Doepfer A-106-5 12dB SEM Filter Special Edition

Temporarily a special edition of the Doepfer A-106-5 12dB SEM Filter is available. It is equipped with a stylish Oberheim-style cream-coloured anodized front panel and black knobs.

A-106-5 SEM
Filter
Special Edition

Module A-106-5 is a 12dB multimode filter that is based on the filter circuit of the Oberheim SEM
module.

The filter is equipped with a band pass output and a combined low/notch/high pass output. 

For this output a control knob defines the relation between low and high pass signal. 

If both signals appear at the same level (i.e. middle position of the Mix knob) one obtains a notch filter. Otherwise the low or high pass signal predominates. 

The module does not feature self oscillation in contrast to most of the other filters of the A-100 system. 

The module generates a distorted audio signal if the level control is set to about 50% (i.e. center position) or more with A-100 standard signals like VCOs.

Inputs: Audio In, CV1 In without attenuator, CV2 In with Polarizer
Outputs: Bandpass Out, Low/Highpass Mix-Out
Controls: Audio Attenuator, CV2 Polarizer, Frequency, Resonance, LP/HP Mix

You can find my review of the original A-106-5 module HERE, 

and find all additional info/demos/etc on the A-106-5 on PatchPierre.Net via http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/search/label/A-106-5

Doepfer A-106-5 Filter Demo (August 2012, by PatchPierre)

" Short Doepfer A-106-5 Demo by NetPierre
Starts with a sequenced bassline, generated by my Doepfer MAQ16/3 and Doepfer VCO A-110 (saw wave)
Bandpass Mode first,  LP/HP later
A-118 Random voltages added to VC2 input somewhere in the middle.
Drums provided by an Elektron Machinedrum" 

The module will be available in spring 2016

Source: Doepfer.com

Doepfer A-184-1 Ring Modulator / S&H/T&H / Slew Limiter Combo

Another unexpected release from Doepfer

A-184-1

A-184-1 is the combination of 3 functions which are actually already available in other modules (e.g. A-114, A-148, A-170). In many systems it's not necessary to have two ring modulators (A-114) or two S&H units (A-148) or two slew limiters (A-170) available. That's why we have compiled these function in one small 4 HP module.
The upper section is nothing but half of an A-114, i.e. a ring modulator with the usual X/Y inputs and the X*Y output.

A-184-1V

The lower section is a Sample & Hold (S&H) / Track & Hold (T&H) unit followed by a slew limiter.
An internal jumper is used to set the mode to S&H or T&H. In S&H mode the unit picks out a sample from the voltage at the SH input at the rising edge of the trigger signal input. In T&H mode the output follows the input voltage as long as the level of the trigger signal is high.
As soon as the trigger signal turns low, the last voltage is stored.
The trigger input is internally normalled to high, i.e. the unit works as a slew limiter in T&H mode when no trigger signal is applied.

The module will be available in the new Vintage Black colour-scheme too :)

Price: ~ Euro 90.00
Date of delivery:  spring 2016

Source: Doepfer.com

Downloadable Frontplate Templates for Doepfer Modules Announced

Doepfer A-168-1, A-110-6, A-110-3, A-121-2 and A-184-1
with custom frontpanel designs

You might have noticed the colorful new frontplates on the Doepfer website recently.
I had almost mistaken them for new Special Editions, but Doepfer clearly writes:

"The custom versions of a few modules featured on the Doepfer website are only a design study made with a self adhesive foil, printed by a color laser printer.

That way the customer will be able to design "his" personal module by printing his design on an self adhesive foil and stick the foil to the module (for this the module has to be dismantled).

There are no plans to offer these versions of the module, but they do plan to offer suitable templates for download."

Knobs in different colors are also still available so your only limit will be your imagination.

I wonder how Doepfer will further develop this idea... i.e. if there could be such a thing as an online Doepfer Template designer tool or such... Hmmm... Nice.

The first examples look very impressive IMO...

Doepfer A-110-6 Trapezoid Thru Zero Quadrature VCO Announced

The Doepfer A-110-6 Trapezoid Thru-Zero VCO is the third of Doepfer's Thru-Zero oscillator-range.

The module is based on an idea by Donald Tillman from 2003 but has been revised for the use of modern electronic circuits (no OTAs/CA3280). 

Because of it's unique trapezoid core it's totally different compared to other VCOs but the trapezoid core is not the only specialty: it is also a quadrature VCO and features linear thru zero frequency modulation.

The term "quadrature" means in this connection that the oscillator outputs two trapezoid waves with 90 degrees phase shift. The same as sine and cosine of a standard quadrature oscillator. These waveforms are called TRASIN (trapezoid sine) and TRACOS (trapezoid cosine).

The term "Thru-Zero" means that even "negative" frequencies are generated. But this a bit a misleading term as negative frequencies do not really exist. "Negative" means in this connection simply that the TRASIN/TRACOS waves will stop when the linear control voltage reaches 0V and continue with the opposite directions as the linear control voltage becomes negative and vice versa.

The module has two control sections: linear and a exponential. The exponential section consists of the XTune control, the 1V/Oct input and the XFM input with the corresponding attenuator XFM. The exponential control voltage is the sum of these three voltages. The linear section consists of the LFrq control and the LFM input with the corresponding attenuator LFM. The linear control voltage is the sum of these two voltages. 

A dual color LED is used to display the polarity of the linear control voltage. The pitch of all outputs is determined by the control voltages of both sections. 

The linear section is used to control the pitch in a linear manner. When the LFrq control (LFrq means Linear Frequency Control) is fully CW the module works like a normal VCO and the LED lights blue. The pitch is then controlled by the exponential section with the manual Tune control XTune and the exponential frequency control inputs 1V/Oct and XFM. 1V/Oct is used to control the pitch by a 1V/Oct CV source (e.g. sequencer or Midi/USB-to-CV interface). XFM is used to apply an exponential frequency modulation with adjustable depth (e.g. from an LFO or another VCO). 

As the LFrq control is turned counterclockwise starting from the fully CW position the frequency is lowered in a linear manner until the TRASIN/TRACOS waves (nearly) stop at the center position of LFrq (provided that no LFM signal is present). 

As the LFrq control is moved from the center towards the CCW position the waves start again but into reverse direction and the LED turns white. When the fully CCW position of LFrq is reached the module works again like a normal VCO. 

But much more exciting is the usage of the LFM input to modify the linear control voltage by an external control voltage (typically another VCO). 

Linear modulation by another oscillator using the thru zero feature in combination with the trapezoid waveforms generates audio spectra than cannot be obtained from any other oscillator without the thru zero function. The reason is that a "normal" VCO will simply stop as the linear control voltage becomes zero or negative. But a thru zero VCO will start again with "negative" frequencies as the the linear control voltage becomes negative.

A-110-6 Waveforms

Other waveforms like triangle, sawtooth, rectangle and sine can be obtained very easily from the TRASIN/TRACOS signals (triangle e.g. simply by subtracting TRISIN and TRICOS) ,and all waveforms will be available as quadrature pairs (i.e. with 90 degrees phase shift).

That's why Doepfer thinks about adding all these waveform outputs to the module in the final version - or alternatively a about a breakout module which makes all 10 waveforms available (trapezoid, triangle, sine, sawtooth, rectangle - all as quadrature pairs).
They also think about an LFO version of the module (same features but low frequency range with LED displays of the outputs).

Price: around Euro 150.00 (module as shown, without additional waveform outputs, without the above mentioned breakout module)

Releasedate: Spring 2016

Source: Doepfer.com

Doepfer A-110-3 Triangle Thru Zero VCO Specifications

The Doepfer A-110-3 Triangle Thru Zero VCO is the second Thru-Zero module that Doepfer is releasing ( after the A-110-4 Quadrature Thru-Zero VCO )

This module was first shown in November 2014 ( read HERE ), and now there's an official release right before NAMM2016.

The A-110-3 is a Thru Zero VCO with triangle core. The term "Thru-Zero" means that even "negative" frequencies are generated. But this a bit a misleading term as negative frequencies do not really exist. "Negative" means in this connection simply that the triangle wave will stop when the linear control voltage reaches 0V and continue with the opposite direction as the linear control voltage becomes negative and vice versa.

The module has two control sections: linear and a exponential. The exponential section consists of the XTune control, the 1V/Oct input and the XFM input with the corresponding attenuator XFM. The exponential control voltage is the sum of these three voltages. 

The linear section consists of the LFrq control and the LFM input with the corresponding attenuator LFM. The linear control voltage is the sum of these two voltages. A dual color LED is used to display the polarity of the linear control voltage. The pitch of the outputs is determined by the control voltages of both sections. The linear section is used to control the pitch in a linear manner. 

When the LFrq control (LFrq means Linear Frequency Control) is fully CW the module works like a normal VCO and the pitch is then controlled by the exponential section with the manual Tune control XTune and the exponential frequency control inputs 1V/Oct and XFM. 1V/Oct is used to control the pitch by a 1V/Oct CV source (e.g. sequencer or Midi/USB-to-CV interface). XFM is used to apply an exponential frequency modulation with adjustable depth (e.g. from an LFO or another VCO). 

As the LFrq control is turned counterclockwise starting from the fully CW position the frequency is lowered in a linear manner until the triangle wave (nearly) stops at the center position of LFrq (provided that no LFM signal is present). As the LFrq control is moved from the center towards the CCW position the wave starts again but into reverse direction and the LED changes it's color. When the fully CCW position of LFrq is reached the module works again like a normal VCO. 

But much more exciting is the usage of the LFM input to modify the linear control voltage by an external control voltage (typically another VCO). Linear modulation by another oscillator using the thru zero feature generates audio spectra than cannot be obtained from an oscillator without the thru zero function. The reason is that a "normal" VCO will simply stop as the linear control voltage becomes zero or negative. But a thru zero VCO will start again with "negative" frequencies as the the linear control voltage becomes negative.

Internal waveshapers are used to generate the additional waveforms sawtooth an rectangle.

Price: around Euro 150.00
Date of delivery: spring 2016 (standard version)

Source: Doepfer.com

Doepfer A-121 Multimode Filter Re-Design

A-121-2 Re-design

We all knew a re-design of the Doepfer A-121 Multimode Filter has been in the pipeline for a while, due to the unavailability of certain chips inside.

Since the beginning this has always been one of my favourite filters, because of it's sophisticated sound and the VC infut for resonance control. Oh, and the multiple simultanuous outputs...

At Namm 2016 Doepfer will present the A-121-2, the successor of the obsolete module A-121.

The circuitry is totally different from the A-121 which used the obsolete CEM3320 filter circuit. 

Module A-121 is a voltage-controlled multi-mode filter with a cut-off slope of -12 dB / octave.

Four simultaneous outputs are available, each with different characteristics: low-pass, band-pass, high-pass and notch (or band reject). 

The cut-off frequency determines the point at which the respective filter effects appear. 

The frequency can be adjusted manually, or by voltage control (Filter modulation, for instance by an LFO or ADSR). 

Two CV inputs are available, whose control voltages are summed. Resonance (Emphasis or Q ) can be adjusted manually, or by voltage control, right up to self-oscillation, in which case it will behave like a sine wave oscillator.

The sound of the new module A-121-2 is identical to filter of the Dark Energy II but has been expanded by the voltage controlled resonance feature (like the original A-121).

Read all about the specs of the original A-121 at http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/2011/03/filters-ii-121-vcf2-multimode-filter.html

The modules will cost Euro 120.00 and will be available around March 2016

Source: Doepfer.com

Doepfer in Black... Vintage Style

Exciting news from Doepfer for this upcoming NAMM2016.

First this:
Finally they decided to release modules featuring black frontpanels with white print and vintage style knobs.
The result is truly stunning... i would love to change all my silver frontpanels rightaway :)
It will also look great with their latest series of Special Edition modules.

Doepfer A-100 System in black, with vintage-style knobs (click to enlarge)

Imagine this with their new colored knobs too... i'm very excited for this :)

So far for these modules vintage versions are planned:
A-110-1 Standard VCO, ƒA-110-2 Basic VCO, A-114 Ring Modulator, ƒA-118 Noise/Random, A-120 24dB Transistor Ladder Lowpass Filter, A-132-3 Dual Linear/Exponential VCA, A-138 Mixer, A-140 ADSR, A-147-2 VCDLFO, A-148 S&H/T&H, A-180-2 2x4 Multiple and the A-190-3 USB/MIDI-to-CV/Gate Interface.
If there are sufficient inquiries they will offer the black panels and vintage style knobs as spare parts.

There are also plans to offer more modules with black panels (e.g. the sequencer series A-154/A-155/A-156).

Each module (old and new ones) will be available in any case in the standard version (i.e. silver-grey aluminium with grey knobs).
But they will offer some modules also in the vintage edition (black front panels with black glossy vintage style knob with metal disc
at the top) or other Special Editions (like the black/yellow A-124 Wasp, the blue/white A-110-4 Thru Zero Quadrature VCO or the (upcoming) cream/black A-106-5). So there is no need to dispute. Simply order the version you prefer.

Angled view (click to enlarge)

After NAMM Doepfer will decide how they will proceed...
 
Update 22/02/2016:
Presumably in April 2016 these modules will follow as vintage versions:
A-112 Sampler, A-138b Mixer, A-154 Seq, A-155 Seq, A-156 Dual Quantizer, A-160-5, A-170 Slew Limiter, A-188-1 BBD and A-199 Spring Reverb.

Likewise the Low Cost Cases A-100LC3, A-100LC6, A-100LC9 and A-100LCB will be available in black coated versions from April 2016. 
The above picture shows the vintage modules mounted into a black A-100LC3. 
More information, prices, picture, release dates will be available about middle of March 2016. 
The surcharges will be in the range Euro 45 (A-100LC3) to Euro 80 (A-100LC9).