VAV X-Wave: Wave-Crosser

"X-Wave is a crossover-synched signal switcher for the Eurorack modular system. It's simple to use (no knobs in sight), but it's also very powerful!

X-Wave has two Signal Inputs (conveniently named SIGNAL 1 IN and SIGNAL 2 IN). It has only one OUT, though, so it is forced to choose between the two signals you give it. To do this, it listens to SIGNAL 1 and decides if SIGNAL 1 is positive (as indicated by the little +).

If SIGNAL 1 is positive, it sends only itself to the OUT jack.

However, if SIGNAL 1 is negative, only SIGNAL 2 is sent to the OUT jack (as indicated, again, by the little -).

So, if you feed two different waveforms from a VCO into SIGNAL 1 and 2 IN (pulse on 1 and saw on 2 work very well together, for example), the result will be a wave shape that cycles between half of each waveform you provided. If you use a pulse for SIGNAL 1, you can also create wavetable-like effects by varying the pulse width of your pulse wave on your VCO.

There are two other functions on the X-Wave that greatly expand its capabilities:
You can connect a third signal to the + DETECT IN jack as an external control of the switching action. This will make X-Wave stop listening to SIGNAL 1, and listen only to the 3rd signal This is very useful for using a pulse wave with PWM to "scroll" between two other waveforms from the same VCO, inserting sub oscillators to toggle between full cycles of SIGNALS 1 and 2, hocketing effects via use of a sequencer or gate divider, non-synched interleaving and switching effects, and voltage-controlled A/B switching or muting.

You can also invert the polarity of SIGNAL 2 using the provided toggle switch. This can be used to correct unfavorable polarity alignments between SIGNALS 1 and 2 or can also be used to turn X-Wave into a full wave rectifier or external-voltage-controlled inverter if you plug the same signal into both SIGNAL IN jacks.

X-Wave can pass signals down to 0hz (DC) so it can also be used to process LFOs, Envelopes, CV Sequences, and 1V/Octave signals. It probably has other uses I haven't thought of!

X-Wave is 4HP and uses Burr Brown op amps for the main signal path alongside other high quality Texas Instruments ICs for other duties. X-Wave is not a bi-directional switch, so please be aware that the IN and OUT jack labels should be followed when patching. X-Wave uses a high impedance of 1M (10x the typical 100k) for all inputs, so multiple units can be connected via stacking cables/passive splitters (up to 10 inputs can be paralleled while still maintaining traditional Eurorack input impedance standards)."

VAV N-Wave: Middle-Out Waveshaper

video upload by Magical Synth Adventure

"Join me as I take the @control_voltage VAV N-Wave Middle-Out Waveshaper for a spin!

The N-Wave is a really imaginative waveshaper. Some waveshapers might fold over the peaks of an incoming waveform, some might rectify them - squaring things off like a fuzz pedal. N-wave keeps the peaks of waveform - like the top and bottom of a saw wave - intact, and instead lets you shape and turn up on the volume on a section in the middle of the waveform - leading to unique tones. This is especially true, as you can vary the width of this middle section!"

video uploads by control_voltage

Playlist:

1. VAV N-Wave: Step Sequenced Threshold

One fun live performance (or studio) use for the N-Wave is to connect a Step Sequencer on the Threshold CV and generate different timbres for each step in a sequence. These act as accents and add a lot of life and feel to your sequences and the feel can easily be changed on the fly using something like a Joranalogue Step 8 as your source of steps.

2. VAV N-Wave: Threshold Ring Modulation

In Part 2 of the VAV N-Wave Video Manual, we look at using the threshold control and bipolar vca cv to create new waveforms that have a mixture of normal and ring modulated (quadrature) segments.

3. VAV N-Wave Mangles a Triangle

Here, the N-Wave does quite a number on an unsuspecting triangle wave with the help of some nearby modules. N-Wave is kind of like that one kid's house where everyone hung out and cooked up weird DnD campaigns or something. But for modular signals.

"N-Wave is a novel waveshaper for the Eurorack modular format. Unlike traditional wavefolders and clippers, which operate on the peaks of a waveform, N-Wave leaves peaks intact. All you need to expand your sound palette greatly is a VCO signal and a few twists of the knobs!

Using its internal bipolar VCA (aka four quadrant multiplier, aaka ring modulator) you can apply gain reduction and polarity inversion to an inner portion of the wave slope that you define with the THRESHOLD and OFFSET controls.

All functions can also be controlled via control voltage inputs. LFOs, Audio Rate VCOs, ADSR Envelopes, 1V/Oct signals, sequenced voltages, sample and hold signals, noise, and sub octave signals are all very good choices and can produce results ranging from very musical to very strange. An external detector signal can also be applied if you don't want to trigger the detector on the waveform you're modifying.

If you like, you can also use N-Wave as a high quality bipolar VCA, attenuverter, or ring modulator with the THRESHOLD set to maximum and dynamically mute the effect by applying 0V or a negative voltage to the threshold either using a sequencer or manual control, which allows for hocketing and rhythmic effects.

N-Wave can also operate all the way down to 0hz (DC), so, in addition to audio, it can process LFOs, envelopes, 1V/octave sequences, and any other signal that varies amplitude over time (Sorry, square waves and pulse waves. Your super-sonic rise times are hard to shape in an audible way, but you do work well as control signals).

N-Wave is 10HP and uses Burr Brown op amps for the primary signal path alongside high quality Texas Instruments ICs that are carefully chosen to best fit their roles in the circuit."