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Three Performance Modes, One Voltaic Analog Voice





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The ART platform was birthed from Tiptop Audio founder Gur Milstein’s desire to expand the Eurorack paradigm to support detailed expression and polyphonic synthesis, the likes of which the modular world has never seen. Tiptop Audio’s ART ATX1 VCO serves as the foundational voice of any ART-infused Eurorack setup, boasting an analog architecture, four continuously variable waveforms, and a slew of sonic sculpting tools. But what has Sweetwater’s synthesists most eager to explore is its triptych of playback modes. From a singular input, the ATX1 can operate in ART, 1V/octave, or LFO capacities, each of which is indicated through color-coded LED feedback. What’s more, the ATX1 accommodates detail-heavy MIDI information, granting an unprecedented level of depth, control, and expression with ART-mode performances. Whether you’re new to Tiptop Audio’s ART ecosystem or simply looking to expand your Eurorack array to include ART capabilities, the ATX1 effortlessly bridges the past and present of Eurorack modular synthesis.





Note: ART signals are transmitted digitally and are not interchangeable with 1V/octave CV signals. ART inputs will not respond to CV signals, and MIDI usage is only possible when using ART signals in the ART mode. Please contact your Sweetwater Sales Engineer with any questions or concerns regarding the ART system or Eurorack compatibility.





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Armed with pulse-width- and frequency modulation capabilities, as well as four waveform choices, the ATX1 VCO is a delightfully, deceptively flexible module, supporting multitudes of interoperative arrangements that reinforce each of its three performance modes. Waveform selection, PWM, and FM parameters can be adjusted manually or modulated with CV signals; however, because the waveforms are continuously variable, modulation at this point can elicit shimmering harmonic or timbral sweeps through a filter-like lens. When using the ATX1 in ART mode, MIDI data for pitch bends, portamento, and further CC information can be deployed through the VCO’s voltaic voice, resulting in nuanced performances and detailed expression. Similarly, ART mode activates the module’s Gate output, which is used for sending synchronized CV signals to additional points of modular processing to ensure polyphonic playback is crystal clear.





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 ART ATX1 VCO Eurorack Module Features:


8HP multimode module supplies ART, 1V/octave, and LFO synthesis configurations to seamlessly bridge ART and conventional Eurorack synthesis in an economically sized package


Analog architecture includes sine, triangle, sawtooth, and pulse waveforms to evoke a broad swath of sonic character


CV inputs for FM, PWM, and waveform selection support vast interoperative opportunities with most Eurorack setups


Waveforms are continuously variable, allowing for manual or CV modulation to produce harmonic-rich, filter-like sweeps


Singular input accommodates both ART and 1V/oct inputs for painless, multifaceted use within your modular array


Gate output ensures supplementary sound-shaping modules stay synchronized with ART usage to ensure clear, articulate polyphonic voicing


Sync input expands sound design possibilities via external VCOs to conjure robust synth voices or harmonically-complex tones beyond the scope of onboard waveforms or FM


ART mode processes MIDI CC signals to accommodate pitch bends, portamento, and more for unrivaled Eurorack expression


Onboard Auto Tune makes breezy work of tuning your analog oscillator, once initial tuning has been appropriately performed