Gamechanger Plasma Voice Eurorack

Gamechanger Plasma Voice Eurorack generates sound by controlling high-voltage electrical discharges between electrodes inside a xenon-filled tube. A dedicated rectifier circuit converts those discharges into an audio signal.

A sound source that is neither analogue nor digital in the usual sense

Earlier Plasma devices were distortion units and needed an external sound source. Here an ultrasound pulse-width oscillator drives the tube directly, which makes the module a voice in its own right. The character comes from the physics of the discharge rather than from modelling: it carries irregularities and artefacts that no VCO reproduces.

49 sounds across seven banks, all of them reshapeable

The banks correspond to specific roles in an arrangement: BASS, LEAD, PLUCK, DRUM, METAL, STATIC and SPARK. The PITCH, TIME, MOD, HARM, FLUX and FILTER sliders alter each sound far enough that it often leaves the intent of its bank entirely. Behind the sliders sit an analogue state variable filter with resonance, switchable between 12 dB per octave low-pass and high-pass, plus a soft-clipping DRIVE stage and a two-band EQ. Five trigger modes and seven accent modes give the module rhythmic logic of its own.

KEY FEATURES

• Sound generated by discharges inside a xenon tube
• Proprietary plasma tube driver and electromagnetic discharge detector
• 49 transformable sounds across seven banks
• Analogue state variable filter, 12 dB per octave, LP or HP, with resonance
• Soft-clipping DRIVE stage with BASS and TREBLE EQ
• Five trigger modes and seven accent modes
• Seven CV inputs with attenuverters plus an assignable MULTI CV input
• 3.5 mm MIDI input with a DIN5 adapter included

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Type: Eurorack voice module with a plasma tube
• Sounds: 49 across seven banks: BASS, LEAD, PLUCK, DRUM, METAL, STATIC, SPARK
• Filter: analogue state variable, 12 dB per octave, LP or HP, with resonance
• VCA: analogue, digitally controlled by internal control voltages
• Audio output level: +/- 8 V maximum
• PITCH range: +/- 1 octave, with fine tune and octave select
• Sliders: PITCH, TIME, MOD, HARM, FLUX, FILTER
• CV inputs: seven, including an assignable MULTI CV
• Pitch CV: 1 V per octave, +/- 10 V range
• Parameter CV: +/- 5 V range
• TRIGGER and ACCENT inputs: 2 V minimum, rising and falling edge detection
• Trigger modes: TRIG, GATE, LOOP, OSC, ON/OFF
• Accent modes: ACC, DUCK, STARVE, CVFREEZE, JUMP, REVERSE, BURST
• MIDI: 3.5 mm input, DIN5 adapter included
• Power: +/- 12 V DC, 10-16 pin cable included
• Current draw: peak 220 mA at +12 V (mean 75 mA), 35 mA at -12 V
• Width: 16 HP (81.3 x 128.5 mm)
• Depth: 35 mm excluding knobs, 54 mm including knobs
• Mass: 190 g