Microphone Triple Preamp and Distortion
User Manual

Manual Version 1.0
Module Version 2.1
xoxomodular.com

INTRODUCTION

The microphone is a triple preamp that builds on the excellent Mikrophonie by Music Thing Modular. Microphone forgoes the internal contact mic and gives you a total of THREE preamps for all your experimental pleasures:

• Use it with a contact mic to hear intricate textures, springy spring sounds, or whatever else you want to rub it all over
• Attach a contact mic to your guitar, banjo, shamisen, or crash cymbal to get those sounds into your rack for further experimentation
• Plugin 3 contact mics to get three separate triggers for your drum modules, adjusting sensitivity with the knobs
• Try your luck with random other microphones and see what happens
• Connect an unused patch cable (or not) and start fiddling with the knob to get screechy, wobbly, short-wave-radio-tuning oscillation

Or do three of those things at the same time – one with each of the three identical preamps. The possibilities for experimenting with the above are kind of endless.
If that’s not enough, you can patch sounds from other parts of your modular rack into one of the inputs for some gnarly, LOUD, distortion. Simple waveforms sometimes just get louder while others change shape in really interesting ways. Digital oscillators and complex waveforms can become something else entirely.
The three preamps are separate, but the output of the top preamp is normally (normalized) to the input of the next one, and so on. So you can plug the output of another module into the top input and hear the distorted signal on that same output. If that’s not wild enough, you can listen to the second output for even more distortion. Or the third output for total madness!

INSTALLATION

Power

The microphone is designed to be installed in a Eurorack modular system. Connect the included IDC power cable, paying careful attention to the orientation of the red stripe.
!!! Connecting the cable in the wrong orientation will likely result in physical damage !!!
While the box header is meant to ensure that the cable is plugged in correctly, power cables have been known to be built incorrectly. If you are using the power cable included with the module, you are safe. If you use a cable from another source, be sure that the red stripe’s location matches the screen-printed markings on the Makrophonie circuit board!

Jumpers

Removable jumpers are used to configure the module. The circuit board is clearly marked, identifying the location and function of the jumpers.

• By placing a jumper at location J10, the output of the uppermost preamp will be forwarded to the input of the middle preamp.
• By placing a jumper at location J11, the output of the middle preamp will be forwarded to the input of the bottom preamp.

See the Usage section below for more information about these “normalizations.”

PANEL LAYOUT

• Note the alternating pattern of inputs/outputs. This is to afford more flexibility and space for patch cables. Outputs are always identified with a reverse (gold) background –
  a common Eurorack convention.

USAGE

Each of Makrophonie’s three preamps has an input jack, an output jack, and a gain knob.
The jacks are distinguished from each other in two ways:

1. The arrow markings show the flow from input to output, making its way through the gain knob
2. The output jack for each preamp is identified with a reverse (gold) background – a common practice with Eurorack modules

To use each of the three Makrophonie preamps independently, simply plug a patch cable into one of the input jacks. Use the associated gain knob to increase amplification. Plug a patch cable from the output jack to another module (eg: an attenuator, VCA, mixer, etc).

INPUT

Makrophonie can be used to connect a contact mic to your modular synth – amplifying its signal to a useable level. Contact mics can be used as a sound source (eg: a contact mic attached to a percussive instrument, or rubbed against a textured surface.) They can also be used as a trigger/gate. Connect the output of Makrophonie to a module that expects a gate. During the period in which the output voltage is higher than the gate threshold, the signal will appear as a “high” gate. (See the illustration) By adjusting the preamp gain knob, you can fine-tune the output to match the gate/trigger behavior you’re looking for.
You can connect microphones other than contact mics – or other sound sources – to the input of a preamp, with the understanding that the output will be amplified with a very high gain and may sound distorted.In this way, the module can be used specifically to add distortion to a sound source, with the gain knob increasing the level of distortion.
You can also listen to the output of the preamp without an input connected. You may hear noise and oscillations that can be changed using the gain knob.

OUTPUT

The output of each preamp is an amplified version of its input. The amplification is over 20x, so the signal is very “hot” (ie: LOUD.) Depending on the desired results, you might want to tame the output by connecting it to a VCA, mixer, or attenuator. As described in the INPUT section above, the output can be also used as a gate/trigger source. When jumper J10 is installed, the output of the preamp #1 (uppermost on the panel) is “normalled” to the input of preamp #2 (the middle section of the panel). If patch cables
are connected to both the input and output jacks of the preamps, the preamps function independently, and this normalization has no effect. If, however, the patch cables are removed from the output of #1 and the input of #2, the jumper affords an invisible link between the two – effectively acting as an invisible patch cable leading from the output of #1 to the input of #2. A visual explanation is shown below.
In (A), patch cables are plugged into all 4 jacks, and each preamp functions independently. In (B), a patch cable is connected from the output of #1 to the input of #2, doubling the amount of amplification/distortion possible. Both gain knobs can be used. This example functions the same with or without jumper J10 in place.
In (C), jumper J10 is in place. It automatically forwards the output from #1 to the input of #2. It works the same as example (B), but without requiring an actual patch cable.

Jumper J11 works as described above, but links preamp #2’s output to the input of #3. With both jumpers in place, you could connect a sound source to input

1 and hear it, with distortion, at output #1. You could then move the patch

cable from output #1 to output #2 to hear an even more distorted signal. You could then move that same patch cable to output #3 to hear the signal with maximum distortion. (Because the gain of each amplifier is so high, some signals will sound the same at the output of #2 and #3.) Even with both jumpers in place, you might decide to use the top two preamps together (via the normalization described above) and the third one totally independently. Likewise, the bottom two preamps could be used together while the top one is used for another purpose. In the four visual example configurations that follow, vertical arrows represent normalizations with the jumpers in place.

TIPS

The outputs on this module are HOT/LOUD. That’s just the nature of the beast. Also, it’s a beast. So be ready for gnarly and rough, not refined and gentle.
You can make your own contact mics or you can buy ones designed for use with acoustic string instruments. In either case, you’re likely to have a 1/4″ plug on the end of your mic. 1/8” to 1/4″ mono adapters are available in our online store if you need them.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Makrophonie is designed to be used in a Eurorack-compatible case.

-12v 25ma

Included with Makrophonie are: (1) 20cm IDC power cable; (2) 2.54mm jumpers; (2) M3 x.5mm x 6mm mounting screws
Solder, printed circuit board, and all its attached electronic components are certified RoHS compliant. Packaging for everything we sell is made of 100% recycled and reclaimed
materials. All of the designs and assembly that we do uses 100% solar power.

LIMITED WARRANTY

From the date of manufacture, this device is guaranteed for a period of 1 year against any manufacturing or material defects. Any such defects will be repaired or replaced at the
discretion of XOXO Modular. This does not apply to damage caused by misuse or physical mistreatment.
No responsibility or liability is implied or accepted for harm to the person or apparatus caused through the operation of this product, or for any errors or inaccuracies that may
appear in this document.
By using this product, you agree to these terms.

SCHEMATIC

References

• XOXO Modular

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