The Doepfer A-100 is an

analog Analog or analogue may refer to: Computing and electronics * Analog signal, in which information is encoded in a continuous variable ** Analog device, an apparatus that operates on analog signals *** Analog electronics, circuits which use analog ...

modular synthesizer Modular synthesizers are synthesizers composed of separate modules for different functions. The modules can be connected together by the user to create a patch. The outputs from the modules may include audio signals, analog control voltages, ...

system introduced by

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

audio manufacturer

Doepfer Doepfer Musikelektronik GmbH is a German manufacturer of audio hardware, mostly modular synthesizers, based in Gräfelfing, Upper Bavaria, Germany and founded by Dieter Döpfer. The product range covers analog modular systems, MIDI controllers, MI ...

in 1995. Although there were only 10 module types at time of release, it currently has more than 120 modules plus several different enclosures and accessories.

Design

A-100 modules are designed to be

rack-mounted A 19-inch rack is a standardized frame or enclosure for mounting multiple electronic equipment modules. Each module has a front panel that is wide. The 19 inch dimension includes the edges or ''ears'' that protrude from each side of the ...

, each being 3U tall and a multiple of 2HP wide, and a variety of cases are available to house them. This type of racking system,

Eurorack Eurorack is a modular synthesizer format originally specified in 1995 by Doepfer Musikelektronik. It has since grown in popularity, and has become a dominant hardware modular synthesizer format, with over 15,000 modules available from more than ...

, has been adopted by many other manufacturers of synthesiser modules. Modules are patched using standard mono miniature (3.5 mm) leads. This combination of 3U height, multiples of 2HP width, and 3.5 mm leads is known more generally as the Eurorack standard, and is in contrast to the older combination of 5U height and 6.35 mm width pioneered by Moog. Other companies such as Analogue Solutions, Analogue Systems,

Roland Roland (; ; or ''Rotholandus''; or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as the Matter of France. The historical Roland was mil ...

, Moog and Cwejman have also adopted the Eurorack standard, making it relatively easy to integrate their modules into each other's systems.

Example uses

Using certain modules designed specifically for the purpose, it is possible to use the A-100 system to emulate a

Trautonium The Trautonium is an electronic synthesizer invented in 1930 by Friedrich Trautwein in Berlin at the Musikhochschule's music and radio lab, the Rundfunkversuchstelle. Soon afterward Oskar Sala joined him, continuing development until Sala's de ...

or a

Theremin The theremin (; originally known as the ætherphone, etherphone, thereminophone or termenvox/thereminvox) is an electronic musical instrument controlled without physical contact by the performer (who is known as a thereminist). It is named aft ...

, as well as to use it as a

vocoder A vocoder (, a portmanteau of ''vo''ice and en''coder'') is a category of speech coding that analyzes and synthesizes the human voice signal for audio data compression, multiplexing, voice encryption or voice transformation. The vocoder wa ...

Modules

The following modules have been, or are still being, manufactured by Doepfer: * A-101-1 – Vactrol multimode filter * A-101-2 – Vactrol low-pass filter / VCA * A-101-3 – 12 stage vactrol phaser * A-101-6 – Six Stage Opto FET VCF * A-101-9 – Dual universal vactrol module * A-102 –

EMS VCS 3 The VCS 3 (or VCS3; an initialism for ''Voltage Controlled Studio, version #3'') is a portable analogue synthesizer with a flexible modular voice architecture introduced by Electronic Music Studios (EMS) in 1969. EMS released the product ...

style 18 dB/octave diode low-pass filter * A-103 –

Roland TB-303 The Roland TB-303 Bass Line (also known as the 303) is a bass synthesizer released by Roland Corporation in 1981. Designed to simulate bass guitars, it was a commercial failure and was discontinued in 1984. However, cheap second-hand units we ...

style 18 dB/octave transistor ladder low-pass filter * A-104 –

style formant filter * A-105 – 24 dB/octave SSM2044 based 24 dB/octave low-pass filter * A-105-4 – Quad Poly VCF * A-106-1 –

Korg MS-20 The Korg MS-20 is a patchable semi-modular monophonic analog synthesizer which Korg released in 1978 and which was in production until 1983. It was part of Korg's MS series of instruments, which also included the single oscillator MS-10, the ke ...

style 12 dB/octave low-pass / 6 dB/octave high-pass filter * A-106-5 –

Oberheim SEM The Oberheim Polyphonic Synthesizer is a series of analog music synthesizers that was produced from 1975 to 1979 by Oberheim Electronics. Developed by Tom Oberheim, they were the first production synthesizers capable of playing chords. Backgrou ...

style 12 dB/octave multimode filter * A-106-6 –

Oberheim Xpander The Oberheim Xpander () is an analog synthesizer launched by Oberheim in 1984 and discontinued in 1988. It is essentially a keyboardless, six-voice version of the Matrix-12 (released a year later, in 1985). Utilizing Oberheim's Matrix Modulatio ...

style multimode filter * A-107 –

style multimode filter * A-108 – 6, 12, 24, and 48 dB/octave low-pass / band-pass transistor ladder filter * A-109 – Signal processor * A-110-1 – Standard VCO * A-110-2 – Basic VCO * A-110-4 – Thru zero quadrature VCO * A-110-6 – Trapezoid Thru Zero Quadrature VCO * A-111-1 – High end VCO * A-111-2 – High End VCO II / VCLFO * A-111-3 – Micro Precision VCO / VCLFO * A-111-4 – Quad Precision VCO * A-111-5 – Mini synthesizer voice (combination VCO / filter / VCA / LFO / ADSR envelope generator) * A-112 – Sampler / wavetable oscillator * A-113 – Trautonium style subharmonic generator * A-114 – Dual

ring modulator In electronics, ring modulation is a signal processing function, an implementation of frequency mixing, in which two signals are combined to yield an output signal. One signal, called the carrier, is typically a sine wave or another simple wa ...

* A-115 – Audio divider * A-116 –

Waveform In electronics, acoustics, and related fields, the waveform of a signal is the shape of its Graph of a function, graph as a function of time, independent of its time and Magnitude (mathematics), magnitude Scale (ratio), scales and of any dis ...

processor * A-117 – Digital noise generator /

Roland TR-808 The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, commonly known as the 808, is a drum machine manufactured by Roland Corporation between 1980 and 1983. It was one of the first drum machines to allow users to program rhythms instead of using preset patterns. ...

style discordant sound source * A-118 – Analog

noise generator A noise generator is a circuit that produces electrical noise (i.e., a random signal). Noise generators are used to test signals for measuring noise figure, frequency response, and other parameters. Noise generators are also used for Random numbe ...

/ random voltage * A-118-2 – Analog

/ random voltage (Slim Line Series) * A-119 – External input / envelope follower * A-120 – Moog style 24 dB/octave low-pass filter * A-121 – 12 dB/octave multimode filter * A-121-2 – 12 dB Multimode Filter * A-122 –

Oberheim Oberheim is an American synthesizer manufacturer founded in 1969 by Tom Oberheim. Beginning in 1975, Oberheim developed some of the first commercially available polyphonic synthesizers and was a prominent synthesizer and drum machine manufacture ...

style 24 dB/octave low-pass filter with

CEM Cem Sultan (1459–1495) was a prince of the Ottoman Empire. Cem or CEM may also refer to: Colleges * College of Eastern Medicine, a branch of Southern California University of Health Sciences, in Los Angeles, California, US * College of Eme ...

3379 chip * A-123 – 24 dB/octave high-pass filter * A-123-2 – 6/12/18/24 dB Highpass Filter * A-124 – EDP Wasp style 12 dB/octave multimode filter * A-125 – Phaser * A-126 – Frequency shifter * A-127 – Triple resonance filter * A-127BOM – Filter breakout module * A-128 – Fixed filter bank * A-129/1 –

Vocoder A vocoder (, a portmanteau of ''vo''ice and en''coder'') is a category of speech coding that analyzes and synthesizes the human voice signal for audio data compression, multiplexing, voice encryption or voice transformation. The vocoder wa ...

analysis * A-129/2 – Vocoder synthesis * A-129/3 – Vocoder slew limiter * A-129/4 – Slew limiter controller * A-129/5 – Voiced/unvoiced detector * A-130 – Linear VCA * A-131 – Exponential VCA * A-132-1 – Dual linear low cost VCA * A-132-2 – Quad VCA * A-132-3 – Dual linear / exponential VCA * A-132-4 – Quad exponential VCA / mixer * A-132-8 – Octal Poly VCA * A-133 – Dual polarizer * A-134-1 – Panner * A-134-2 – Dual crossfader * A-135 – Mixer * A-135-2 – Quad VCA / Mixer * A-136 – Distortion /

waveshaper In electronic music, waveshaping is a type of distortion synthesis in which complex spectra are produced from simple tones by altering the shape of the waveforms. Uses Waveshapers are used mainly by electronic musicians to achieve an extr ...

* A-137-1 – Wave multiplier I * A-137-2 – Wave multiplier II * A-138a – Linear mixer * A-138b – Exponential mixer * A-138c – Polarizing mixer * A-138d – Crossfader /

effect Effect may refer to: * A result or change of something ** List of effects ** Cause and effect, an idiom describing causality Pharmacy and pharmacology * Drug effect, a change resulting from the administration of a drug ** Therapeutic effect, ...

insert * A-138e – Quad three-way crossfader / mixer / polarizer * A-138m – 4x4 Matrix Mixer * A-138o – Performance Mixer Output Module * A-138p – Performance Mixer * A-138s – Mini Stereo Mixer * A-138u – Dual Micro Mixer (2x3) * A-138x – Mixer expander (for use with A-138a or A-138b) * A-139 –

Headphone Headphones are a pair of small loudspeaker drivers worn on or around the head over a user's ears. They are electroacoustic transducers, which convert an electrical signal to a corresponding sound. Headphones let a single user listen to an ...

amplifier * A-139-2 – Headphone Amplifier * A-140 –

ADSR envelope In sound and music, an envelope describes how a sound changes over time. For example, a piano key, when struck and held, creates a near-immediate initial sound which gradually decreases in volume to zero. An envelope may relate to elements such ...

generator * A-140-2 – Dual Mini ADSR * A-141 – Voltage controlled ADSR envelope generator * A-141-2 – Voltage controlled ADSR / LFO * A-141-4 – Quad Poly VCADSR * A-142-1 – Decay envelope generator / gate * A-142-2 – Dual Envelope Controlled VCA * A-142-4 – Quad Decay * A-143-1 – Complex envelope generator / quad AD envelope generator / quad LFO * A-143-2 – Quad ADSR envelope generator * A-143-3 – Quad LFO * A-143-4 – Quad voltage controlled LFO / VCO * A-143-9 – Quadrature LFO * A-144 – Morphing controller * A-145 – LFO I * A-146 – LFO II * A-147 – Voltage controlled LFO * A-147-2 – Voltage Controlled Delayed Low Frequency Oscillator / VCDLFO * A-148 – Dual

sample and hold In electronics, a sample and hold (also known as sample and follow) circuit is an analog device that samples (captures, takes) the voltage of a continuously varying analog signal and holds (locks, freezes) its value at a constant level for a ...

/ track and hold * A-149-1 – Buchla 200 style quantized random voltages / stored random voltages * A-149-2 – Eight digital random voltages * A-150 – Dual voltage controlled switch * A-150-8 – Octal Manual/Voltage Controlled Programmable Switches * A-151 – Quad sequential switch * A-152 – Addressed track and hold / analog shift register / octal switch (multiplexer) * A-154 – Sequencer controller * A-155 – Analog / trigger sequencer * A-156 – Dual quantizer * A-157 – Trigger Sequencer Subsystem * A-160 – Clock divider * A-160-2 – Clock/Trigger Divider II * A-160-5 – Voltage Controlled Clock Multiplier / Ratcheting Controller * A-161 – Clock sequencer * A-162 – Dual trigger delay * A-163 –

Frequency divider Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time. Frequency is an important parameter used in science and engineering to specify the rate of oscillatory and vibratory phenomena, such as mechanical vibrations, audio ...

* A-164-1 – Manual gate * A-165 – Dual trigger inverter * A-166 – Dual

logic gate A logic gate is a device that performs a Boolean function, a logical operation performed on one or more binary inputs that produces a single binary output. Depending on the context, the term may refer to an ideal logic gate, one that has, for ...

* A-167 – Analog comparator / subtractor / offset generator * A-168-1 – PWM Module * A-170 – Dual slew limiter * A-171 – Voltage controlled slew limiter * A-171-2 – Voltage controlled slew processor / generator * A-172 – Maximum / minimum selector * A-173-1/2 – Micro Keyboard / Manual Gate Modules * A-174-1 –

Joystick A joystick, sometimes called a flight stick, is an input device consisting of a stick that pivots on a base and reports its angle or direction to the device it is controlling. Also known as the control column, it is the principal control devic ...

* A-174-2 – Wheels * A-175 – Dual voltage inverter * A-176 – Manual control voltage source * A-177-1 – Foot controller I * A-177-2 – Foot controller II * A-178 –

style antenna * A-179 – Light controlled voltage source * A-180-1 – Multiples I (4HP) * A-180-2 – Multiples I (2HP) * A-180-3 – Dual Buffered Multiple * A-180-9 – Multicore * A-181 – Multiples II * A-182 – Switched multiples * A-183-1 – Dual attenuator * A-183-2 – Offset generator / attenuator / polarizer * A-183-3 – Amplifier * A-183-9 – Quad USB Power Supply * A-184-1 – Ring Modulator / S&H/T&H / Slew Limiter Combo * A-184-2 – Voltage Controlled Crossfader / Triangle-to-Sine Waveshaper * A-185-1 – Bus access * A-185-2 – Precision adder * A-186-1 – Gate/trigger combiner * A-187-1 –

DSP DSP may refer to: Computing * Digital signal processing, the mathematical manipulation of an information signal * Digital signal processor, a microprocessor designed for digital signal processing * Dynamic Reconfiguration port * Yamaha DSP-1 ...

effects * A-188-1 –

BBD BBD may stand for: Finance *Banco Bradesco, by NYSE ticker symbol *Bombardier Inc., by Toronto Stock Exchange symbol * Barbadian dollar, by ISO 4217 code Music *Bell Biv DeVoe, an R&B group ** ''BBD'' (album), 2001 **" B.B.D. (I Thought It Was ...

* A-188-2 – Tapped BBD * A-189-1 – Bit modifier * A-190-1 – MIDI to CV/gate/sync interface * A-190-2 – MIDI to CV/gate interface * A-190-3 – USB/MIDI to CV/gate interface * A-190-4 – USB/MIDI to CV/gate/sync interface * A-190-5 – Polyphonic USB/MIDI to CV/gate interface * A-190-8 – USB/MIDI to sync interface * A-191 – MIDI to CV interface / shephard generator * A-192-1 – CV to MIDI interface * A-192-2 – CV/gate to MIDI/USB interface * A-196 –

Phase-locked loop A phase-locked loop or phase lock loop (PLL) is a control system that generates an output signal whose phase is fixed relative to the phase of an input signal. Keeping the input and output phase in lockstep also implies keeping the input and ou ...

* A-197-1 –

VU meter A volume unit (VU) meter or standard volume indicator (SVI) is a device displaying a representation of the Signal-to-noise ratio, signal level in audio equipment. The original design was proposed in the 1940 Institute of Radio Engineers, IRE pap ...

* A-197-2 – LCD

oscilloscope An oscilloscope (formerly known as an oscillograph, informally scope or O-scope) is a type of electronic test instrument that graphically displays varying voltages of one or more signals as a function of time. Their main purpose is capturing i ...

* A-198 – Trautonium style

ribbon controller A ribbon controller is a tactile sensor used to control synthesizers. It generally consists of a resistive strip that acts as a potentiometer. Because of its continuous control, ribbon controllers are often used to produce glissando effects. ...

* A-199 –

Spring reverb A reverb effect, or reverb, is an audio effect applied to a sound signal to simulate reverberation. It may be created through physical means, such as echo chambers, or electronically through audio signal processing. The American producer Bill ...

Notable users

References

{{Reflist, 30em

External links

A-100 official home pageA-100 reviews at Harmony CentralA-100 at Vintage Synth ExplorerAnalogue Heaven: A visit to the Musikmesse in FrankfurtAnalogue Heaven: More about the MusikmesseAnalogue Heaven: Doepfer A-100 Review *** Part OneAnalogue Heaven: Doepfer A-100 Review *** Part TwoAnalogue Heaven: Doepfer A-100 Review *** Part Three ***Interactive online 3D presentation
MIDI instruments Monophonic synthesizers Analog synthesizers Doepfer synthesizers Modular synthesizers