Nano Modules Octa is a new 4-channel Roland TR-808-inspired drum voice module for Eurorack and as a free VCV Rack download.
The most legendary analog drum machine is undoubtedly the Roland TR-808 from 1980. Its sounds have had a massive impact on electronic music. Today, you can find them in analog or digital formats. There have probably never been so many different available sources for these legendary sounds.
The latest analog version comes from Nano Modules in the Octa module, which makes the sounds Eurorack-friendly.
Nano Modules Octa
Octa is a new 18HP 4-channel analog drum voice based on the original Roland TR-808 circuits with expanded functionality. So, a clone/replica adapted for the Eurorack world.
Nano Modules Octa has four independent voices (kick, snare, closed hat, and open hat) that stay faithful to the original TR-808 circuits, preserving their legendary analog warmth. Each voice offers different controls, including new ones: kick tune, snare snap, and hat tone.
The kick, snare, and closed hats also have tone controls, while the open hat has just a decay control. Each channel also has a volume/drive control that adds soft clipping to the output level for more aggressive or textured sounds.
Neat, the drive in each voice is entirely CV controllable. When a CV is patched in, the Drive knob becomes an attenuator for the incoming modulation signal.
All voices are summed into a master mix output, passing through a tilt EQ and compressor. It allows you to shape the global tone of your TR-808 patterns with a single knob and compress your mix to keep things tight or crunchy.
VCV Rack
As a nice bonus, Nano Modules offers the Octa module as a free VCV Rack version so that you can explore it in the virtual modular world. This version has the advantage of loading many modules into it, whereas with a modular version, you often only have one.
If you want 20 TR-808 Kicks, each with a different shape and routing, you’d be better off opting for the VCV Rack version; otherwise, it’ll be expensive.
First Impression
TR-808 drum voices are nothing new in the Eurorack world. The Octa looks like a great module for getting analog 808 drum sounds in Eurorack at a very reasonable price. It has a good, compact size and still offers a lot of control over the individual voices and some extras. A lovely release.
Nano Modules Octa is available now for $349,99/279€
More information here: Nano Modules
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Nano Modules are great!