Modular For Everyone - A New Low-Cost AE Modular System From Tangible Waves

The successful Kickstarter campaign sees Tangible Waves' AE Modular system now available - and prices are much more competitive than you might expect.  

After a successful Kickstarter campaign launched in December 2016, Tangible Waves has now made its low-cost modular synthesizer available to the general public in their webshop at www.tangiblewaves.com with a growing module palette.

The Details 

This very compact, sub-eurorack modular synth is patched with small one-pin wires, identical to those used in Moog Werkstatt, various Bastl Instruments devices, Folktec Mescaline and others (and is also compatible with this category of devices). The modules are very compact (2.5 x 10 cm for a single-unit module), so a full system with three Oscillators, two Filters, two Envelopes, dual VCA, Trigger Sequencer, Mixer, Sample & Hold, Delay and others fits in a case of 42 x 21cm, still with over 10 rack units free for additional modules.

It has to be emphasized that AE modular is a REAL modular instrument not just a "patchable" synth, being completely flexible in the combination, arranging and extending of the modules. All signal processing is done with true analog circuitry, this absolutely does not preclude some digital modules being added in the future, but the main focus is on true-analog.


A fully equipped system as described above costs 416 EUR (plus VAT); you get the ready-built case, a Power Supply unit, a MIDI Breakout cable (yes, it can be controlled via MIDI), and a bunch of patch wires - everything you need to start with modular synthesis.

In the last few months several indispensable new modules have been developed and manufactured and are available now:

  • 16-step Analog CV Sequencer
  • Headphone Amplifier
  • Spring Reverb
  • Divider (for clock and audio/sub-octaves)
  • Voltage controlled Signal Switch
 

The module palette is continuously growing, as documented on the "Sunrise" page of the website. Units like the Multi-FX ( reverb, flanger, chorus, pitch shifter ), ALGODRONE (a quite awesome sound generator based on bytebeat algorithms), Sample Player, CV Quantizer etc, show a promising evolution to a fully-fledged modular synth in an astonishingly affordable price range for any person interested in investigating the usually financially daunting world of modular synthesis. Modules are mostly in the price range of 20-35 EUR, the 16-step sequencer e.g. 74 EUR; all in all really affordable! Also, AE modular is a nice platform for synth DIY-ing; it operates entirely on 5V, and a DIY module with the look and feel of the other modules is tantalisingly close to launch in the shop.

Meet the creator and the AE modular system at Superbooth 18 from May 3-5, booth W400.

Learn more about modular synthesis in the Ask.Audio Academy: https://ask.audio/academy?nleloc=new-releases

Hollin Jones was classically trained as a piano player but found the lure of blues and jazz too much to resist. Graduating from bands to composition then production, he relishes the chance to play anything with keys. A sometime lecturer in videographics, music production and photography post production, Hollin has been a freelance w... Read More

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