MUTABLE INSTRUMENTS PLAITS : B-STOCK

Plaits is the spiritual successor of Mutable Instruments’ best-selling voltage-controlled sound source, Braids. Not just a mkII version: its hardware and software have been redesigned from scratch. Just like its predecessor, it offers direct access to a large palette of easily tweakable sounds, covering the whole gamut of synthesis techniques. What has changed is the interface: gone are the screen, menu system, hidden settings, and the long list of somewhat redundant synthesis models. Thanks to additional CV inputs, and to the use of 3 timbre-shaping parameters per model, Plaits is straightforward to use, and much closer to the ideal of one synthesis technique = one model. What were fragmented islands of sound in Braids are now part of a continuum of sounds. The module is very easy to use as a stand-alone voice or percussive source: its built-in low-pass gate allows the module to be operated without a VCF or VCA, and an internal decay envelope is normalled to some of the CV inputs. Great care has been taken regarding audio quality, anti-aliasing, and CV interpolation, resulting in a richer, cleaner sound. All this for less HP, mA, and €/$ than the original! === Specifications === 8 synthesis models for pitched sounds:* Pair of continuously variable waveforms (virtual analog).* Variable slope triangle oscillator processed by a waveshaper and wavefolder.* 2-operator FM with continuously variable feedback path.* Two independently controllable formants modulated by a variable shape window (VOSIM, Pulsar, Grainlet, Casio CZ-style filter sweeps).* 24-harmonic additive oscillator.* Wavetable oscillator with four banks of 8x8 waves, with or without interpolation.* Chord generator, with divide down string/organ emulation or wavetables.* A collection of speech synthesis algorithms (formant filter, SAM, LPC), with phoneme control and formant shifting. Several banks of phonemes or segments of words are available. 8 synthesis models for noise and percussions* Granular sawtooth or sine oscillator, with variable grain density, duration and frequency randomization.* Clocked noise processed by a variable shape resonant filter.* 8 layers of dust/particle noise processed by resonators or all-pass filters.* Extended Karplus-Strong (aka Rings’ red mode), with white or dust noise excitation.* Modal resonator (aka Rings’ green mode), with mallet or dust noise excitation.* Analog kick drum emulation (two flavors).* Analog snare drum emulation (two flavors).* Analog high-hat emulation (two flavors). I/O and controls:* 2 model selection buttons, with 8 bicolor LEDs displaying the active model.* Main frequency control, 8 octaves.* Three dimensions of timbre control: harmonics, timbre, morph.* Attenuverters for the timbre, morph, and frequency modulation CV inputs. These CV inputs are normalized to the internal envelope generator.* Model selection, harmonics, timbre, morph, FM CV inputs.* Main V/O CV input, with a large input range (-3V to +7V).* Trigger input, triggering an internal D envelope, or the exciter for the physical/drum models.* Level CV input, controlling the internal digital low-pass gate, or acting as an accent control for the physical/drum models. Technical characteristics:* CV inputs: 100k input impedance, 4kHz, 16-bit.* Audio outputs: 48kHz, 16-bit, DC-coupled.* Cortex-M4 ARM processor.* 12-HP.* Current consumption: +12V: 50mA ; -12V: 5mA. Manual