Showing posts with label NAMM. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NAMM. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Doepfer NAMM 2018 A-100 Standard Module Announcements

A-123-2
My third and last post about the New Doepfer announcements for NAMM 2018... (January 25/28 2018, Anaheim, Hall A, booth 10706)
The other 2 blogposts are about the  Dark Energy III and their new Polyphonic Modules...
Among the newly announced "Standard Modules" there are these little gems

The A-123-2 6/12/18/24dB Highpass Filter is an interesting voltage controlled highpass filter with four filter outputs (6, 12, 18 and 24dB slope). It also features voltage control of the resonance. These controls and in/outputs are available:
• Audio In with attenuator (Lev)
• Manual Frequency control (Frq)
• FCV1: Frequency control input (~ 1V/oct)
• FCV2: Frequency control input with polarizer
• QCV: Resonance control input with attenuator
• Manual Resonance control (Q)
• 6dB Output
• 12dB Output
• 18dB Output
• 24dB Output

A-140-2
The new A-140-2 Dual Micro ADSR
contains double ADSR type envelope generators behind a front panel with 8 HP only. Each ADSR provides these controls and in/outputs:
• Attack (A), manual control
• Decay (D), manual control
• Sustain (S), manual control
• Release (R), manual control
• Gate Input
• Retrigger Input
• CVT Input with attenuator (CVT = CV Time)
• Envelope Output 1
• Envelope Output 2
• LED control

By means of internal jumpers one can select which parameters are controlled by the CVT input (e.g. D only or D+R or A+D+R) and in which direction (i.e. if an increasing CVT shortens or stretches the time parameter in question). By means of another jumpers output 2 can be set to normal or inverted envelope).
Two more jumpers are used for the optional bus
access to the gate signal of the bus for each ADSR.

A-142-3
A-142-3 Envelope Controlled VCA Module A-142-3 is the combination of a simple AD/AR envelope generator and a VCA behind a front panel with 4HP only.
The type of envelope can be selected by means of a toggle switch between A/D (Attack-Decay) and A/R (Attack/Release). Another toggle switch is used to choose envelope or (free running) LFO mode.
The envelope output controls a linear VCA.
These controls and in/outputs are available:
• Attack control
• Decay/Release control
• AD/off/AR switch
• Envelope/LFO switch
• LED (envelope display)
• Gate Input
• Manual gate (momentary switch)
• Envelope Output
• VCA CV Input (normalled to Envelope Output)
• Audio Input with Level control
• Audio Output (the outputs of several A-142-3 can
be internally mixed together)


Furthermore, the modules that were already announced at Superbooth 2017 like the A-138s Mini Stereo Mixer and A-150-8 Octal Voltage Controlled Switch will be available pretty soon now...  and the A-180-9 got a final facelift and got upgraded from 12 to 14 channels through standard network cables.


Read more about those modules at
http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/2017/04/superbooth-2017-new-doepfer-module.html



Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Doepfer A-150-8 Octal Manual/Voltage Controlled Programmable Switches Announced

Doepfer has just released some info on their new modules for NAMM 2017 (19-21 jan.)
Besides some vintage editions of existing modules, the A-135ABC VC Performance mixer modules, the A-110-6Trapezoid Thru Zero Quadrature VCO and a new A-100LC1 case (economically priced small housing with 48 HP width) there was also one other interesting new module announcement:

Module A-150-8 contains eight manually/voltage controlled switches. 
Each of the eight switches has a manual control button (Man.), a control voltage input (CV), a common Out / Input (O/I), and two In / Outputs (I/O1, I/O2). 
The switches are bi-directional, i.e. they can work in both directions, so can connect one input to either of two outputs, or either of two inputs to one output. 

A-150-8 Octal VC Switch prototype
Two LEDs show which in / output is active (ie. which is connected to the common out / input). 
In addition the LEDs are used for the programming of the module:
For each unit the operating mode can be selected: 
Toggle or Level controlled. In Toggle mode the rising edge of the CV input or operating the manual control button changes the state of the switch. In Level mode the switch state is defined by the voltage applied to the CV input (low voltage = I/O1, high voltage = I/O2) or by the state of the manual control button (not pressed = I/O1, pressed = I/O2). 
The modes are programmed very easily: Operating the Toggle/Level button of the program section displays the current state of each switch with the LEDs (left LED on = Toggle mode, right LED on = Level mode). 
Operating the manual control button of the switch in question changes the toggle/level mode.
In addition it's possible to define master/slave groups. In such a group the upper unit (= master) controls also the state of the following switches provided that they are defined as slaves. 
Master/slave programming is also very simple: Operating the Master/Slave button of the program section displays the current state of each switch with the LEDs (left LED on = Master, right LED on = Slave). 

Operating the manual control button of the switch in question changes the master/slave mode. 
When all 8 units are defined as master each switch is independent of each other. If for example the sequence is MSSSMSMS the control unit of the first switch also controls the switches 2, 3 and 4. The control unit of switch #5 also controls the switch #6, and the control unit of switch #7 also controls the switch #8.

Doepfer is also thinking about a small preset management with eight presets which store the states and modes of all switches. But they are not yet sure if this makes sense because the configuration of the switches is associated very closely to the patching of the sockets.

Date of Delivery: Spring 2017 
Price: ~ US$ 160.00 (Euro 150.00) 

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Meet the Maker - Modular Synths panel with 6 Eurorack Manufacturers



At this year's Winter NAMM show, Vintage King Audio presented the TEC Tracks panel: "Meet the Maker -- Modular Synths".
This short (35 minutes) panel discussion, distributed by Sound On Sound, brought together 5 well-known modular synth makers to talk about the booming Eurorack format.

Panelists included: Dieter Doepfer (Doepfer), Dan Green (4MS), William Matthewson (WMD), Ryan McGuire (Vintage King moderator), Tony Rolando (Make Noise), Brandon Ryan (Roland) and Gene Stopp (Moog Music)

They talked a bit about the history of the Eurorack standard (with it's US-based Inch-metrics... lol), and the influence of live-Eurorack performers on new modules.
William Matthewson from WMD offered an interesting insight of what to expect in the future with new controls, like tactile things, body movement, gloves, the integration of virtual reality and other new futuristic techniques that can convert all kinds of signals into control voltages.

Interesting to hear was also the process behind the whole module-design and where Dieter shared his point of view about the pros and cons of the community-input, mentioning the importance of the Yahoo A-100 Usergroup (and his annoyance about it sometimes) and the creative input from live musicians like the icelandic band GusGus when it comes to developing new modules.
It reminded me of his work with the guys from Kraftwerk in the past, with the development of the Schaltwerk, the vocoder and other projects...

Saturday, January 16, 2016

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).

Sunday, January 04, 2015

New Doepfer A-157-1/2/3 Trigger Sequencer Prototypes

Doepfer has published another (4th?) collection of new prototypes of the A-157-1/2/3, and seem to be preparing it for a NAMM 2015 lauch...
I have been following this project since February 2011, and i am still looking forward to this one...

The graphics have changed, the A-157-1, the main trigger part with 160 buttons and 160 leds, has a nice black-and-silver colorscheme, and the function buttons on the right side have been labelled now...


The full subsystem will still contain several modules:

- The LED/button matrix module A-157-1,
It seems to feature some nice functions like Invert Row (when shift left and right are operated simultaneously) have been added for each row, plus mute and select for each track, shift pattern, first/last step and different running modes (fwd/back/pendulum/random)

- The trigger output module A-157-2
The A-157-2 provides single outputs for each track

- , and one of the control modules (A-157-3, A-157-4 ...)
A simple controller with basic functions like start/stop, reset and clock, which can  be controlled via input triggers or the dedicated push-buttons.

Release date: ~ early in 2015 (NAMM!?)
(only A-157-1 ... 3, so far there is no release date available for the planned module A-157-4 and the stand-alone unit Dark Flow!)

Update January 16 2016:
Dieter in the Doepfer Yahoo Usergroup:
"The A-157 are now in production and the first batch will be shipped ~ middle of February. But it depends upon the orders of your dealer when they arrive at your dealer. As far as I know the first batch is already sold out."

Read all my earlier A-157 Trigger Sequencer blog-posts at http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/search/label/A-157

Note: I replaced the Version 2 frontpanels by the final Version 3 ones

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

NAMM 2013 Preview

Dieter Doepfer and Bob Moog at NAMM 2002
NAMM 2013 in Anaheim, California will kick off tomorrow.
From January 24-27 many exhibitors from all over the world will show their latest in music technology.

Some manufacturers already announced the new synthesizers that they will be display at NAMM;
I believe i am the most excited by the previews that i've seen from the Moog Sub Phatty, a new analog synthezizer from Moog (around 1100 USD) and the rumors of a Korg MS-20 re-design.
According to this rumors Korg will show a revamped Korg Legacy MS-20-style controller, but with fully analog circuits, featuring mini 1/8"  instead of 1/4" jacks and equipped with MIDI and MIDI over USB.
The rumored price will be around 800 USD.

I haven't seen many spectacular new eurorack announcements yet (besides the new Pittsburgh Modular modules and cases, and the 4ms modules), but there will probably be some new and interesting devices out there.

Dieter Doepfer and Bob Moog
at NAMM 2002
The Bob Moog Foundation (BMF) will also be at NAMM 'to celebrate the indelible nature of the synthesizer pioneer’s legacy'.
Beginning on Thursday January 24, NAMM attendees will have opportunities to see and hear demonstrations of vintage Moog instruments and explore rarely seen archival material from the Bob Moog Foundation Archives.
More info about this at the BMF Website.

Have fun if you are going, i wish i could be there too.
Maybe i'll try to be at the next MusikMesse in Frankfurt, Germany (April 10 to 13, 2013) , but nothing is sure yet.
I also have a regular day-job, you know...

Feel free to send interesting (eurorack modular) synth-pictures if you have them, thanks in advance!
The best place to find all the latest NAMM news is at Matrixsynth.

Find more info about NAMM 2013 at http://www.namm.org/thenammshow/2013
Pictures via the Doepfer Facebook page

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Most Wanted IV - A-157 8x16 Step Trigger Sequencer

At NAMM 2010 in Anaheim USA, Doepfer showed a very early prototype of the A-157 8 x 16 Step Trigger Sequencer. There's not much information available about this module, besides the info in the NAMM 2010 News PDF on the Doepfer site. Even Doepfer's own Future/New Modules section doesn't have any info on it.

What we do know ( about the prototype(s) ) is that it will be a 'simple' and affordable trigger sequencer (only 8x8 steps, no preset management).
The final module will be equipped with assigned LEDs (arranged in 8 rows with 16 steps each), 8 trigger outputs and clock/start/stop/reset inputs.
It generates 8 trigger signals that are set by the buttons. The LEDs are used to show the active steps and the external control signals clock, start/stop and reset are used to sync the unit to other A-100 modules (or via suitable interfaces to Midi/USB).

An additional preset management will be added to the final version of the module. At the time Doepfer was also thinking about a low cost version of this module with an 8x16 or 8x32 display (like the left unit in the picture) but with only one row of buttons that had to be assigned to one of the rows in question.
The expected date of delivery of summer 2010 was never made.

In fact i haven't found anything more on the web or in the forums about this module, what the reactions were, or a new expected release date.
They are probably still working hard on perfecting the module. The module shown at NAMM wasn't even finished but did give a nice insight on what they are working on.
I like the idea and layout of the front-panel, but personally i prefer my Clock and Reset inputs at the left side of a module, i guess they will at least change that in the final product.

I'd love to have one in a near future, programming rhythmical stuff will become much easier with a module like this, looking forward owning one, but i am afraid i have to wait a while...