Tags: CV modulation module

Notes: The hands-on control of hardware meets the versatility of software. Bridging the gap between Eurorack and VCV Rack, the MetaModule includes over 160 built-in modules plus access to over 200 third-party options.

Supplier's Notes:
The MetaModule puts real knobs and jacks on virtual software modules. Step back from the computer and make music with hardware, while keeping the flexibility and expandability of software.

The MetaModule comes with over 160 built-in modules from 4ms Company, Befaco, HetrickCV, NonlinearCircuits, and Scanner Darkly, plus clones of popular classics such as the Mutable Instruments eurorack modules, fun physical modeling algorithms, and lots of handy utilities.

All of the included modules are also available on the computer using the free program VCV Rack. Whether you make patches on VCV Rack and transfer them to the MetaModule, or if you just create patches directly on the MetaModule, there are plenty of creative modules to inspire new ways to make music.

MetaModule Plugins

If the 160+ built-in module aren't enough, you can load more modules as plugins. Already there are over 200 modules in third-party plugins from Bogaudio, Valley, ChowDSP, NANO Modular, and the list is growing. 4ms have an SDK available to make it easy for VCV Rack plugin developers to convert their plugin to a MetaModule plugin. 4ms' licensing terms are non-restrictive: developers are welcome to distribute their plugin in any way they wish, commercially or not.

Mapping Knobs and Jacks

The MetaModule has 12 knobs that can be mapped to virtual knobs. Each knob can be mapped to up eight virtual knobs, and each mapping can have a different range and offset. You also can save a group of mappings as a Knob Set and switch between Knob Sets with the encoder. You also can map the 8 inputs and 8 outputs to virtual module jacks. Also, the MetaModule is a USB MIDI host, so you also can map MIDI CC, note, gate, and other parameters to knobs and jacks.

Expanders

There are lots of ways to customize your MetaModule. A Wifi expander allows you to wirelessly transfer patches from your computer. Add eight more knobs with the Knob expander, or buttons with the Button expander. A CV/Audio expander adds more high-resolution inputs and outputs, and the Gate In/Out expander adds not only gate jacks but also TRS MIDI and I2C.

Under the Hood

There are six CV/Audio inputs, two gate inputs, and six CV/Audio outputs. The CV/Audio jacks are all 24-bit, 48kHz DC-coupled, -10V to +10V. A USB-C jack accepts MIDI devices and thumb drives. Patches and plugins can be loaded via a USB drive or microSD Card, and internal flash memory lets you save patches you always want to come back to.

The processor is more advanced than anything 4ms has used in the past, and is among the most powerful processors found in Eurorack. Startup time and latency are blazingly fast.

Modules

160 built-in modules
Over 200 3rd-party module plugins available so far, and the ecosystem is growing
Create patches using VCV Rack or directly on MetaModule

Patches

Patches are loaded from microSD Card, USB drive, or via the Wifi expander
Patches can be optionally saved onto internal flash memory
Create patches using VCV Rack or directly on MetaModule
Patches can be given a name and description

Mappings

Map each physical knob to up to 8 virtual knobs
Set range and offset for each mapping, including inverted control
Knob mappings are grouped into Knob Sets, and changing Knob Sets can be done quickly without menu-diving
Map physical jacks to virtual jacks, seamlessly making splits/mults
Add or edit modules, cables, and mappings in real-time while the patch is playing
Create alias names for mappings like "Kick Drum Level"

Interface

Simple, intuitive graphical interface lets you zoom in on details, or zoom out to get a big picture
Patch View displays the patch as faceplates and cables, with knobs, buttons, and lights animating in real-time
Knob Set View simplifies the display, showing only the mapped knobs for the current Knob Set
Module View shows just one module and lists the names of each jack, knob, and control legibly
Mapping View lets you adjust details of a knob mapping
Adjust styles and visual preferences to your liking
Save, rename, duplicate, and delete patches
Firmware updater and plugin loader read from microSD Card or USB drive

Hardware

12 Knobs
8 CV/Audio outputs, 24-bit 48kHz, -10V to +10V, DC-coupled
6 CV/Audio inputs, 24-bit 48kHz, -10V to +10V, DC-coupled
2 Gate inputs
USB-C jack: MIDI Host or MSC (External drive) Host
microSD Card slot
Internal Flash RAM for additional patch storage
Dual-core 800MHz Cortex-A7 plus Cortex-M4 co-processor
512MB DDR3 533MHz RAM
Bare-metal operation for fast startup and low latency

26hp

Notes: Part of TipTop's exceptional series of Eurorack-format Buchla modules, the 264t provides four sample-and-hold circuits, plus a logic circuit designed to control polyphonic patches. Deceptively simple but surprisingly creative, like most Buchla modules.

Supplier's Notes:
Four independent sample-and-hold circuits, plus a specialized logic circuit for expediently implementing polyphonic patches.

Sample-and-hold's are essentially one-cell analog memories. They are useful for "remembering" the instantaneous value of a control voltage (a detected envelope, for example), for generating equally spaced steps from a constant slope input (as from a 281t envelope generator), and for converting any continuously changing voltage (a random voltage, for instance) into a series of discrete values.

The 264's sample-and-hold circuits have two operating modes: sample and track. In the sample mode, the value of the input is sampled and applied to the output whenever a pulse is received. The output remains at this value until the next pulse arrives. The track mode diers in that an input is applied to the output for the duration of the pulse. The output tracks the input until the end of the pulse and remains at a constant value until the next pulse.

To use the 264t as four independent channels set the separate/common switch to separate. A single CV can be set to all four channels by setting the operate/common to common and plug CV in the the back jack on the with right side.

The Model 264t includes a polyphonic adaptor, which performs the logic necessary to implement four-voice polyphony. Facilities are incorporated for fine tuning and f.m. modulating the oscillators; light emitters display the adaptor's operation.

Specifications:

Size: 18 HP - Depth: 45mm
Power: +12V 60mA / -12V 30mA

Notes: The MASTER18 is a very flexible generic CV processor.

You can think of the MASTER18 as a smaller and cheaper version of the DROID MASTER without CV inputs and LEDs, but with an integrated USB and MIDI, six additional gate jacks, two of which are inputs and four are outputs.

Details:

It has 8 CV output jacks with a voltage range from -10 V to +10 V, driven by highly accurate low jitter 16 bit DA converters:
2 gate inputs switching at 0.1 V
4 gate outputs switching between 0 V and 5 V
2 MIDI interfaces via MIDI standard B (mini jack)
MicroSD card reader and a button for reloading the MicroSD card
USB C to access the SD card from your computer or to send/receive MIDI MASTER18 comes with two interesting bonus features:
It can be connected to the Sinfonion as a follower of the Harmonic Sync.
It has an integrated tuning device for VCOs (can measure their frequency).

The MASTER18 is a good choice if you intend to just create CVs and don't need to process incoming CVs. It's perfect for building sequencers and MIDI to CV converters. MASTER18 can do almost any CV task you can imagine, such as sequencing, melody generation, slew limiting, quantizing, switching, mixing, working on clocks and triggers, creating envelopes and LFO or other fancy voltages, or any combination of these at the same time. While doing this, is very precise both in voltage and in timing.

You can attach several different DROID controller modules, such as the E4, the P2B8, the P10, the B32, the P4B2 or the M4 in order to get direct hands on access to all parameters and values of these patches.

Easily create your desired DROID patch utilizing our simple and easy-to-use editor with built in tutorials - the DROID Forge. It is available for Windows and Mac (both Apple Silicon and Intel).

The file created with the DROID Forge is a simple text file named "droid.ini" and needs to be loaded on the micro SD card that goes into the MASTER18.

Notes: The Octovert is a CV processor capable of scaling, inverting, and offsetting up to eight polyphonic signals. It can also be externally controlled via CV! Its most obvious applications include inverting envelopes, reversing the direction of CV, and scaling plus offsetting any CV source to precisely fine-tune the modulation sweet spot of the target module. With the added feature of external control, it takes things even further by modulating the modulation signal itself for even deeper modulation motion.

Size: 6HP - Depth: 40mm

Power: +12V 18mA / -12V 15mA