Welcome to the Buchla & Tiptop Audio 200 series project. In this project Buchla has teamed up with Tiptop Audio to resume the production of Don Buchla’s 200 series and convert it to Eurorack standards. These extremely rare pieces of equipment made almost half a century ago will once again be available, and this time to a wide audience. Each module will be produced separately as production schedules and component availability allows.
Programmable Complex Waveform Generator Model 259t
The Buchla 259t Complex Waveform Generator from TipTop Audio is the long-awaited Eurorack version of the original Buchla Complex Oscillator. Built in collaboration with Buchla U.S.A., this powerful sound source features two rich Buchla oscillators connected under one panel, providing a diverse tonal palette.
Both oscillators have a large Frequency control knob with a range of about 27.5hz which is the lowest A0 pitch on a piano up approximately 8 octaves to about 7040hz or A8 and octave above the highest A on a piano. The frequency figures surrounding the Frequency knob are approximate, not precise. As mentioned before their frequency ranges can be driven higher or lower with CV. There is also a fine tune knob which covers a range of about an interval of a fifth. Both oscillators have two CV inputs. The one with an attenuverter can add or invert the incoming CV. The one marked Keyboard or ART can toggle to Keyboard mode which use 1V/OCT, or to ART. Both oscillators can receive Audio FM and the amount of FM will be determined with the attenuator.
In Timbre/Harmonics section there are 3 wave shapers in that section and the knobs allow us to cross fade between their outputs and the VCO sine wave. The wave shapers are: Wave Folder Sawtooth M shape (can be consider as square) The Order knobs cross fade between wave folder and / sawtooth and M shape. It is the final cross fade before the output. When the Order is fully CCW the output is the wave folder and in that case the Timbre knob is the folding control and Symmetry adds DC to the audio entering the folder thus altering its folding further to be asymmetric. When Order is fully CW, timbre cross fade between the VCO sine wave and another cross fader of the sawtooth/M shape that is controlled by the Symmetry knob.
Each oscillator can be automatically tuned using an ART capable module such as the Octopus ART or ART V/OCT. Additionally, each can be controlled by ART signals in place of traditional V/oct CV, enabling polyphonic voice allocation.
