User Manual

Overview
Vortices is an audio character mixer designed to emulate and accentuate the saturation-compression
effects and frequency response of vintage analog consoles and tape machines. Featuring a total of 14 inputs and
7 outputs in a relatively compact 16hp form factor (18hp with VCA CV expander).
Vortices was designed to offer a compact mixing environment with the characteristic sound coloration of
vintage analog gear. The frequency response of vintage mixing consoles tends to de-emphasize higher frequen-
cies and produce a rounder tone. I find this to be really nice for reducing harshness from FM’d and digital source
material - the response makes them sound smoother and less fatiguing on the ear and imposes an inherent glue
and polished sound upon a mix. This type of response also lends itself to feedback patching where higher
frequency roll off is desired.
The saturation/compression/limiting aspect is inspired in the vein of post processing a signal from a
vintage console into an analog tape machine. Intending to add slight warmth to more extreme saturation-com-
pression. This has a big effect on tonality and tends to push the low-mid range while a built in built in hard limit-
ing function adds hi-mid crunch in the extremes.
Vortices accommodates mono and stereo sources, broken respectively into two mix bus sections, provid-
ing separate mix outputs as well as a Master Mix split stereo output and a Master stereo jack output on the back
of the module.
The separated outputs and auxiliary inputs are provided to accommodate effect chains, feedback patch-
ing and end of chain mixing solutions as well as general sound processing, panning and cross fading applica-
tions.
The two mixer sections offer two types of coloration and frequency response. The main Mono Mix chan-
nels 1-4 provide a warmer over-driven sound with a more pronounced high frequency reduction and rounder
tonality. Higher set gain and input levels pronounce the characteristic saturation-compression effect, thereby
beefing up low to mid harmonic content. Inputs will eventually hit a hard peak limiter, providing additional
distortion at 12Vpp.
Auxiliary Mono mix inputs bypass the saturation-compression in exchange for the hard peak limiter
(12Vpp) with a reduction in high frequency response. They also apply a -3dB pad to help match nominal levels in
a total mix.
The direct output for the X-FADE channel ‘s 2 & 3 at the top of Vortices offers the same saturation-compres-
sion without the reduced high frequency response of the MONO MIXER OUTPUTS. (More about the X-FADE break-
out described in the Mono Mixer section.)
The main Stereo Mix channels provide a gentler saturation effect and a brighter overall frequency
response (when the Stereo Mixer bus Output is utilized). These channels can also be driven harder into their
respective peak limiters (12Vpp).
Auxiliary Stereo mix inputs bypass the saturation-compression in exchange for the hard peak limiter
(12Vpp). They also apply a -3dB pad to help match nominal levels in a total mix.
The headroom of all final mix outputs is approximately 23Vpp before additional hard clipping
of the summed mixes occur.
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