Doepfer Musikelektronik, Germany, manufacturer of analog synthesizers, keyboards, MIDI controllers, interfaces. NAMM 2018: Doepfer Dark Energy III updates the original semi-modular desktop synth. Approximate reading time: 1 Minute. Doepfer Dark Energy III Source: Doepfer. Previous Next. Doepfer has been at the forefront of much of the development re-emergence of cool and interesting synthesis. The patch points have been rejigged, replacing the LFO.

• Doepfer Dark Energy Patch Sheetrock Vs
• Doepfer Dark Energy Review

The company that launched the current modular craze with its Eurorack format continues to be the go-to for inexpensive, bread-and-butter basics. Doepfer’s new Slim Line is compact, capable, and runs 100€ or less – with a complete “miniature synth” voice for just 180€.

There’s no shortage of strange, leftfield modules – and pricey, rarified stuff. But modular simply wouldn’t be able to reach practical musicians if not for modules that are affordable. And you need at least some of those modules to be, in a way, intentionally a bit basic – modules that get interesting once you start to patch them, rather than trying to jump ahead of you by imposing their own ideas.

So, look to Doepfer to continue to be affordable and practical. And now is a good time, as Superbooth – the massive Berlin trade show – is likely to dump some ungodly overwhelming amount of modules on us.

Doepfer deserve some special credit – Eurorack is their format, and we likely wouldn’t be gathering in Berlin this week if not for their legacy. Talking to Andreas Schneider recently – the man behind Schneidersladen and father of the Superbooth – he praised Doepfer for keeping their modules affordable.

Doepfer Dark Energy Patch Sheetrock Vs

The A-100 Slim series are vanilla in every sense – they’re not going to wow you with features or design or any particular character of their own. But they’re practical. It’s very possible you could get started building a system – or completing one – on a tight budget and in tight spaces.

And as slim versions of existing Doepfer modules, they look an ideal way to get started or to cram some of those bread and butter basics into your rack – like, you know, if you went a little too weird and realize you don’t have essential tools. (I bet that’s true of a lot of people.)

Here’s a run-down – product pages are in both German and English, scroll down for English:

A-111-6 Miniature Synthesizer
180EUR
Summer/fall

A complete synth voice – one oscillator with pulse width and different waveforms, one lowpass filter, one amplifier and envelope.

A-118-2 Noise / Random / T&H / S&H
80EUR
Out this week

Noise and random signal in any color.

A-121-3 12dB Multimode Filter
100EUR
Out this week

Multimode filter with 12dB slope and voltage-controlled resonance (same filter as on the Dark Energy II + III)
Lowpass, highpass, bandpass, notch

A-130-2 Dual linear/exponential VCA
80EUR
Out this week

It’s a VCA. And… actually, that’s pretty much it.

A-138i Interrupting Mixer
80EUR
Out this week

It’s an interrupting mixer. You know:

Okay, not that. It’s a four channel mixer with dedicated mute switches (handy) and you can mix in some unique ways – mix audio and control voltage (since this is DC coupled) and multiple hard-wired outs plus separate single outs. Actually I wish desktop mixers did some of this.

A-138n Narrow Mixer
Out this week
50EUR

Also works with both CV and mixing. Dead-simple, dirt cheap.

A-145-4 Quad Low Frequency Oscillator LFO
80EUR
Out this week

Hey, even Doepfer think like I do, as they say this is “not a very “exciting” module, just a bread-and-butter device.” (I need a gluten-free, vegan metaphor… uh, rice crackers and humus?)

But there’s extra modulation sources for you.

A-182-2 Quad Switches
60EUR
Out this week

It switches, but in … quad… you know… when you need more bread with your bread and butter. I’m done here.

More:

I appreciate that Doepfer hasn’t updated their site since the 90s, do their renderings in MS Paint exported to GIF, and pass the savings on to you.

Much More Flexibility Than You'd Expect from an Analog Monosynth

Doepfer's Dark Energy monophonic analog synthesizer has earned acclaim from synthesists worldwide for its huge sound, sonic flexibility, and semi-modular architecture. Now in its third generation, the Dark Energy III synth module improves on an already formidable synthesizer module. Its VCO has been improved, now with no warm-up period, an additional triangle waveform, and a wider 10-octave frequency range. Also added in this generation are the ability to reset LFOs, improved ADSR envelope, and internal access points for DIY tweakers. All this packed into a supremely rugged enclosure with case-mounted knobs and switches makes the Doepfer Dark Energy III one of the most enticing analog monosynths around.

A mono semi-modular workhorse

Whether you're a lifelong modular synth nut or you're looking to add your first analog synth to your rig, you can't help but appreciate the Doepfer Dark Energy III's combination of elegant simplicity and powerful sound-shaping capabilities. A quick overview reveals the basic nature of this monosynth: there's a single VCO, a multimode VCF, a VCA, two LFOs, and a classic ADSR envelope. A healthy set of modulation settings allows you to add motion and an evolving character to your sound, and multicolor LEDs provide some useful visual feedback. When it comes to connectivity, the Dark Energy III provides you with a full complement of CV I/O, as well as a USB MIDI interface, making it easy to connect it to the rest of your synthesizer gear. So whether you're running an old-school analog rig or adding some analog goodness to your in-the-box rig, you're going to enjoy your Doepfer Dark Energy III monosynth.

Doepfer Dark Energy III Monophonic Analog Synthesizer Features:

Doepfer Dark Energy Review

• A traditional analog monosynth that's perfect for novices and advanced synth geeks alike
• Straightforward design includes 1 VCO, 1 multimode VCF, 1 VCA, 2 LFOs, and 1 classic ADSR envelope
• Modulation source selection controls and additional range settings allow you to dramatically shape your sounds
• Top- and back-panel CV/Gate I/O lets you patch your module into the rest of your synthesizer rig
• USB and MIDI inputs let you play sounds via your DAW or external keyboards
• Audio input lets you affect external signal with the analog filter, amp, and modulation sources
• Power supply included