Noise Engineering Desmodus Versio, Scary Eurorack Reverb With A Built-In Open DSP Platform

August 1, 2020 Synth Anatomy Eurorack, Hardware, News 0

Noise Engineering Desmodus Versio, a new stereo Eurorack reverb that can create lush atmospheric textures but also scary, nightmarish atmospheres in no time, plus it’s an open DSP platform.

There are various excellent sounding reverb effects not only in the plugin market but also in the Eurorack area. However, these are often based on the same algorithm ideas: hall, plate or even an atmospheric shimmer reverb. Ok, admittedly, the latter is almost an addiction for me, because shimmer reverbs harmonize perfectly with synths. Noise Engineering also has a reverb module at the start, it is new, based on the new Electro Smith Daisy platform, and is very different from all others. It is not an emulation of a classic reverb or a room simulation.

Desmodus Versio is a true stereo in/out reverb and is described as a synthetic tail generator that optimized for creative sound design and performances. It is based on delay lines than can be used in a flexible way: either as a delay or with a good amount of modulation on the delay as a reverb. Or even something between them.

Desmodus Versio has a good number of parameters that give you hands-on control even during live performances: Blend (dry/wet balance control), Tone (filter in the reverb tank), Regen (amount of feedback in the reverb tank), Speed (speed of the internal LFO that modulates the delay lines), and Index (the amount of LFO sent to the delay lines that makes up the reverb).

Further, it has three reverb styles: LIM (limit) a clean reverb, DST (distort) a clean reverb but without limitation within the reverb tank and slight saturation for a more distorted sound & SHM (Shimmer), a shimmer reverb based on a demonic pitch-shifting algorithm. You can also change the behavior of the delay lines with three different settings, more precisely how they respond when the panel controls are modulated.

Anyone who knows the hardworking men and women of Noise Engineering knows that DV doesn’t sound like a classic reverb. It sounds almost horrifying and scary. Just like as you imagine a NE reverb: lots of character, unique, and an industrial touch. NE says: the parameters on DV allow you to take the effect from a delay to a beautiful reverb to an uncanny, nightmarish atmosphere in the twist of a few knobs.

Since the module is based on the Electro Smith Daisy, it is also an open stereo DSP platform where you can update DV with different future effects firmware. Open-source support will be released near the end of the year, too, which will allow you to write your own firmware!