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Rich and Ringing Hybrid Synthesis: Decades of Sound, One Module





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As the story goes, Noise Engineering’s Debel Iteritas Alia module was the subject of more than a year of intense and painstaking development, inspired by a mutual affinity for a Eurorack module that was capable of covering the rich territory of FM-style synthesis a la Yamaha’s vaunted DX7. The end result? A new, multimode member of their Alia series, boasting a dynamic, hybrid additive phase-modulation voice that’s spread across three distinctive operating modes, running the gamut of vintage-style FM plucks and bells to harmonic-rich basses and intensely voltaic additive leads. What’s more, CV control of virtually every parameter provides extensive interoperative use, much to the delight of synthesists here at Sweetwater.





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Taco, Nacho, Diablo: spicy synth-tones served scorching-hot





Pulling from an etymological menagerie of Spanish, English, Latin, and Arabic, Debel Iteritas Alia roughly translates ? we’re told by the good folks at Noise Engineering ? to, “supreme repetition of the sound of the bells bells bells, the tintinnabulation of the bells.” A mouthful in any language, to be sure, but fitting for an oscillator module whose hybrid voicing melds additive, FM-style synthesis with phase-modulation algorithms to invoke three selectable PM structures for worlds of unique sonic flavors: Taco, Nacho, and Diablo. Taco deploys an identical pair of dual-operator PM oscillators, resulting in a shimmering, metallic tone for classic FM-style sounds from subtle to crisp and crunchy. Nacho is a linear, 4-operator algorithm that has each operator modulating the next in the chain, delivering massive, warping sonics. Finally, there’s Diablo: the spicier version of Nacho, using the same algorithm but injects a pitch-modulation envelope for time-bending, seismic affect.





Each algorithm comprises four operators which each have four dedicated oscillators to be balanced with the Octave control that attenuates the weight of the harmonic spectra by adjusting the levels of each of these additive oscillators. Due to the distinctive nature of DIA’s aural architecture, much of the variation and sound-crafting happens at and within the operator and oscillator levels, affected by how they interact. Don’t misunderstand: there are endless permutations and sonic shades to explore, but this member of the Alia series is more interested in how a fundamental voice is established, manipulated, and modulated. So, its interface is fairly straightforward: Grit adds successive saturation and distortion; Pitch accommodates both fine-tuning and coarse, semitone adjustments. The interactivity of Time and Shape values are where you’ll find a plethora of opportunities for radical shades of dynamic envelopes, modulating the attack and decay values by the ratio of the two and the duration of the envelope. This is especially valuable when you consider the envelope has no Sustain phase, allowing you to fire it at well via the Hit button, for manual activation, or with any gate/trigger input.





World of Alia: hot-swappable sound for that somebody





In the world of Noise Engineering, “modularity” is a term regularly tested and pushed well beyond the conventional envelope. The Alia series represents the company’s latest variation on the theme, “What if our modules could be, themselves, modular in their sonic output?” In other words, the 10HP Alia modules can have their entire functions rewritten through hot-swappable firmware via USB connectivity and the Noise Engineering customer portal to completely switch up your Eurorack vibe. Three shades of their vaunted Iteritas sonics are available: the ferocious percussion power of Basimilus Iteritas; the otherworldly, machinated techno-synths of Manis Iteritas; or the additive phase-modulation magic of Debel Iteritas. With one module, the firmware for the others is free and ready to swap whenever you need a distinct spin on your synth palette.





Noise Engineering: unbridled passion for modulation magic





From the beginnings of humble happenstance to transcending the physical-digital divide to produce compelling, innovative hardware and software instruments, one crucial element has consistently remained as Noise Engineering’s cornerstone: integrity. The company wholeheartedly understands how infinitely personal your relationship to sound can be, so each instrument ? physical or virtual ? brims with a distinctive character. Additionally, every module provides maximum room for personalized control while retaining its defining attributes that give Noise Engineering’s designs their unmistakable sonic identity. Whether you’re new to Eurorack or a dyed-in-the-wool synthesist, you can rest assured knowing that the creative team at Noise Engineering crafts each aural opportunity with care, one waveform at a time.





Noise Engineering Debel Iteritas Alia Features:


Distinctive FM-inspired sonics combine with phase-modulated voicing for a diverse, yet focused spread of tonal possibilities


Unique phase modulation algorithms utilize a 4-operator structure with 4 oscillators per operator, leading to all manners of bright, crunchy, metallic, and bell-like sounds


Taco, Nacho, and Diablo algorithms are selectable via 3-way switch to instantly change up your sonic palette


Bass, Alto, and Treble ranges can be toggled with a dedicated 3-way selector to immediately offset pitch by 2-octave intervals


Tone-crafting at the fundamental level via Octave, Index, and Detune parameters alters the harmonic DNA of your output by affecting oscillator interactivity


Comprehensive CV control means virtually every parameter can be modulated externally, allowing for inspiring and complex interoperative possibilities