So I really like the filters in my EMU Ultra (Zplanes) , but I have recently been thinking about going modular and would want something that can be as immediate as a hardware filter and can sound as good as EMU's.
Are there any filters out there (preferably in eurorack format) that can equal EMU Zplanes?
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Nonsense... Just look at what modulating cv into the digital clock can do.
Meh. I got a Z-DSP when they first came out and was nonplussed. I ended up trading it to Tony of Make Noise for a QMMG (which gets much more use in my studio than the Z-DSP did). In my experience, the filters on the Bat ZDSP card were best suited toward creating effects rather than as standalone filters. The response time on the CV in put is a bit sluggish, and it's hard to use it for punchy subtractive sounds.
The real draw of Z-Plane filters is in their ability to morph back and forth between various filter types. For that reason, the Doepfer morphing filter would probably be the closest thing to an Emu Z-plane in Eurorack. But if all the OP wants is a filter that "sounds good," then he's spoiled for options.
I wasn't really implying that the Z-DSP was equivalent to he Z-plane...Just responding to the statement"I don't think there are any digital filters..."
As far as the nature of the filters being more effects oriented - I would agree -
That's kinda the point of it.
But then again, I'm not really looking for "subtractive punch" as my focus in modular...
Here is an interesting dual morphing analog SVF....
Quote:
The uHC is a dual state-variable VCF with all CV inputs of the first filter normaled to filter 2. The uHC can be used as a 4 pole filter, two independent 2 pole filters, or some combination in between. A voltage controlled mixer blends the two ouputs, providing another dimension of waveshaping. Filter 2 can use one of the following as its input: the output of Filter 1 (series), the input of Filter 1 (parallel) or it's own input (split). Voltage control of Frequency and Resonance is provided for each filter section. Signal paths for audio and CV are shown with arrows to speed up patching.
What I really like about the Z-Planes are the parametric/swept EQ types, especially the ones where there are multiple swept EQ filters cascaded together so you have multiple resonant peaks. The vocal formant, phase/flange filters etc. which are cool when they morph. The standard filters modeled on analog ones seem a little more meh.
Also kinda interested to see what would be similar in the analog/modular world, the vocal formant filters in particular... I like the few analog phase filters I've used, the one in the Matrix 12 was my favorite of its filter types.
What I really like about the Z-Planes are the parametric/swept EQ types, especially the ones where there are multiple swept EQ filters cascaded together so you have multiple resonant peaks. The vocal formant, phase/flange filters etc. which are cool when they morph. The standard filters modeled on analog ones seem a little more meh.
Also kinda interested to see what would be similar in the analog/modular world, the vocal formant filters in particular... I like the few analog phase filters I've used, the one in the Matrix 12 was my favorite of its filter types.
The Cwejman Res-4 pretty much exactly what you described. It's expensive and hard to find (as with much Cwejman stuff) but it functions in precisely the way you outlined. Of course, you can achieve similar effects by running several filters in series (or in parallel), but the Res-4 is an elegant all-in-one package.
there are a lot of things you can do with mixers, multiple filters, crossfaders, vcas etc.. you can create many interesting things with patching up a group of modules that would get you results similar to morphing filters and formants etc. but you need to know your modules and be creative and you'll of course have to patch it up.
so, you should go read the manuals, various forum threads about filters (here and at muffwiggler) and watch all the demos. keep in mind the patch though. a simple demo isn't always going to show you everything about a module.
The best way to achieve something like this would be to use a few separate modules. I've done some stuff like this using a really good, versatile VC phaser module along with a good, versatile filter module, plus a pair of crossfaders, one located between the phaser & filter and one after the filter. These allow you to morph the routing between serial and parallel rather than simply switching it. Far more versatile.
Here's how:
1. Audio source (like the osc mixer etc) goes to phaser input and to input "A" of first crossfader.
2. Phaser out goes to input "B" of first crossfader and to input "A" of second crossfader.
3. Output of first crossfade goes to filter input.
4. Output of filter goes to input "B" of second crossfader.
5. Output of second crossfader goes to VCA.
When the first crossfader is set to "A" and the second crossfader is set to "50/50", the phaser and filter are in parallel. The oscs are being routed to both modules.
When CV is applied to both crossfaders and the first crossfader shifts from the "A" to "B" input and the second crossfader shifts from "50/50" to the "B" input, the phaser and filter are in series. The oscs are being routed only to the phaser, then only the phaser is routed to the filter.
But the cool stuff happens at all the points in between, while it is changing.
Plus of course you have completely independent cutoff CV inputs for the phaser and filter so you have tons of crazy sweep modulation possibilities.
I don't have a Euro system so I can't recommend specific modules for that format, but I've had nice results using various MU/5U modules like Hordijk Dual Phaser, Hordijk Phaser Filter, and MOTM 440 lowpass filter.
+1 on the idea of using combinations of simple filters.
adding to the list of modules:
Cwejman filters has that bell type ringing resonance that sounds (to my ears at least) a bit simular to the Z-plane filters
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