Manifold Research Centre - Antilope

The Antilope is a curious instrument. Part drum machine, part dual filter, part effects processor — and entirely its own thing. Manifold Research Centre calls it a "pseudo drum and dynamics machine," which is an honest description: you won't find sample playback or traditional synthesis here. Instead, percussion emerges from pinged resonant filters, shaped by distortion circuits modeled after the Sunn O))) Beta Bass amplifier, and sequenced through a pattern recorder that outputs morphable envelopes or stepped voltages. It's portable too, running off USB-C power from a decent power bank.

The filter section runs dual fully resonant circuits with shared cutoff, resonance, and spread controls. When cranked into self-oscillation, they function as a dual VCO tracking V/Oct across roughly four octaves. But Antilope really comes alive when you ping those filters — the resonance control has been deliberately shaped to give you quasi-linear control over decay time. Short, snappy hits or long, ringing tones are possible without fighting the interface. Each filter has independent level, LP/HP crossfade, and V/Oct attenuverters.

From here, signals sum into the distortion section which really provides a lot of the raw character of this instrument. The circuit draws from the Sunn O))) Beta Bass — a three-band EQ with emphasis on low-mids, level and feedback controls that are both CV-controllable VCAs, and a switch determining the feedback path. Set it one way and distortion feeds back into itself, driving harmonics toward self-oscillation. Set it the other way and the signal routes through the FX chain first, returning to the distortion input warmed and colored by whatever algorithm you've selected. The feedback path then transforms the digital FX into something more "alive", depending on how hard you push the drive.

The FX section runs on a Spin FV-1 chip offering seven stereo algorithms: delays (short, multitap, pitch-shifting), dual ring mod with chorus, dual chorus, reverse reverb, and plate reverb. Three parameters per effect, all with CV inputs. The analog feedback loop means these effects don't sit politely at the end of the chain — they rather become part of the tonal character, mixed back into all the grit generated by the feedback.

Antilope also has a curious section called "The Core", and it's where this device diverges from anything else. It's a pattern recorder for three independent channels, each with dedicated CV and gate outputs on the front panel. Record trigger events via the Cherry MX switches, then switch each channel between AD envelope mode (with morphable shapes from exponential to logarithmic, speeds from 20ms to 8 seconds) or stepped voltage mode (reading fader positions as a sequence). Per-channel controls for phase, shape, and clock multiplication/division let you build polyrhythmic relationships from a single recorded pattern. A touch-sensitive surface introduces cross-modulation between channels for expressive variations on otherwise steady loops. The video below should make this section more clear, even using magnets to introduce more unpredictability into your patterns.

External sync comes via MIDI clock or Eurorack clock input (reset every 4 steps). Seven pattern slots can store your parameters from "The Core". Eurorack-compatible voltage levels throughout, stereo line I/O on the back, headphone output, and firmware updates via USB complete the picture.

Antilope is a special instrument for those drawn to resonant percussion, feedback experiments, and a really unique take on interface design.

Features:

• Dual pingable resonant filters with common cutoff, resonance, and spread
• Independent LP/HP crossfade and V/Oct attenuverter per filter
• Self-oscillation capable, V/Oct tracking across 4 octaves
• Resonance control shaped for quasi-linear decay length
• Distortion section modeled after Sunn O))) Beta Bass amplifier
• Three-band EQ with low-mid emphasis
• CV-controllable level and feedback VCAs
• Switchable feedback path: direct or through FX chain
• Spin FV-1 digital effects: delays, pitch shifting, ring mod, chorus, reverbs
• Three CV-controllable parameters per effect algorithm
• Pattern recorder with 3 independent channels
• Per-channel CV and gate outputs
• Switchable AD envelope or stepped voltage mode per channel
• Morphable envelope shapes (exp/log combinations)
• Envelope speed range: 20ms to 8 seconds
• Per-channel phase, shape, and mult/div controls
• Touch surface for cross-modulation between channels
• 7 pattern save/recall slots
• Cherry MX trigger switches
• MIDI clock and Eurorack clock sync inputs
• Eurorack compatible voltage levels (+10V/-10V)
• Stereo line level input and output
• Headphone output (up to 250 ohm impedance)
• USB-C powered (2.4A) — portable operation from power bank
• USB port for firmware updates