Tiptop Audio HATS909 Analog Hi-Hats Drum Module (8HP)

Full Description

Classic Tone In A Modern Format

Tiptop Audio have managed to faithfully recreate the circuitry from the classic '80s drum machine to bring you an uncompromised percussion sound in a unique and functional modular format. Designed to work alongside their other drum modules in the series, the HATS909 delivers those classic analog closed and open hi-hat tones in heaps, with additional features added in for creating that personal touch and sculpting the ideal sound for your project. The modular format enables incredible customisation within your rig, and the HATS909 will fit perfectly in existing and new setups thanks to its versatile circuitry and compact design.

High-Powered Gain Stage

The HATS909 is equipped with an enhanced output gain stage capable of producing much hotter signals than the original drum machine. This addition of gain stages emulates the old practice of running original drum machines through outboard amplifiers to add gain, and passing that signal through other devices to generate additional harmonics from clipping and distortion. This expanded sound palette featured in the HATS909 gives you the ability to make use of an array of harmonized drum sounds with razor sharp attack, or even heavily crushed and distorted sounds. The HATS909 can even go hotter than the standard levels of modular VCOs, making it one of the most useful ways to achieve big, gritty, rich sounds from the HATS909 circuitry.

Dual-Input Pulse-Shaper

Tiptop Audio have also added an in-house designed dual pulse-shaper circuit, enabling you to trigger the HATS909 using Trigger or Gate signals from a variety of other equipment such as clock dividers, step sequencers, or other clock/pulse sources. This design means you get the same stable sound at its peak power regardless of differences in your pulse source without the need to shape the pulses sent to the module.

Accent & Levels

Accent is what makes a beat sound natural and full of life. The HATS909 features an accent input, which is a gate/trigger signal. When this accent input is not in use, the incoming gate input is routed to both the accent input and the gate input, serving two purposes. It allows you to reach the hottest drum sound possible, even when no accent input signal is connected, whilst simultaneously utilising the Accent control knob to act as a fine control for the output gain level. However, when connecting to the accent input, the gate input routing will be broken, allowing for independent control over your desired accent regardless of the incoming gate signal. Setting the knob higher will result in large gain level differences between accented and un-accented notes, where as lower will have the opposite effect. Compared to the original drum machine which featured a global accent control which affected all of the sounds on the machine at the same time, the HATS909 gives you complete independent control over the accent of your sounds without compromising your other modules, giving you extensive dynamic options.

OH vs CH & Source Switch

The HATS909 is a lo-fi sample based generator designed to produce a single sound at any one time. The default sound is the open hat sound which automatically overrides the closed hat. If both sounds trigger at the same time, the open hat will sound on its own. Each sound has a Decay control knob enabling you to set the length of the analog envelope applied to that particular sample. Setting the Source switch to Raw bypasses the envelope and filtering of the sound, giving you the sample with no processing. It is a great mode for use with your own filters, VCA, and envelopes to process the sample. Setting the Source switch to 909 will send the signal through the original analog filters and VCA based on the ones from the original '80s drum machine.

Tune Switch

Equipped with a Tune switch, the HATS909 has replaced the sample rate generator from the original circuitry with a VCO giving you full control over the tuning of the sound.This can be done manually using the Tune control knob, or with voltage control using the VC-Tune jack. This opens up a huge array of sonic possibilities, giving you access to significantly more hat sounds than the original circuit is capable of.

Modulation Switch

The HATS909 is also fitted with a Modulation switch. This taps the FM/AM signal input to either the Tune oscillator or the internal VCA. In FM mode, the control input is not different to the VC-Tune input, but it provides an attentuation on the input signal (CV In). When set to AM, the signal is then mixed with the internal envelope signal modulating the internal VCA. Both AM and FM can be modulated with control signals from sequencers, LFOs, envelopes etc., or modulated in the audio range, performing Amplitude or Frequency synthesis over the source sampled sound.

The HATS909 Design

The HATS909's front panel contains controls featured on the original drum machine from the '80s, with some added unique features to enhance the sonic versatility of the module. You have full control over the sound's volume levels and ability to mix it with other drum sounds, alongside an independent Accent input and level control.

Modular Design

Each analog drum module made by Tiptop audio uses a well-tuned patch that utilises a T-Network of sine generators, noise sources, VCAs, envelopes, and filter circuits designed specifically for creating incredible percussive sounds. Patching each of these modular components together, Tiptop has created a tremendous way of generating specific sounds. Only the highest quality discrete parts are used, and in a minimal fashion. Combining multiple Tiptop Audio modules gives you the option to create a truly personalised sound-set with a huge range of flexibility. Whether its just for playing a groove alongside other bass-lines and other melodies, or complex switching of trigger signals on the fly whilst having drum sounds travel through additional sound processors to create unpredictable and intricate results, Tiptop Audio's premium modular design opens the doors to a whole new world of sound.