Tiptop Audio VCA

The Tiptop Audio VCA is a full featured, precision calibrated, analog Voltage Controlled Amplifier. At its heart is a novel design of a control circuitry—a function that lets you sweep continuously through three different response curves: Logarithmic, Linear, Exponential—giving you all three shapes in a single module. This special control circuitry design by Mr. Osamu Hoshuyama was adopted into the VCA module to make it a great sounding synthesizer VCA with flexibility to address all duties: level control for both audio and CV modulation, gating audio into silence, and amplitude modulation effects.

A VCA, Voltage Controlled Amplifier, sometimes referred to as an audio gate, is an essential module to any Eurorack and no system is complete without one. The concept is an input, an output and a control that sets how much of the input signal passes through to the output.

A great VCA means minimum feedthrough of the control signal bleeding into the passing signal and minimum distortion applied to the passing signal. An excellent audio gate means minimal leakage of signal from IN to OUT when the control tells the VCA to fully close. These are the most critical conditions for a good sounding, good responding VCA and are what the Tiptop Audio design carefully addresses. 2 LED peak indicator lights on the front panel light up with incoming CV or audio signals. While a clipping indicator for audio is expected, clipping of CV is often overlooked and it’s included here to visually maintain the full dynamic range of an envelope driving the VCA.

The Tiptop Audio VCA lets you concentrate on creative uses rather than figuring out the module’s anomalies. The result is an excellent sounding synthesizer VCA that’s a joy to use and pleasing to hear.