Spectravox, the newest member of the Moog semi-modular family, is a groundbreaking tool for sculpting sound. An analog spectral processor based around a 10-band filter bank, Spectravox creates lively drones and colourful tonal sweeps on its own and adds resonant depth and psychedelic spectral movement to any external sound. Hook up a microphone and Spectravox becomes a 10-band analog vocoder with innovative integrated modulation of all of its filters. An exploration and expansion of the topology of the vocoder and filter bank, Spectravox is a highly flexible instrument and signal processor with a comprehensive patch bay for integration into studios of all sizes.
Synthesists have delighted in playing with the spectrum of sound since the Moog 907 Fixed Filter Bank appeared in the 1960s, creating lush vowel tones and multicoloured timbral animation with hands-on level control of each frequency band of a sound. Unlike earlier fixed filter banks, however, the unique filters of Spectravox are no longer fixed in place and will jointly shift around the frequency space, allowing for the creation of otherworldly voltage-controlled spectral animation and vibrant phaser-like sweeps. With 10 filters whose variable resonance can morph from soft precision to shimmering choral effects, Spectravox reshapes the sounds you love into surprising new forms and brings a new world of sonic possibilities to your studio.
Spectravox is a fascinating standalone sculptable synthesizer voice thanks to its built-in carrier sound source of a thick analog Moog oscillator and white noise generator. With its combo XLR/jack program input, Spectravox becomes a fully featured 10-band vocoder with a secondary filter bank for analyzing the spectral makeup of incoming sounds. In VOCODER mode its 10 analysis filters map the timbral characteristics of any external sound onto any other sound you can imagine. Shape the warm analog oscillator of Spectravox with the dynamics of your voice, or use a drum machine to animate guitar chords in a mesmerizing broadband percussive space.
Spectravox uses the pioneering vocoding work of Bob Moog and Wendy Carlos in the late 1960s as its inspiration—work which was based on Homer Dudley's original designs from the 1930s and which was used to prominent effect in Stanley Kubrick's 1972 film A Clockwork Orange. Innovating further from these early designs, Spectravox uses 10 state-variable filters for its filter bank, all 10 of which are capable of being shifted with its internal triangle wave LFO or external control voltage. With the ability to emphasise vowel sounds via the Hiss and Buzz functionality of the Moog 16 Channel Vocoder, Spectravox is both a major step forward for analog filter banks and a loving exploration of early music technology history.
Scramble the frequency spectrum and create wonderfully unpredictable textures with patch points for each filter in the filter bank and included patch cables. Add analog warmth and subtle phasing to digital synthesizers and sound sources. Integrate Spectravox with other Moog semi-modular instruments or Eurorack modules with an extensive patch bay providing control over almost all of its parameters. Spectravox is a boundary-pushing instrument that invites you to explore creative new ways of shaping and sculpting sound.
Features
- Sound Source: VCO, White Noise Generator
- Filter: 10x variable resonance voltage-controlled filters: 1 Low-Pass Filter, 8 Bandpass Filters, 1 High-pass Filters
- Envelope: VCA EG (Decay)
- Analysis Engine Sources: Ext. Input via 1/4" / XLR combo jack or 3.5mm jack with preamplifier
- XLR input supports dynamic mics
- Patchbay Jacks: 36 x 3.5mm
- Inputs: 19 Input Jacks
- Outputs: 17 Output Jacks
- Audio Out: 1/4” TRS Headphone or 1/4” TS Instrument
- Security: Kensington lock slot
- Power Supply: wall adapter; barrel connection; center-pin positive
- Input: 100 - 240VAC; 50 Hz - 60 Hz
- Output: +12VDC; 2.0A
- Power Consumption: 4.8 Watts
- Eurorack Current Draw: 450mA (maximum) from +12VDC (10-pin header)
- Mounting Dims: 60HP (1.5” Module Depth)