880 Analog Drum Machine for Eurorack

The System80 880 is a recreation of the classic analog drum machine of the 1980s reformatted into a 60 HP Eurorack module.  It couples the 16 analog drum voices of the original to an enhanced TR-style step sequencer.

Currently there are about three times (3X) as many people on the pre-order list as there are available units. Based on System80 experience from the first production run last year System80 knows that some people on the pre-order list don’t follow through with their order when their turn comes up.  In the last run, everyone on the pre-order list that wanted an 880 got one. Demand seems a little higher this time around, but System80 anticipates that most people on the pre-order list that want an 880 should be able to get one.  System80 continue to accept pre-orders as a way to gauge demand and plan future production runs.

Features

• 16 analog drum voices (6 single voices, 5 switchable dual voices) with a global accent
• Pattern sequencer with 1-32 steps
• 12 banks of 16 patterns
• 12 rhythm tracks
• Shuffle and roll modes
• External MIDI triggering of drum voices
• 11 individual drum voice outputs + master output with volume control
• 2 assignable trigger outputs
• External sync via MIDI clock, DIN Sync or clock pulse.

Availability & Pricing

System80 can only ship four to six 880s per week.  Each one requires about 3 hours of build time, calibration and testing, followed by at least a 24-hour burn-in before shipping. System80 anticipates the production run to be finished and all units shipped by the end of April. Pricing: $995 USD + shipping. 

Manis Iteritas is a 10HP voice based on the architecture of Basimilus Iteritas, although designed to be more determined and energetic. It accomplishes this by using only sawtooth waves that are manipulated, modulated, and twisted by a rethought interface. Manis is suitable for leads, bass lines, drums, darkness, detuned madness, or pure mayhem.

At first glance Manis Iteritas is very similar to the Basimilus Iteritas. In Skin and Liquid mode there are six oscillator/envelope pairs that are added together. In Metal mode, there is phase modulated oscillator/envelope chains. Metal mode differs in Manis Iteritas by having two sets of three sequentially modulated oscillators rather that one set of six. The metal mode also waveshapes the output of the oscillators by summing two saw tooths of the same frequency to give a waveform somewhere between a sawtooth and a square.

Download the Manis Iteritas patch book! Want to see some cool patches you can make with your MI? The Patch Book includes some basic patches and ideas to try with your MI. Just set the knobs to match the pictures and you’re off. Once you’ve tried out some of these sounds, create your own patches and document them with the blank patch sheet on the last page.

“That” sound The type of sound Manis Iteritas is known for. Patch your trigger to Trig, and Out to your mixer. Patch a pitch CV sequence to Pitch. Sounds great tuned low or high. Add some modulation for noisy, aggressive fun.

This year 808 day also marks 8 years since the introduction of Tiptop Audio very successful line of 808 modules. To celebrate this event Tiptop Audio is offering a limited-time bundle deal on a set of modules – $349 which is over half off! Contact your favorite retailer, for example, Signal Sounds in the UK.

The set includes the legendary Bass Drum, Snare, Hats, Cowbell, Maracas and Rimshot. Classic electronic analog drum sounds are now more affordable than ever.
Time and supplies are limited.

808 – Analog Drum Modules

BD808

BD808 is part of Tiptop Audio series of drum modules that brings analog percussion into the modular synth world, instantly turning your system into a self-contained music machine. Its small size, minimalist design, and modern production methods have allowed Tiptop Audio to bring the world’s most famous bass drum sound generator back at a very low cost. The real thing is here again.

All these little, but unique, features make integrating this legendary sound generator into your modular easy, unleashing the power of real analog drums and making those speaker cone shake.

SD808

The SD808 is the TR-808’s analog snare drum circuit adapted for use in Eurorack modular synthesizer format and was designed to sound like a fresh-out.of-the-box, 1980s TR-808 snare. Adapting the circuit to the modular format has allowed us to add special features like independent accent levels, a high-powered gain stage, a dual input pulse-shaper, and an adjustable noise source, all without compromising the signature sound of the TR-808 snare drum.

HATS808

The HATS808 is the TR-808’s real, analog closed and open hi-hat circuits adapted for use in Eurorack modular synthesizer format and teste to sound just like it did back in the ’80s. Adapting to modular format has allowed us to add some special features for each voice like independent accent levels, a high-powered gain stage, and dual input pulse-shaper. Filter Q and VC-Q knobs were added to the main band-pass filter for additional tuning and to allow you to generate crushed tones and self-oscillation at the knob’s max position, all without compromising the signature sound of the TR-808 hi-hat.

CB808

The CB808 sound is generated by two square wave oscillators that go through bandpass filtering and the get mixed together. It’s a simple analog circuit with a very cool output. What makes the 808 cowbell sound so well know is that it doesn’t feel constant, but rather slightly spacey. The internal pitch-modulating LFO that Tiptop Audio added takes this effect even further, but stays within the bounds of the 808 sound, keeping it very musical and easy to play with.

RS808

The RS808 comes with two switches that give a total of 4 different positions: two are the classic Rimshot and Claves sounds as found on the original, and two are unique to the RS808 module adding a range of snappy “click” sounds the circuit is capable of producing. Two control knobs were added, each has a different effect on the selected sound. In general, these controls can be categorized ad Pitch and Snap as they control the frequency of the oscillator and decay of the envelope generator. The RS808 is an exact reproduction of the original circuit which sounds like a fresh machine analog coming off the assembly line back in the ’80s.