Ensoniq VFX-SD

Some observations on this micro-tunable machine (in the used incarnation I
just purchased):

1. When editing the tuning table, although the nominal resolution is 1 cent,
the true resolution is in fact a few cents, as nominal 1 or 2 cent changes
often result in exactly the same rate of beating.

2. When changing the pitch of a voice, the resolution does appear to be in
fact 1 cent. However, the amount of detuning displayed may be inaccurate.
For example, a perfect match to the third harmonic is found at 1 octave, 7
semitones, and 00 cents, instead of 1 octave, 7 semitones, and 02 cents.

3. Interpolating often produces strange results. It appears to insist that
all steps be exactly the same number of cents, and takes the liberty of
changing one of your endpoint pitches to make this possible. Often, the
resulting interpolation is backwards, decreasing in pitch rather than
increasing as you go up the keyboard, with one huge step from an extremely
low note to an extremely high note in the middle. The order in which you
specify the endpoints does not seem to matter.

4. Extrapolating seems to work fine. The display won't show you assignments
higher than C8, but they're there, up to a point. Some high notes sound
really distorted though -- must be the digital architecture.


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