Mutable Instruments Blades

[KittenVillage]

Plaits into Blades is the new Rings into Clouds.

[deftinwulf]

Plaits into Blades is the new Rings into Clouds.

Plaits into Blades into 2x Rings' resonators into Clouds.

[everythingcontinues]

I LOVE dual / stereo filters. And I love Mutable Instruments. Very glad to see this.

I'll be holding off, as I already have an SSF Stereo Dipole and an AJH Gemini 2412 (both of which I very much enjoy), but I'm glad to see more dual / stereo filters on the market and will certainly be keeping this on the radar.

[blaythe.steuer]

cool filter.

divkid is really really good at what he does

[Chaos215bar2]

Darn .... just when I had the rack finished.

So what you're saying is, it's a Wednesday?

[nios]

Seems nice enough but basically the only thing neat to me is the ability to continuously sweep between serial/parallel instead of it being a toggle. Continuous CV/morph between filter modes modes is rare but not unique (MMG, BL mk3, Koma SVF etc), however a sweep between a drive and a folder is quirky. If this could have swept continuously between 2/4 pole on each side, then I'd have thought it way way more interesting, such as for making an 8-pole serial etc.

As I have the BL (and several types of folding/distortion) I'm not feeling the GAS for Blades. Morgasmatron also has a ton more sonic character to it as well, but does trade out CV-able state variable nature - something I wish was in a lot more filters. Since they've been brought up I don't think it's a good match to compare this to Dipole or QPAS directly as these are quad filters; the gooey stereo twin-peaky-ness is something Blades (or BL or Morgasmatron) just won't do.

If you had strictly up to 20hp and were intending to get exactly one of these fancier types of filters I'd suggest doing your homework and not assuming Blades covers it all. The line of thinking of "well I have a folder now because it's in Blades" - I mean sort of, but dedicated folders don't turn into a drive when toning down so you won't get subtler types of effects. I'd say perhaps Bifold is the best folder overall for size+function, but also Doepfer A-137-1 and various triple-folders are contenders still.

[Chopper]

cool filter.

divkid is really really good at what he does

He reached the 100% when he revealed he plays the telecaster.

[flashheart]

If this could have swept continuously between 2/4 pole on each side, then I'd have thought it way way more interesting, such as for making an 8-pole serial etc.

I've done that with multiple filters, believe me it's really not that interesting , frankly neither are really steep filters either.
I'm not sure there's another filter that covers all the CV'able features this has, sound of course is personal.

... but dedicated folders don't turn into a drive when toning down so you won't get subtler types of effects.

I'm sure it doesn't work like this. The distortion/wavefolding mix is independent of the drive level.
See here:

[deftinwulf]

Dual mono isn’t stereo. The signals are compatible but the way the device operates is different between dual mono devices and stereo devices. Dual mono gives you two completely seperate sets of controls that need to be matched by hand to get the same results, for example it’s very hard to dynamically manipulate the two sets of controls on a dual mono device to keep the stereo image if you’re running a stereo signal through.

Stereo devices let you treat a stereo signal as a single entity, and more advanced ones let you manipulate the stereo image within them. The key to understanding the difference between stereo and dual mono is understanding a stereo signal is one signal travelling down two cables.

This is actually a very interesting point. Linked controls do make stereo a different beast than "dual mono". Genuinely not trying to "gotcha!" here, as I only just watched the DivKid demo video, but it would appear that the "Shift" button on Blades actually does link the filter cutoff into stereo operation with offset control, which is pretty cool. So I guess Blades is kinda stereo when it wants to be?

[gran_syth]

I really like the features of this new module, I am just not taken by the actual sound. After having been so excited about it when I started to watch the video, I ended up just feeling a bit underwhelmed by the overall character of the filters.
Obviously there is the unanswered question to myself of what I actually expected maybe also whether the choice of source material in the video just felt a little bit too 'poppy' for me.

[Foghorn]

In watching the demo, it seems to me the control scheme is great.
The filters themselves are just OK. (at least when one filter is used singly)
Must be lots of crossfaders in it.

[Cornerman]

Nice a new MI module, good to see the brand back in full swing

Not exactly “back in full swing”, since we are coming up to the end of new MI modules...

Didn't know that. Well still a few too come which is good.

[Agawell]

just clouds2 I think

[studioutopia]

Dual mono isn’t stereo. The signals are compatible but the way the device operates is different between dual mono devices and stereo devices. Dual mono gives you two completely seperate sets of controls that need to be matched by hand to get the same results, for example it’s very hard to dynamically manipulate the two sets of controls on a dual mono device to keep the stereo image if you’re running a stereo signal through.

Stereo devices let you treat a stereo signal as a single entity, and more advanced ones let you manipulate the stereo image within them. The key to understanding the difference between stereo and dual mono is understanding a stereo signal is one signal travelling down two cables.

This is actually a very interesting point. Linked controls do make stereo a different beast than "dual mono". Genuinely not trying to "gotcha!" here, as I only just watched the DivKid demo video, but it would appear that the "Shift" button on Blades actually does link the filter cutoff into stereo operation with offset control, which is pretty cool. So I guess Blades is kinda stereo when it wants to be?

Just to throw in some philosophy on the "stereo" debate. "Stereo" is the binaural image perceived by the listener - but it has to be created.
Your comment about Stereo devices treating the two signals as one - IMHO, only applies to devices that post-process a stereo signal. You still need to create a stereo signal. In order for a stereo image to be created, you need to move sources around the soundstage with panning or create variation from left to right.
For the filters I have: QPAS does it with convenient macro-controls to spread the filter peaks differently left and right. Bionic Lester MkIII does it by allowing you to dial in an amount of variation on the second filter relative to the first. Korgasmatron II has a normalization between the V/Oct and FM2 of each channel, so you can manipulate the cutoff of both sides as one with CV, but it is the intricate variation between the two channels that create a stereo image.
The Qu-Bit Prism is a "Stereo Filter". However, the only variation it can create is in the echo effect, it cannot create a stereo image with its filter, it can only process a stereo image. This is the opposite of the problem you state about manipulating two sets of controls - if the controls are locked, then all the device is doing is processing stereo, not creating stereo. Great for a reverb, or filters for equalization/adjustments - but not for creating panoramic/wide soundscapes.
Blades is not a stereo filter, but it will be awesome for creating a stereo image - this feature, in particular, is key:
"Filter 2’s cutoff can be set relatively to filter 1’s cutoff."

[Hyberus]

I think I have just seen my Xmas present to myself. That's if Monday's car service doesn't uncover any nasties . . .

[Glydez]

I think I have just seen my Xmas present to myself. That's if Monday's car service doesn't uncover any nasties . . .

Same boat.

I'll be hoping for you... Mines Tuesday!

[Hyberus]

I think I have just seen my Xmas present to myself. That's if Monday's car service doesn't uncover any nasties . . .

Same boat.

I'll be hoping for you... Mines Tuesday!

Good luck!

[eatmykids]

MERRY XMAS x

also parcel force suck they dropped it off at a post office a mile away and didn't try to deliver it

[deft_bonz]

Wow, that was fast

[starthief]

also parcel force suck they dropped it off at a post office a mile away and didn't try to deliver it

Yeah, but how quickly it arrived! Mine should get here Saturday and I thought that was pretty fast, considering.

[bobbylandry]

Saturday delivery here as well. Showing up today was fast!

Adding the Blades also gives me the exact HP to fill a single case with Mutable stuff. Wouldn't be the most useable single case but would be fun to look out sooo maybe.

[helix]

THis sounds SUPER fun. I feel like it's more versatile than QPAS although is very different. QPAS i would also love for that double notch sound. I guess this can double notch, but not be moveable in quite the same way. Although linking and then moving the offset in the opposite way should have a similar effect i guess?

I wish the drive was moveable to after the filter, but that's being picky. It sounds great. very tame and vanilla if thats all you need in one patch, but capable of so much. I want. But then i actually need a quad filter more at the moment to go with my shifty, , and that was going to be a QU BIT tone... HMMMMMM

[brandonlogic]

marbles sort of felt to me like canned random.

secret to marbles is self-patching. limitless and very complex possibilities when you start self patching it.

[cat_abyss]

Maybe it's too early for this question, but i'm curious as to what happens to the signal when the dial is set halfway between serial and parallel processing...?
75% input to A, 25% to B ... 50% of A into B as well ... output mix of 75% A + 25% B ?

[Apiento]

I was looking for a Belgrad and then this turns up...