New England Audio Retroaktiv HLFO Eurorack Module

New England Analog Archives
Published on Aug 8, 2017

This is the first post to feature the New England Audio Retroaktiv HLFO eurorack module.

"The Retroaktiv HLFO (Haptic LFO) is a 10HP module for Eurorack systems. It is a voltage controlled LFO with a touch sensor, noise source, and sample & hold unit. It features a suite of useful functions, packed into a small module. Features include: LFO with voltage controlled rate and amplitude. LFO can be controlled by force sensor on panel, or by external CVs. Force sensor output = 0-5V. Built in sample & hold with noise generator. When no external source is connected to the S&H, HLFO noise source is normalized to the S&H input. S&H rate and amplitude can be controlled by external CVs or the onboard touch sensor.

In this video, I am running a VCO through a 2-pole Oberheim-style VCF. I'm generally running the main LFO out (the output with amplitude attenuation) to the VCO, and am running the sample & hold output to the filter cutoff. Sometimes I have the touch sensor routed to the filter or the VCO. Even if something is plugged into the touch sensor output, the touch sensor still gets normalized to the rate and amplitude inputs of the LFO unless something is connected to those jacks.

The oscilloscope in the video is connected to the main LFO output. Despite all of the wacky waveforms I'm making in this video, the HLFO can function like a standard tri/squ/S&H LFO. Any keyboard aftertouch sensor can also be connected to the HLFO, which makes it a great module to interface with a mod wheel or aftertouch."