New Eurorack Modules Coming From Doepfer

Doepfer will be showcasing the above new modules at SUPERBOOTH25. Details on each follow.
Check with dealers on the right for upcoming availability.

Module A-119-2 is kind of a dual version of module A-119 without envelope follower. Instead two amplifiers are available and the module width is 4 HP only.

The module contains two amplifiers with separately adjustable amplification levels. Each channel is equipped with an overload display. The module can be used also for stereo signals, e.g. the stereo output of a smartphone.

Controls and displays:

Level 1/2: manual control of the amplification in the range 0 - about 45.

Overload 1/2: overload LED, begins to light up for output levels beyond about 10Vpp (+/-5V)

In 1: audio input 1 (monophonic or stereophonic, see technical details)

In 2: audio input 2 (monophonic)

Out 1/2: audio output (monophonic)

Technical details:

for higher amplifications the two amplifiers can be daisy-chained

normalling options: the signal applied to socket In 1 can be normalled to socket In 2 in different ways by means of a jumper on the pc board:

socket In 1 is connected via a mono patch cable (standard patch cable) to a monophonic signal and this signal is normalled to socket In 2 (i.e. the same input signal for both sub-units): jumper on pin header JP2 in upper position

socket In 1 is connected via a 3.5 mm stereo TRS cable to a stereophonic signal and the second channel of the stereo signal is normalled to socket In 2: jumper on pin header JP2 in lower position

no normalling: jumper is removed from pin header JP2

all inputs and outputs are DC coupled. Thus the module can be used also for the amplifications of control voltages.

Module A-145-2 is the slim version of the A-145-1. The features of A-145-1 and A-145-2 are identical. Only the arrangement of the controls and sockets is different because of the clearly smaller front panel. In addition the A-145-2 features LED displays also for the rectangle and both sawtooth signals. And the LFO signals are displayed by means of dual-color LEDs (yellow/red: red = positive output voltage, yellow = negative output voltage).

A-149-3 is the third module of the A-149-x range. In this group we present several functions of Don Buchla's "Source of Uncertainty 265/266" (SOU) modules that cannot be realized with existing A-100 modules. Some functions of Buchla's 265 and 266 SOU can be realized with existing A-100 modules. For details please refer to A-100 patch examples.

Module A-149-3 is based on the homonymous "Fluctuating Random Voltages" by Buchla. Compared to the historic original a lot of functions have been added. For example the user has access to virtually all internal signals (e.g. Noisy Triangle or S&H) and there are a lot of adjustable parameters which were fixed in the original. For example the frequency and noisiness of the internal triangle oscillator, the correlation of the S&H and manual or automatic frequency control of the S&H clock oscillator. The fixed internal connections of the original are wired to sockets in the A-149-3 and can be used also individually as the connections of the original are realized as normalled sockets. That way e.g. the S&H or slew unit can be used independent from the other units.

The functions in detail:

As in the original a digital noise signal is filtered in three different ways. The three "noise flavours" are available at three sockets and can be used for all kind of noise applications:

+3db (+3dB per octave, a bright noise, also called blue noise)

-3dB (-3dB per octave, a dark noise, also called red or brown noise, Allan Strange calls it "reciprocal white noise")

Flat (flat spectrum, also called pink noise)

In the original the -3dB output is used add some noise to an internal triangle oscillator with fixed frequency (~ 100 Hz) and fixed "noisiness". The result is called "noisy triangle". In the A-149-3 the frequency of the triangle oscillator and the level of the noisiness can be adjusted. The frequency is adusted by means of the Frq. control and the Range switch (~ 110Hz ... 5 seconds period in position high). In addition one can select between the -3dB and Flat output as noisiness source by means of an internal jumper. When Noisiness control is fully CCW one obtains a clean undisturbed triangle signal. With Noisiness control fully CW the result is a triangle signal with a lot of noise or randomness. The noisy triangle signal is available at the socket "N Tri" and is displayed with a dual color LED.

The "N Tri" signal is normalled to the signal input of the subsequent Sample&Hold unit (S&H). The clock signal for the S&H is generated by an internal rectangle oscillator. This signal is normalled to the S&H clock socket and is displayed by an LED. One can select between manual and automatic control of the clock period by means of a toggle switch. In position "man." the period is controlled manually by the "Period" control. With control "Period" fully CCW one obtains the shortest period or highest frequency. Turning the control up increases the period or lowers the frequency. In position "auto" of the switch the period is controlled by the slew unit. In this position a vactrol is used to define the frequency of the S&H clock. This vactrol is controlled in the same way as the vactrols of the slew unit, i.e. the period of the S&H clock changes simultaneously with the slew time. In the historic original only the auto mode was available. There was no manual control available.

The S&H has another special feature: the Correllation control. It's a feedback function where shares of the S&H output are fed back to the S&H signal input and mixed with the actual S&H input signal. The result is slurring the signal like a sub-audio lowpass filter, kind of a "digital slew function" because the gradation of the signal persists.

The S&H output is availabe at the corresponding socket and is displayed with a dual color LED.

The S&H output is normalled to the signal input of the subsequent Slew Limiter unit (SL). The core of the slew limiter are two vactrols (vactrol = combination of a light emitting diode/LED and a light dependent resistor/LDR built into lightproof case). The brightness of the vactrol LEDs can be controlled manually (control "Man." of the slew unit) and by an external control voltage (socket "SL CV" with associated attenuator "CV" of the slew unit). The brightness of the vactrol LEDs is displayed at the top of the front planel. As already mentioned a third vactrol can be used to control the frequency of the S&H clock oscillator simultaneously to the slew limiter. The SL output is availabe at the corresponding socket and is displayed with a dual color LED.

Due to the access facilities to many of the internal signals and connections it's possible to use the sub-units also for other applications. E.g. the noisy triangle signal, the S&H unit (incl. correlation) or the SL unit can be used for other signals. The S&H clock can be applied also from outside to synchronize the S&H to other signals. If required the internal clock signal is available at a pin header of the pc board.

Controls, Switches and Displays:

Slew Unit

Man.: manual adjustment of the slew time

CV: attenuator for the SL CV input

LED: display of the slew function (bright = short slew lime, dark = long slew time), identical to the brightmess of the vactrol LEDs

Triangle LFO

Frq.: LFO frequency, range ~ 110 Hz ... 5 seconds period

Noise: adjustment of noisiness (= perturbance of the triangle signal)

+3dB/-3dB: switch for the source of noisiness

LED: display of the noisy triangle signal, dual color LED (rot = positive / yellow = negative output voltage)

Sample&Hold (S&H)

Period: period of the internal clock signal for the S&H unit, fully CCW = shortest period or highest frequency, fully CW = longest period or lowest frequency

LED: display of the internal clock signal

Correl.: adjustment of the correllation of the S&H unit

Man./Auto: switching between manual and automatic control of the clock frequency, when auto is selected the clock frequency is controlled by the slew unit

LED: display of S&H output, dual color LED (rot = positive / yellow = negative output voltage)

Slew Limiter (SL)

LED: display of SK output, dual color LED (rot = positive / yellow = negative output voltage)

Sockets:

+3dB : filtered digital noise with +3dB per octave (output)

-3dB : filtered digital noise with -3dB per octave (output)

Flat : flat noise output

N Tri : Noisy Triangle output, about 10Vpp (-5V ... +5V)

S&H In: S&H signal input, normalled to N Tri

S&H Out : S&H signal output

SL CV: control voltage of the slew limiter unit, connected to the corresponding attenuator "CV" of the slew unit

S&H Clk: clock input of the S&H unit, normalled to the internal clock oscillator

SL In: slew limiter input, normalled to S&H Out

SL Out : slew limiter output

The arrow symbols indicate the normalling of sockets. Outputs are inverse labelled.

Technical details:

Frequency range of the triangle LFO: about 110 Hz ... 5 seconds period

Output level of the triangle LFO: ~ 10 Vss (-5 V...+5 V)

Frequency range of the internal clock oscillator: about 3 seconds ... 30Hz

Output level of the internal clock oscillator: ~ 10 Vss (0 V...+10 V)

Required input level of the S&H clock input: +5V

Release date: May 2025 (without obligation)

Module A-155-2 is a small, very compact designed analog sequencer with a lot of features. The sequence length is 8 steps. Each step has available a control for the adjustment of the control voltage for this step and an illuminated momentary switch (button). The buttons are used in the standard running mode to turn on/off the gate of the step in question (button illuminated = gate on, not illuminated = gate off). In combination with other controls at the bottom of the front panel the buttons are used for additional functions: depending on the position of the Program toggle switch the button Function is used to program the length of the sequence (switch position Limit), the running direction (switch position Direct.) or to call up the preset management (switch position Preset) .

When function Direct. (Direction) is selected these running modes are available:

Up

Down

2 x Up (each step is played twice with the normal tempo, not to be confused with Ratcheting x2, see below)

2 x Down (each step is played twice with the normal tempo, not to be confused with Ratcheting x2, see below)

Pendulum type 1 (start and end step are played twice)

2 x Pendulum type 1 (each step is played twice with the normal tempo, start and end step are played 4x)

Pendulum type 2 (start and end step are played once)

Random (Rnd)

When function Preset is selected the illuminated buttons are used to call up one of the 8 presets. In each preset these parameters are stored: active steps, running direction, length of the sequence, ratcheting. To call up one of the 8 stored presets one has to push and hold the button Function and then operate short-time one of the buttons 1...8 while the toggle switch Program is in position Preset. To store the present paramaters in one of the 8 presets the procedure is similar but one has to operate one of the buttons 1...8 for a longer time (~ 3 seconds).

Depending on the position of the Program toggle switch the Ratcheting button is used to program the ratcheting feature (x2, x3, x4) individually for each step of the sequence (toggle switch Program in position Rx2, Rx3 or Rx4). In case that at the step in question another ratcheting is already programmed (e.g. x2 or x3 when x4 is chosen) the other ratcheting is overwritten (kind of radio button function between the ratchetings x2, x3 and x4). Details about the ratcheting function are explained at the module A-160-5.

The button Start/Stop is used to start or stop the sequence manually. Button Reset sets the sequence to the first step. For this also the external input Reset can be used.

The module does not feature built in clock generator. Rather an external Clock signal is used. The positive edge of the incoming clock signal triggers the advance of the sequence to the next step.

The voltage range of the control voltage generated by the module can be switched to 3 different ranges by the toggle switch Range: 0...+1V / 0...+2V / 0...+4V. The control voltage is available at socket CV. The voltage is not quantized. But there is an internal pin header available that outputs the data via Midi (note on/off from Midi note 36. Midi channel 1). It can be used to control a Midi-to-CV interface if quantized control voltages are required, e.g. the planned Micro-CV-Interface A-190-9).

The Gate signal appears at socket Gate. The pulsewidth of the gate signal is defined by the pulsewidth of the clock signal provided that ratcheting is not active at the step in question.

Controls and displays:

1...8 (rotary controls): manual adjustment of the control voltage for each step

1...8 (illuminated momentary switches/buttons): manual gate setting for each step, also used for special functions in combination with other controls (setting of first/last step, running direction, ratcheting)

Range: toggle switch for selection of the control voltage range

Program: toggle switch for selection of a function in combination with the buttons Ratcheting and Function

Ratcheting: button for the programming of ratcheting in combination with the toggle switch Program

Function: button for the programming of sequence length (Limit) and running direction (Direct.), as well as for the Preset management (Preset)


Sta/Stp : button for the manual control of Start and Stop, when illuminated the sequence is started, when not illuminated the sequence has been stopped

Reset : manual reset button

CV : control voltage output

Gate : gate output

Clock: clock input, the pulsewidth of the clocjk signal defines the pulsewidth gate signal

Reset: reset control input, reset type selectable via internal jumpers (e.g. positive edge triggers the jump to first step / positive level triggers the jump to first step and remains at first step as long as the reset input is high / waiting for the next positive edge of the clock signals before reset is carried out / ...)

Technische Details:

Gate output voltage: about 0V/+10V

required clock input level: min. +3V

required reset input level: min. +3V

max. clock frequency: >10kHz (e.g. for graphic VCO application)

internal Midi output: Midi channel 1, Midi note range 36-48, 36-60 or 36-72 according to the setting of the range switch

Release date: ~ summer 2025 (without obligation)

Module A-188-9 is a so-called high speed VCO that tracks prefectly to the 1V/oct scale in the frequency range of about 15kHz ... 500 kHz. The main application is the exact drive of BBD modules (A-188-1/2) to generate sounds realized by means of the so-called Karplus-Strong synthesis. But even in cooperation with other modules featuring high speed inputs (e.g. digital noise, delay, frequency divider) the A-188-9 makes sense. In principle the module is made of a precision audio VCO followed by a PLL (phase locked loop) unit that multiplies the frequency of the audio VCO by 32. Thus the module can be used also as an audio VCO as it features the standard waveforms sawtooth, triangle and rectangle with adjustable pulse width.

Controls:

Frq: frequency control (coarse)

control range (without external CV): about 13kHz...450kHz at the HSVCO output in HSVCO mode (range switch bottom position)

control range (without external CV): about 400Hz...14kHz at the VCO outputs in HSVCO mode (range switch bottom position)

control range (without external CV): about 12Hz...400Hz at the VCO outputs in VCO modes (range switch top position)

CV: attenuator for the frequency control input CV

Fine: frequency control (fine), small control without knob

PW: pulsewidth control for the rectangle output of the audio VCO, in HSVCO mode this control has to be in the range marked "HSVO", small control without knob

Sockets:

1V: frequency control input 1V/oct scale

CV: frequency control input with attenuator CV

socket with rectangle symbol: rectangle output of the audio VCO, the pulse width of this output is adjusted by means of the control PW, output level ~ 7Vpp (~ -3.5V/+3.5V)

socket with sawtooth symbol: sawtooth output of the audio VCO, output level ~ 7Vpp (~ -3.5V ... +3.5V)

socket with triangle symbol: triangle output of the audio VCO, output level ~ 7Vpp (~ -3.5V ... +3.5V)

socket with inverted comb symbol: high speed VCO output, waveform rectangle, output level ~ 5Vpp (~ -2.5V/+2.5V)

Switches:

Range

upper position: audio VCO mode (frequency range of the audio VCO about 15 Hz to 6 kHz, the high speed output is not usable in this mode ! )

lower position: High Speed VCO mode (frequency range of the high speed output about 15 kHz ... 500 kHz, frequency range of the audio VCO about 500 Hz ... 15 kHz), in this mode the audio VCO and the high speed VCO can be used simultaneously

Slew

upper position: medium slew time

center position: short slew time

lower position: long slew time

Technical Note reqarding the Slew parameter:

Besides the audio VCO the module contains a so-called PLL circuit ( Phase Locked Loop) and a 1:32 frequency divider. A slew limiter is part of the PLL. It defines how fast the frequency of the PLL follows the frequency of the VCO. The PLL cannot follow the VCO without any delay. Rather one has to find a compromise between the resudial ripple of the PLL frequency and the frequency follow rate. That is the job of the slew limiter (works in principle like a glide or portamento unit). For this the module is equipped with a 3-position switch that is used to switch the slew time in 3 ranges. When mostly higher frequencies are used ((~ 100kHz ... 500 kHz) a short slew time can be chosen. When also lower frequencies are required (< 100kHz) a longer slew time may be used to reduce the resudial frequency ripple. More details about the working principle of a PLL can be found in the information about module A-196. Module A-188-9 is in principle an A-196 combined with an audio VCO and a 1:32 frequency divider.

By means of a jumper also other PLL multiplication factors can be selected (8, 16 or 64). But the circuit is optimized for factor 32.

Release date: March 2025

Modul A-198-2 is the enhanced version of the simple Trautonium/Ribbon Controller module A-198-1. Compared to the A-198 it features a lot of improvements:

Gate generation also in Hold mode

9 user programmable quantizations, displayed as a one octave keyboard

switching between quantized/not quantized at the module or via external control voltage input Qnt, which can be controlled e.g. from a (double) foot switch (module A-177-2) for dynamic quantize switching while playing

switching between retrigger on/off at the module or via external control voltage input Rtr, which can be controlled e.g. from a (double) foot switch (module A-177-2) for dynamic quantize switching while playing

position CV1 range adjustable in 5 steps from 0-1V (1 octave range) to 0-5V (5 octaves range)

pressure CV2 range adjustable in 7 steps, max. 0...+7V

direction of the manual selectable

offset voltages for CV1 (position) and CV2 (pressure) programmable

threshold for Gate 2 (pressure) adjustable

optional Midi output (instead of the input socket Rtr or via passive breakout module)

all parameters can be stored nonvolatile (incl. 9 quantizations)

operation via OLED display and 9 red illuminated momentary switches (buttons)

The controlling element of the A-198-2 is the same as for the A-198-1, i.e. a linear position sensor (length about 50 cm) with additional pressure sensor.

More information about the Trautonium is available on our website: The Trautonium project.

Functional description of the A-198-2

A-198-2 is made of two units: module and manual. The module contains the electronics that is required to convert the data coming from the manual sensors (position, pressure) to two control voltages (CV1, CV2) and two gate signals (Gate 1, Gate 2). CV1 and Gate 1 are controlled by the position of the finger on the manual. CV2 and Gate 2 are controlled by the pressure applied to the manual. These signals are used to control other modules. CV1 (position) is typically used to control the CV of one or more VCOs. Gate 1 (position) is typically patched to the gate input of an envelope generator. CV2 (pressure) can be used e.g. to control the frequency of a filter or the loudness of a VCA. Gate 2 can be used to trigger another event as soon as the pressure is beyond a certain value.

The manual is made of a position sensor and a pressure sensor underneath the position sensor. Both sensors are located in a separate black coated metal case. The connection between module and manual is made by a 4 pin cable (same as used for USB, but it's not allowed to connect USB devices to these sockets !).

As soon as the position sensor is touched by the finger the control voltage CV1 is generated. The value of CV1 is proportional to the position of the finger. The voltage range of CV1 can be adjusted in 5 steps from 0-1V (1 octave range) to 0-5V (5 octaves range). Simultaneously Gate signal 1 is generated. For CV1 one can choose between continuous (non-quantized, like the Trautonium) and quantized (like a keyboard) voltage output. 9 user programmable quantizations are available. The quantizations are displayed as a one octave keyboard with active/non active notes. The quantizations are programmed in the config mode very easily with the help of the manual. The position sensor is used to move the cursor of the note in question. Then the pressure sensor is used to turn on/off the addressed note. The desired quantization is selected with one of the 9 buttons in the performance mode. The button of the currently selected quantization is illuminated and the corresponding quantization keyboard is shown in the display. Operating the illuminated button again turns the quantization off and an empty keyboard is shown in the display. Alternatively the quantization can be turned on/off using the Qnt input socket.

In quantized modes retrigger can be turned on or off. With retrigger off no new Gate 1 signal is generated when the finger moves over the manual to the next quantized CV. To generate a new Gate 1 signal the finger has to be removed short-time from the manual. With retrigger on the Gate 1 signal is turned off for a few milliseconds when the finger reaches next quantized CV. This causes an envelope generator connected to Gate 1 to trigger again. Alternatively the retrigger can be turned on/off using the Rtr input socket.

Underneath the position sensor the pressure sensor is located. This sensor is used to generate a second control voltage CV2 which rises with the pressure applied to the manual. The output voltage range of CV2 is adjustable in several steps. In addition a second Gate 2 signal is generated that turns high as soon as a programmable threshold is reached.

For both CV1 and CV2 an offset voltage can be added to the values generated by the sensors.

Internally the sensor data are also converted into midi (position = note on/off, pressure = aftertouch). If midi is required socket Rtr has to be sacrified. For this jumper and cables have to be reconfigured on the pc board. Alternatively a passive breakout module (nothing but a midi socket) is imaginable. The external midi socket simply has to be wired to two pins of a pin header on the pc board.

Controls and Display:

black/white OLED display: shows the function selected with the buttons and the adjustable parameters (see screenshots below)

the module has two basic operation modus:

Performance: this is the normal play mode when the manual is used to play with it

the labels above the buttons are valid for the performance mode

Config: in this mode the basic parameters are adjusted which are not changed in the performance mode (e.g. the 9 quantizations, manual range and direction, threshold for CV2 and so on)

the inverted labels below the buttons are valid for the Config mode

to switch between the two basic modes the buttons Quant.8 and Quant.9 have to be pressed simultaneously

9 momentary switches (buttons) with red LED displays:

Quant.1 / Sensor: select quantization 1 / select sensor (position or pressure)

Quant.2 / Range: select quantization 2 / adjustment of the voltage range of the earlier selected sensor

Quant.3 / Direction: select quantization 3 / adjustment of the direction of the earlier selected sensor

Quant.4 / Quantize: select quantization 4 / programming of the 9 quantizations by means with the help of the manual

Quant.5 / Offset: select quantization 5 / adjustment of the offset voltage of the earlier selected sensor

Quant.6 / Threshold: select quantization 6 / adjustment of the threshold for Gate 2

Quant.7 / Retrig.: select quantization 7 / setting of retrigger on/off

Quant.8 / Store: select quantization 8 / store all settings

Quant.9 / Midi: select quantization 9 / adjustment of midi parameters

Quant.8 + Quant.9 (simultaneously): switching between Performance and Config mode

Inputs / Outputs:

CV1: voltage controlled by the position sensor

CV2: voltage controlled by the pressure sensor

Gate 1: gate signal controlled by the position sensor

Gate 2: gate signal controlled by the pressure sensor

Qnt: control voltage input for switching between quantized and non-quantized CV1 voltage

Rtr: control voltage input for switching between retrigger on and off

(Midi Out): optional midi output, function Rtr is no longer available

Manual: connection for manual (no USB!)

outputs are inverted, inputs normal labelled

Technical Data:

output voltage CV1: 0-1V ... 0-5V in 5 steps switchable (according to 1... 5 octaves tone range in 1V/octave standard)

output voltage CV2: maximal 0-7V, in 7 5 steps switchable

gate output voltages (Gate 1, Gate 2): 0V/about +10V

input levels Qnt/Rtr: < +0,5V (low) / > +3V (high)

Release date: ~ summer 2025 (without obligation)

You can find additional details on each module on Doepfer's website here.