LOS ANGELES, CA, USA: black-owned electronic music instrument manufacturer Modbap Modular is proud to announce upcoming availability of Meridian as the sixth module in its expanding Eurorack range — duly designed as a DUAL MULTIMODE FILTER ARRAY to offer users a choice between four selectable filter types per side and four selectable filter modes per side, as well as DRIVE CIRCUIT and PHASE SHIFTER effects, plus a (low- pass gate-style) PING ability — as of April 12 (in advance of appearing at The 2023 NAMM Show, April 13-15, in Anaheim, CA, USA)…
As a MULTIMODE FILTER ARRAY — as the wording subtly sited across the top of the instantly-recognizable Modbap Modular brand color- coordinated front panel points out, Meridian affords users the flexibility to easily create a range of sound textures and sonic landscapes using a single Eurorack module. Meridian represents the idea of a meeting point or a convergence of different elements; after all, filters are often used to blend, shape, and refine different sounds into a cohesive whole. When defining meridian as a word, it is often represented through the idea of a barrier or a line that separates parts; this concept mirrors the way that a filter delineates different frequencies and aural elements, generating a defined contrast that shapes the overall sound.
Saying that, then, the naming of Modbap Modular’s 14HP-width Meridian module conveys a sense of balance, harmony, and unity, while also suggesting a clear and definitive separation between different sonic elements. Indeed, it allows the use of two selectable — mixed or matched — filter types and two selectable — mixed or matched — filter modes to reshape and refine the source material into new cohesive textures.
Those two filters each have independently adjustable CUT OFF, RES (resonance), and SHAPE (contour) parameters. PRIMEFREQ is the center macro control of both filters in tandem. The module also boasts PING, an aptly-titled dynamic control feature, the activation of which is enabled through the PING input. It also allows CONFIGURATION of serial or parallel routing.
Besides boasting comb, ladder, OTA (Operational Transducer Amplifier), and vocal formant filter types alongside LP (low-pass), HP (high-pass), BP (band-pass), and NOTCH filter modes to generate a vast range of textures, Meridian’s sound-shaping capabilities are also furthered by its two distinctive and characterful effects: DRIVE CIRCUIT (with AMOUNT, TONE, and CRUSH controls) and PHASE SHIFTER (with PAN, DEPTH, and SPEED controls).
Clearly, all of Meridian’s key features can be modulated via CV (control voltage) inputs — synchronization to tempo can be achieved with the CLOCK input, allowing for clock-synchronized phase shifting, for instance.
In essence, Meridian was designed with tweak-ability and performance in mind — as is typical of Modbap Modular modules. Indeed, it is the perfect playmate for Osiris — operating itself as a powerful (frequency modulation- and phase modulation-including) seven-plus TIMBRE MODE 12HP-width BI-FIDELITYTM WAVETABLE OSC (oscillator) module, neatly-packed with an independent sub-oscillator, LOFI processing, extensive CV modulation capabilities, a PITCH quantizer, four banks of 32 x 32 wavetables per bank, the ability to load user wavetables via microSD card (not included), and its own free open-source wavetable editor (OsirisEdit).
Modbap Modular will be exhibiting at The NAMM Show 2023, April 13-15, in Anaheim, CA, USA. Feel free to swing by booth #9800 — shared with Canadian startup This.is.NOISE inc, where it will be demonstrating its entire Eurorack range, including the Meridian module announced as a DUAL MULTIMODE FILTER ARRAY.
Shipping on May 12, 2023, Meridian is available to pre-order at an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $449.99 USD via San Clemente, CA, USA-based distributor Electro Distro’s growing global network of dealers (https://www.electro-distro.com/dealers) — including Sweetwater (https://www.sweetwater.com), the USA’s number one eCommerce provider of music instruments and pro audio gear, and Perfect Circuit (https://www.perfectcircuit.com), a proud part of the local LA music community as an independent shop with a top-notch selection of gear for making music, with a focus on cutting-edge, boutique, high-end instruments — or directly via its dedicated webpage here: https://www.modbap.com/products/meridian
