Tag: Superbooth 2017

Superbooth17 – Digitana Electronics

 

Digitana Electronics started out with producing interfaces and expansion units for the classic EMS synthesizers Synthi A, AKS and VCS3. At Superbooth17, the company presented its first stand-alone instrument, the SX-1. It was derived from the Digitana Synthi AKS KS Expander and developed in collaboration with The Future Sound of London. The synthesizer features two analog VCOs, slew limiter and octave shift sections, a sample and hold LFO plus dual AD envelope based VCAs. Furthermore, the unit contains two 4-pole resonant filters, a voltage controlled slope generator as well as echo and distortion effects.

Digitana Halia

Furthermore, Digitana showed an early prototype of a digital instrument called Halia. It is based on two ARM micro controllers with separate stereo ADC / DAC audio sections and can be used as a pocket synth or Eurorack module. There is very little information on the Halia at this point. Digitana just mentioned that it will be capable of creating multi-oscillator drones, FM- and Buchla-style sounds. – We hope to have more information on this nifty little machine soon.

Superbooth17 – Curetronic

Specht

Matthias Schmidt a.k.a. Curetronic will release his first stand-alone instrument soon. The Specht (German word for woodpecker) is a semi-modular synthesizer specialized in drum sounds. It comes equipped with an oscillator generating sine and square waves, a noise source plus a VCA. On the modulator side, there are pitch and volume envelopes as well as a LFO. Thanks to the semi-modular layout and thought-through routing options, it is not only possible to create kicks and snares, but a multitude of other drum and percussion elements as well. For instance, the LFO can be fed to the VCA for generating clap-like sounds. On top of that, the Specht is not only controllable via CV signals and MIDI, but directly via a built-in piezo element as well.

Curetronic’s Specht will be available this summer.

Superbooth17 – Sonic Potions

Moiré features two digital oscillators based on sine cores. Audio material can be processed via saw and rectangle shapers as well as a wave folder. Each oscillator is able to modulate the phase of the other instance for Yamaha-style FM synthesis.

 

Manifold is a delay and reverb processor, featuring a wide range of algorithms, extensive editing options and sync functions. The module works with a resolution of 16 Bit and 48 kHz. When synchronized to an oscillator, it is possible to create Karplus Strong effects. Manifold comes equipped with the following algorithms:

  • Basic delay
  • Granular pitch shifting delay
  • Tape delay with moving tape head and variable tape speed
  • Granular glitch delay
  • Multitap delay
  • Double delay
  • BBD delay
  • Two reverb algorithms
  • Chorus / Ensemble / Flanger

Sonic Potions Manifold und Malaclypse

Malaclypse is a random module, which can be used as an oscillator, a noise generator or a CV source. It is composed of an analog noise circuit and an interpolator. The latter is able to process external signals as well. Four modes of operation are available, in detail:

  • No interpolation (Results are similar to the staircase signals emitted by sample-and-hold-stages)
  • Linear interpolation with or without resonance
  • Cubic interpolation
  • Threshold mode for generating vinyl-style cracks and pops

Up to ten octaves of random signals can be stacked with variable volume ratio. A Similarity potentiometer allows users to create drifting or repeating voltages. Other features include polarity and sync options as well as a 1 V per octave input.

Superbooth17 – Arrel Audio

Arrel ER-150

After releasing the ER-100 Summing Mixer, the ER-110 Stereo Parametric Equalizer and the ER-130 VC Mid-Side Unit, Arrel Audio developed a high-end power supply for modular systems. Two versions will be available, each is composed of a module plus bus boards. Their technical specifications are identical. Both come equipped with short circuit as well as overheating protection and deliver up to 3 A at +12 V, 1 A at -12 V and 1 A at +5 V. The noise floor is very low.

What separates the two systems is the module design. While the ER-160 is only 4 HP wide and comes with just a power connector plus LEDs to check for proper operation, the 10 HP wide ER-150 features a big VU meter that shows the current drawn by the modular system. – A very nice idea. Additionally, the ER-150 has an output for feeding power to a second rack.

Arrel ER-140 und ER-160

Furthermore, Arrel Audio designed an expander for the ER-100 Summing Mixer, the ER-140 Summute. It is composed of two sections, each featuring four channels with input, mute switch and output. Additionally, there is a mix output plus gain potentiometer and saturation LED per group.

Superbooth17 – Vermona

Vermona Mixer

Vermona presented a voltage controllable mixer with eight inputs, which is also usable as a multichannel attenuator, a CV generator and even as a step sequencer. The development is still in a rather early stage, meaning there will be some additional features, which weren’t announced yet.

Vermona Complex Envelope Generator

Furthermore, visitors of the Superbooth17 were able to take a first look at Vermona’s complex envelope generator. The module features four segments to create linear respectively exponential attack or decay curves with variable length. Using patch cables, several stages can be linked plus there are looping options.

Additionally, Vermona showed advanced prototypes of Random Rhythm, Twin CV Filter plus Expander, Unicycle oscillator and the Quadropol. All modules will become available within the next months.

Superbooth17 – Kilpatrick Audio

Kilpatrick Audio Tungsten

The guys from Kilpatrick Audio showed an early prototype of their mobile music production system Tungsten at Superbooth17. It is an open source, Linux based device that can run a multitude of applications. One of the first programs, which are currently in development, is a tracker-style sequencer.

The Tungsten comes equipped with an OLED display and 25 buttons, line and mic inputs plus a headphone output. For communicating with external gear like synthesizers, controllers or an audio interface, there are MIDI and USB connectors.

Superbooth17 – Radikal Technologies

 Radikal RT1701

Jörg Schaaf shows his RT-1701 Effexx module at Superbooth17, a great sounding multi effect with a multitude of sound processing options. It is composed of a stereo gain stage with overdrive, an equalizer respectively filter section, two DSP effects and a reverb. Thanks to the module’s routing options, users can link components in various ways. The multi effects offer two types of echo, chorus, phaser and flanger as well as rotary, pitch shifter and Karplus Strong algorithms. Configurations can be saved as so-called snapshots. A morph function makes it possible to crossfade smoothly from one memory slot to another via an internal LFO or an external CV signal. While doing this, the module interpolates between the parameter settings of both data sets. The RT-1701 Effexx is expected to come out within the next weeks. It can be pre-ordered here.

Radical Bild 2

Additionally, Mr Schaaf presented a prototype of his Pre-GTX module. – It features an input for connecting a guitar, a shaper section for re-creating the sound of classic amplifiers and an equalizer with two semi-parametric (high / low) and a parametric band (mid). Audio signals can be tapped off a raw and a shaped connector. Furthermore, there is a gate output.

Superbooth17 – WMD

WMD Bild 1

The American hardware manufacturer WMD shows its latest modules at Superbooth17, all of which will be available at SchneidersLaden within the next days / weeks. First in line is the Arpitecht, a quantizer and rhythmic arpeggiator, as well as the chord generator Arpitecht Triad. Shortly thereafter, the DJ-style stereo filter Overseer will arrive at the shop. The freshly developed MSCL stereo compressor and the Modbox module are available already, by the way.

WMD Bild 2

Additionally, visitors of the Superbooth17 can have a look at WMD’s Advanced Trigger Sequencer and a drum module, for now simply called the Tambourine. Both products are still in development, they will come out in spring 2018.

Superbooth17 – XOR-Electronics

Nerdsynth

XOR-Electronics presents the Nerdseq at Superbooth17, a composition tool with ten tracks. Notes and additional commands are entered via buttons into a tracker-style user interface. Patterns can have a length of up to 64 steps. The first six tracks come equipped with configurable CV, trigger and mod outputs. For processing patterns, there are quantize, glide, re-trigger and groove options. Parameter automations are possible as well. Track seven to ten are sample channels. Audio material can be fed to the module via a Micro SD card. Internally, samples can be reversed and processed with effects. – Per step, of course. The Micro SD card is also used to save projects. One file can hold enough data for several songs. Other features include four user assignable inputs, clock and reset connectors as well as (wave-)table functions.

The Nerdseq can be expanded via an I/O module. It adds a MIDI DIN input and output plus a connector for Sega gamepads to the sequencer.

Furthermore, a module called NSR-Expander will become available shortly after the Nerdseq. This circuit adds a cartridge slot to the system, which can be used to tie-in synthesizer voices. Up to four expanders are connectable to the Nerdseq. At Superbooth17, visitors can already take a look at Meeblip, Ploytec PL2, AT Megatron and DSP-GI cartridges.

The Nerdseq is expected to be released this summer.

Superbooth17 – GRP

GRP 2

The Italian hardware manufacturer GRP not only shows its analog synthesizers A2 and A4 plus the R24 step sequencer at Superbooth17, but a range of Eurorack modules as well. In detail, visitors can take a look at…

  • A VCO with sine, triangle, saw, pulse and sub octave (-1 / -2) outputs. Furthermore, the module features linear and exponential FM inputs, hard sync and PW / PWM options.
  • A low pass filter with transistor ladder design and built-in distortion. Its slope is switchable between -6 dB and -24 dB per octave. CV inputs allow users to not only modulate the cutoff frequency, but the resonance as well. A 1V per octave connector makes it possible to employ the filter as a sine wave oscillator.
  • A state variable filter with two inputs and five outputs. (12 dB low and high pass / 6 dB band pass / notch / auxiliary select out) Two FM connectors enable users to modulate the cutoff frequency plus there is a 1V per octave input. A distortion is built-in as well.
  • A fixed filter bank with high pass, low pass and twelve band pass filters.
  • A VCA with switchable response characteristic. (Linear / exponential)
  • A stereo output module with four channel mixer, pan options and two phone options. – Plus two very cool looking VU meters.
  • A sample and hold module with integrated noise generator. In detail, the module emits white, pink and low frequency noise.
  • A three channel mixer
  • A dual LFO with outputs for ramp-triangle-saw and pulse-square waveforms.
  • An envelope follower, which can be fed with line or mic signals.
  • An ADSR envelope with three time ranges plus normal and inverted outputs.
  • A multiple

The modules will be available by the end of 2017.

Superbooth17 – Jomox

Jomox Alpha Base

Jürgen Michaelis presents his new Alpha Base at Superbooth17. The drum machine features a hybrid design with eleven instruments, sampling capabilities and sequencer.

Kick and snare circuits of the Alpha Base are fully analog. The latter is a complete MBrane voice, meaning it can also be used to create percussion hits, cow bells, claves, toms and so forth. Six other instrument channels produce sound with the help of sample players plus metallic noise generators. Results are fed into analog filters and VCAs for processing. Two of these drum voices feature VCFs especially designed for sculpting hi hats. The other instances come equipped with multimode filters. (Low pass, band pass and high pass modes / -12 dB per octave).

Additionally, there are two completely digital instrument channels. Again, samples are used to generate sound. – It is even possible to record short audio snippets of up to four seconds directly into these channels (WAV / AIFF format, 16 Bit / 48 kHz). Results can be allocated to other sample based drum voices. For storing data, a SD card slot was implemented.

Last but not least, the Alpha Base features a FM Synth with four operators. Thanks to its six note polyphony, users can not only create wicked percussion sounds, but chords and melodies as well. All instrument channels possess a comprehensive set of editing options and modulators. For refining sounds, delay and reverb effects were implemented.

The Alpha’s sequencer offers eleven tracks, pattern can have a length of up to 64 steps. Besides notes, it is also possible to record parameter changes. The last step of a pattern is definable per track. (Great for polyrhythmic beats.) Shuffle and micro step options, roll and flam functions plus parameter locks give beats a nice, groovy touch. A chaining mode allows users to link patterns.

For external control and synchronization, the Alpha Base was equipped with MIDI-DIN, USB and DIN-Sync connectors.

More information on the Alpha Base can be found at the Jomox website.

ABOUT STROMKULT


STROMKULT is our platform for updates and news on SCHNEIDERSLADEN and SUPERBOOTH, selected electronic musical instruments and events related to modular synthesizers, sequencers, competent drum machines, analog modular systems, midi tools, controllers, converters and related products of all kinds. You can find all kinds of events related to these topic in our EVENT CALENDAR. Also on this site you will find lots of videos from SUPERBOOTH – the world’s largest trade fair for electronic musical instruments, news about events and workshops at SCHNEIDERSLADEN.

Herr Schneider started in 1999 with SCHNEIDERSBUERO as a sales and marketing platform for the smallest manufacturers and inventors of electronic musical instruments. Products were shown online, in our showrooms and at the original SUPERBOOTH – workshops and countless reviews have been featured in magazines all over Europe.

These very special instruments and tools are now often available from specialist dealers all over Europe and can be purchased directly from our webshop SCHNEIDERSLADEN worldwide.