Tiptop Audio CYMBL909 Analog Cymbals Drum Module

Tiptop Audio CYMBL909 is a dual-voice module containing the Roland TR-909's crash and ride cymbal circuits adapted for use in eurorack modular synthesizer format and tested to sound like a fresh machine coming off the assembly line back in the 80s. In addition to the range provided by the original circuits, Tiptop Audio has added some great new features that expand this module's sound palette.

The original circuits use a combination of low-fi 6-bit sound samples which are passed through a series of analog elements that provide envelope and filtering to the source sounds. CYMBL909 adds manual and voltage control of the samples' analog tuning sections, creating tones that range from heavy/industrial at the low end to the original crash/ride sounds at the midrange and bright, hats-like sounds at the top end. Modulating the VC-TUNE parameter with an envelope, CV sequencer or LFO makes interesting 'sound bending' effects that can be used either in or out of sync with the triggering of the sounds themselves.

Just like the other drum modules in this series, CYMBL909's high-powered output gain stage allows you to further enhance the sound through distortion and clipping. Tiptop has designed a dual pulse-shaper circuit on each gate input so that you can trigger CYMBL909 with trigger/gate signals from step sequencers, clock dividers or any other pulse/clock sources.

• Module controls
• LEVEL knobs: master output gain levels
• TUNE knobs: VCO tuning control
• ACCENT knobs: accent level control, affects loudness and attack levels
• Patch points
• VC-TUNE inputs: CV control over VCO tuning
• ACCENT IN inputs: gate trigger inputs to trigger accents
• CR GATE and RD GATE inputs: gate trigger inputs to trigger CRASH and RIDE sounds
• CR OUT and RD OUT outputs: audio outputs
• Physical specifications
• Size: 8hp
• Module depth: 46mm
• Power usage: 60mA @ +12V, 40mA @ -12V