Tiptop Audio - One

Clean, dynamic sound and very low latencies give Tiptop’s One the feel of an analog circuit. – Even though it is a sample player. Thanks to several modes of operation, the module can be used in a multitude of ways. There are free and chromatic pitch modes, several ways of triggering samples and a loop function. Selecting samples via pitch voltages is possible as well. In result, the One can be used as a multi drum voice, a tonal sample player or a minimalistic rhythm generator.

The One comes equipped with three potentiometers for adjusting volume and pitch as well as selecting samples. A button allows the user to trigger sounds directly at the front panel. For controlling the module via other circuits, there are CV and gate connectors. Thanks to several modes of operation, the inputs can be utilized for a variety of tasks. (See below) Micro SD Cards are used to load audio data into the sample player. A storage medium can hold up to 256 WAV files in 16 / 24 Bit mono format plus configuration data for the CV and gate inputs. Cards are interchangeable during playback. Latencies can be as low as 0.25 milliseconds. Audio files with a length of one hour or more aren't a problem for the module. Tiptop Audio took a pass on extensive artificial processing. - What you put in is what you get out.

The One is delivered with the VCTRS, a Micro SD Card containing 60 Samples created by the well-known sound designer Ivo Ivanov a.k.a. Glitchmachines. To give users the highest flexibility possible, each audio file comes in three resolutions. (48 kHz, 64 kHz and 96 kHz) Additional sample libraries are sold separately. Of course, the musician is also able to create own sound banks using empty Micro SDs.

The CV modes:

Quantized Pitch – The default setting on One. Incoming CV signals are processed via a quantizer algorithm to fit the equal tempered Western scale. The usable range is approximately 3.5 octaves. The sample rate determines, how far audio material can be pitched up and down. Two examples:

48 kHz sample rate
Upward pitch (max): +12 semitones (1 octave)
Downward pitch (max): -30 semitones (2.5 octaves)

96 kHz sample rate
Upward pitch (max): 0 semitones
Downward pitch (max): -42 semitones (3.5 octaves)

Free Pitch – In this mode, the quantizer algorithm is inactive, meaning the pitch can be adjusted in a higher resolution.

File Select – This CV mode allows the user to influence the sample selection instead of the pitch.

The trigger modes:

Trigger – This is the default mode with the lowest latency possible. As soon as the module detects a positive trigger pulse, it plays back the selected sound. If a new control signal comes in while One is still at work, it will retrigger.

Fade – Similar to the trigger mode, but with fade in and out at the trigger point to remove clicks.

Gate – In this mode, the One will play a sample as long as there is a positive gate signal. Fades prevent the module from generating clicks.

Looping – While this mode of operation is active, the One will start playing the selected sample in a continuous loop as soon as a trigger pulse is detected. To stop the module, a new sound has to be selected.

Sequencer – In this mode, the One plays the next sample of a previously created file list. In result, complete rhythms can be created with this mode of operation.

Micro SD Cards must meet the following requirements to be compatible with the One:

• SDHC, not high speed cards for video
• 32 GB or less
• FAT32 respectively MS-DOS format
• Master Boot Record (MBR)