Noise Engineering - Sinclastic Empulatrix

Product Description

The Noise Engineering Sinclastic Empulatrix is a 4HP envelope generator with a voltage controlled clamp. The envelope generator is an exponential curve with controllable attack and release. The time ranges for both attack and release vary from 50 microseconds to 5 seconds. This is normaled to a voltage controlled clamp which acts much like a VCA but with subtle distortion added on the release.

The envelope in Sinclastic Empulatrix is a simple asymmetric voltage controlled slew so the ENVELOPE IN input need not be a gate. The attack controls the rate of voltage increase and release controls the rate of decrease. If ENVELOPE IN is a square wave it acts much like a traditional envelope generator.

The inspiration of the Sinclastic Empulatrix is the brilliant minimal design of the envelopes in the Roland TR-808 which use both simple capacitor charging for envelope generation and minimum voltage circuits for VCA like behavior.

Patching Suggestions

The most basic patch with Sinclastic Empulatrix is to send a gate from a clock or rhythm generator into the GATE input. At this point the led should be displaying the envelope and the ATTACK/RELEASE knobs should be affecting the LED. At first put the GATE/TRIG switch into the GATE position.

At this point you can use the generated envelope for CV control of another module by connecting ENVELOPE OUT to the other module.

Next connect an audio source, say a basic oscillator into AUDIO IN. To get the maximum effect from the clamping choose a waveform with low harmonic content like a sinusoid. You should be able to distinctly hear the clipping that occurs when listening to AUDIO OUT.

Next turn the ATTACK knob fully CCW and Ęip the GATE/TRIG switch to TRIG. This pings the envelope rather than driving it directly from ENVELOPE IN. The main use for this is when one wants to synchronize a release envelope with a rising gate or trigger. RELEASE will be the main useful control in this configuration.

It is possible to drive the Sinclastic Emplatrix with non-digital signals such as an LFO. In this configuration ATTACK/RELEASE become up/down slew controls. If ATTACK/RELEASE are both fully CCW than the ENVELOPE IN can be used as an amplitude control for the clamp section.