Doepfer A-187-1 Voltage Controlled DSP Effects

Doepfer A-187-1 Voltage Controlled DSP Effects were always liked by users thanks to their "dirty" nature. But this module is not a "cheap" digital effect. Users mostly praise the delay and the pitch shifter, however, many of them find the EQ being used to enhance the sound of analog filters. It was one of the first voltage controlled DSP effects in eurorack out there, yet it still offers great bonuses to your audio signal.

€268.80
Availability: Out of stock
SKU
A-187-1

Doepfer A-187-1 Voltage Controlled DSP Effects were always liked by users thanks to their "dirty" nature. But this module is not a "cheap" digital effect. Users mostly praise the delay and the pitch shifter, however, many of them find the EQ being used to enhance the sound of analog filters. It was one of the first voltage controlled DSP effects in eurorack out there, yet it still offers great bonuses to your audio signal.

Doepfer A-187-1 Voltage Controlled DSP Effects is a DSP based effects module. Four parameters of the selected digital effect are voltage controlled. The main effect (e.g. reverb, delay, pitch-shifter, equalizer) is selected by the two small buttons effect up/down. The upper row of the display shows the effect that is currently selected.In the lower row the four parameters are shown as well as a small bar left from the abbreviation that displays the current parameter value. Each parameter can be adjusted manually (upper potentiometer row) and modified by external control voltages (lower row of the potentiometers and upper row of the sockets). The lower row of the sockets containes the two audio inputs and outputs. Another button (bypass) is used to turn the effect on/off. When bypass is chosen the upper line of the display shows in turn "BYPASS" and the name of the pre-selected effect. In the bypass mode another effect can be pre-selected and called-up by pressing the bypass button again. Even the effect parameters can be adjusted and are displayed with the bar graphs. But they become effective not before the bypass mode is left. A list with all effects and the voltage controlled parameters is shown below.

The module is equipped with two audio inputs and two audio outputs because the DSP board features stereo audio processing. The audio inputs can process usual A-100 signal levels without clipping/distortion. For higher levels external attenuators (e.g.. A-183-1) or VCAs may be used.


A ready made DSP board is used inside the A-187-1 module. Consequently only these effects and parameters are available that are supported by the DSP module. Some parameters can be changed only in steps or with audible artefacts. The DSP board has 20 Bit DA and AD converter with 32 kHz sample rate available. The inter sound processing uses 24 Bit. Some audio examples can be found below.

Notes for customers who already rown an A-187-1 module:

  • The USB connector is not used so far. But we added it to the board provided that there will be an update of the A-187-1 firmware in the future. We will explain how to use the USB connector as soon as new firmware is available. So far there are no plans for a new firmwire.
  • Pay attention to the additional safety notes for module A-187-1: A187_1_notes.pdf
Table of available effects:
Effect Name Parameter 1 Parameter 2 Parameter 3 Parameter 4
Equalizer 1 31 Hz 62 Hz 125 Hz 250 Hz
Equalizer 2 250 Hz 500 Hz 1 kHz 2 kHz
Equalizer 3 2 kHz 4 kHz 8 kHz 12 kHz
Distortion Input Resonance VCF Depth
Pitch Shifter Shift Resonance VCF Balance
Reverb Predelay Reverb Time High Dump Volume
Echo Time (*) Feedback High Dump Volume
Chorus/Flanger/Echo 1 Delay (*) Feedback Rate Depth
Chorus/Flanger/Echo 2 Delay (*) Feedback Rate Volume
Delay & Reverb 1 Delay (*) Feedback  Time Volume
Delay & Reverb 2 Feedback Volume  Time Volume
Chorus & Delay Feedback Volume Feedback

Volume

remarks/technical datas:

  • Reverb PreDelay ( around 0 .. 50 ms), Reverb time ( about 40 ms up to 500 ms) / Chorus/Flanging (1 ms to 41 ms) , Delay ( 1 ms .. 165 ms) - all in 128 steps
  • Chorus/Flaging Rate about 0,025 Hz till around 12,5 Hz in 128 steps
  • Pitch Shifter: -12 half tones .... + 12 half tone - in half tone steps
  • all Equalizer parameters in steps of 1 dB from about -24dB to about +12dB (*) possible artefacts - audibility depends highly on input signal and the other parameters
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