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Make Waves with Polyphonic Eurorack Performances





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Tiptop Audio founder Gur Milstein devised the cutting-edge ART paradigm to bring the Eurorack format into the modern era by maximizing the expressive possibilities of modular synthesis, developing an entirely new system unbounded by the traditional constraints of the platform. Vortex deploys this groundbreaking technology to bring FM-capable, polyphonic wavetable synthesis into the Eurorack domain. Its dual wavetable oscillators are paired with vintage 1980s D/A converters for a sonic profile that serves its retro aural aesthetics and '80s digi-synth inspirations. Each wavetable features up to 64 waveforms that you can morph through via manual control or external CV, eliciting that distinctive digital shimmer that’s kept musicians and sound designers returning to the style for decades. While there are dozens of onboard wavetables, Vortex features a microSD card reader that lets you load custom wavetables for a completely tailored sound, much to the delight of Sweetwater’s DIY-minded synthesists. Comprehensive CV controls, oscillator detuning, onboard FM capabilities, and the informational depth of the ART system combine for a voltaic vortex of wavetable sonic sorcery that expands your modular musicality with striking, nuanced expression to elevate your Eurorack array.





Note: ART signals transmit pitch and gate information digitally. Vortex does not respond to 1V/octave pitch signals. An ART-equipped controller module is required to properly operate Vortex. Please contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer with any questions or concerns regarding Tiptop Audio’s ART system or Eurorack compatibility.





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Across its myriad onboard wavetables, Vortex’s 8HP architecture runs the gauntlet from delightful cheese of iconic '80s tones to electrifying wave-morphing that will take your tones to an uncharted echelon of modular possibilities. While Vortex as a single voice, its dual-oscillator architecture houses an immense degree of malleability, with a detune capable of ranges from one cent to a full octave introduces inspiring opportunities for phasing or sub-octave heft. Interoperative potential abounds, with Vortex, despite what its streamlined interface and economical form factor might suggest. Waveform selections, wavetable position, and the vibrato can all be controlled via CV, with the vibrato functioning as a form of FM. Like all ART modules, Vortex features a Gate output that activates with note input, supplying you with limitless combinatorial possibilities for precisely synchronizing your sound with additional modules, like envelope generators. Because Vortex utilizes ART controllers to process MIDI data, you’re able to pitch bend your sound, making this module an unmatched entry in terms of Eurorack expressivity.





Discover the ART of next-gen synthesis





What is ART? In short, it’s the next stage of Eurorack’s evolution. More expansively, it’s the brainchild of Tiptop Audio founder Gur Milstein, marking a groundbreaking, open-spec control signal technology that expands the sonic scope of modular synthesis possibilities. Utilizing ART-capable modules allows synthesists and sound designers to explore complex modular terrains, including polyphonic Eurorack synthesis and inventive modular arrangements through paired gate or velocity outputs. Because ART modules utilize Eurorack signal levels for both oscillator audio and CV/gate controls, alongside sharing the same power connectors, these can be seamlessly intermixed with standard Eurorack gear via 3.5-millimeter patch cables. Unlike the Eurorack-standard 1V/octave model, ART signals transmit multiple dimensions of information with near-zero latency, including velocity, modulation, and pressure values, as well as precise pitch information.





At its core, the ART signal replaces the prohibitively tricky, time-consuming, and creatively stifling method of tuning modules with 1V/octave CV. Select ART modules feature innovative connectors that utilize Tiptop Audio’s custom-developed Polytip patch cables, directly enabling polyphonic performances via lightning-fast transmission of detailed information between modules. So, why create with ART? This framework unlocks the full potential of the Eurorack modular architecture by solving the artistic, harmonic, and structural woes that were an inevitable outcome of the space’s nascent technological limitations. In other words, ART expands Eurorack without compromising the spirit that’s inspired countless musicians for decades, producing exciting vectors to summit the previously insurmountable heights of modular synthesis.





Tiptop Audio Vortex Eurorack Module Features:


8HP module supplies flexible, powerful wavetable synthesis in an economical Eurorack form factor


ART input lets you achieve complex expression and detailed polyphony with an ART controller (not included) and external MIDI data


Dual-oscillator architecture allows for subtle phasing and sub-octave harmonization to evoke rich, shimmering timbres


Dozens of onboard wavetables feature up to 64 waveforms for a detailed array of classic and cutting-edge styles


Vintage 1980s D/A converters guarantee hallmark ‘80s digi-synth sonics


Built-in microSD card reader lets you expand and customize your sonic scope via user-provided wavetables


Comprehensive CV inputs and dedicated Gate Out ensure seamless interoperative integration and unmatched expressive potential