Tiptop Audio FX Manual
Tiptop Audio FX Manual
ZVERB
Z5000
www.tiptopaudio.com
A user manual for ECHOZ ZVERB Z5000 effect modules
This user manual covers the use of the ECHOZ, ZVERB and the
Z5000 Multi Effects modules. Due to similarities in method of
operation this user manual covers all 3 modules with sections
describing the programs on each afterward.
Hardware Features:
- 8hp
- 3 illuminated buttons for bank selections
- 8 programs per bank, total 3 banks
- 3 CV inputs for all 3 DSP parameters
- Analog clocking of DSP with CV
- Black version: +12V@130mA -12V@20mA
- White version: +12V@100mA -12V@20mA
01
Let’s get started.
TIME FILTER
FBACK/MOD
TIME
FB/MOD FILTER
Set the Fidelity to max (CW), turn on power, patch audio into the In
jack, patch the left and right output to your sound system. Make sure
to patch both left and right so you get the full joy of stereo.
Set the following knobs to the center: MIX, IN, TIME, FILTER,
FEEDBACK/MOD.
02
TIME FILTER
FBACK/MOD
TIME
FB/MOD FILTER
There are 3 buttons on the module, each one lets you scroll through
a bank of 8 effects. Hold down the Left button until it flashes
indicating it is loading this bank into the DSP. Now that you are in
that bank, scroll through the eight effects by clicking the left button.
You will notice that everytime you switch a program the light on the
3 buttons indicate a pattern, the pattern is there for 5 seconds and
then goes off. This light pattern can help you remember a specific
effect you liked. If the pattern light turns off and you would like to
view it again just short click one of the other two inactive bank
buttons.
03
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
To switch to the next bank, just hold down the next bank button
down and a new bank will load up into the DSP.
The Effects Program section for each module has the LED patterns
for each effect. It might be useful for the first time using the module
to print or look up the table while scrolling to get familiar with the
type of effects.
04
Understanding the view modes:
The module has two different display modes: default and minimal.
The differences are listed below:
05
Manual Controls:
Middle Button
FBACK/MOD
Time knob - controls the decay time of Reverbs, the Delay time or
the rate of Modulation LFOs
TIME
FILTER
TIME FB/MOD
FILTER
Time knob
FBACK/MOD
TIME FILTER
TIME
FILTER FB/MOD
Filter knob
FBACK/MOD
06
Feedback/Mod knob - changes the amount of feedback in delay
programs or the depth/rate of LFOs in Reverb or Mod programs. Check
the program descriptions for details on what this controls.
TIME FILTER
FBACK/MOD
Feedback/Mod knob
TIME FILTER
FBACK/MOD
Fidelity knob
TIME
FILTER FB/MOD
07
CV Controls:
The DSP CV controls have a built in slew circuit which limit the speed they
can be modulated. This is part of the design of the DSP chip. The Fidelity
CV is all analog and can be modulated at any speed and even into the
audio range.
TIME FILTER
TIME
FB/MOD FILTER
08
Clipping light indicator:
The clipping light monitors the input and output signal level of the DSP
chip. If a signal level at the input or the output is too high that light will
flash. Some times due to feedback the output
TIME
signal
FILTER
can grow much larger
than the input signal, in that case reduce the amount of Feedback with the
Feedback knob.
FBACK/MOD
TIME
Output gain: FILTER FB/MOD
TIME
FB/MOD FILTER
Output gain
09
TIME FILTER
Later sections of this user manual have detailed description of each effect
and the source material that will work with it best. Obviously, these are just
recommendations and in the spirit of the modular synthesizer going the
‘wrong’ way can often lead you to sounds you have never heard before.
Experiment!
TIME
FB/MOD FILTER
Sound sources
FAQ:
Question: Are the delays on the FX modules syncable to external clock?
Answer: No, the variable clock rate of the DSP chip prevents clock sync
programs from syncing precisely.
Answer: The Fidelity control changes the speed of the digital processing
sample rate. This can have a similar effect to changing the Time control of
delays but the important difference is that Fidelity also changes the entire
processing including filter cutoffs, LFO speeds, etc. Lowering Fidelity will
increase the delay time of a delay but also lower the cutoff of a low pass
filter and slow down an LFO modulating the delay line. The Time control
will only change the delay time of that same delay.
10
Question: What are the differences between these modules and the
Z-DSP?
The Zfx line of modules are designed to add a limited well selected
number of useful effects in minimal HP.
Z-DSP Zfx
Stereo In Yes No
Mix CV Yes No
Specifications:
+12V - 130mA (black panel) 100mA (white panel)
-12V - 20mA
+5V - 0mA
Width - 8HP
Depth - 40 mm /1.5”
CV Range - 0 - 5V
Fidelity CV Range 0 - 5V or +/-2.5V
11
Z5000
Z5000 Z5000
Multi Effect Multi Effect
PITCH PITCH
REVERBS DELAYS MOD REVERBS DELAYS MOD
FBACK/MOD FBACK/MOD
TIME TIME
FB/MOD FILTER FB/MOD FILTER
12
Z5000 TIME
FILTER FB/MOD
REVERB
Hall
Plate
80’s Verb
Gate
Room
Void
Shimmer
DELAY
Tape Chorus
Warp Pong
PITCH/MOD
Stereo Chorus
Stereo Flanger
Vintage Ensemble
Ahhhnsemble
Formant Delay
Detuned Taps
13
REVERB PROGRAMS FOR Z5000
Hall
A version of the classic 70s ‘Hall’ style reverb. This has a dark,
dense yet somewhat ‘natural’ sound. The Time control is optimized
for longer times up to several minutes.
Plate
The sound is brighter than ‘Hall’ with a faster attack but is also
quite dense. With lower Modulation settings a more metallic sound
is possible. The Time control is optimized for medium-sized times
up to several seconds.
14
80s Verb
This one comes from the 80s ‘budget’ rack units and can get
very huge and highly modulated. Probably the best choice for your
contribution to ‘Selected Ambient Works III’.
Gate
Room
15
Void
Shimmer
16
Delay Programs for Z5000
Basic mono digital delay line with a low pass filter in the
feedback loop. The delay time can be modulated without glitching
and produces an FM type effect. At max feedback the sound will
loop for a long time but also slightly degrade over time.
17
Ping Pong Digital Delay
Dual delay lines move the delayed sound from left to right and
back. A lowpass filter in the feedback path tapers the high end of
the repeats.
Three tape ‘heads’ each with different delay times feed the
Filter blend control. At the center all three taps are mixed in the
output while only two are present at the extreme left and right
settings. All of the heads heard in the output are fed back.
18
Diffuse Band Delays
A delay line with six taps each run through a different band pass
filter. The taps are useful rhythmic ratios (1:1, 1:2, 3:4, etc). The
feedback loop has diffusion to wash out the repeats over time.
Tape Chorus
Warp Pong
A stereo ping pong delay using the Tape Echo algorithm but
with a warping to the speed of the tape. The Filter control also
influences the warping speed a little bit.
19
Pitch/Mod Programs for Z5000
Stereo Chorus
Stereo Flanger
20
Vintage Ensemble
Ahhhnsemble
Three formant filters create the ‘Ahh’ vocal sound with control
over the center frequency to sweep from male to female formant
tones. This is also fed through an ensemble effect. Try with raw saw
waves and 100% wet.
Formant Delay
Mono delay lines runs into a Formant filter with 4 vowel sounds.
The Filter control selects one of the vowels and the three filters are
slightly spread in stereo. The delay feedback is before the filter so
setting high levels of feedback will allow modulation of the vowel
type as the sound decays.
21
Dual Microshift Delay
Two pitch shifters set to the detune range follow a mono delay
line. The pitch shifters are in the feedback path so the detuning can
create up/downwards slides.
A multi-tap dual delay with two pitch shifters which are tuned to
various intervals. The shifters are in the delay line feedback loop to
create various pitch arpeggio and glissando type effects.
Detuned Taps
22
ECHOZ
PITCH PITCH
TAPE DIGITAL MOD TAPE DIGITAL MOD
23
ECHOZ
TAPE ECHO
Chorus Echo
Warp Pong
DIGITAL DELAY
Short BBD
Formant Delay
Diffuse Delay
PITCH
Chord Delay
Shimmer Taps
Diffuse Pitch Band Taps
Detuned Taps
24
EFFECTS PROGRAMS FOR ECHOZ
Tape Echo has a dual low pass and high pass filter configuration that
moves between low pass at full counter-clockwise through
bandpass to full high pass at full clockwise position.
This is a single head style tape echo with mono output similar to
the earliest tape units. The maximum delay time is tuned for shorter
rhythmic, slapback and associated effects.
A pair of delays where the input feeds the left channel and the
output of the left delay feeds the input of the right delay. The
feedback is taken from the output of the right side. Both delays have
the same delay time for easy rhythmic effects.
25
3 Head Mixed Echo
A three head Echo in the style of some famous 70s units. The
three heads are continuously blended between using the Filter
control. The output is stereo.
Chorus Echo
Like the Mono Echo in program 1, but with a stereo Chorus after
the delay. The speed of the Chorus increases as the Filter control
moves to high pass.
26
Diffuse Chorus Echo
Warp Pong
27
Digital Delay Programs:
A simple mono delay line with a low pass filter in the feedback
path to roll off the high end of repeats. This program has the
longest single delay time of any ECHOZ programs.
Two delay lines, Left and Right. Input enters the Left delay line
and is output to the Left output and also the input of the Right delay
line. The output of the Right delay line is fed back into the Left input.
The effect is the echo bouncing from Left to Right and back again.
28
Short BBD
A very short mono delay that emulates early analog ‘bucket
brigade delays’ (BBD). This program is designed for short flange,
chorus, slapback and Karplus-Strong effects. The latter is achieved
by turning up the feedback to a high level and using the delay time to
set the pitch of the string pluck. Use short percussive sounds (or
triggers) to excite the delay line and try it with Vocals too.
Time - delay time
Filter - cutoff of low pass filter
Feedback - amount of feedback into the delay line
Formant Delay
Mono delay lines runs into a Formant filter with 4 vowel sounds.
The Filter control selects one of the vowels. The delay feedback is
before the filter so setting high levels of feedback will allow
modulation of the vowel type as the sound decays. Stereo out.
Time - delay time
Filter - selects one of 4 vowel sounds
Feedback/Mod - amount of feedback
29
Bandpass Tap Select
A multi-tap delay line with 1.0x, 0.75x, 0.5x, 0.375x delay time
taps. Each tap has a bandpass filter. The Filter control selects which
of the taps is used for feedback.
Diffuse Delay
30
Pitch Programs:
Pitch programs on ECHOZ have one or two pitch shifters along with
single or multi-tap delay lines. Interval programs have the pitch of the
shift quantized to musical values (third, fifth, octave, etc) while the
others have shifts that range from octave down to octave up or
‘microshifts’ with subtle detuning. Some of the programs have the
pitch shifting in the feedback loop to create up and down arpeggio or
glissando type effects.
A mono delay line into a single pitch shifter. The pitch shift is not
quantized to intervals and has a range of -1 octave to +1 octave (-1200
to +1200 cents). Pitch shifting is after the delay feedback so the pitch
is constant as the repeats decay.
A mono delay line into a single pitch shifter. Pitch shifting is after
the delay feedback so the pitch is constant as the repeats decay. The
pitch shift is quantized to the 8 intervals listed below:
-12 -7 -5 -3 +3 +4 +7 +12
31
Chord Delay
A mono delay line into a pair of pitch shifters panned left and
right. Pitch shifting is after the delay feedback so the pitch is constant
as the repeats decay. The pitch shift is quantized to the 8 intervals
listed below:
-12 +12
-12 -7
-12 -5
-5 +3
-5 +4
+4 +7
+7 +12
+12 +12 (detuned)
A mono delay line into a pair of pitch shifters panned left and
right. Pitch shifting is inside the delay feedback so the pitch moves
up or down as the repeats decay forming arpeggio patterns. The
pitch shift is quantized to the 8 intervals listed below:
-12 +12
-12 -7
-12 -5
-5 +3
-5 +4
+4 +7
+7 +12
+12 +12 (detuned)
32
Dual Microshift Delay
A mono delay line into a pair of micro pitch shifters. The pitch
shifting is fixed to a slight detune on one side and small shift up on the
other. The Filter control blends between the two with all the way
counter-clockwise being only downward to only upward shift on the
full clockwise. Both pitch shifters are in the feedback path so the
pitch will continue to rise or drop as the repeats decay.
Shimmer Taps
Multi-tap delay with a single variable pitch shifter. The taps have
both diffusion and bandpass filters. Pitch shifting is not in the
feedback path so the pitch remains constant as the repeats decay.
Time - delay time
Filter - Pitch shift amount from -1200 to +1200 cents
Feedback - amount of feedback into the delay line
33
Detuned Taps
34
ZVERB
MOD MOD
MOD MOD
35
ZVERB
70s
Hall
Plate
Bright Plate
Earliest ‘Verb
Space Station
Prehistoric Exhibit A
Epic Mod Hall
80s
80s BarrVerb
Ambience
Gated
Blooming
90s
Room
Void
Downward Spiral
Random Hall
Pong Verb
ChordHall
Formant Verb
36
EFFECTS PROGRAMS FOR ZVERB
70s Programs:
Hall
A version of the classic 70s ‘Hall’ style reverb. This has a dark,
dense yet clear sound. The Time control is optimized for longer
times up to several minutes.
37
Plate
The sound is brighter than ‘Hall’ with a faster attack but is also
quite dense. With lower Modulation settings a more metallic sound
is possible. The Time control is optimized for medium-sized times
up to several seconds.
Bright Plate
Like the previous Plate program but with a high pass filter and
tuned for a shorter and brighter sound overall.
38
Earliest ‘Verb
Based very loosely on the first commercial reverb box. The Mod
control changes the ‘Size’ of the reverb which is not the same as
changing the Decay Time control. This has a smaller overall size
than the Hall.
Space Station
Time - Feedback
Filter - time of Echo channel delay
Mod - Tap selection
39
Prehistoric Exhibit A
40
80s Programs:
Digital technology hit every part of life in the 1980s and the audio
field was no exception from samplers and recorders to a quickly
expanding range of effects processors. For the first time ‘budget’
products put reverb and other effects in the hands of home and
touring musicians. The 80s bank of ZVERB features some of the
important and iconic algorithms of the decade.
80s BarrVerb
Ambience
41
Gated
Dual pitch shifters tuned one octave down (-12 semitones) and
one octave up (+12 semitones) are inside the Hall delay algorithm.
The Mod control adjusts how much of octave up or down is present
in the sound.
42
Shimmer Pitch Adjust
A single pitch shifter with a range from one octave down (-12
semitones) to one octave up (+12 semitones) is inside a modulated
Hall algorithm. The Mod control sets the pitch and the Filter control
adjusts how much of the pitch shift is added to the reverb decay.
Blooming
43
90s Programs:
Room
Void
44
Downward Spiral
Random Hall
Pong Verb
45
ChordHall
A mono delay into single pitch shifter into stereo chorus with
diffusion makes for an unconventional reverb effect inspired by a
high end 90s rack unit. The delay, pitch shift and chorus are all in
the complex feedback path so the pitch will glide up or down as the
decay increases. Pitch is unquantized from one octave down (-1200
cents) to one octave up (+1200 cents). Works best with pitched
sounds with slow attacks like pads.
46
Formant Verb
47