Studio Electronics Boomstar Modular System Modstar 3003 Filter Module

Studio Electronics 3003 filter is a voltage-controlled discrete analog 18 db/octave ladder low pass filter employing hand-matched transistors. Drop the FREQUENCY knob to 0 and things get pretty dull; swing it back up and those 'transistor bass' highs come crashing through the gate. The 3003's RESONANCE circuit at max will sing out more than the TB's signature chirping in a fun, bubbly, if washy, poorer relation, Mini 'clone-ish' way; use it tastefully, or throw moderation to the wind for overwhelming chirp force.

The 3003 filter has the most gentle sonic touch of its partners in the Boomstar fold, but nevertheless is quite capable of shaping precise, very dynamic tone. Whether or not this Studio Electronics filter is filling its traditional baseline boxing niche, driving a harsh, liquid, acid-like tone, a softer more rubber-bandy SH-101-ish presence, or out of the bass range altogether and 'leading' the way, all is within easy reach of this surprisingly warm and versatile VCF. The 3003 can be distinctly vocal at times, especially when one is willing to put grittier, more distorted desires aside.

Potentiometer potential
Seven attenuation pots control the FREQUENCY, RESONANCE, FREQ CV 1, RESO CV, FREQ CV 2, INPUT and OUTPUT, delivering smooth, detailed, and complex expression.

Switch it up
Classic Minimoog FULL and HALF strength filter frequency keyboard/voltage tracking for rounder low end with brilliant highs.

Patch it up
Seven patch points — 1 V/O, FREQ CV 1, FREQ CV 2, RESO CV, INPUT and 2x OUTPUT — direct the deepest manipulation.

• Module controls
• FREQUENCY knob: adjusts the frequency (or 'cutoff') of the filter.
• RESONANCE knob: adjusts the resonance (or 'Q') of the filter. (From 7:00 (0) position to 9:00, Studio Electronics' 'Negative Resonance Saturation' adds beefiness, boosting the waveform amplitude and taming waveform transients; set to 9:00 to achieve the cleanest tone possible.)
• FULL/HALF TRACK switch: switch between full and half keyboard/voltage tracking.
• FREQ CV 1 knob: frequency control voltage 1 input attenuverters.
• RESO CV knob: resonance control voltage input attenuverters.
• FREQ CV 2 knob: frequency control voltage 2 input attenuverters.
• INPUT knob: adjusts the audio input level.
• OUTPUT knob: adjusts the audio output level.
• Patch points
• 1 V/O input: one volt per octave control voltage input.
• FREQ CV 1 input: frequency control voltage 1 input.
• FREQ CV 2 input: frequency control voltage 2 input.
• RESO CV input: resonance control voltage input.
• INPUT: audio input.
• OUTPUT (×2): audio outputs.
• Physical specifications
• Size: 12hp
• Module depth: 39.7mm (with ribbon cable attached)
• Power usage: 37mA @ +12V, 25mA @ -12V