questions about the metasonix r-52!

DonKartofflo · Post by **DonKartofflo** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:07 am

Hey fellas, I just got a quick question:
I have been thinking about buying an r-52 since I like its sound from audio demos, especially its sorta soft and big growl.
However, it doesn't seem to get a lot of love around here, while people are expressing heir love for the other r modules, the r-52 seems to not really get a lot of mention... how come?

cheers
Don

Cat-A-Tonic · Post by **Cat-A-Tonic** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:37 am

The range of the Tuning Offset, and Resonance controls probably throws a lot of people off.

There is a narrow range (sweet zone) in which the R-52 functions as a normal VCF.
Outside that you get wild oscillations and weirdness.
The input knob usually has to be turned down about halfway (with modular level signals) if you want it to sound filtery.

You need to use a voltage offset if you want to sweep the filter through the typical range with a knob.

slow_riot · Post by **slow_riot** » Sun Nov 04, 2012 1:56 pm

I don't think you get anything unexpected outside of the sweet spot, you just don't get any range to apply changes to cutoff frequency.

I think it's a very nice and interesting filter, one of my faves of the R series. It's not good for classic 24dB subtractive synthesis, but it's very characterful and suitable for alternative synthesis methods. It's very level sensitive and requires attentive listening to find the results that are pleasing for you.

One thing that is tricky, is that ideally it needs a hot signal going in to overdrive it (if you want that), +/-10v from typical solid state devices is fine, with tube oscs you might want to try adding more gain.

It also works really well with quieter signals going in, but there is some noise present from the switching power supply, that becomes more evident with lower volumes.

Also the output is quite low, so amplification afterwards can be necessary, but hey, these are tubes, you can just work with what is available.

ritchiedrums · Post by **ritchiedrums** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 4:48 pm

Mine had a very "Nasal" tone to it.
Didn't use it much.
Love the R54 as a Filter!!

James · Post by **James** » Mon Nov 05, 2012 5:32 pm

Mine's currently orphaned but I always enjoy using it. Definitely takes a little tweaking and it's not for every patch but when you find a sweet spot it sounds really excellent. I haven't really found any way to replicate its strengths in other modules.

metasonix · Post by **metasonix** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 1:12 am

So, does anyone want to actually buy R52s? I could make more, but want to see some serious interest first.

beedeesmith · Post by **beedeesmith** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 4:59 am

metasonix wrote:So, does anyone want to actually buy R52s? I could make more, but want to see some serious interest first.

I do! I'll be picking up one later this month.

-Bryan

confusedinNC · Post by **confusedinNC** » Tue Nov 06, 2012 8:11 am

metasonix wrote:So, does anyone want to actually buy R52s? I could make more, but want to see some serious interest first.

I just bought one and absolutely want to get a second one

DonKartofflo · Post by **DonKartofflo** » Thu Nov 08, 2012 7:38 pm

metasonix wrote:So, does anyone want to actually buy R52s? I could make more, but want to see some serious interest first.

actually not sure yet. It is between an r-52 and an r-51. I just want some yellow in my cab...

radiodread87 · Post by **radiodread87** » Sat Nov 10, 2012 9:16 pm

I love the R52, some things about it are quirky (its metasonix so that should be no real surprise)

the Resonance has to be quite high on it to get a louder signal from it (at least on mine..) and as mentioned it likes a nice hot input signal, TTA Z3000mk2 is great into it, if I am using an R54 most times its fine but if I want more gain I will put it into an R51 before with another R51 on the output.

It has sweet spots that make it well worth owning but as a filter its really unique and I wouldn't part ways with mine. Not many people have them I think, the R54 gets the most love and I do really enjoy that one as a filter too but the R52 is sufficiently different sounding to make both worth owning.

metasonix · Post by **metasonix** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:30 pm

If you are serious, I will order more boards and get them built up. Impossible to judge the demand for modules sometimes, because of the often-huge gaps between orders.

decaying.sine · Post by **decaying.sine** » Sat Nov 17, 2012 9:35 pm

I got 2 R-52's. How many should I have? 8_)

bendedavis · Post by **bendedavis** » Wed Nov 21, 2012 1:40 am

Just got an R52 today, I modded it with 6CB6 tubes

SubliminalSandwich · Post by **SubliminalSandwich** » Fri Mar 22, 2013 1:17 pm

Just ordered my R-52 today..

one of only 2 available in the uk it seems..

oooh the exitement is definitely a shade of yellow..

SubliminalSandwich · Post by **SubliminalSandwich** » Fri Apr 05, 2013 8:31 pm

Loving the R-52, really flexible sound.. only wish there was cv control over the filter response..

Ive noticed in the 'high' setting, the resonance is much less pronounced.. is this the same with other users units?

Combining different input levels through R-51 and R-52 gives you sooo much control.

Gonna try putting my audio through other, (clean) VCAs before these two and cv control the input.. with a compressor at the end to even stuff out these two will sing (or scream!)

askek · Post by **askek** » Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:38 pm

love the r52! so warm and beautiful.

wellurban · Post by **wellurban** » Tue Apr 01, 2014 9:31 pm

SubliminalSandwich wrote:Loving the R-52, really flexible sound.. only wish there was cv control over the filter response..

So do I!

I was wondering: since the R-52 is two filters in parallel, and the RESPONSE knob mixes between them, how hard would it be to modify it to get the straight output from one of them? That way, you could put the separate outputs into a VC corssfader and essentially get cv control over filter response.

My DIY skills are limited, but my intuition is that this wouldn't be all that hard. There's even a spare hole in the panel for another jack!

thermionicjunky · Post by **thermionicjunky** » Tue Apr 01, 2014 9:54 pm

wellurban wrote: I was wondering: since the R-52 is two filters in parallel, and the RESPONSE knob mixes between them, how hard would it be to modify it to get the straight output from one of them? That way, you could put the separate outputs into a VC corssfader and essentially get cv control over filter response.

My DIY skills are limited, but my intuition is that this wouldn't be all that hard. There's even a spare hole in the panel for another jack!

I did this with a TM-6. I added extra opamp buffers to isolate the filters (though I had to change the internal crossfader because it no longer worked correctly with the added buffers). Now I have the same functionality for the mixed output and completely independent outputs for each filter. VC crossfading is as useful as you would think.

FatRocky · Post by **FatRocky** » Sun Jun 08, 2014 12:22 am

bendedavis wrote:Just got an R52 today, I modded it with 6CB6 tubes

How does it sound after that tube change? does it affect filter range/resonance or signal gain?

Neither · Post by **Neither** » Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:31 am

What is the "range select" switch supposed to do? I can't find any mention of it in the manual...

ritchiedrums · Post by **ritchiedrums** » Thu Aug 30, 2018 4:00 pm

The RANGE switch controls the range of the upper resonant peak.

It should make a change in the sound while it is going nuts!!

MUFF WIGGLER

MUFF WIGGLER

questions about the metasonix r-52!

questions about the metasonix r-52!