This is an introduction to the ADDAC714 Vintage Clip by ADDAC System, available at Takazudo Modular.
The ADDAC714 Vintage Clip is a dual-channel soft clipping module. It produces a pleasant distortion effect through its combination of analog circuits.
This product is available for purchase below.
Takazudo Modularではマニュアル等の日本語訳付きを作成し、公開しています。以下よりご参照下さい。
- Features of the ADDAC714 Vintage Clip
- Interface Overview
- Use Cases for the ADDAC714 Vintage Clip
- Reference Videos
- Manual
- Technical Specifications
- Included Accessories
Features of the ADDAC714 Vintage Clip
The ADDAC714 Vintage Clip is a module built around diode-based passive clipping at its core. When the input signal exceeds a certain level, it harshly clips the audio, functioning as a Brick Wall limiter. Combined with a passive RC low-pass circuit that cuts high frequencies (a 3.3KHz -3dB low-pass filter), it creates a distinctive texture.
Interface Overview
The knobs on this module's panel control the gain for the following two stages:
- A: CLIP stage GAIN (upper GAIN knob)
- B: OUTPUT stage GAIN (lower OUTPUT knob)
The BYPASS switch at the top of the panel toggles whether the input signal passes through the CLIP stage (A) (switch up) or bypasses it (switch down).
The CLIP stage GAIN (A) controls the threshold at which clipping is applied. The higher the proportion of signal that gets clipped, the more the signal's amplitude is reduced after clipping. This is why the OUTPUT stage GAIN (B) is provided for post-clipping volume adjustment. The CLIP LED next to the OUTPUT knob provides visual indication of output clipping at the final OUT.
The SYMMETRY switch in the center of the panel toggles between Bipolar Clipping and Positive Clipping. Bipolar Clipping (switch up) applies clipping to both the positive and negative polarities of the input signal, while Positive Clipping (switch down) applies clipping only to the positive polarity. In terms of the resulting sonic texture, Bipolar Clipping creates a sound that feels completely and thoroughly clipped, while Positive Clipping essentially clips only half of the signal, producing output that retains some of the original tone while still having a clipped character.
The basic usage is to turn the upper GAIN knob to control the amount of clipping, and adjust the final volume with the lower OUTPUT knob.
Use Cases for the ADDAC714 Vintage Clip
The ADDAC714 Vintage Clip is best suited for when you want to crush your sound. A related module from the same ADDAC System lineup is the ADDAC712 Vintage Pre, but the Vintage Clip produces a sound that feels more aggressively crushed.
The Vintage Pre gradually attenuates signals that exceed the threshold, whereas the Vintage Clip stops signals abruptly at a fixed level, preventing them from going any louder (Brick Wall limiter processing). This difference in processing creates the distinct sonic differences between the two modules.
I encourage you to listen to the demo videos to compare this module's sound with the Vintage Pre and appreciate the unique qualities of each saturation/distortion approach.
Reference Videos
In the video below, you can hear the sonic characteristics produced by the ADDAC714 Vintage Clip.
Below is a demo I recorded, running a 909-style kick drum and mono synth module -- Patching Panda: BD-Z -- through this ADDAC714 Vintage Clip and the companion ADDAC712 Vintage Pre. Use it as a reference for how the sound changes.
Manual
The manual (English only) is available on the official website below.
Technical Specifications
- Width: 6HP
- Depth: 40mm
- Power consumption: 40mA +12V / 40mA -12V
Included Accessories
- Power ribbon cable
- Screws
ADDAC Systemについて
ADDAC Systemはポルトガルのモジュラーシンセメーカーです。
アナログ良さを生かした、ベーシックな機能をしっかり形にしているモジュールラインナップを基本としつつも、CVをMIDIに柔軟にコンバートしたり、高度にコントロール可能なグラニュラープロセッサー等、デジタル技術もうまく調和させた独創的なモジュールも数多くリリースしています。
オマケ: 電氣美術研究會モジュラー小物セット付き
モジュラーシンセをもっと多くの方に触って欲しいという願いの元、電氣美術研究會さまにご協力頂き、モジュラー小物セットを本商品にバンドルさせて販売させていただいております。
パッチケーブルや電源ケーブル、ドレスナットのサンプルセット、モノラルスプリッターなど、内容は時期に応じて変化します。商品に同梱しますので是非お試し下さい！
That concludes the introduction to the ADDAC714 Vintage Clip.
Personally, I find the Vintage Pre to be more versatile for general use, while this Vintage Clip is better suited for intentionally crushing and dirtying up sounds. For example, when crushing a TR-909 kick drum, the Vintage Pre makes it tight and fat, whereas the Vintage Clip produces an over-crushed hardcore techno kind of sound.
Whether you want that kind of sound is a matter of personal taste, but for instance, running a beautiful pad sound through it can produce an effect that's simultaneously beautiful and broken -- something the Vintage Pre wouldn't achieve in quite the same way.
Saturation and distortion may seem like a single category, but the texture you get varies significantly depending on the circuit design. Experiencing these textures and experimenting with how to incorporate them into your sound design is one of the joys of modular synthesis.
Takazudo Modularではマニュアル等の日本語訳付きを作成し、公開しています。以下よりご参照下さい。
We hope you found this helpful.