Atomosynth from Peru has introduced KOE Vactrol and Ladder, two new 24HP classic subtractive analog synth voices for Eurorack
The next news takes us to distant Peru, the home of the boutique manufacturer Atomosynth. I have already reported on his synthesizers once this year. In the summer, about the Tottem 2 drum voice.
He has the classic synthesizers in the KOE series, which he is now expanding with two more synth voices for Eurorack.
Atomosynth KOE Vactrol and Ladder
As the title of the article says. There are two new 24HP synth voices: KOE Vactrol and KOE Ladder. The different endings reveal what the differences are.
The new KOE is a fully analog synth voice featuring everything you need to make a sound. Starting with a single voltage-controlled oscillator VCO with triangle, pulse, and saw waveforms.
You shape the waveforms further with a wave folder effect on the triangle and PW on the pulse. Both are controllable with a CV, look Moog how it works. Plus, you can tune and fine-tune the main oscillator with dedicated knobs.
The oscillator is supported by a square wave sub-oscillator with 1. 2 or 3 octaves below the main oscillator. There is also a glide effect.
Then, the oscillator flows into a filter. Depending on which version you choose, you will get a different filter. Atomosynth offers the KOE Vactrol with a 12dB/oct vactrol-based filter with low and highpass. You get independent inputs. Alternatively, there is the KOE Ladder with a 24dB/oct lowpass filter.
On the modulation side, it hosts an ADSR envelope and a single multi-wave LFO with frequency and level controls. Both are internally pre-patched for a quicker workflow. However, you can also use each sub-module individually via the extensive patch bay on the top of the module.
It would be interesting to know which Vactrols Atomosynth uses in the KOE Vactrol. These have been forbidden to use in Europe and the UK for a long time. If not possible, there is always the KOE Ladder version.
There are currently only demos available of the vactrol version.
First Impression
From the demos alone, the module sounds very good. I like the very immediate and simple design of these synth voices. Looking forward if the ladder version sounds very different or not.
AtomoSynth KOE Vactrol is available now for $299. The KOE Ladder will be available soon.
More information here: Atomosynth
“It would be interesting to know which Vactrols Atomosynth uses in the KOE Vactrol. These have been forbidden to use in Europe and the UK for a long time. If not possible, there is always the KOE Ladder version.”
This is incorrect; there are RoHS compliant versions nowadays, see e.g. https://www.thonk.co.uk/shop/vactrols-vtl5c/ (in fact, looking at the manufacturer’s website, see https://xvive.com/audio/category/optocouplers/ , it seems most of their variants are now available as RoHS compliant, so perhaps it just hasn’t trickled down to all resellers yet).
yes, it depends which vactrol they use. But many use the old ones like TipTop Audio in the Buchla modules. That why they are making a new version for the EU/UK with new circuit.