Audiophile Circuits League Discrete Core Ladder VCF is a beautifully liquid sounding Moog-inspired transistor ladder design filter, with four outputs (6dB, 12dB, 18db, and 24db). We believe ours sounds fantastic, but there are many great sounding filter modules available, so we wanted to do something new, and designed a filter that addresses traditional limitations and offers new possibilities.
Our VCF features a 'BOOST' control. In most ladder VCF designs, the lower frequencies get attenuated (i.e the bass is lost), when you dial up the resonance. BOOST restores the low frequencies, boosting them at high resonance settings, allowing you to play extreme squealing basslines that are still... basslines.
Furthermore, our Discrete Core Ladder VCF features four separate buffered outputs for 6dB, 12dB, 18dB, and 24dB/octave sloped filters. This offers many many advantages over a simple switch selecting one slope setting or another.
Each of the outputs taps consecutively into the signal path as it is progressively filtered, and all of them can be routed and used separately... and simultaneously. Things get interesting then, because each stage is phase shifted by 90° from the previous. This offers very creative possibilities for combining these signals, as when you combine phase-shifted signals, some frequencies are cancelled. When combining them using a mixer that allows you to invert the waveforms of some of these, you can create fascinating bandpass filters, and everything in between low- and high-pass filters. It is similar to Oberheim's Expander Filter, but with its own unique character, since our filter is modelled on a Moog design.
We have not limited ourselves to features, of course: Signal path is key to making a filter sound fantastic. A fully discrete, low noise, low distortion audio path is used throughout the circuitry. And we designed it to saturate at exactly the point our experience has taught us responds best, and works well with other modules. When approaching 8V PP (Peak-to-Peak), the filter will create an awesome creamy and compressed sound that bends and evolves ever more as you push the input signal harder. And yet at lower signal levels, low distortion discrete buffers ensure the overall distortion of the signal is quite low, enabling a very clean sine wave when the filter is self-oscillating a little.
The end result offers the lush characteristics of a Moog filter, but with creative and practical possibilities unique to our VCF.
Current Draw:
- 65 mA +12V
- 65 mA -12V
- 0 mA 5V
Installation depth:
- 22 mm deep
Width 18 HP
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK it's normally around £4 for order values under £150, and free above that. Shipping to mainland EU is typically between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of Parcelforce, DPD, Royal Mail and UPS for the UK, and for international orders it's either Royal Mail, UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we normally dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 15:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes FedEx or UPS may come a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Shipping times
Since April 2020 the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer.
There is absolutely nothing we can do about this unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Saturday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 15:30 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday delivery (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). The success rate with DPD is about 95% so it's worth a punt most of the time. Please note that if you select Saturday shipping on an order placed earlier in the week, we'll wait until Friday to ship it.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
Product Overview
Audiophile Circuits League Discrete Core Ladder VCF is a beautifully liquid sounding Moog-inspired transistor ladder design filter, with four outputs (6dB, 12dB, 18db, and 24db). We believe ours sounds fantastic, but there are many great sounding filter modules available, so we wanted to do something new, and designed a filter that addresses traditional limitations and offers new possibilities.
Our VCF features a 'BOOST' control. In most ladder VCF designs, the lower frequencies get attenuated (i.e the bass is lost), when you dial up the resonance. BOOST restores the low frequencies, boosting them at high resonance settings, allowing you to play extreme squealing basslines that are still... basslines.
Furthermore, our Discrete Core Ladder VCF features four separate buffered outputs for 6dB, 12dB, 18dB, and 24dB/octave sloped filters. This offers many many advantages over a simple switch selecting one slope setting or another.
Each of the outputs taps consecutively into the signal path as it is progressively filtered, and all of them can be routed and used separately... and simultaneously. Things get interesting then, because each stage is phase shifted by 90° from the previous. This offers very creative possibilities for combining these signals, as when you combine phase-shifted signals, some frequencies are cancelled. When combining them using a mixer that allows you to invert the waveforms of some of these, you can create fascinating bandpass filters, and everything in between low- and high-pass filters. It is similar to Oberheim's Expander Filter, but with its own unique character, since our filter is modelled on a Moog design.
We have not limited ourselves to features, of course: Signal path is key to making a filter sound fantastic. A fully discrete, low noise, low distortion audio path is used throughout the circuitry. And we designed it to saturate at exactly the point our experience has taught us responds best, and works well with other modules. When approaching 8V PP (Peak-to-Peak), the filter will create an awesome creamy and compressed sound that bends and evolves ever more as you push the input signal harder. And yet at lower signal levels, low distortion discrete buffers ensure the overall distortion of the signal is quite low, enabling a very clean sine wave when the filter is self-oscillating a little.
The end result offers the lush characteristics of a Moog filter, but with creative and practical possibilities unique to our VCF.
Technical Specs
Shipping Details
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK it's normally around £4 for order values under £150, and free above that. Shipping to mainland EU is typically between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of Parcelforce, DPD, Royal Mail and UPS for the UK, and for international orders it's either Royal Mail, UPS, DHL or FedEx depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we normally dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 15:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes FedEx or UPS may come a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Shipping times
Since April 2020 the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer.
There is absolutely nothing we can do about this unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Saturday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 15:30 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday delivery (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). The success rate with DPD is about 95% so it's worth a punt most of the time. Please note that if you select Saturday shipping on an order placed earlier in the week, we'll wait until Friday to ship it.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
