The PLASMA Voice is a monophonic Eurorack synthesizer module that produces sounds by controlling high-voltage electrical discharges between two electrodes in a custom xenon-filled gas tube. These discharges are converted to analog audio signal using a specially designed rectifier circuit. The result is a diverse range of electrifying tones that vividly capture the character and intensity of a vibrant blue electrical arc.
The electric discharges are driven by a proprietary ultrasound pulse-width oscillator. This oscillator is modulated by predefined samples and envelope shapes (or SOUNDS for simplicity's sake) that you can select, trigger, waveshape and modulate with sliders and CV inputs. This in turn puts you in full control of the electrical discharges and the resulting sounds.
The PLASMA Voice's selection of built-in SOUNDS is organized into BANKS dedicated to specific musical parts. However, you can transform each one of them far beyond their intended use by adjusting the parameter sliders that offer deep control over the PLASMA engine. We invite you to explore the sonic possibilities both wonderful and strange.
PLASMA Voice is the latest addition to our PLASMA product line. Although it shares the same technology, previous products were specifically designed as distortion units. Most of the sound shaping parameters were set at optimal sweet spots to ensure stable distortion. By utilizing the full potential of modulating the tube’s driver, we have created the first PLASMA product that doesn’t need an external sound source. It is a fully independent voice on its own.
PLASMA VOICE engine
- Proprietary plasma tube driver and electromagnetic discharge detector
- 49 transformable SOUNDS across 7 BANKS
- SOUNDS are complex digital synth engines that modulate the PLASMA tube driver to achieve various
sounds. The engine building blocks are tube driver pulse width and frequency modulation, sample pitch
modulation, envelope time stretch, wavefold, crossmod, suboctave modulation
Analog signal path
- Soft clipping DRIVE circuit
- BASS and TREBLE frequency boost/cut EQ section
- Analog state variable VCF (selectable 12dB/Oct LP or HP) with resonance amplifier
- Analog output VCA
- VCF and VCA are digitally controlled with internal analog control voltages
- Audio output level +/-8V max
Controls
- 6 center Indent SLIDER potentiometers
- PITCH +/- 1 oct (fine tune and octave settings are also available)
- TIME – envelope time stretch
- MOD – pitch modulation effect
- HARM – harmonic content effect
- FLUX – electric artefact effect
- FILTER – cutoff with and without envelope modulation
- 5 center indent ATTENUVERTERS for CV inputs
- ALT button for accessing the alternative SLIDER functions for FINE TUNE, ACCENT parameters and FILTER
RESONANCE - Manual TRIGGER / GATE button
- CLUTCH button for temporary parameter editing buffer
- Push & turn ENCODER and a 7:7 LED indicator for SOUND & BANK selection, octave select and navigating
the settings menu
CV & TRIGG
- 7 CV inputs. One for each SLIDE and 1 assignable MULTI CV input as an additional CV for any of the
SLIDERS or BANK & SOUND selection - Pitch CV 1V/Oct, +/-10V range
- Parameter CV, +/-5V range
- TRIGGER and ACCENT inputs: 2V minimum, rising and falling edge detect.
- 5 TRIGGER input modes: TRIG, GATE, LOOP, OSC, ON/OFF
- 7 ACCENT modes: ACC, DUCK, STARVE, CVFREEZE, JUMP, REVERSE, BURST
Settings options
- 5 TRIGGER modes
- (TRIG, GATE, LOOP, OSCILLATE, ON/OFF)
- 7 ACCENT modes
- (ACENT, DUCK, STARVE, CV FREEZE, PITCH JUMP, REVERSE, BURST)
- MULTICV assignment
- MIDI channel select
- Center pitch select
- Master octave offset
- FILTER mode select
- Auto save of all settings
MIDI
- 3.5mm MIDI IN jack, (DIN5 to 3.5mm adapter included)
- MIDI support: Notes, Velocity, CC panel control, PC BANK & SOUND change, PC settings change, Channel
10 General Percussion Key Map, Pitchwheel, Modwheel - Potential firmware update via MIDI SysEx
- Proprietary plasma tube driver and electromagnetic discharge detector
- 49 transformable SOUNDS across 7 BANKS
Voltage +/-12V DC, (10-16 pin cable included)
CV input level -10V – +10V
Panel width 16HP
Panel height 3U
Module depth 35mm excl. knobs, 54mm incl. knobs
Peak power requirement 220mA @ +12V (mean 75mA), 35mA @ -12V
A separate Power supply is not included. Plasma Voice uses conventional eurorack PSU ribbon cable of ±12VDC, 300mA (positive rail 200 mA, negative rail 100 mA).