Intro

The Tube Delay module for Modular is based on Softube's stand-alone native plugin and shares a lot of the same features. Tube Delay features a dry and a wet path, both with built in tube saturation. The wet path features the delay line which has an analogue tape echo behavior and an additional tube saturation in its feedback path. Added on the Modular module are, of course, CV control capabilities for most of the parameters. Note that the maximum delay time is always one second, which can make Tube Delay unsuitable for certain synced echoes. For more detailed information about Tube Delay, see also its separate chapter.

 

Block Diagram

Below, the a block diagram depicting the Tube Delay is shown. As you can see, the dry signal (direct signal) isn’t very dry at all. It is affected by both the tone stack and the tube circuits in the Direct Drive knob.

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For simplicity, the Tone control has been depicted as the last stage after the Mix knob. In reality, the Tone control is embedded within all tube stages, and will thus affect all distortion.

 

Overview

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  1. Wet drive
  2. Direct drive
  3. Time knob
  4. Feedback knob
  5. Treble (Hi)
  6. Bass (Lo)
  7. Mix knob
  8. Wet drive CV input
  9. Dry drive CV input
  10. Shake in
  11. Sync
  12. Feedback CV input
  13. Mix CV input
  14. Left and right inputs
  15. Left and right outputs

Parameters

Direct Drive: This knob controls the amount of tube drive in the dry signal path.

Delay Drive: This knob controls the amount of tube drive in the wet signal path.

Time: This knob controls the length of the delay in milliseconds, or, when the Sync switch is set to on, in divisions of a beat. The maximum length of delay after the original signal in the Tube Delay module is one second. In millisecond mode (the sync switch set to off ), Delay Time will adjust the time from 1 to 1000 ms. The first half of the control goes from 1 to 100 ms, the second half goes from 101 to 1000 ms. This gives tweaking in the 1 to 100 ms range a greater resolution.

Sync: This Tempo sync switch locks the delay time of the Tube Delay to the tempo setting of the host application. The Delay Time knob sets the length of the delay in these fractions of a measure: 1/16, 1/12, 1/8, 1/6, 1/4, 1/3 and 1/2. To get to these values directly, simply click the numbers around the knob. It’s also possible to get values in between the fractions by adjusting the knob.

Feedback: This knob will affect the amount of the wet signal that is sent back into the wet path. With this knob set around 80% and above (dependent on EQ setting) the delay will go into self-oscillation. Increase or decrease of Treble and Bass will affect this as well.

Mix: This controls the mix of Dry and Wet signal in the output.

Treble: This knob controls the high end of the built-in equalization in the Tube Delay module. It affects both the Dry and Wet section.

Bass: This knob controls the low end of the built-in equalization in the Tube Delay module. It affects both the Dry and Wet section.

Inputs

Wet Drive CV Input: A modulation CV (from example a LFO, envelope or sequencer) input here will control the tube-drive of the Wet (i e the delayed) portion of the Tube Delay.

Dry Drive CV Input: A modulation CV (from example a LFO, envelope or sequencer) input here will control the tube-drive of the Dry portion of the Tube Delay.

Time CV Input: This is a CV modulation input for the delay time. Its range is +-5v.

FB CV Input: This is CV control input for the feedback amount.

Mix CV Input: This is CV control input for the Dry/Wet Mix amount.

Left Audio Input: This is the left audio input of the Tube Delay.

Right Audio Input: This is the right audio input of the Tube Delay. The left channel is normalized to the right audio input if no signal is input at the right audio input. This results in mono audio.

Ouputs

Left Audio Output: This is the left audio channel of the output channels of Tube Delay.

Right Audio Output: This is the right audio channel of the output channels of Tube Delay.

 

The Tube Delay module in use

The Tube Delay module in Modular is more than just a delay: because the dry signal path is really a model of a tube preamp, you can also use the Tube Delay module in fully “dry” mode to color or distort audio passing through it like you might use a “real” tube preamp.

1. Use the tube drive of the module for waveshaping of oscillators where the different characters of the dry and wet section can be further enhanced by CV controlling the mix at the same time.

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2. Chain the inputs and outputs in a criss-cross pattern to get twice the effect of the drive feature.

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3. Subtle and fast modulation of the time parameter, creating variations on a short delay, can successfully be used to create chorus-like effects.

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Credits

Torsten Gatu – Original sound design and framework
Oscar Öberg – Modeling and framework
Niklas Odelholm – Graphical design and framework
Arvid Rosén – Framework
Peter Möller – Framework
Ulf Ekelöf – 3D rendering
Kristofer Ulfves – User Manual, testing and presets
Igor Miná – User manual layout, photo
Henrik Midtgaard – Original concept