Tags: Distortion module

Notes: Stereo Strip takes the idea of a channel strip and makes it modular. By bringing this long-established component of the audio engineering world into the Eurorack environment and by adding CV control over its key parameters, you will find new, creative ways to use it in your patches!

It features stereo inputs and outputs for audio or CV with EQ, voltage controlled panning, stereo VCA, performable mute and input/output level switching for Eurorack or line level uses. Abusing the input level switching allows for some musical, modulate-able and highly shapeable distortion sounds too.

Stereo Strip was designed to be a creative part of a modular patch. Creating stereo images from mono sources, shaping and modulating existing stereo images, synthesising stereo pseudo ring modulation, sweetening FX with EQ or drastically wave shaping your oscillators, creating send FX routings with benefits or it can simply be used as a channel strip at the end of chain in a patch.

The addition of line level gain boosting (for the input) or reduction (for the output) allow it to work as a stereo input or output interface for external gear with the advantage of the VCA, panning and the EQ to shape the sound. Experiment with bringing external gear into the Eurorack format and then shape and modulate those sounds them on the way in!

Try patching Stereo Strip anywhere you would place a VCA in a system and/or explore its EQ and voltage controlled panning, which are rarer additions to the sound sculpting options for the Eurorack format.

Specs

Current Draw: +12: 63mA -12: 63mA 5v:0
Width: 6HP
Depth: 33mm including power connector
Aluminium, heat-treated front panel.
Designed and assembled in Barcelona.

Notes: Arkan

Dual Voltage Polarizer

You may have heard this before: "You can never have enough VCAs". A voltage polarizer (also known as a bipolar VCA or a 4-quadrant multiplier) is often viewed as the VCA better suited for CV. As it can be used as a unipolar VCA and it allows you to invert a signal when it is modulated with a negative voltage. Resulting in interesting movements in your modulations.

What sets Arkan apart from other voltage polarizers is the curvature control, a feature usually only seen in unipolar VCAs. By taking a different approach to the classic voltage polarizer circuitry, Malstrom have devised a unique solution that provides a new way to shape your audio and CV. The non-linearity of the polarizer also makes Arkan really good at reaching silence when presented with a 0V CV signal.

At audio rate, Arkan acts as a ring-modulator with four controls to change timbres.

Boosting adds odd harmonics (symmetrical distortion), while offsetting adds even harmonics (asymmetrical distortion). The modulation curve changes ring modulation sharpness, and modulation strength determines the carrier dominance.

Two identical channels with carefully selected features will make Arkan your go-to modulation control hub. Arkan is especially useful for common utility duties such as mixing, scaling, inverting and offsetting. As well as CV modulation, feedback patching, and waveshaping. All this makes Arkan a very versatile tool that will certainly have a place in your patch!

Features (per channel)

- Input attenuation with inverter switch gives you more precision and range, with voltage inversion and quick silencing.
- Bias input with attenuverter control to offset your input signal or mix/invert another signal.
- CV input with curvature control allows you to shape the polarizer and improve its 0V attenuation.
- CV modulation control to fade in the modulator, allowing you to determine the amount of modulation.
- Voltage gain and polarity led indicators showing you exactly what is happening under the radar.
- Output normalled internally and externally (to other Arkans) to easily mix signals.

Additional features

Optional signal boost (x4 / +12dB) via switch on the PCB to increase voltages when needed.
5V or 10V voltage reference selection for bias voltage and CV input range to adjust Arkan to your system.

Dimensions
- 8HP.
- 28mm, Skiff-friendly.

Power consumption
- 90mA @ +12V.
- 85mA @ -12V.

I/O specs

- All inputs DC coupled.
- All inputs handle audio signals.
- All inputs have 100k input impedance. - All inputs have +-10V Input range.
- CV range +-5V or +-10V.
- Bias Voltage range +-5V or +-10V.
- Boost gain x1 or x4.
- All inputs are overvoltage protected.
- Keyed power header.
- Reverse power protection.

Notes: The Flexshaper is a highly versatile module when it comes to modify evolving voltages in other directions and levels.

Five settings allow you to fold/expand/clip/compress/invert partially or completely any CV or audio signal.

The module can act as an envelope-shaping tool, frequency multiplier, waveshaper, clipper, distortion, limiter, curve changer, and more.

Five CV inputs offer limitless control over the placement of the voltage points for dynamic signal sculpting.

Birth of the product

The idea of the Flexshaper comes from a feature in the Oberheimr Matrix synthesizers called Tracking Generator.

This signal processor was part of the modulation matrix and meant to be virtually inserted between modulation sources and destinations in order to change the shape of the controlling signal.

The Flexshaper applies the same concept using the same 5 shaping points. However, it goes beyond Oberheim's implementation on two main aspects:

It goes fast enough to process signals at full audio rate
The 5 points are dynamically adjustable (CV) in real-time
Besides, the Flexshaper can process adequately bipolar and unipolar Eurorack signals, even changing them one another.

Dimensions
6 HP
21 mm deep

Current Draw
6 mA +12V
7 mA -12V
32 mA 5V