Plexiphon Merges Reverb and Multi-Tap Echo

Plexiphon is a spatial sound device created by Make Noise and Tom Erbe, presented as a single Eurorack module that combines reverb and multi-tap echo simultaneously. The module occupies 16HP and is priced at $469.

Controls named Plexus, Size, Color, and Skew affect the algorithm: Plexus modulates the number of feedback paths, Size determines the time value between feedback paths, and Skew can adjust Plexus, Size, and Color for inverse or tandem control of left and right channels.

The module includes a Send gate and an envelope follower, and it was described as intended to be performative rather than to “drown everything in one long reverb preset forever without changing it”; a launch video with sound examples was also noted.

The Plexiphon, developed by Make Noise and Tom Erbe, is a Eurorack module measuring 16HP, with a price of $469. This device uniquely combines reverb and multi-tap echo into one system, allowing users to create spatial textures by shifting sounds fluidly between these effects. It features several modulation controls to refine its auditory outputs. The “Plexus” control modulates the number of feedback paths in its algorithm, which is key to its sound manipulation capabilities. Meanwhile, the “Size” control handles the time value between these feedback paths.

The “Skew” control, in conjunction with “Color,” allows for adjusting the left and right channels either inversely or in tandem, providing a means to manipulate sound directionality through space. Additional functionalities include a Send gate and an envelope follower, which contribute to the module’s performative capabilities. These features ensure that the Plexiphon is not merely a static reverb device but rather offers dynamic and intricate sound sculpting possibilities. This all-new code implementation signifies an advance in audio technology, as noted with the Plexiphon’s description as being designed to avoid drowning sounds in prolonged and unchanging reverb settings, emphasizing its use for effective performance and sound shaping.

The Plexiphon was created by Make Noise Music, a company known for crafting innovative audio instruments, and Tom Erbe, a prominent figure in the audio engineering landscape. The module features all-new code specifically developed for this device. The information about the Plexiphon, including its technical features, has been detailed by CDM Create Digital Music, a respected source for music technology news and updates.

Plexiphon incorporates multiple controls that are critical for its sound modulation capabilities. The “Plexus” control is designed to modulate the number of feedback paths within the device’s algorithm, allowing for intricate adjustments to the sound’s spatial and textural characteristics. This modulation is essential for creating complex auditory textures by dynamically altering how sound paths interconnect and interact.

The “Size” control is responsible for setting the time value between these feedback paths. By adjusting this setting, users can affect the temporal spacing between echoes, providing a straightforward method of modifying the perceived space in which a sound reverberates. This control is instrumental in shaping the echo characteristics of the device.

“Color” is another prominent control, which influences the tonal characteristics of the output. Its effect, combined with other controls, helps in tailoring the result to achieve desired sound coloration, which is crucial in fine-tuning the aural output to the user’s preferences.

The “Skew” control interacts with Plexus, Size, and Color to allow inverse or tandem adjustments of the left and right audio channels. This capability provides the user with the flexibility to angle sound through space effectively, altering the perceived directionality and spatial positioning of audio. This comprehensive control setup enables precise and artistic sound arrangement, reinforcing Plexiphon’s role as a highly performative audio module.

The module is described as intended for performative use rather than as a static reverb preset. “Basically, everything about this is intended to be performative and not that ‘drown everything in one long reverb preset forever without changing it’ reverb.” The article notes a launch video with sound examples. The description underscores the module’s role in live adjustment and interaction during use rather than remaining fixed in a single setting.

The description also states: “Plexiphon is neither reverb or echo. It’s both, simultaneously, for spatial textural sounds you can shift fluidly.” Controls named Plexus, Size, Color, and Skew are presented alongside that characterization. The module is described as including a Send gate and an envelope follower, which are listed with the other functional elements of the device. These statements are presented as the explicit characterization of how the device is intended to be used.

Plexiphon is presented as a spatial sound device that intermingles reverb and multi-tap echo within a single module. “Plexiphon is neither reverb or echo. It’s both, simultaneously, for spatial textural sounds you can shift fluidly.” The module provides specific modulation controls identified as Plexus, Size, Color, and Skew, with Plexus modulating the number of feedback paths and Size determining the time value between feedback paths. “Plexus, Size, and Color can all be adjusted with Skew to determine inverse or tandem control of left and right — a way to kind of angle sound through space.”

“This is all-new code, unveiled for this module.” The module is sized at 16HP and priced at $469. The article notes a launch video with sound examples and states that the author expressed interest in a software version by Soundhack.