Erica Synths captures the analog spirit of Roland’s Jupiter/Juno filter and packs them into a new ALFA chip-powered Black 3109 filter/VCA module
In addition to oscillators, filters have a major impact on the overall sound of a Synthesizer. This applies to today’s and vintage synthesizers alike. From Moog Ladder, Oberheim state-variable, or Roland OTA/diode, each filter has its own character.
Erica Synths from Latvia are fans of the OTA I3109 chip filter found in the Roland Juno, Jupiter, or SH-101. So much so that the developers have created their own VCF module.
Erica Synths Black 3109
The new Black 3109 is a VCF/VCA combo module that is based on the new AS3109 made by the Latvia-based developer ALFA. It’s a modern reproduction of the Roland IR3109 integrated circuit with major improvements. Including better stability, higher input independence buffers, and a wide transconductance range.
Black 3109 gives you the same juicy voltage-controlled 4-pole filter but without the known drawbacks of the original filter. More precisely, there was a volume drop when you increased the resonance. Erica Synths has added a volume drop compensation to keep the signals more useable. And with a switch on the interface, you can decide whether you want this improvement or not and go all-original.
Erica Synths’ new filter module has a 24dB/oct lowpass characteristic. Unlike the original, you don’t get here the highpass and bandpass outputs. The interface is very straightforward: you get controls for the cutoff, resonance, and audio level as well as CV attenuators for the VCF and VCA.
Yes, Erica Synths has built-in a handy VCA. Further, it offers 1V/oct tuning support so you can use the Black 3109 module for VCF keyboard tracking and as a sine VCO.
Sound Demo
At first glance a nice filter module with a lovely, rich character.
Erica Synths Black 3109 is available now for 160€ + VAT for customers in the EU without EU VAT registration number + shipping
More information here: Erica Synths
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The AS3109 is a great replica of the IR3109 but there are no drawbacks in the original. Same high impedance buffers and transconductance range. No difference in “stability”. They sound the same. The Q compensation was implemented in Roland poly synths like the Jupiter 8, so thats not a new feature. The original was usually seen as a LP filter except for the JP-6 which was multi mode. Nice to see Erica do a module with the AS3109 but if you need accuracy check out the AMSynths modules.