Studio Electronics Tonestar 8106 Synth Voice Module w/ Juno to Jupiter Filter Style

Description

TONESTAR 8106, an ARP 2600-inspired complete synth voice, infuses Tim Caswell’s “Jupiter to Juno” filter alchemy a 6db/oct hi-pass filter followed by a recreation of the Roland IR3109 moduleinto our Tonestar 2600 platform; this chirpy yet full-bodied 8106 model is also fully #OutsToOuts modular, featuring 27 pots (one more than the 2600 model for the high-pass filter), 6 switches (one less, sacrificing resonance modulation for high-pass filtering), and 21 jacks. If the Tone 8106 thins somewhat with resonance excess, route the triangle wave ’round the VCF with the “NO VCF” switch setting, and keep this juicy reimagining of the Roland IR3109 module boomin’ and gloomin’.

Knowledge from circuit designer Tim Caswell
The VCO is the same affair as the Oscillation, the Boomstar, and the Omega. It’s kind of a combination of Arp, Oberheim and Moog circuits (sort of a greatest hits), time-tested, very stablevery good tracking over a very large range; certain parts have to be hand selected to achieve that level of exacting performance. Editors Note: This module is a TONESTARits own thingand not a 2600 clone attempt; nevertheless, the Tone tugs lovingly at times on the sleeve of the 1970’s era classic.

Envelope FYI: The Tonestar Sustain control replicates the behavior of the 2600 and Odyssey: after the initial Decay, it continues to move (sink) very slowly, adding a little extra texture to the sound. It’s technically a flaw, but after digging out my Odyssey, it is for sure a desirable “quirk”, and the perfect companion to the 4072 filter (which we mistakenly titled a 4075 in the Boomstar Modular line).

Another bit of fun: The LFO is voltage controlled, so you can envelope, LFO, or otherwise modulate both the rate and the depth; the ADSR amount is also voltage controlled, so it can be manipulated by MIDI dynamics, MIDI volume, an LFO, etc. Greg [St. Regis] has decreed that anything must be patchable to anything, so some technically wrong patchings (for example, pulse wave out to ADSR out) may often produce unexpectedly interesting, x-mod/notch filteringquite pleasing effects.

The Tonestar was Greg’s concept, but as I understood it, the goal was a single oscillator, 2600 VCF (initially), pre-patched and yet fully modular classic synth voice, at a specific size, wielding every trick we could cram in. Main use would be as a go-to bassline/lead tool, or a premium quality, entry-level, complete synth module, for root-to-leaf sound design, and multiform analog exploration/expression.

Features:

• Premium Quality Analog pre-patched and fully modular all hardware synth voice
• 27 knobs, 6 switches, 21 patch points in a daring yet ergonomic 32hp config
• Eight octave ARP, Oberheim and Moog styled Oscillator, with sub OSC, octave control, waveform mixing, triangle direct to VCA
• LFO/ADSR modulation of pulse width with dedicated triangle wave for warming/chorusing effects
• 6db/oct hi-pass filter followed by a recreation of the Roland IR3109 module
• Input drive control and variable tracking
• Classic ADSR/AR Envelope with original 2600 “sustain sink” behavior to keep it movin’
• Ultra wide-ranging voltage controlled LFO with input speed control
• Drone: Instant infinite sustain, and Master mode: ADSR controls both filter + amplifier envelope (Juno 106 inspired)
• FEEDBACK! Harmonic generating/multiplying Oscillator/Filter Feedback loop manipulation
• White Noise Generator and External Audio Input patching with native tonal blending
• Legendary 31 year-perfected Through-Hole build quality and supreme sound-COMPARE!