New A-141-2 Voltage Controlled ADSR/LFO Announced

A-141-2 Voltage Controlled
ADSR/LFO

Doepfer announced another new module this week.
The A-141-2 Voltage Controlled ADSR/LFO will replace the old A-141 module that is running out now. (the last ones are on sale)

The newly announced 14 HP wide A-141-2 Voltage Controlled ADSR/LFO will be similar to the A-141 but it has a lot of extras/ improvements.
For example it has a common CV input for all time parameters (A/D/R), a 3-position range switch for time range 10:1:100 and digital outputs for EOA (end of attack) and EOR (end of release).

It also has three envelope outputs: one with fixed ADSR, one inverted output and a third output with additional CV input for level (i.e. built-in level VCA)

There's also the possibility to change the shape of each segment of the envelope (exponential - linear - inverted exponential), it has a VCLFO mode and is planned for summer 2013

The price will be around 125.00 Euro, price and planned release date (August 2013) are still without obligation !

Source: Doepfer Website

New Doepfer Re-Designs Due to CA3080 Shortage

After the unplanned re-design of the Dark Energy (due to the unavailability of the CEM3394 chip ) there now seem to be more re-designs of Doepfer Modules coming up.

This time the problem is the availability of CA3080 (and 3080E) chips.
The CA3080 (datasheet PDF) is a 2MHz Operational Trans-conductance Amplifier (OTA), which is used in quite a few Doepfer (and other brands) modules and there seems to be no direct replacement equivalent.
The original chip itself hasn't been produced since 1975 and the wafers have all been used up a couple of years ago, according to some sources.

No-one seems to have decent stock anymore, and there was a buying craze when it went out of production.

That does mean that some Doepfer modules have to be re-designed in the near future because of this obsolete integrated circuit ( like the A-107, A-116, A-127, A-130, A-131, A-132-1, A-141, A-142-1, A-147, A-171). 

This will take a lot of precious time for Doepfer that would otherwise be spent on manufacturing new modules.

Sadly these re-designs will not have any obvious benefit for the customers.