The Stoel Music Systems Vacuum Tube Distortion is a remarkable eurorack module designed for musicians aspiring to give their sound a vintage appeal, or for modular enthusiasts who are curious about the raw, edgy power of tube distortion. This module uniquely combines two stages of vacuum tube distortion with waveshaping, each one offering a distinctive tonal coloration and sonic richness that only a vacuum tube can provide.
The structure of this eurorack module is ingeniously simple yet versatile. The first stage of gain is always active, courtesy of the trusted 12AT7/ECC81 tube - the recommended tube for the unit. But the Stoel Music Systems is not a one-trick pony. The flexibility it offers for tube experimentation makes it an embodiment of the modular spirit. Variations of 12AU7, such as the ECC82, ECC802, 5814A, 6189, or 6680 are all sound options with unique tonal characteristics. For those daring enough to delve into the rabbit hole of tube swapping, the 12AX7's sonic results are deemed experimental – possibly the perfect match for the more audacious sonic explorers among us.
Though, it's worthwhile to note that this unit pulls 650mA +12V current at turn on, thus, ensuring you have a power supply capable of handling this tube beast becomes a paramount factor.
Uniqueness is part of every aspect of the Stoel Music System's design, even to the point of including a two-position switch that adds the second stage in series right after the first, giving users unprecedented control over wave shaping. This allows users to experiment with different layers of sonic destruction and create forms of distortion not possible with traditional stomp boxes or digital plugins.
The Harmonics control introduces even another dimension of complexity to your sound. By manipulating this control, you can add both even-order or odd-order harmonics to the first gain stage, thereby allowing you to colour your sound with a range of timbres from smooth, creamy overdrives to searing, aggressive tones.
But the creativity doesn’t stop there. The saturation knob impacts both gain and waveform shape. This dual functionality provides a surprising depth of tone shaping possibilities, from pleasant hints of warmth to outright saturation that can imbue your sound with character and grit. Intriguingly, the front panel even offers a CV jack with a corresponding knob which controls the amount of CV applied to the shape parameter. This external control voltage capability turns this module into a responsive, dynamic tool in your eurorack setup.
It's also worth highlighting that at extreme negative CV, the tube goes into cutoff mode, making the Stoel Music Systems Vacuum Tube Distortion double as a voltage-controlled gate. This enables the module to cut off any incoming audio or CV source, opening up a world of stutter and rhythmic possibilities that can further enhance your patches.
This module is designed with a high-quality ceramic socket, ensuring that it's built to last through countless hours of knob twisting, tube swapping and sonic exploration. It is a testament to Stoel Music Systems' commitment to building sturdy, reliable modules capable of withstanding the rigors of daily use in every modular synthesizer rig.
In the Stoel Music Systems Vacuum Tube Distortion, the sonic possibilities are as broad as your imagination. From subtle, warming tones to full-on harmonic chaos, this tube-driven module is an experimenters' playground, ready and waiting to help birth your next groundbreaking patch.
Example Usage
Example Usage: As a novice user exploring the Stoel Music Systems Vacuum Tube Distortion module, start by connecting your Eurorack power supply to the module. Next, patch an audio signal from a synthesizer or drum machine into the input of the distortion module. Adjust the harmonics knob to introduce some subtle harmonic coloration to your sound. Then, slowly turn the saturation knob to increase the distortion amount and shape the waveform to your liking. Experiment with the two-position switch to engage the second gain stage for more intense distortion effects. For a dynamic twist, try patching a control voltage signal into the CV input to modulate the saturation parameter. Finally, listen closely as you tweak the settings to discover a wide range of creative distortion possibilities that this module can offer to enhance your music production journey.
Example: An intermediate-level usage of the Stoel Music Systems Vacuum Tube Distortion module involves using it in conjunction with a sequencer to create dynamic rhythmic distortion patterns. Patch a gate signal output from the sequencer into the CV input on the module to control the saturation level. As the gate signal triggers, the distortion amount will dynamically change, adding movement and excitement to the sound. Experiment with different gate patterns and adjust the harmonics and saturation knobs to fine-tune the level of distortion applied. This technique can yield evolving textures and intricate rhythmic distortions that enhance the overall musicality of your eurorack system.
Further Thoughts
For an EXPERT-level usage example with the Stoel Music Systems Vacuum Tube Distortion module, try the following patch setup:
Patch a slow LFO, such as the Make Noise Maths cycling in LFO mode, to modulate the CV input on the saturation control. Use a sequencer like the Mutable Instruments Marbles to drive the pitch of a VCO going into the distortion module. Experiment with different waveforms and octaves on the VCO to explore how the harmonics and saturation interact with the incoming audio signal.
Additionally, feed a drum machine or percussion module through the distortion module and adjust the harmonics and saturation controls in real-time while the pattern is playing. This dynamic manipulation can add grit, warmth, and character to your drum sounds, providing a unique sonic palette for your tracks.
By combining modulation sources, external audio sources, and real-time control of the Stoel Music Systems Vacuum Tube Distortion, you can unleash a world of creative possibilities in shaping and sculpting your sounds with rich, analog distortion textures.