics of a sound event, from immediate presence to distant ambience. In addition to the cross-fade function, a VCA controls the output amplitude.

Variable Q VCF (VCFQ)

The VARIABLE Q VCF (VCFQ) is an excellent general-purpose VCF offering simultaneous low-pass, high-pass, band-pass and notch (band-reject) outputs. The resonance (Q) of this filter is dynamically variable by manual or voltage control. The VCFQ has two signal inputs. One incorporates an automatic gain control to prevent the filter from overloading at high Q settings. The second input has a level control so that the percussive effects of overloading the filter can be exploited. When a pulse is applied to the Trigger input, the filter will ring, producing a damped waveform similar to that produced by striking a resonant object. The nature of this ringing is controlled by the Q and the filter frequency. Percussive effects ranging from clicks to the sound of wood blocks and bell tones can be produced and controlled. This ringing effect can be used in conjunction with signals applied to either of the audio inputs to achieve highly controlled complex tonal qualities.

Other comments:
A nice bit of flexibility is the "LO" setting that turns it into a CV processor! ... Recent updates to the filter's circuitry are noticeable as well - Its much easier to get tube-type harmonic warmth just by nudging the gain control. The feedback and overdrive characteristics have also been tweaked to be more musically useful... This filter will not oscillate unless you patch it up for feedback... Hi-Lo range switch for fantastic and unique audio/cv applications - hit it with a pulse, get an unbelievably slow damped sine wave. Calibrated 1 v/oct and attenuated cv inputs, just like the oscillators... Since it's a multimode filter, it's 12 dB/oct rolloff. You may want a LPF with more 'bite' in some applications. I think the bandpass and allpass sections of this filter have 6 dB/oct rolloff.

Wizardry: Must be patch-programmed to oscillate. Feed an output back into an input, then turn the Q up to get a nice sinewave. The various outputs will then be 90 degrees phase-shifted from one another.

VC TimeGen Oscillator (TGO)

The Creature is actually the first STS offering to include the new VC TimeGen Oscillator or TGO for short. The TGO is a joy to work with. The left side of the TGO is designed to be more readily used as an audio oscillator, providing a warm melange for the filter to work with. The right side is like that of a Serge Dual Transient Generator and can be used for many things depending on how it is patched. It can be a Non-linear lowpass filter, Envelope follower, Sub-harmonic generator, Linear/Exponential portamento, Linear/Explonential AR envelope generator, Linear/Exponential ASR envelope generator, Voltage controlled LFO with either triangular or pulse waveforms and lots more. Besides this multi-purpose utility, the right side is no slouch in the audio realm either. In one patch I locked it to the pitch of the left side while modulating its timbre from the top half of the SSG patched to act as a triangle wave LFO - beautiful! Its easy to see why Rex Probe characterizes the left and right function cells of the TGO as female and male voices...rather poetic but very appropriate! The TGO has rock-solid tuning capability and both sides are capable of exponential FM.

The wave outputs are as follows:
Left (Osc) cell:
   Blue Jack = Reverse Saw Wave with an extremely fast rise
   Red Jack = 50% duty-cycle Square Wave with rise/fall individually intoned
Right (TG) cell:
   Blue Jack = Triangle Wave with VC Variable-Symmetry from a normal Saw to an Inverted Saw
   Red Jack = VC Variable-Width Pulse Wave

Smooth / Stepped Generator (SSG)

The SMOOTH & STEPPED FUNCTION GENERATOR (SSG) is a complex multi-functional module to provide various slew and sample functions.

Per Rex: The SSG has been modified on the "COUPLER OUT" to have a p/p voltage of 0- 6v (0v = OFF & +6v = ON) so it doesn't emit the 20v p/p (bipolar - 10v to + 10v) which has been source of contention in the past being that it is "too hot" for use in an audio signal path.

The Smooth section will place a positive and negative slew (glide) on a changing input voltage for lag effects, voltage controlled portamento, and non-linear, low frequency filtering. With the CYCLE jack patched to the input, the Unit will oscillate yielding a voltage controlled triangle wave LFO. A high level into the HOLD input will hold the current output level, whether the unit is oscillating or processing an external control voltage. This is identical to a track-and-hold function.
The Stepped function can be used as a sample-and-hold with voltage controlled slew rate limiting. Slew rate limiting limits the size of the step at the output. With the step size limited to a small value, if the input is a random voltage, the output is a random voltage also, but it will only vary slightly from step to step, gradually covering the entire range of the input random voltage. No large changes in the output will be allowed. With the Cycle jack patched to the input and a trigger applied to the Sample input, complex staircase waveforms are generated.
The COUPLER is an internal comparator comparing the Smooth and the Stepped outputs. This is useful for generating complex control voltages and for patching a random voltage generator. In fact, the Random Voltage Generator module is a Smooth & Stepped Generator internally patched to function exclusively as such. If random voltages are often used, a Random Voltage Generator is a more space-efficient module, but if they are used seldomly, the Smooth & Stepped Generator can be patched when needed (but can be used for other functions when not used as a random voltage generator). Note that a Noise Source is needed for use of the Smooth & Stepped Generator as a random voltage generator.