Great comparison! I loved this video. The ladder filter sounds so quintessential, Roland sounds more like dance music, Prophet is like a nice vanilla ice cream, Polivoks is super bendy, and Wasp is just pants-on-backwards-but-still-beats-you-at-chess insanity
The wasp is an interesting one. But I feel like some slight corrections need to be made: they did not break anything pre-existing, nor did they circuit bend, but rather they used a digital chip (which takes an input 0 or 5 volts, a reference 5 volts, and power, and outputs 5 or 0 volts, the opposite of the input). They used this to process voltages that were in between. This was because the original company Electronic Dream Plant (EDP) built the rest of the synth with digital parts. Digital oscillator was easy, digital filter was near impossible at that era, and analogue filter required more expensive parts. So they compromised, using the digital parts. In other words, they were builders, and didn’t have to “break” or “remodel” anything existing. They still built, they just used the wrong materials so to speak. The Doepfer wasp filter is very input sensitive, and resonance behavior changes wildly depending on how loud the input signal is: if it’s a quiet input signal, the resonance is near the cutoff frequency. As the volume increases, the resonance drops down to an octave _below_ the cutoff frequency. Sort of. The chaos comes from having a pretty strong distortion within many points of the signal path, which then messes with the resonance. As you saw on the scope, resonance likes to be a sine and doesn’t play well when it’s forced to be anything other than that. That’s what causes it to try and drop down an octave, but then back.
Thanks! I was referring to Doepfer's description: This design "abuses" digital inverters as analog operational amplifiers leading to distortions and other "dirty" effects that generate the specific sound of this filter.
The Wasp filter's an absolute no-brainer at the price - every modular should have one. I'm surprised Doepfer's very affordable SEM filter doesn't get more love, though.
I have the Erica Synths Pico VCf1 and VCF3, for 3hp filters I was very impressed. They are not has powerful as the Polivoks or creamy as the Jove but they were deffinitely excellent value for money and sonically they were decent pick ups for me as my first filters in my modular set up
Thanks Robin, that's the way to do it! If I could only have one it's the Traigh, no doubt, but then I'm a Moog man :-) They all sound good in each their different way.
i think you've just convinced me to get a polivoks filter, in all other demos they always crank the resonance and input gain all the way to make it distort and go weird, but miss showing the bouncy, rubbery, but still clear and shiny quality you can get in intermediate settings.
That was fascinating Robin! Quite striking how different a filter can sound enveloped than you might guess from the manually manipulated drone. The big takeaway for me is the realization that I like filters which tease the edge of self oscillation, without actually breaking into squeal. Both the 2140 & Triagh (and to a lesser extent the Jove) get a little too wild for my tastes, though I really like them up till that point. The Polivoks & Wasp (besides having interesting character) seem less obnoxious when pushed into resonance. For today's mood, I'm leaning to the Polivoks.
A dare you to connect a few, at least two, of these and with no input from other modules, and have fun with that. Saw a video about this in the before times. Anyway, the resonance in one of the modules can be modulated with the res of the other. With all of these filters and no other modules, except maybe effects, it's probably possible to make music? Excellent demo! Particularly the parts with the sequence, even though it made me sort of forget to listen to the difference between the filters. But I think I like Instruos best, sounds most musically versatile as in types of music. Second the Polivox, Fun, interesting but also pleasing to listen to. Third, Wavefonix, very interesting, never heard about before, sounds really good at places, but can also be disgusting
the least likeable is the wasp - i dont like it too much ,- the Instruo is amazing , but you can make it sound dull ....meeh-... but why would you !? -- and the polio is ....interesting ....but the Jove simply sounds gorgeous !!!
Awesome! That was great, Robin! I need more filters! I have the Wasp and the 121 Behringer filters and love 'em! But I need more! Thanks for this demo... really helpful!
Thanks for this video! It inspired me to pick up the erica synths filter. I am still an infant to eurorack but I am learning. I appreciate you for sharing you knowledge! I have discovered I need a second and third job to finance my modular addiction!
My first filter was the Jove, after watching your journey into eurorack many moons ago. It still makes me suck in my cheeks and purse my lips all these years later.
Really great video! I was just looking for a new filter to put in my case. Have you ever tried the Random Source Serge Variable Q VCF? I have a really great deal on it.
Can we do more of these please, loved it. Simple idea, but great information and experience. #filterfriday
The shirts adorn you well. Your words keep me listening.
Great comparison! I loved this video. The ladder filter sounds so quintessential, Roland sounds more like dance music, Prophet is like a nice vanilla ice cream, Polivoks is super bendy, and Wasp is just pants-on-backwards-but-still-beats-you-at-chess insanity
Best comment ever. Pants on etc. 🤣🤣🤣
The wasp is an interesting one. But I feel like some slight corrections need to be made: they did not break anything pre-existing, nor did they circuit bend, but rather they used a digital chip (which takes an input 0 or 5 volts, a reference 5 volts, and power, and outputs 5 or 0 volts, the opposite of the input). They used this to process voltages that were in between. This was because the original company Electronic Dream Plant (EDP) built the rest of the synth with digital parts. Digital oscillator was easy, digital filter was near impossible at that era, and analogue filter required more expensive parts. So they compromised, using the digital parts. In other words, they were builders, and didn’t have to “break” or “remodel” anything existing. They still built, they just used the wrong materials so to speak.
The Doepfer wasp filter is very input sensitive, and resonance behavior changes wildly depending on how loud the input signal is: if it’s a quiet input signal, the resonance is near the cutoff frequency. As the volume increases, the resonance drops down to an octave _below_ the cutoff frequency. Sort of. The chaos comes from having a pretty strong distortion within many points of the signal path, which then messes with the resonance. As you saw on the scope, resonance likes to be a sine and doesn’t play well when it’s forced to be anything other than that. That’s what causes it to try and drop down an octave, but then back.
Thanks! I was referring to Doepfer's description:
This design "abuses" digital inverters as analog operational amplifiers leading to distortions and other "dirty" effects that generate the specific sound of this filter.
The Wasp filter's an absolute no-brainer at the price - every modular should have one. I'm surprised Doepfer's very affordable SEM filter doesn't get more love, though.
Love playing with filters too!
Great vid! Love the wasp in particular
It's always intent VS random... I tend to go with intent.
Thank you, that was useful. I have to try this myself with my own filters at home.
I have the Erica Synths Pico VCf1 and VCF3, for 3hp filters I was very impressed. They are not has powerful as the Polivoks or creamy as the Jove but they were deffinitely excellent value for money and sonically they were decent pick ups for me as my first filters in my modular set up
great, approachable demo! it's hard not to smile while using a bunch of filters
Thanks Robin, that's the way to do it! If I could only have one it's the Traigh, no doubt, but then I'm a Moog man :-) They all sound good in each their different way.
i think you've just convinced me to get a polivoks filter, in all other demos they always crank the resonance and input gain all the way to make it distort and go weird, but miss showing the bouncy, rubbery, but still clear and shiny quality you can get in intermediate settings.
Man in headphones Shouts at Screen haha nice work.
That was fascinating Robin! Quite striking how different a filter can sound enveloped than you might guess from the manually manipulated drone.
The big takeaway for me is the realization that I like filters which tease the edge of self oscillation, without actually breaking into squeal.
Both the 2140 & Triagh (and to a lesser extent the Jove) get a little too wild for my tastes, though I really like them up till that point. The Polivoks & Wasp (besides having interesting character) seem less obnoxious when pushed into resonance.
For today's mood, I'm leaning to the Polivoks.
A dare you to connect a few, at least two, of these and with no input from other modules, and have fun with that. Saw a video about this in the before times. Anyway, the resonance in one of the modules can be modulated with the res of the other.
With all of these filters and no other modules, except maybe effects, it's probably possible to make music?
Excellent demo! Particularly the parts with the sequence, even though it made me sort of forget to listen to the difference between the filters.
But I think I like Instruos best, sounds most musically versatile as in types of music.
Second the Polivox, Fun, interesting but also pleasing to listen to.
Third, Wavefonix, very interesting, never heard about before, sounds really good at places, but can also be disgusting
the least likeable is the wasp - i dont like it too much ,- the Instruo is amazing , but you can make it sound dull ....meeh-... but why would you !? -- and the polio is ....interesting ....but the Jove simply sounds gorgeous !!!
It is all in the “Ear of the Beholder.” My Behringer Wasp sounds amazing!
The Jove or Erica for my ears :)
But what about the (filter name here)? Or ones around $100 like the Nano Modules Font?
What about it? Wasp is $105 at Perfect Circuit.
Awesome! That was great, Robin! I need more filters! I have the Wasp and the 121 Behringer filters and love 'em! But I need more! Thanks for this demo... really helpful!
Thanks for this video! It inspired me to pick up the erica synths filter. I am still an infant to eurorack but I am learning. I appreciate you for sharing you knowledge! I have discovered I need a second and third job to finance my modular addiction!
My first filter was the Jove, after watching your journey into eurorack many moons ago. It still makes me suck in my cheeks and purse my lips all these years later.
Squelchy heaven...mmmm...nice
Well done!💙thanks for sharing
Very helpful vid, would love to see/hear some comparisons with ms-20 inspired filters as well! (Like those from LMNC &ThreeTom)
The Jove sequence! 😍
it sounded like you closed the video with "go make some cheese". 🧀😁
and so you should
Yep, I thought it was a good video. They all have different flavors, it’s good to see them compared together.
Very cool video, Robin!! I want more filters now. Lots of them.
Really great video! I was just looking for a new filter to put in my case. Have you ever tried the Random Source Serge Variable Q VCF? I have a really great deal on it.
Nope, sorry
very entertaining and informative!
Well that was fun! Thanks!
Amp and cutoff envelopes would have been nice.
who has time for that? :D
But seriously you want to be able to hear the filter completely and enveloping the VCA puts that in jepody.
@@MoltenMusicTech I love a good quack. :-)
I think I have like 6 or 7 different filters 😂
Please consider a stereo filter fight off in the near future.
Sure, can you send me some ? 😁
I you split a mono signal and send it to 2 filters and then send as left and right, does it sound like full stereo?
might have been nice to get Korg represented with Steve's MS 22 filter
Don't think I have one of those