ADDAC SystemADDAC708 Michel Waiswisz's Cracklebox

ADDAC System ADDAC708

Considered to be a historic instrument in the lineages of experimental electronic music and DIY, the ADDAC708 is a Eurorack homage to the humble Cracklebox, originally designed by Michel Waiswisz in the 1960s. Originally housed in a small, handheld enclosure, the Cracklebox is perhaps the earliest example of ideas that would later become commonplace in circuit bending and experimental musical instrument design. By interacting with its various touch plates, human contact allows for the emission of beeps, boops, and all manner of glitchy electronic sounds from the Cracklebox.

In this limited-edition version, the ADDAC708 adapts the Cracklebox design into a Eurorack module form factor. To keep things safe, ADDAC has isolated the touch surface from the rest of the module that's powered by your Eurorack power supply—thus, you'll need a 9V battery for the 708 to operate, just like the original Cracklebox. A Power Starve switch is also available, reducing the perceived voltage feeding into the Cracklebox for pitch fluctuations and even more unpredictable behaviors. Finally, the Eurorack output features a Level knob and Boost switch, with transformer isolation from the rest of the circuit. How you use this output is up to you, be it audio, CV, or gate purposes. An early icon of experimental, DIY instrument designs, the ADDAC708 makes the Cracklebox available once again.

ADDAC708 Features

• Eurorack recreation of the Cracklebox
• Touch-based glitch instrument
• Isolation between touch surface and Eurorack power for electrical safety
• Output level control with Boost switch
• Voltage Power Starve feature
• Requires 9V battery to operate