Superbooth 22: Shakmat Modular announces four new Eurorack modules

May 19, 2022 Synth Anatomy Eurorack, Hardware, News 0

Superbooth 22: Shakmat has announced four new modules including a new VCO, a warping tool, a VCF-VCA-LPG, and a triple envelope generator.

Belgium is no longer just the country of good beer, chocolate, and French fries. It also became the Mecca for high-quality Eurorack modules from small companies. One of them is Shakmat Modular, which initially specialized in top-notch rhythms, clock, etc. modules

For Superbooth 22, they premiered four new modules that explore sound-shaping territories.

Banshee Reach

At Superbooth 21, Shakmat previewed its upcoming new 8HP thru-zero varishape VCO under the name Banshee Set. I wrote back in September an article about it. After passionate feedbacks and beta testers’ comments, the developers have completely redesigned the front panel. Big part of the announced features remains the same:

It uses a full analog triangle core VCO with continuously variable waveshape (sine, triangle, saw, square), sub-octave generator crossfading, thru-zero FM/PM capabilities, PWM, sync, and more. The new version also comes with an octave function that freezes the fine knob and turns the coarse knob into an octave switch covering 9 octaves. This prevents accidental VCO detuning via the tuning knob.

Jeweler Cast

The Jeweler Cast is a neat combo 6HP module that offers multiple functions. A triple source crossfader, a diode ring modulator, a wavefolder, and a distortion. The module is a perfect tool to mix and process waveforms coming from VCOs and for more creative patchers. It can also be a handy tool for applications such as drum processing, creating twisting LFOs, and more.

VCF VCA LPG

The third new module is so hot that it doesn’t have yet an official name. It’s a dual multi-type gate that gives you functionalities of a VCF, VCA, and LPG on both channels in a 12HP module. The module has a 100% analog signal path that is supported by a digital brain that allows you to reconfigure the different analog blocks.

You can create a liquid filter and VCA combination, a HPF/LPF MS-20 filter, a dual LPG, a dual peak filter, or use it for stereo processing… Shakmat also added some smart features such as an opto CV response emulation, serial or parallel routings, a link function and CV recall of the channel’s types. Looks like a super customizable analog module.

Triple Steeple

Lastly we have Triple Steeple, a new 8HP 3-channel envelope generator. Each channel offers 5 different modes: trigger, gate, loop, gated loop, and clocked loop. So it can also be used as an LFO. Then, you have control over the time and symmetry of the envelope.

Envelope timing is CV controllable and the three channels share a common input assignable to the amplitude or the symmetry of any channel. As the envelopes work individually, internal normalized “end of” gates and combined signals on the third output lead to more experimental applications.