Description
Description
TONESTAR 8106, an ARP® 2600-inspired complete synth voice, infuses Tim Caswell's "Jupiter to Juno" filter alchemy — a 6db/oct hi-pass filter followed by a recreation of the Roland® IR3109 module—into our Tonestar 2600 platform; this chirpy yet full-bodied 8106 model is also fully #OutsToOuts modular, featuring 27 pots (one more than the 2600 model for the high-pass filter), 6 switches (one less, sacrificing resonance modulation for high-pass filtering), and 21 jacks. If the Tone★ 8106 thins somewhat with resonance excess, route the triangle wave 'round the VCF with the "NO VCF" switch setting, and keep this juicy reimagining of the Roland® IR3109 module boomin' and gloomin'.
Knowledge from circuit designer Tim Caswell
The VCO is the same affair as the Oscillation, the Boomstar, and the Omega. It's kind of a combination of Arp®, Oberheim® and Moog® circuits (sort of a greatest hits), time-tested, very stable—very good tracking over a very large range; certain parts have to be hand selected to achieve that level of exacting performance. Editors Note: This module is a TONESTAR—its own thing—and not a 2600 clone attempt; nevertheless, the Tone☆ tugs lovingly at times on the sleeve of the 1970's era classic.
Envelope FYI: The Tonestar Sustain control replicates the behavior of the 2600 and Odyssey: after the initial Decay, it continues to move (sink) very slowly, adding a little extra texture to the sound. It's technically a flaw, but after digging out my Odyssey, it is for sure a desirable "quirk", and the perfect companion to the 4072 filter (which we mistakenly titled a 4075 in the Boomstar Modular line).
Another bit of fun: The LFO is voltage controlled, so you can envelope, LFO, or otherwise modulate both the rate and the depth; the ADSR amount is also voltage controlled, so it can be manipulated by MIDI dynamics, MIDI volume, an LFO, etc. Greg [St. Regis] has decreed that anything must be patchable to anything, so some technically wrong patchings (for example, pulse wave out to ADSR out) may often produce unexpectedly interesting, x-mod/notch filtering—quite pleasing effects.
The Tonestar was Greg's concept, but as I understood it, the goal was a single oscillator, 2600 VCF (initially), pre-patched and yet fully modular classic synth voice, at a specific size, wielding every trick we could cram in. Main use would be as a go-to bassline/lead tool, or a premium quality, entry-level, complete synth module, for root-to-leaf sound design, and multiform analog exploration/expression.
Features:
- Premium Quality Analog® pre-patched and fully modular all hardware synth voice
- 27 knobs, 6 switches, 21 patch points in a daring yet ergonomic 32hp config
- Eight octave ARP®, Oberheim® and Moog® styled Oscillator, with sub OSC, octave control, waveform mixing, triangle direct to VCA
- LFO/ADSR modulation of pulse width with dedicated triangle wave for warming/chorusing effects
- 6db/oct hi-pass filter followed by a recreation of the Roland® IR3109 module
- Input drive control and variable tracking
- Classic ADSR/AR Envelope with original 2600 "sustain sink" behavior to keep it movin'
- Ultra wide-ranging voltage controlled LFO with input speed control
- Drone: Instant infinite sustain, and Master mode: ADSR controls both filter + amplifier envelope (Juno 106 inspired)
- FEEDBACK! Harmonic generating/multiplying Oscillator/Filter Feedback loop manipulation
- White Noise Generator and External Audio Input patching with native tonal blending
- Legendary 31 year-perfected Through-Hole build quality and supreme sound-COMPARE!