Tiptop Audio — BD808

Manual PDF

Tiptop Audio BD808 Eurorack Module Cheat Sheet

The Tiptop Audio BD808 is a direct clone of the Roland TR-808 bass drum circuit, optimized for Eurorack modular systems with some modern enhancements (notably gain staging and independent accent control).

Panel Controls

Control	Type	Description
LEVEL	Knob	Sets output level. High settings can overdrive external devices. 0–100%.
TONE	Knob	Sets the cutoff frequency of the internal low-pass filter. Low = darker, silky. High = punchy, "basketball".
DECAY	Knob	Sets the length of the bass drum tail. High = longer; too high can cause self-oscillation in some units.
ACCENT	Knob	Sets how much the accent voltage (or normalized GATE) affects the amplitude/attack of the sound.

Inputs and Outputs

Jack	Type	Function	Voltage Range
GATE IN	Input	Trigger signal to play the bass drum.	Standard modular gate (~5–12V)
ACCENT IN	Input	Optional accent trigger. If unpatched, GATE IN is normalized here. If patched, sets accent independently.	Gate/trigger (~5–12V)
BD OUT	Output	Audio output for the bass drum. Hot output level—can reach up to 20Vp-p at max LEVEL and ACCENT.	Up to 20Vp-p

Usage Tips

Basic Use:
Patch a trigger or gate source into GATE IN, and BD OUT to your mixer/sound system. Start with LEVEL at ~50%.
Accents:
For dynamics, patch a trigger into ACCENT IN for accented hits.
With no cable patched to ACCENT IN, the BD808 "self-accentuates" (GATE IN is normalized to ACCENT).
Use the ACCENT knob for fine control over hit strength and volume.
Drive and Loudness:
Max LEVEL and ACCENT produce an extremely hot output (up to 20Vp-p). Watch gain-staging when feeding interfaces.
Decay Self-Oscillation:
If DECAY is at maximum, some units may self-oscillate (constant low tone). Reduce slightly if this occurs.
Sound Design:
Short DECAY, high LEVEL/TONE/ACCENT = tight, punchy kicks.
Long DECAY, low TONE = booming, sub-heavy 808s.
Experiment processing BD OUT with filters, distortions, or external modulation for unique results.
Inconsistent Sound:
If DECAY is longer than your trigger interval, sounds may overlap and become inconsistent—reduce DECAY.

Voltage Ranges

Inputs (GATE/ACCENT): Standard modular gates/triggers (typically respond to 4V+, safe up to 12V).
Output (BD OUT): Up to 20Vp-p in extreme settings. Typical professional line level inputs clip around 10Vp-p!

Patch Ideas

Process BD OUT through wavefolders/distorters for grit.
Use another module's output into ACCENT IN for dynamic/probabilistic accents.
Mix with other Tiptop 808-series drums for full classic kits.

Manual Reference: Tiptop Audio BD808 Manual PDF

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