I don’t think there are any updated tutorial videos for any versions of nanoloop, but maybe grab an emulator and the nanoloop 2 rom and it might give you a grasp on what’s to come.
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Latest update with specs of both:
the nanoloop device now has the following specs:
Digital
4 channels
- monophonic FM/filter
- monophonic FM/filter
- 3-voice poly FM/filter
- noise/PCM
The tonal channels can be set to FM or square+filter individually per step. The non-resonant filter has a steep characteristic. All channels are stereo.
Memory
Internal memory can hold about 100 banks with 8 patterns per channel. There is no USB and no SD-card, data and software updates are transferred via audio instead.
MIDI
There are two 3.5mm jacks for MIDI IN and OUT. The initial software only supports MIDI sync, a MIDI mode where the device acts as MIDI sequencer may be released as separate firmware version later.
SYNC
Besides MIDI sync, the MIDI OUT jack may also send and receive analog sync pulses and sync nanoloop as master / slave to POs, volcas etc. Max input level is 5V, minimum is 2V.
Analog
Since it’s still under development, specs are preliminary.
4 channels
- square wave with resonant filter, polyphony tba
- square wave with resonant filter, polyphony tba
- click/drum channel
- noise with filter
All channels are mono.
Memory, MIDI, SYNC and data functions should be the same as the digital version.
Summary
- Digital: FM + filtered square, stereo
- Analog: Square + resonant filter, mono
Digital offers a broader sound spectrum through FM and probably more battery life. Besides some analog glitchyness, the only audible advantage of analog is the screaming resonant filter. Sound examples to follow.
Discount
As a compensation for the split into digital/analog, Kickstarter backers may get a discount when buying another device later.
-Oliver
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For empasis, intriguing!
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I wish Oliver success so hopefully in the future he’ll be able to produce the nanoloop with the original design concept.
Since the price was so cheap for the KS, I think $90 USD, a discounted price for the analog model would be under that obviously… sooo cheap, I don’t know why anyone would choose to wait for the analog, just get the digital now and buy the discounted analog later when it’s ready! Very much a no-brainer for me.
Like I was speculating earlier in the thread, the digital and analog devices seem that they will be identical apart from the sound generation circuitry judging from the latest update. I think he will probably be able to get the analog model going pretty quickly, since the form factor, GUI, etc are already completed! Can’t wait to own both.
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Any current Nanoloop users have an idea on what the FM chip is based off of? Operators count? Etc…it seems it was never discussed in detail but I wonder if it takes the characteristics of a previous device
The only thing I know is that it’s not based on nanoloop 2, but all nanoloop devices/carts/software are similar to a certain degree. NL2 is “fake” FM with tables or something like that, and this is some kind of actual FM synthesis. Would love to know more as well!
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Since I already paid up I’m thinking of switching to the digital one. It’s FM after all, even if its unlikely to be fancy pants MODX/Montage level FM. And the point about battery life is a good one.
Even without a discount, another $100 or so for the analog version doesn’t sound too bad.
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It’ll likely be 2op FM again, unless he’s implemented some kind of macro system with more operators involved. The NL2 system is based on wavetables as @Hawk said above, with a 2d matrix for control: x-axis for op2 frequency, y-axis for FM amount, no feedback. So I assume it’d be the same for the new device, but with real FM.
I’m guessing that’d just be sampled noise as an alternative to generated noise. Would be great if it supported user waves though!
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LSDJ style drum samples?
no just sample generated noise like @pselodux was describing , but would have been cool to get a SD card and have the supported user waves or load samples.
IMO i think the new digital device will sound just like the newest version of nanoloop 2 but have a cleaner sound output and less loading times when you boot it up maybe!
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I tried this ages ago and never got it to work, could you point us to the right rom?
I tried for ages to find a full NL2 rom. I don’t think they actually exist. I believe I read somewhere that the cartridge uses a different pinout than a standard cartridge, so that would make dumping the rom more difficult. There’s the demo rom, which lacks some key features: saving (not an issue with emulator save state), and pattern chaining (an issue).
You can’t use a full nanoloop rom in an emulator Any full rom becomes a demo When you load it up in an emulator and you can’t save , one can only save Loops into the banks on the actual nanoloop 2 .x or 1.x Hardware!
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Eh, I don’t think that’s true. It doesn’t “become” a demo, it’s just that only the demo rom is out there. If you put it on a flashcart and put that in a Game Boy, which is not an emulator, it’s still a demo.
Oops my bad yeah I meant the only full version is possible on a cartridge, all nanoloop Roms are demos!
Nah, glooms is right, the same rom is on the official cart. The “demo” is a side effect of not having the custom flash memory that the official carts have, so you get full functionality but you just can’t save.
I did mean the demo, just to try it out. I can’t remember which emulator is best for it though… I remember I had trouble getting the sound working, and then I never went further with it because I have the official carts.
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