In 2023, Erica Synths announced that they were taking over the manufacturing and sales of several Hexinverter Électronique modules after the company’s founder revealed that they were closing down operations. A number of Hexinverter Électronique designs have since joined Erica’s ranks, and the latest addition sees the reintroduction of not one, but four of their popular Mutant drum modules.
Mutant Bassdrum
Based on the iconic TR-808, the Mutant Bassdrum module reimagines the classic design and adds some powerful built-in distortion capabilities.
Key Features
- Analogue bassdrum circuitry capable of ‘vanilla’ TR-808 sounds.
- Built in voltage-controlled distortion (batteryACID distortion)
- Distortion accepts external inputs when not being used with kick drum (great for acid synth leads)
- Voltage control of distortion amount, decay and pitch
- Non-invasive analogue optocouplers used for voltage control, facilitating popular vintage sounds.
- Completely redesigned, high-quality signal chain spares no expense by replacing cheap transistor amplifiers with low-noise op-amp equivalents.
Mutant Snare
The Mutant Snare is a radical departure from the sound of the TR-808, offering everything from classic electro snares to warping, alien-sounding percussion.
Key Features
- Analogue sine-wave oscillators capable of generating 808-style tones.
- Tone control blends between a pair of sine waves with different frequencies.
- Shell Pitch control tunes one sine wave to alter the drum’s pitch.
- White noise-based Snappy parameter for adding some noise to the snare — feeds a selectable high-/band-pass filter.
- External input for patching external sources to the Snappy generator.
- Voltage control of filter cutoff frequency and Snappy decay.
- When nothing is connected to the cutoff CV input, the Snappy envelope or the adjustable sine wave from the Shell generator normalise through the CV attenuverter for cutoff CV. A jumper on the back of the module allows users to select which of these internal modulation signals is used.
- Filter has three resonance settings: classic 808 (low resonance), high resonance, and self-oscillation
- Bi-polar attenuators (attenuverters) on CV inputs.
Mutant Clap
Drawing inspiration from the TR-909, the third module builds on the much-loved design and aims to offer some additional range and depth, combining a voltage-controlled LFSR noise oscillator with a powerful percussion-synthesis engine.
Key Features
- Feature-rich, analogue handclap percussion synthesis reminiscent of the 909.
- Pitch control of noise generator means you can create everything from 909 claps to broken, chiptune-like alien sounds.
- Doubles as a voltage-controlled, Commodore64-sounding noise VCO via the Noise output and Pitch CV input.
- Sustain control lets you crank up the clap's sustain and use the module as an abstract synth voice with external inputs.
- External input allows you to synthesise claps from virtually any connected sound source.
- Built-in internal reverb effect derived from clap tone.
- Reverb decay forms the decay of the clap sound, and is fully voltage-controllable.
- Internal and external sources can be used for reverb sound generation.
- Drive control makes it possible to dial in anything from clean to extremely overdriven sounds.
- Band-pass filter cutoff control.
Mutant Hi-Hats
Finally, the Mutant Hi-Hats updates the TR-808’s hi-hat voice into a powerful creative tool designed specifically for modular rigs.
Key Features
- Analogue hi-hat circuitry capable of synthesising TR-808-style open and closed hi-hat sounds simultaneously.
- External audio input allows users to create hi-hat sounds from virtually any source.
- Low-fidelity original VCAs replaced by OTA-based modern alternatives.
- VCA Drive control for each hi-hat makes it possible to dial in anything from soft metallic tones to extremely overdriven, crunchy sounds.
- Exclusive switch lets you select how the open and closed hi-hat sounds interact with when triggered at the same time.
- Cutoff frequency control for internal resonant band-pass filter.
- Resonant filter can be switched on and off.
- Modular-level mutual accent input (0–5V CV).
- Trigger input accepts almost any source as a trigger signal.
- Non-invasive analogue optocouplers used for voltage control, facilitating popular vintage sounds.
- Completely redesigned, high-quality signal chain spares no expense by replacing cheap transistor amplifiers with low-noise op-amp and OTA equivalents.
Pricing & Availability
The modules are available to pre-order now, with shipping expected to commence on 20 February 2025. In addition to the separate modules, Erica Synths are offering a bundle that includes all four at a reduced price. Prices are as follows:
- Mutant Bassdrum: €180
- Mutant Snare: €180
- Mutant Clap: €180
- Mutant Hi-Hats: €180
- Hexinverter Bundle: €600
