S606 VC Ring Modulator

Product Description

 

(This module is included in the System B)

 

The S606 module is a voltage controlled ring modulator. Voltage control (and even manual knob control) of ring modulation is rather rare to find in Eurorack (and generally in hardware). There are reasons for that. First manual control of either the carrier or modulator would simply result in changing of the volume of the output which is not really interesting. Consequently, voltage control of either the carrier or modulator would simply sound like you patched a VCA before the RM. Which may or may not result in musical results at audio rate but still sound like modulating volume at low rates.

 

The notion we seek in this module is this:

 

“I want the Ring modulator to sound as a full RM some times, but as a hint of RM other times. And I want to modulate that variably towards both the carrier and modulator.”

 

The S606 achieves this by “fading to 1” instead of the usual “fading to zero”. This is done for both carrier and modulator. The results open a vast array of timbres only possible with far more complex patching when using an ordinary ring modulator.

 

Like most SoloRack modules that can amplify the input, the S606 clips at +12dbFS. A clipping LED is provided. Notice that clipping can cause distortion and in the worst case, aliasing. It is best practice to patch and tune things in a none clipping manner. Unless of-course you really like the clipping effects and artifacts, which is possible in some situation. To prevent clipping, lower the input levels. If you can’t get enough volume/gain without causing the module to clip. Then leave it low (without clipping) then amplify the audio latter after the module. For example at the output module using the SA02 or SA05.