What is a
Ring Modulator?
A
ring modulator mixes your audio input signal with a carrier oscillator
to produce sum and difference frequencies. Imagine that the ring
modulator's carrier oscillator is producing a 500 Hz sine wave, and
your input signal is a 100 Hz sine wave. The ring modulator's output
will be a complex waveform. You will hear two pitches: 400 Hz and 600
Hz. You will not hear your original input or the carrier oscillator.
The
moogerfooger ring modulator is a direct descendant of the original Moog
modular synthesizers. It contains three complete modular functions: a
ring modulator, a voltage-controlled carrier oscillator, and
voltage-contolled dual-waveform LFO.
A ring modulator produces sum and difference frequencies between the
audio input and a carrier oscillator. The ring modulator's LFO can be
used to modulate the carrier frequency. The moogerfooger ring modulator
can create effects ranging from subtle tremolo to harmonically rich
distortion, sweeps, swoops, and divebombs.
The moogerfooger ring modulator's control parameters are signal mix,
carrier frequency, LFO rate, and LFO amount. All of the ring modulator.
s parameters can be controlled with expression pedals or external
control voltages as well as by rotary panel controls. Panel switches
select LFO waveform and carrier frequency range. 1/4" jacks are
provided for audio input and output, pedal/control inputs, carrier
input, and carrier output.
Features
- FREQUENCY
- rotary control, which varies the carrier
frequency over a six-octave range.
- RATE - rotary
control, which varies the LFO. s frequency from 0.1 Hz to 25 Hz.
- LFO
AMOUNT - rotary control, which adjusts the amount
that the LFO output sweeps the carrier oscillator.
- MIX - rotary
control, which crossfades continuously from unmodulated to modulated
audio.
- DRIVE - rotary
control, which adjusts the gain of the audio input.
- SQUARE-SINE
- rocker switch, which chooses the LFO waveform.
- LO-HI -
rocker switch, which chooses between the low frequency
carrier range (2 Hz to 130 Hz) and the high frequency carrier range (60
Hz to 4,000 Hz).
- LEVEL -
a three-color LED that is used to set the DRIVE control.
- LFO -
a LED that indicates the LFO rate.
- BYPASS -
a two-color LED that tells whether the ring modulator is on or
bypassed.
- ON/BYPASS
- a rugged, smooth-acting stomp switch.
Jack Panel Features
- AUDIO IN - 1/4"
phone jack - accepts any instrument-level or line-level audio signal
from -16 dBm to +4 dbm.
- AUDIO OUT
- 1/4" phone jack - -4 dBm nominal output level.
- FREQUENCY,
RATE, LFO AMOUNT, MIX - all of which are stereo
1/4" jacks that accept moogerfooger EP1 (or equivalent) expression
pedals, or control voltages from two-circuit or three-circuit 1/4"
jacks.
- AUX AUDIO
IN - provides a means of applying an external signal to
the ring modulator, in place of the carrier oscillator.
- LFO OUT - jack
- delivers the LFO voltage for use by other voltage-controlled devices.
- CARRIER
OUT - jack - delivers the carrier signal for use
by other devices.
- +9V POWER
INPUT - jack - accepts standard 9 volt power
adaptors (power adaptor included).
General Specifications
- CASE:
Black panel with hardwood
sides - classic analog appearance.
- DIMENSIONS:
9" x 6" x 2-1/2"
- NET
WEIGHT: 2 lb
- SHIPPING
WEIGHT: 4 lb,
including power adaptor and instruction manual.
- POWER
REQUIREMENTS:
105-125
volt, 5W. 220 volt power adaptor available on special order.