Back in 2000, this rackmount wonder brought classic analog vocoding to modern studios with its trio of sweepable bandpass filters, delivering that warm, robotic sheen heard on tracks like Beastie Boys' Intergalactic.
Housed in a compact 1U chassis, it splits your analysis signal—via XLR mic or 1/4-inch line input—across an 11-band crossover from 50Hz to 12kHz, while the synthesis side takes a carrier through its own 11 bands, complete with individual gain knobs for precise tonal sculpting like a graphic EQ. A built-in sawtooth VCO with front-panel frequency control kicks in automatically if no synth input is plugged in, perfect for instant robot voices, and two LFOs plus an envelope follower modulate the filters for dynamic sweeps and phasing. Mix in dry analysis, synthesis, or vocoder signals via the output section, tweak the Filter offset for sensitivity, and enjoy voiced/unvoiced detection with integrated noise— all powered by an external 12V AC supply, with peak LEDs and a limiter keeping things clean and overload-free.
Over two decades on, it's earned a cult following among analog enthusiasts for its low noise, tweakable front-panel layout of over 20 knobs, and versatility as a standalone filterbank or talkbox emulator—users praise its harmonic warmth on guitars and vocals, though some note the lack of phantom power on the mic input. A true vintage gem from MAM's lineup of bold effects.
