The Dark Energy in Eurorack format has been on the market for quite a while. But in 2018 the remaining CEM 3394 stocks came to an end and production of the noble Doepfer Eurorack synthesizer voice had to be quit. Whatever the case, a modern replacement of the (near-to) all-in-one synthesizer chip 3394 allowed for a A-111-5 relaunch …
That replacement chip comes from Riga / Latvia. The Joint Stock Company ALFA built a whole range of CEM chips and thus enables a (relatively) secure future for quite a large number of analog synthesizers. Its AS3394 chip is the heart of Doepfer’s rack module, called A-111-5.
The A-111-5, for the first time, really looks like a Dark Energy in rack format (Vintage Version!). In other words: it looks really good …
Dieter Döpfer lets the stock of AS chips be selected especially for the A-111-5 – in order to match the high audio-quality of CEM synthesizers …
“We do not use the “normal” AS3394, but have them selected by the manufacturer according to our specifications. My old ears hear no difference to the CEM chip, neither do the guys from Alex4, who sometimes use both – the “old” and the “new”A-111- 5. None of us notices any audible difference. The selected AS3394 cost three times more than the standard AS3394 chips, but it’s worth the effort.”
(Dieter Döpfer)
The A-111-5 module is ideally suited as a flexible solo synthesizer – especially for great bass, lead sounds and FX sounds (FM, XM, LM, two LFOs …) for quality and strong analog sounds, so to speak.
Furthermore, there’s an excting way to re-create THE classic analog poly-synth of the first day. Combined with Doepfer’s polyphonic MIDI module, one can easily combine multiple A-111-5 modules and thus build up a Two-Voice or Four-Voice synthesizer.
Doepfer A-111-5 Modul
Synthesizer-Voice / Dark Energy
in Eurorack Format
Price:
Standard Edition (silver) – 300 Euros
Vintage Edition (black) – 350 Euros
Link Manufacturer:
http://www.doepfer.de/A1115.htm
Open / Download:
Doepfer A-111-5 XL Foto