4ms/spherical-wavetable-navigator

Spherical Wavetable Navigator

4ms

Six-channel wavetable synthesizer with spherical (3-torus) wavetables, six independent VCOs with 1V/oct pitch CV, six LFOs/envelopes, stereo audio output, and onboard sphere recording from live audio.166

Capabilities 4

LFOlfo
Six LFOs (one per channel) with independent speed, shape (25 shapes), amplitude, and phase control. Can run at audio rate up to ~3kHz. Can be routed internally to channel VCAs. Syncable to external clock.166
Preset Storagepreset-storage
108 preset slots (6 pages × 18 slots). Saves tuning, waveshape, sphere assignments, mutes, LFO settings, panning, Note Mode, etc. Does not save slider positions or 1V/oct|VCA switch.166
Quantizerquantizer
Per-channel scale quantization: No quantization, Major, Harmonic minor, or Semitones. Applied before detuning. Auto-set when switching to Note Mode.166
Wavetable Oscillatorwavetable-oscillator
Six independent VCOs each navigating a spherical (3-torus) wavetable with 27 waveforms per sphere, morphing smoothly between waveforms. Twelve factory spheres plus up to 108 user spheres.166

Jacks 16 — 13 in / 3 out

NameSignalVoltageDescription
Inputs (13)
1V/oct channel jackcv0V to 10V166
Audio OUTmixed≤19V166
Browse CVcv0V to 5V166
Clk Inclock≥1.5VSyncs the SWN's LFO base tempo to an external clock. Requires at least 1.5V amplitude and 1ms pulse width. Maximum readable rate ~20Hz (300 BPM at quarter-note resolution).166
Depth CVcv0V to 5V166
Dispersion CVcv0V to 5V166
LFO CVcv0V to 5V166
LFO OUT (all channels)cv166
Latitude CVcv0V to 5V166
Sphere CVcv0V to 5V166
Spread CVcv0V to 5V166
Transpose CVcv0V to 10V166
Waveform InaudioAudio input used in Sphere Recording mode to record and create new spherical wavetables from live audio or from SphereEdit software.166
Outputs (3)
Audio OUT Laudio166
Audio OUT RaudioMono output; use just right jack for mono operation.166
LFO OUT Acv0.4V to 8.8V166

Parameters 18

NameTypeRangeBehavior
1V/oct | VCA switchswitchFlipped down: channel jacks control pitch (0–10V, 1V/oct). Flipped up: channel jacks control level via VCA (0V=silence, +5V=normal volume). Locked channels remain in their current mode when switch is flipped.166
BrowseknobNavigates the sphere in a zig-zag (snake) pattern covering all 27 waveforms. Morphs between waveforms. Holding Fine adjusts by small amounts. Push+turn selects sphere (or in Sphere Recording Mode, adjusts Waveform Shift).166
DepthknobControls position in the Depth dimension of the sphere (visualized as red hue). Push+turn controls Dispersion. Holding Fine adjusts by small amounts. Hold channel button to adjust only that channel.166
FinebuttonHold Fine while turning a knob for micro-adjustment. Fine+Transpose detunes by cents, Fine+Browse adjusts browse by small amounts, Fine+Spread detunes each channel differently, Fine+LFO Phase adjusts phase in fine increments, Fine+LFO Speed adjusts by non-integer div/mult, Fine+LFO Gain adjusts amplitude finely.166
Fine Tuning (Detuning)menu_setting166
LatitudeknobControls position in Latitude dimension (green hue). Push+turn controls Dispersion Pattern. Holding Fine adjusts by small amounts. Hold channel button to adjust only that channel.166
Level slidersfaderAdjusts channel volume (0–100%). In VCA mode, attenuates incoming CV. Hold channel button + move slider to adjust panning (all the way down = fully left, all the way up = fully right).166
LFO Gainknob0.4V – 8.8VPush+turn LFO Speed knob to adjust LFO output amplitude. Default is 5V. Range is 0.4V to 8.8V. Only affects LFO OUT jack amplitude, not internal LFO->VCA routing.166
LFO PhaseknobPush+turn LFO Shape knob adjusts LFO phase. Each click adjusts by 1/24th of a measure. Hold Fine for 1/288th of a measure. Tap LFO Shape knob to re-sync all LFOs. Hold channel button+tap to re-sync just that channel.166
LFO ShapeknobSelects among 25 LFO waveshapes (Saw variants, Ramp-up variants, Sine, Triangle, Steady DC, and 12 complex shapes). Color of light next to each LFO OUT jack indicates current shape. Push+turn adjusts LFO Phase.166
LFO SpeedknobSteps through integer clock dividers and multipliers (÷64 to x32 and beyond). Hold Fine for non-integer amounts. Hold channel button to set per-channel speed. Push+turn adjusts LFO Gain (output amplitude). Base clock defaults to 2Hz.166
LFO TypebuttonToggles LFO output type: Shape (waveshape), Gate (high above 50% amplitude), or Trigger (fires once per period when waveshape crosses 50% rising). Press both LFO->VCA and LFO Type together to cycle channel button modes.166
LFO->VCAbuttonToggles internal routing of LFOs to channel VCAs. Press to toggle all channels; hold channel button while pressing to toggle only that channel. Slider light fades with LFO tempo when enabled.166
Load/Save PresetknobTurn to select preset slot (108 slots across 6 pages). Tap then tap again to load; press 2 sec then tap to save; press 6 sec then tap to delete. Double-tap to load previously staged preset. Fine+Preset to undo/redo.166
LongitudeknobControls position in Longitude dimension (blue hue). Push+turn controls WT Spread (Wavetable Spread). Holding Fine adjusts by small amounts. Hold channel button to adjust only that channel.166
OctaveknobTransposes channels by octaves. The SWN has an 18-octave range. Hold channel button to adjust only that channel. Push+turn selects Scale quantization.166
ScaleknobSelects quantization for each channel: No quantization (light blue), Major scale (pink), Harmonic minor (orange), Semitones (dark blue). Detuning is applied after quantization. Can be set per channel by holding channel button.166
TransposeknobShifts pitch of channels by semitones. Hold channel button to adjust only that channel. Hold Fine for microtonal detuning (1 cent per click). Push+turn selects Spread chord pattern. Transpose CV jack responds 0–10V with 1V/oct.166

Firmware history 3 versions

VersionReleasedNotes
2.22020-09-14Added Select Bus support for loading and saving presets via power bus. Added Startup Preset (SWN now starts up with last loaded/saved preset). Added Channel Panning (per-channel stereo positioning via slider). Added CV/Gate/Sustain Mode.166
2.1Added CV/Gate Mode, allowing up to seven CV and gate signals to control the SWN's voices independently.166
2.0Added Record Single Waveform feature (Fine+Record to record just one waveform). Added Enable/Disable Spheres feature.166

References 2

  1. [166]
    Spherical Wavetable Navigator Manual v2.2manual
    verified 2026-05-06
  2. [167]
    SWN Cheat Sheet v2.2manual
    verified 2026-05-06