Transit Two-Channel Stereo Mixer from Modbap Modular by BeatPPL

Modbap Modular by BeatPPL, a black-owned developer of Eurorack modular synthesizers and instruments made in America, is proud to announce Transit — thoughtfully packaged as an uncomplicated, compact (6HP), dual-channel stereo audio mixer module for Eurorack with an all- analog signal path providing performable control over routing and mixing within smaller or larger modular system setups alike, and all without forsaking flexible features with which few small-format mixers can comfortably compete — as of May 10.

Transit takes two stereo — dual mono — lanes of audio with an all-analog signal path and embellishes each of them with its own input gain control (CH1 GAIN and CH2 GAIN), mute button (CH1 MUTE and CH2 MUTE), and ducking input (CH1 DUCK and CH2 DUCK), the latter operating like traditional side-chaining on a compressor, whereby an input signal, CV (Control Voltage), or trigger input — i.e. LFO (Low-Frequency Oscillator), Clock, Gate — modulates the gain reduction of the audio. Applying this well-known production technique to the ever-widening world of Eurorack should appeal to audio professionals, beat-makers, and musicians to whom it is already familiar from a wide variety of music genres where an effect is activated by an audio track.

Transit also boasts a 3.5mm headphone (PHONES) jack with its own independent volume (PHONES GAIN) control knob, while its all- analog signal path’s final destination is a left and right stereo output (LEFT OUT and RIGHT OUT) with an associated MASTER volume knob.

Needless to say, Transit is as easy on the eye as it is in use, with digitally-controlled LEDs (Light-Emitting Diodes) for each stereo channel lane indicating level via white, blue, and pink illumination, while engaging the CH1 MUTE and/or CH2 MUTE buttons illuminates those LEDs in red. Meanwhile, MASTER and PHONES levels also have their own LEDs for level indication using the same illumination color scheme.

It is fair to say, then, that Transit is a rather full-featured compact (6HP) dual stereo channel lane Eurorack-formatted mixer that offers easy signal mixing, gain staging, ducking, and performance-oriented mutes. It is just as at home in a small Eurorack system as one Transit or more would be in a larger system.

Says Modbap Modular by BeatPPL designer and founder Corry Banks: “The idea for Transit came about because our Per4mer quad performance FX unit sat perfectly in one of our Modbap20 powered Eurorack pods. Indeed, in this configuration, it comfortably resided on the desktop amongst all my tabletop synths, drum machines, and samplers, but I found that I wanted a bit more control over the signal into Per4mer — plus, perhaps, a headphone jack — and I definitely wanted a master volume level control for live sets. So it made perfect sense to subsequently design a module that could fill the empty 6HP next to the Per4mer in the 20HP Modbap20. Together, Transit and Per4mer make for a perfect pairing while complementing the tabletop synth and beat-maker desktop.”

Well worth mentioning is the fact that Transit also pairs well with Modbap Modular by BeatPPL’s sensational-sounding BI-FIDELITYTM WAVETABLE OSC (oscillator) module, Osiris — or, indeed, any other Eurorack entry that could conceivably benefit from a compact analogue dual-channel stereo ducking mixer, sub-mixer, or final output mixer. Making some space for one Transit or more is clearly making a wise decision to enhance Eurorack systems — bigger or smaller — with some seriously flexible features with which few small-format mixers can comfortably compete.

Expected to ship in mid-June 2022, Transit is available to preorder at an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $249.00 USD via San Clemente, CA, USA-based distributor Electro Distro’s growing global network of dealers (https://www.electro-distro.com/dealers) or directly via its dedicated webpage (which includes more in-depth information) here: https://www.modbap.com/products/transit