Tiptop AudioBuchla 248t MARF Multiple Arbitrary Function Generator

Tiptop Audio Buchla 248t MARF

Finally making its entrance into the 200t Eurorack series, Tiptop Audio's Buchla Model 248t, the Multiple Arbitrary Function Generator (otherwise known as MARF) is a highly flexible programmable control voltage source. The original MARF has gained a mythical and mysterious status as one of the most powerful control voltage generators ever made—and one that was certainly ahead of its time when originally released in the 1970s. Now, Tiptop has made the MARF available once again, while also including improvements to ensure that the 248t holds up in the modern modular space.

Upon first glance, the MARF looks a lot like a sequencer—but that's a serious oversimplification of all that it can do. While there are certainly 16 stages of programmable control voltages, the 248t affords incredible levels of discretion in how stages are accessed. It can certainly step through voltages as a sequencer would, but it can also interpolate between them by gliding from one value to the next. Using the array of switches and buttons in the middle of the module, stages can be programmed to be fully continuous, quantized in divisions of 12, mapped to specific voltage ranges, and designated to persist over specified intervals of time. And of course, all of these specifications are made individually and independently on a per-stage basis! So sure, the MARF can be your sequencer, but it can also be your ADSR envelope generator, your portamento pitch processor, or any other application for stored control voltages that you can imagine.

One of the most powerful features of the MARF is the ability to designate group stages into sub-groupings—such as pitch sets or varying envelope shapes. To that end, stages can be assigned Stop or Sustain commands, as well as First or Last designators to establish the boundaries of said Cycle grouping. Stages are able to be addressed internally or via a variety of external sources patched in on the left side of the module, giving you incredible flexibility to integrate complex relationships between modules in your system.

Another element of the MARF's magic is that although it features just 16 stages, it features two output sections that allow different stages to be addressed and accessed simultaneously. A handy Time Multiplier control, with both a knob and CV input, allow you to scale the assigned timing values by any amount from 0.5x to 4x. Pulse inputs for the aforementioned Start and Stop commands are available as well. Along the top are all of the outputs: the stored Voltage, a stage-triggered ramp Reference, a voltage proportional to the stage's assigned Time value, plus two assignable Pulse outputs. And of course, Tiptop's ART protocol makes an appearance with a dedicated output, facilitating connection to the 259t and other ART-equipped modules for streamlined tuning and (if applicable) polyphonic control.

Though it may have originated in the 70s, the MARF is still an incredibly forward-thinking take on control voltage generation and processing. Thanks to Tiptop Audio, the 248t is now ready to be added to any Eurorack system.

Buchla 248t MARF Features

• Highly programmable control voltage generator and processor
• A modern recreation of the rare and mythical Model 248 from vintage Buchla 200 Systems
• 16 stages with two independently addressable output sections
• Many definable behaviors available on a per-stage basis
• Produces anything from step sequences to complex envelope shapes and beyond
• Non-volatile memory—presets can be recalled after powering the module off!
• Compatible with Tiptop's ART protocol for tuning and polyphony