Modulus Music 002 Hybrid - Prophet 12 Killer?

Soundprogramer escribió:

"Siento mucho que le haya gustado mucho el instrumento. Nos ha llevado un año entero de muy duro trabajo
el desarrollo del primer sintetizador híbrido analógico y digital de estos últimos 30 años"

Soundprogramer escribió:

"Los sintetizadores analógicos de manera económica nunca pueden tener el tipo de ruteo de señal que pueden
ofrecer los sintetizador digitales"

Soundprogramer escribió:

Then add the things that modulus.002 does that no other hybrid analogue synthesiser has ever done,
things like the multitibral voicing, 12 channel sequencer, the parameter animator, the cloud features, the web user interface etc. and modulus.002 is very, very good value for money!

Soundprogramer escribió:

Como información adicional sobre la arquitecuta de Módulus tengo que comentar que hay alguna que otra
decepción. Confirmado que no va a poseer modulación en anillo. A mi esto sincéramente me parece una
metedura de pata competa, ni modulación en anillo ni FM de osciladores y lo que más curioso me parece
es que hace referencia a que esa tecnología es demasiado cara como para incorporarla al Módulus y que
si quieres FM de oscilador existen opciones de sintes digitales con FM. Pues no queridos amigos de
Módulus, aquí os estais equivocando por completo porque sintetizadores mucho más baratos y polifónicos
analógicos tienen esta característica y el precio no se sube tanto a la parra, asi que por ahí no cuela, no.

Alguien escribió:

Breakthrough British electronic musical instruments manufacturer Modulus is proud to announce availability of modulus.002 — the first analogue/digital hybrid polysynth to have been designed, developed, and manufactured in the UK for four decades — as of July 10...

Even though the technology for mass-market synthesisers was patently pioneered in the UK in the leafy London suburb of Putney at the tail end of the Swinging Sixties, the last time that a polyphonic/multitimbral analogue synthesiser was designed, developed, and manufactured in the UK — actually within Wales — was way back in the late Eighties. It is with utmost pride, therefore, that Bristol-based Modulus has not only succeeded in bringing back that pioneering spirit to Blighty with the mighty modulus.002 but has admirably succeeded in doing so by creating an amazing modern-day musical instrument that truly represents one giant leap for ‘synthkind’ with a sizeable number of notable new features to its innovative name. No easy task in climatically cynical conditions during an era of increasingly shortened attention spans, synth-wise or otherwise. Been there, done that, bought the (Moog) T-shirt, some might cynically say!

Yet surely soothsaying is a better bet in this case? Why? Well, modulus.002 even sports some world firsts! So what makes modulus.002 tick, then, and what, exactly, is it that makes it so special in comparison to today’s commercial and ‘boutique’ offerings from other manufacturers, both bigger and smaller? Let’s look at some straightforward facts for starters...

As an analogue/digital hybrid keyboard synthesiser (using an aftertouch-enabled premium Fatar semi-weighted, five-octave key mechanism), modulus.002 provides 12 discrete voices of polyphony with full multitimbrality if so desired. As such, it features two NCOs (Numerically-Controlled Oscillators) per voice for exceedingly high resolution and stability with wide-reaching waveform selections, together with two sub-oscillators, individually (and uniquely) switchable from a traditional square wave to having the same waveform as the main NCO to effectively produce four oscillators per voice; a Modulus-designed 24dB/octave four- pole transistor ladder filter featuring some very unusual morphing or ‘polesweeping’ effects, enabling ear-opening transitions from 24dB/octave four-pole to 6dB/ octave one-pole filtering and anywhere in between; one LFO per voice as well as a global LFO; wide-ranging modulation options, all accessible directly via the front panel — no navigating convoluted and confusing menus; a pure analogue signal path from the oscillators right the way through to the combined XLR/TRS balanced/unbalanced outputs (with all 12 voices individually available for external processing via a dedicated D-Sub connector); two audio inputs enabling internal audio processing from the VCF onwards... and that’s only scratching the surface. Not literally, of course!

While all voice control parameters are accessible via a well-thought-through front panel that is both attractive and intuitive in use thanks to sticking to traditional synthesiser workflow, what lies beneath is really remarkable. Radically departing from the norm, modulus.002 is blessed with an unrivalled user interface based around a high-quality 4.3-inch screen with wide viewing angle. It is context sensitive, whereby the control parameter of any control knob touched by the user is immediately displayed onscreen. Synthesiser savants and audio aficionados will surely unite in their appreciation of the sonic depths that this well-specified speedy dream machine can deeply dive into!

Forget about an analogue renaissance here, however; let’s talk truly revolutionary design features for a moment. modulus.002 represents a unique approach to synthesiser design, taking traditional analogue circuitry combined with modern, reliable digital developments and marrying it all to a completely new control platform. Phenomenally, modulus.002 brings cloud functionality to a synthesiser for the first time! The Ethernet port means modulus.002 can be connected to a network to enable updates via the Internet — no more MIDI SysEx dumps to get you down in the dumps — and access to the modulus.cloud means user profile settings, sound patches, sequences, and other content can be easily replicated to a cloud-based server platform to enable rapid resynchronisation to another modulus.002, regardless of whether it is owned by the same user or a collaborator at a remote location. Let’s be honest here. We’re well into the 21st Century now, so why not provide modulus.002 users with data management features that are expected as the ‘norm’ in modern consumer technology devices, yet have hitherto eluded the electronic musician? Makes sound sense to the Modulus team, that’s for sure! And we’re sure it will make sound sense to modulus.002 users, too.

So what other notable modulus.002 features are worth making a song and dance about? An inbuilt MIDI-sync-able 16-track, 12-row, 32-step sequencer with 16 front panel-positioned step-time editing controls can give any hardware rivals already out there a serious run for their money. For sequences can not only be transposed dynamically while running but sophisticated so-called ‘mini arpeggiator sequences’ created using the arpeggiator’s Hold mode can be speedily saved as sequences for latter recall and editing using the sequencer. Moreover, modulus.002’s Animator allows any control to be sequenced, enabling complex filter transitions, waveform changes, and modulation matrix changes to be sequenced. Lest we forget, 12 ‘quick recall banks’ are accessible directly from dedicated front panel buttons. Build up set lists of presets, sequences, and animations, making modulus.002 a live performance partner par excellence.

Plain and simple? Far from it, it seems! So who better qualified, then, to explain the whys and wherefores of taking a truly thrilling synthesiser design from the drawing board to an equally enthralling production-ready product launch like this in under a year than company co-founder and principal designer Paul Maddox, a top-tier talent with proven production pedigree, best known within the synthesiser industry for his well-received MonoWave, a limited-run, 19-inch rack-mountable, MIDI- controllable monosynth inspired by Germany’s legendary PPG Wave series — arguably amongst the most coveted high-end synthesisers of the early Eighties — featuring two digital oscillators with 256 samples per waveshape and an analogue 24dB transistor ladder filter, as well as his more recently-released VacoLoco range of ‘pocket synth’ designs. Do tell. Why now? Why the big step up to the brave new world of modulus.002? Muses Maddox: “This came about because I’ve had a long-held dream to build a polysynth since I was knee high. I’ve nearly got there several times, but it was a golden opportunity in July last year when my business partner, Philip Taysom, and myself sat together and said, ‘Now is a good time to do it.’ Both Philip and myself are passionate about synthesisers, and we feel that the synthesiser market has been neglected for a long time in terms of high-end, pro — in quality and feel — instruments. I quite often equate this to a PRS guitar. There is nowhere in the synthesiser industry that I’m aware of where you can go and buy the equivalent of a PRS. That’s what we’re aiming at — top quality, top to bottom.”

So there you have it, folks. With top-quality components sourced and designed throughout its robust, road-ready construction coupled with upmarket design flourishes like leather-bound end cheeks — quite possibly another world first, modulus.002 is a fighting force to be musically reckoned with. British synth power is alive and kicking, and Modulus has just fired its impressive opening synth salvo that more than lives up to its Machines for Musicians tagline. It’s aim is true, so watch this space...

Alguien escribió:

All,

I've been following the thread for a while and I know I'm opening up myself to a load of questions, but I'd like to clarify a few points;

In terms of modulation;

There are six modulation sources, each has 8 destinations.
You can use all six at the same time, so you could;

route LFO1 -> Osc1 pitch and Osc2 pitch
route aftertouch -> Drive
route note number -> Osc1 and osc 2 waveform
route velocity -> Polesweep
route LFO2 -> Filter cutoff and resonance
modulation wheel -> Drive

in order to keep the panel size down we 'merged' these into two sets of three. You press the source switch to select which you want to edit, then press the destination you want to send it to, and adjust the depth to suit your need.

in addition, you can map any of the 4 axis of the joystick (X+, X-, Y+, Y-) to any parameter on the synth.

and finally there is the animator, which is triggered when you press a note, has 32 steps each with it's own step length, you can 'animate' up to 12 paramater (any parameter) in this fashion. Oh, and it's midi syncable.

There are two LFOs, one per patch, and one per voice. the per voice one (LFO2) has a 'single shot' mode, giving effectively a third envelope, ideal for those hard sync sounds. There's also a delay and note follow for LFO2.

So I think it's pretty flexible in terms of modulation.

The filter is a transistor ladder filter, the same architecture that was used on the Monowave. It has a very big and unique sound unlike any CEM filter I have ever heard in my life.
The 6dB low pass option (one pole mode) has a very big and bright 'fizzy' sound, that coupled with the ability to morph between the 4 pole, bandpass and one pole gives this polysynth a whole world of sonic options that have not been available previously on other synths.
Whilst Tony and I did discuss this filter, we arrived at the same conclusion via separate paths, my inspiration came from the filter section in the Oberheim Xpander, which used a very limited 'mixer' to get the different filter slopes.

The end cheeks are not wood, they are made of leather (it's more environmentally friendly than wood). The case is made of high grade steel and the knobs are turned aluminium.
The Joystick is a VERY high quality unit made in Japan (the best joystick makers in the world in fact) and is designed to last (we've drop tested a 1Kg weight onto the joystick and it didn't even scratch it).

Whilst I understand the obvious comparisons between the P12 and 002, they are two very different beasts sonically, you might as well compare a CS80 and Jupiter 8, both are stunning sounding, but both very different sonically and in approach.

Cost wise, yes, it's expensive, but we're not expecting to sell 10,000 a year, that would be unrealistic for a company like us.
There is a lot inside 002, and a lot of time and effort has gone into bringing her to market.
We're very proud that the unit is designed, manufactured and assembled in the UK (the PCBs are soldered and assembled in the UK, the cases are made in the UK, even the leather is made in the UK) and we're proud to be supporting and helping British industry by doing so.

Our goal was simply to make the best possible, high quality, synth that we could. Something that gave the musician an instrument and not a toy made of plastic.

We wanted to make "machines for musicians".

Paul
http://www.ModulusMusic.co.uk

Vacoloco;10272176 escribió:

Yes, this was a very shot notice and we had a lot to cover in a very short time.
so we were more giving a 'taste' than a full demo.



A good question
the two oscillators run on separate chips, in fact every oscillator inside is on a separate chip. Each chip uses it's own internal clock, which whilst accurate are never 100% the same, the two oscillators will never be in sync or have the exact same pitch (though they will be very close).

We feel this is one of the reasons that 002 stands out above other digital oscillator based synths. We approached the design as if it was analogue, i.e. one function per circuit part. This has meant that there are some limitations as to what you can do with the oscillators (covered in previous messages) but we believe it gives 002 an 'edge' sonically and gives it something that other digital oscillator based synths don't have.



an NCO is not really a wavetable as such, at least not in the sense of a PPG Wavetable.
When we talk about aliasing there are two types.

1. Aliasing that is created from using a low bit depth.

2. What is commonly called 'aliasing' is from frequencies that go above the sample rate.

To be clear the former is aliasing, the latter is actually frequency mirroring, and isn't really "aliasing" as such.

If it helps to explain, think of frequency mirroring like a car wheel on a film.
Ever noticed that as the car speeds up, the rotation gets faster, then it appears to stop, then go backwards although the car is still accelerating?
That's because the wheel is turning faster than the camera is filming (or 'sampling') the actual wheel motion. as a result when you go past the sample rate the frequencies invert.
So if you have a sample rate of say 20Khz, and you have a note that has a harmonic of 21khz, what you actually get back out is a harmonic of 19khz, which is going to sound musically horrendous as it's not related in anyway shape or form to the fundamental of the note you're playing.


So let's tackle the both types of 'aliasing' in 002;

1. 002 uses a number of samples per wave at a fixed bit depth, so at low pitches, the sinewave will have extra harmonics in (you'll hear the effect of the sample steps). But you can adjust the filter to reduce that.
incidentally, the 'derez' button lowers the number of samples per wave, adding a bunch of extra harmonics, but it is important to note that in both cases, these harmonics are related to the fundamental note you are playing, so musically they 'make sense'.

2. 002 uses what is effectively a variable sample rate, so we don't have the 'frequency mirroring effect', which is what is commonly known as aliasing.

Anyone who's played a PPG will know the sound of the low notes and the effect that the samples per wave sounds like, and it gives the synth a very distinctive character.
Anyone who's played a PPG will also be aware of the frequency mirroring' effect on high notes (which 002 doesn't suffer from).

The Monowave works in just the same way. You can effectively think of 002 as 12 Monowave's in a box, with a whole bunch of add-ons + a heap of steroids thrown in

Hope that helps

Paul

rod_zero escribió:

lee las respuestas que dan, no me da la impresión que sean tipos mentirosos. Vamos que enfrentan las críticas que les hacen allá.

rod_zero escribió:

También hay que decir que hay un mercado de músicos interesado no sólo en chorrocientas mil características, si no también en sonido, construcción y facilidad de uso.

Nox escribió:

Lo siento pero sigo diciendo lo mismo, ya no es SOLO cuestión de características, es que están excusando la falta de características en mentiras descaradas. Además es una actitud que no termino de entender, porque no es que sean mentiras difíciles de descubrir, es decir, no es necesario someter a interrogatorio a Dave smith, a un diseñador de alesis o al de mutable instruments para saber que el P12, el Andromeda y el ambika se comen a este sinte por las patas parriba, y ni se enteran.
Hombre, que el andromeda tenía como 70 orígenes de modulación, por Dios, que este sinte salió hace TRECE años y ahora esta gente dice que no ha existido sinte con esas características, es absurdo.