VCF Envelope off by default?

[dpfranz]

I'm slowly getting into my first hardware synth, the amazing Polybrute. Silly question really, but I had noticed that the VCF Envelope doesn't have any effect on many presets, and on the "default" or "init" presets.

P. 32 of the manual says:

"VCF ENV can also serve as a mod source in the Matrix, but by default:
• VCF ENV shapes the VCF cutoff frequency, depending on the VCF Env setting for
each VCF. It can also be assigned in the Matrix."

But this does not seem to be true. My experience has been that if it isn't explicitly assigned in the matrix, the VCF Envelope *does not* default to shaping the VCF cutoff frequency - it does nothing at all (and how would it now which VCF to modify without telling it Steiner or Ladder?) Once you assign it in the matrix to Steiner Cutoff, or Ladder Cutoff, it works great. But if it isn't assigned in the matrix, it does nothing. Am I wrong?

Side question: what is the difference between "default" and "init"?, i.e. empty presets are called default from the factory. If I initialize one of them, it is now called "init." But it sounds the same as "default." Any difference?

Happy synthing!

[modalmixture]

Have you explored what the two knobs labelled VCF Env Amt do?

[dpfranz]

Have you explored what the two knobs labelled VCF Env Amt do?

Yes. They don't have any effect at all (for me) unless I assign the VCF envelope (explicitly in the matrix) to a knob (e.g., Cutoff) within either the Steiner or Ladder VCFs.

Example: bring up one of the empty (default) presets in banks 5 or after. Now fiddle with the VCF envelope - any effect? (nothing when I do this) Then, just to be sure, turn the VCF Env Amt knobs down and back up all the way again, just to be sure we're addressing your question, and fiddle with VCF Env again. Any effect? (nothing when I do this)

But now assign the VCF Env source in the matrix to either Steiner Cutoff, or Ladder Cutoff. Repeat the last paragraph. The one assigned now works. No?

[modalmixture]

That's very strange. On an init patch, turning the Ladder Env Amt to the negative side should immediately allow you to hear the envelope. Just to confirm, if you set the ladder cutoff at zero, the VCF Env Amt at maximum, and the VCF Env Sustain at minimum, adjusting Attack and Decay have no effect? If that is the case, you may have a defective unit.