AJH Synth RING SM Ring-Mod, Sub-Bass, Mixer. Review
What If I told you with the AJH Synth Ring SM you could have
- a powerful Ring Modulator with not two but three inputs (giving you two modulators instead of one)
- a cleverly designed Sub-Bass Generator with not one but two sub-bass outputs with each output set to a different sub-octave
- a five-channel analogue mixer with a high-quality audio signal path
- an octave doubler generator
all within one single 14HP wide eurorack module… would you be interested in hearing more about it?
What if this AJH Synth Ring SM eurorack sound-processor module also included
- a CP3-based distortion circuit available in the mixer
- level control knob for each of the five mixing inputs
- a total of nine control knobs for precise signal mixing and processing.
Would that make it even more interesting?
Let’s find out if this module delivers all the above and if it is any good.
A friend of mine saw this Ring SM module and asked: “ok, I see plenty of knobs and connection holes, but what is what?”
The Ring Modulator
This warm-sounding Ring Modulator is a fully analogue (based on discrete transistor core vintage design) four-quadrant multiplier.
Usually, ring modulators have two inputs, one for the carrier signal and one for the modulator signal. The AJH Synth Ring SM offers three inputs, and for each input, there is a dedicated Level Control Knob at the top of the front panel.
- X IN: Carrier Signal Input and X IN Level Knob
- Y IN: Modulator Signal Input and Y IN Level Knob
- Z IN: 2nd Modulator Signal Input ‘more resonant’ and Level Knob
These three AC Coupled Inputs go to the Ring Modulator, then…
RM LEVEL Knob: Ring Modulator Output Level sent to the module main OUT
Those three Level Knobs at the top allow you to control the amount of Carrier, Modulator-1 and Modulator-2 signals entering the Ring Modulator, therefore, allowing for a nice creative control over the final ring-modulated sound.
The RM Level Knob gives you control over how much of the Ring Modulator’s output signal level is sent to the Module’s Output, and this takes us straight into the mixing features of this module, specifically the normalized paths of the five mixing channels.
The Ring SM has a five-channel mixer with an internally normalised signal path for each mixing channel. Each channel also has a dedicated Level Knob [1] to [5]
- Channel 1: [1] RM Level Knob- Ring Modulator Output sent to module ‘OUT’
- Channel 2: [2] X MIX – Original carrier signal (X IN) before it enters the ring modulator
- Channel 3: [3] Y MIX – Original first modulator signal (Y IN) before it enters the ring modulator
- Channel 4: [4] SUB -1 which is a waveform based on the frequency of the carrier signal present at X IN, 1 octave lower
- Channel 5: [5] SUB -2 same as SUB -1 but 2 octaves lower
If you let all of this sink in for a moment you can see how this internal mixer configuration allows you to send three signals into the Ring Modulator to create your custom Ring Modulated sound which is already your custom mixing of X, Y and Z input level signals as they enter the Ring Modulator.
Then, not only do you have the Ring Modulator output ([1]RMLevel) going to the module OUT but you can mix in, the original Carrier ‘[2] X MIX’ and the original First Modulator ‘[3] Y MIX’ signals together with that processed final Ring Modulator output ([1] + [2] + [3])
This gives you some sort of parallel processing as you mix untreated signals and the ring-modulated signal.
But that’s not all… because you can add two Sub Bass waves ([4] and [5]), one and two octaves lower than the original carrier signal, into the mix! You can get some earth-shattering sound coming out of this total mix.
Do you need to catch your breath? Hang in there, there is more!
AJH Synth Ring SM 5 Channels Mixer – The Other One!
We have just finished talking about a five-channel mixer but the Ring SM offers a very versatile mixer here. You can take over any of the normalized mixing paths mentioned above by inputting a signal into any (or all) of the five Inputs at the bottom of the unit.
This gives you an easy-to-use
- five input DC Coupled mixer (IN1 to IN5+) – It can mix Control Voltage and Audio Signals
- CP3 Discreet Transistor Vintage Design Clipping/Distortion
- In5+ ‘+’ sign indicates this is a hotter channel, it will distort earlier
- Level Control Knob per each channel ([1] to [5])
- One Output with OUT LEVEL Control Knob
Input level is +/-5Volts which gives you 10Volts peak to peak (safe to use with signals +-10Volts)
Watch the Video Review for examples of the Mixer Section. Time-stamped links in the description under the video.
Hotter Distortion/Clipping On Mix Channel 5
Channel 5 is hotter than the other channels and will distort earlier, it gives you a warm clipped sound, especially if the main module OUT LEVEL is set to maximum.
See the clipping in action and hear the distorted warm sound in this section of the video review (followed by more audio examples).
AJH Synth Ring SM: Asymmetric Distortion
Not only I can hear a lovely ‘quality’ of distortion from this module but these are 5 DC Coupled inputs which means I can use DC Voltage to ‘offset’ the final Output.
This is very convenient because by offsetting the output up (positive) or down (negative) I can create an output waveform that only distorts at the top or the bottom!
Asymmetric Distortion under your fingertips: See the image showing the input signal (blue triangle waveform) and the output waveform (green waveform) only clipping at the top when adding positive offset voltage.
Watch the video review, see and hear the Asymmetric Distortion in action. You can also see how I use an LFO to create some ‘Dynamic’ Asymmetric Distortion adding unique effects to the sound which also changes based on the speed of the LFO.
I also show examples applied to a kick and beats.
AJH Synth Ring SM: Sub Bass Generators – A Bit Special
You may already have a sub-bass generator in your eurorack modular system, and the Ring SM dual Sub Bass generator will give you something different.
Here is the deal, the two sub-bass generators in the Ring SM will output a variable-shape waveform 1-octave lower and 2-octaves lower than the frequency of the signal present at input ‘X IN‘ (this is your carrier signal input)
I say variable shape because, at low frequencies, the Sub Bass generators will give you a more square-like shape, which is more of a trapezoid.
As you increase the frequency of the signal present at the X IN input, the Sub Bass generators will generate a more sine-like shape.
The design idea behind this is that a waveform that is not a full square wave (or close approximation of a full square) will not be as rich in harmonic content as a full square wave and this should make it a little bit easier to mix the sub-bass sounds together with the rest of your mix.
As you go up in frequencies (with the X IN Input Signal), the sub-bass generators will output an even less rich wave/sound (sine-type) which will be even easier to mix with your mid-range area of the mix.
Add to this the fact you have individual level control for each sub-bass generator and you will be able to create your perfect mix of Input Sound (X IN) + the 1 octave lower sub-bass + the 2 octaves lower sub-bass.
AJH Synth Ring SM: Frequency Doubler – The Magic Trick!
Did you think you could only go 1-octave lower and 2-octaves lower with the Ring SM? Think again… because you can also add a signal 1-octave ‘higher’ into the mix!
To the left of the ‘X IN’ input, there is a switch called DOUBLE. If you flick the switch down, the signal present at the ‘X IN’ input (carrier) is also sent to the ‘Y IN’ (modulator) of the Ring Modulator. This means you can use just ‘one single input signal’ and end up with two (a carrier and a modulator) for your ring modulation.
The specific outcome of doing this with a four-quadrant multiplier is that you end up with the output of the ring modulator being 1 Octave higher than the X IN input signal.
This is because in a quadrant multiplier, we have the sum and the difference of the inputs and in this case, the sum of X IN is of course double X IN (double frequency gives us a signal 1-octave up). The difference between X IN and itself is zero. Therefore you are only left with that double-frequency signal at the output of the Ring Modulator.
Watch this section of the video to see and hear how with just one Input Signal we can end up with the OUTPUT of the Ring SM being our custom mix of FOUR Waves spread over 4 Octaves!
AJH Synth Ring SM: Conclusion
Wow, what a module!
I loved every minute I got to spend with the AJH Synth Ring SM while testing it for this review. I would love to get one in the near future but right now I am sad because I don’t own one 🙂
What’s there not to like?
- It’s a quality piece of analogue design with a great-sounding ring modulator
- A flexible five-channel mixer you can use to mix five external signals or a combination of some external signals and internal normalized sources.
- CP3 type of distortion at your disposal
- Two Sub Bass generators
- One octave doubler
- Possibility to mix untreated carrier and modulator signal together with the output of the Ring Modulator
I feel this is one of those modules that for 14HPs and £240/£260 (silver/dark) will end up being ‘always’ used in any type of patch or track you create.
Do you need to ring modulate? Got it
You don’t need to ring modulate but you need to mix a few waves or control voltages. Got it
Do you need some Vintage Clipping/Distortion? Got it
Could do with some sub bass? Got it
Need to add a 1-octave higher pitch? Got it
A module of this quality that gets used every time is a module worth having.
Price: £240/£260 (silver/dark) – Module Depth: 24mm (34mm with power cable)
Current Usage: 55mA Positive, 50mA Negative –
Manufacturer: www.ajhsynth.com
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Until next time… Happy Euroracking, Have Fun!
