Evolved from the oscillator mixing section of Mutable Instruments’ desktop hybrid synths, Warps is designed to blend and combine two audio signals. A variety of wave-shaping and cross-modulation methods – some of them emulating classic analog circuits, some of them purely digital – are provided by the module.
With Warps, the cross-modulated sound can be sculpted with control voltages along 4 dimensions: by controlling the amplitude and distorting the input signals, by smoothly scanning through the collection of modulation algorithms, and by adjusting a timbre parameter controlling the brightness/harshness of the modulated signal.
Since many classic cross-modulation effects work best when the carrier is a simple waveform – for example, a sine wave for ring-modulation or a buzzing waveform for vocoding – Warps includes a digital oscillator offering a handful of classic waveforms. This internal oscillator, which tracks V/Oct and supports through-zero FM, will replace the carrier audio input – freeing up one oscillator in your system for other duties!
Features
- Continuous morphing between 7 cross-modulation algorithms: crossfade, cross-folding, digital model of analog diode ring-modulation, digital ring-modulation, bitwise XOR modulation, octaver/comparator, 20-band vocoder.
- Control of timbre richness/brightness.
- Each audio input has a built-in digital VCA with emulation of analog soft-clipping.
- Audio input 1 can be replaced by an internal digital oscillator with through-zero FM. Available waveforms: sine, triangle, sawtooth, pulse, filtered noise.
Controls
- Modulation algorithm morphing.
- Timbre richness.
- Input gain/distortion for audio inputs 1 and 2.
- Internal oscillator waveform.
Inputs and outputs
- Audio input 1 (carrier) level CV (or internal oscillator 1V/Oct CV), -1V to +8V.
- Audio input 2 (modulator) level CV, -1V to +8V.
- Modulation algorithm morphing CV, -5V to +5V.
- Timbre CV, -5V to +5V.
- Audio input 1 (or internal oscillator through-zero FM). Modular level expected (up to 15 Vpp).
- Audio input 2. Modular level expected (up to 15 Vpp).
- Cross-modulated signal output.
- Auxiliary output: internal oscillator signal (when enabled) or mix of inputs 1 and 2 (post digital VCA).
Technical characteristics
- Input impedances: 100k.
- AD/DA: 16-bit, 96kHz.
- Internal processing: 32-bit floating point, 576kHz (32kHz for vocoder).
- Open-source hardware and firmware.
- Easy firmware updates through an audio interface.
- Cortex-M4 ARM processor.
- 10-HP.
- Current consumption: +12V: 110mA ; -12V: 5mA.