Future Sound SystemsTimbral Sculptor Filter + Waveshaper + VCA

Future Sound Systems Timbral Sculptor

Packing several flavors of timbre manipulation into a single module, the FIL4 Timbral Sculptor by Future Sound Systems is a one-stop-shop for processing any audio signal traveling through your Eurorack system. At its core is a three-pole, -18dB/octave filter designed around the SSI2164 chip, and offers juicy, liquidy character through its simultaneous lowpass, bandpass, or highpass responses. But while this sounds great as it is, this is no ordinary filter—a taste of grit can be found by applying cranking up the Audio FM control, which applies the input signal as a modulation source to the filter cutoff frequency, either in the positive or negative direction. Things are further unhinged by engaging any of the non-linear components of the resonance path: a Lockhart wavefolder and a rectification circuit with both half-wave and full-wave modes simply decimate any expectations of what a filter should sound like.

Each output of the filter is mixed into the Timbre section, another wavefolder based on beloved West Coast synthesizer designs. The interesting twist is that this section depends on the intensity of its input signal, so either through the Drive control or the filter VCA outputs, you can push the wavefolder into generating more harmonics. Speaking of VCAs, there's an exponential VCA which has a switchable location from the very beginning of the module's audio path, or the very end. This allows for either fine-tuned control over the signals going into the filter and Timbre sections, or as a final level control before processed signals depart for their next destination in your rack. Give in to the unpredictable sides of synthesis and feedback with the Future Sound Systems Timbral Sculptor.

Timbral Sculptor Features

• Filter, wavefolder, and VCA all in one
• Flexible signal routing
• Multi-mode filter with -18dB/octave slope and lowpass, bandpass, and highpass responses
• Nonlinear elements in resonance path: Lockhart wavefolder and half/full-wave rectification
• West Coast-inspired Timbre section
• Exponential VCA with pre or post positioning
• Audio input FM
• Abundant CV patch points