Roland Dep-5

[fmr]

Hello all:

A friend of mine is interested in developing an emulation of a Roland Dep-5. He asked me for help regarding this. What I would like to know is if someone has information about the algorithms used for each of the FX modules. This is a digital unit, so the main processing is through algorithms, I believe (also you will have the ADC and DAC stages to count with too, of course).

I tried to find information but I didn't manage to find any sources regarding the FX algorithms.

[AnX]

Algorithm 1 is stereo chorus only, while number 2 is reverb only. Number 3 is stereo reverb, the output of which is treated to give pitch modulation effects. Algorithm 4 gives a chorused reverb, number 5 has the reverb and chorus in parallel rather than in series, while number 6 is very similar to the previous algorithm, but with a stronger chorus element. Number 7 is gated reverb, 8 is gated reverb with modulation, and 9 is a parallel combination of non-linear reverb and chorus. The delay section makes an appearance in algorithm 10 in parallel with reverb, while number 11 is described as being low density, non-linear reverb with modulation.

So, with the exception of EQ - which can be set up for all algorithms - no more than two effects can be operated simultaneously. This dispels the myth that the DEP5 lets you use all your effects at once, but the machine does have some powerful surprises in store.

[fmr]

Algorithm 1 is stereo chorus only, while number 2 is reverb only. Number 3 is stereo reverb, the output of which is treated to give pitch modulation effects. Algorithm 4 gives a chorused reverb, number 5 has the reverb and chorus in parallel rather than in series, while number 6 is very similar to the previous algorithm, but with a stronger chorus element. Number 7 is gated reverb, 8 is gated reverb with modulation, and 9 is a parallel combination of non-linear reverb and chorus. The delay section makes an appearance in algorithm 10 in parallel with reverb, while number 11 is described as being low density, non-linear reverb with modulation.

So, with the exception of EQ - which can be set up for all algorithms - no more than two effects can be operated simultaneously. This dispels the myth that the DEP5 lets you use all your effects at once, but the machine does have some powerful surprises in store.

Thanks. However, this doesn't give any information about the algorithms, just about the routings.

[AnX]

Does the manual or service manual give any info?

[BertKoor]

Roland has always been pretty defensive about their intellectual property, so I think you won't find any useful info about it.

[fmr]

Roland has always been pretty defensive about their intellectual property, so I think you won't find any useful info about it.

Thanks. Yes, I already suspected that. But since this is an old unit, I thought maybe someone could have some insights.

[fmr]

Does the manual or service manual give any info?

None whatsoever. Just about the routings and the components used in the circuits (which, since this is a digital unit, doesn't help much).

[beely]

There was a recent GS thread with acreil analyising the reverb algorithms and routings for a lot of 80 eighties FX units, and I think the DEP-5 was mentioned in regards to it's reverb topology. Might be worth looking that up, and maybe asking for more details from the reverb beards hanging out there.

https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... tcount=919

[fmr]

There was a recent GS thread with acreil analyising the reverb algorithms and routings for a lot of 80 eighties FX units, and I think the DEP-5 was mentioned in regards to it's reverb topology. Might be worth looking that up, and maybe asking for more details from the reverb beards hanging out there.

https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... tcount=919

Great advice... thanks

Will have to create an account in GS, I guess (believe it or not, I don't have one).