Tiptop Audio’s Z-DSP is a cartridge-based open source digital sound processing and effects generating platform for your modular synthesizer. Lush audio processing, greater stereo depth and a unique set of digital synthesis is what the Z-DSP is all about.
The Z-DSP has a stereo digital sound processor with 24-bit sampling, 15kHz of bandwidth, voltage-controlled parameters of stereo feedback, program switching, DSP parameters, equal power crossfading dry/wet mixing, as well as sequential program control switching and a clear display – all in Eurorack format. A dedicated clocking input for the DSP chip does wonders to passing sound by bending the algorithms in an unexpected way, a hardware technique computer plugins can’t do and is unique to the Z-DSP.
In a recent update, the Z-DSP (NS) got an all new design of its analog circuitry, contributing to a lower noise signal path, clearer sound of the entire frequency range, lower distortion and better immunity to noise emitted by other modules sharing the same power supply. A new analog dry/wet circuit has been implemented to remove the 3db gain drop when the mix knob passes through the center of the dial making the use of this function more practical in a live application. A reverse polarity protection has been added as well. The new front-panel matches Tiptop’s colorful design, and a single printed circuit board and surface mount technology improve reliability during production and use. The powerful Z-DSP engine remains the same as the original Z-DSP module and all cards are compatible across both versions.
An assortment of interchangeable cards, programmed by Tiptop Audio and specialists like Valhalla DSP, provide a wide range of boutique effects algorithms such as Halls of Valhalla, Time Fabric, Clocked Delays and Grain De Folie. Tiptop Audio also offers blank Z-DSP cartridges and a development tool called NumberZ for developers, students and power users who want to design their own effects and cards with the FV-1 DSP chip programing language. Blank cards can be loaded using programs that are freely available for non-commercial use and can be found in the modular community through online forums. With each card swap, the Z-DSP takes on new effect algorithms, changing like a digital chameleon and bringing colorful digital effects processing to your Eurorack setup.
The Z-DSP comes included with 2 cards: Halls of Valhalla and Dragonfly Delay MKII.
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
Product Overview
Tiptop Audio’s Z-DSP is a cartridge-based open source digital sound processing and effects generating platform for your modular synthesizer. Lush audio processing, greater stereo depth and a unique set of digital synthesis is what the Z-DSP is all about.
The Z-DSP has a stereo digital sound processor with 24-bit sampling, 15kHz of bandwidth, voltage-controlled parameters of stereo feedback, program switching, DSP parameters, equal power crossfading dry/wet mixing, as well as sequential program control switching and a clear display – all in Eurorack format. A dedicated clocking input for the DSP chip does wonders to passing sound by bending the algorithms in an unexpected way, a hardware technique computer plugins can’t do and is unique to the Z-DSP.
In a recent update, the Z-DSP (NS) got an all new design of its analog circuitry, contributing to a lower noise signal path, clearer sound of the entire frequency range, lower distortion and better immunity to noise emitted by other modules sharing the same power supply. A new analog dry/wet circuit has been implemented to remove the 3db gain drop when the mix knob passes through the center of the dial making the use of this function more practical in a live application. A reverse polarity protection has been added as well. The new front-panel matches Tiptop’s colorful design, and a single printed circuit board and surface mount technology improve reliability during production and use. The powerful Z-DSP engine remains the same as the original Z-DSP module and all cards are compatible across both versions.
An assortment of interchangeable cards, programmed by Tiptop Audio and specialists like Valhalla DSP, provide a wide range of boutique effects algorithms such as Halls of Valhalla, Time Fabric, Clocked Delays and Grain De Folie. Tiptop Audio also offers blank Z-DSP cartridges and a development tool called NumberZ for developers, students and power users who want to design their own effects and cards with the FV-1 DSP chip programing language. Blank cards can be loaded using programs that are freely available for non-commercial use and can be found in the modular community through online forums. With each card swap, the Z-DSP takes on new effect algorithms, changing like a digital chameleon and bringing colorful digital effects processing to your Eurorack setup.
The Z-DSP comes included with 2 cards: Halls of Valhalla and Dragonfly Delay MKII.
Technical Specs
Shipping Details
How much is my shipping?
Shipping is automatically calculated before you submit your payment information. Simply add items to your cart and proceed to the checkout page, where you'll be offered shipping options and their prices. In the UK, 'next working day' shipping is free if the order value is over £150, and £5 otherwise. We can also ship on a 'next working day before 12pm' service, which costs £6 for orders over £150 and £7.50 for orders under £150.
Shipping to mainland EU typically costs between £7 and £20, depending on the shipping method and the size and weight of the order.
Do you ship to my country?
Almost certainly - the site will give you an estimate of shipping costs if you add an item to the cart and then enter your country and postcode. If you have specific requirements (such as if you prefer UPS over FedEx, for example) then let us know in advance and we'll try to work something out for you.
Shipping methods
We use a combination of DPD, Royal Mail and Parcelforce for the UK, and for international orders it's either DHL, FedEx, UPS, Royal Mail or Parcelforce depending on where you are in the world. If you have a particular preference then try to let us know BEFORE you order so we can look into it for you. Please note that there may occasionally be additional shipping charges if you live in a remote area, depending on what surcharges are applied by the shipper. We'll get in touch to discuss this with you in such cases.
Dispatch times
For UK orders, we aim to dispatch the same working day if we get the order before 16:00. If you have a really urgent situation then of course drop us an email before ordering and we'll always do our absolute best to accommodate you.
For international orders, we normally dispatch the same day if we get the order before 13:00 but again, occasionally it might be the next day before we can send it out, and sometimes the couriers may come to collect a little earlier than scheduled which would also push an order into the next day.
Saturday/Sunday shipping
If you're in the UK and you order before 16:00 on a Friday then we can send something for a Saturday or Sunday delivery with DPD. This is FREE for order values over £350, £5 for order values between £75 and £250, and £7 for order values under £75. (NB: this applies to UK mainland addresses only). Please note that any orders placed after 16:00 on a Friday will ship on the Monday.
International shipping times
Since April 2020, the couriers we use have suspended guarantees for shipping times, so even though we're paying them for priority services - 24-48 hours for most of the world - in practice it's often an extra day on top and sometimes it can be longer. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this, unfortunately. If you are outside the UK and it's a life-or-death situation where you absolutely MUST have that passive mult for the next day then... it may be better to find a local supplier.
Pre-orders
If a product is listed as a pre-order, it means we've ordered it from the supplier but it's not physically in stock yet. The product listing will include an estimated shipping date based on the best information we have from the supplier, but do bear in mind this is subject to change and is not a guaranteed date.
If you place an order containing a mixture of in-stock and pre-order items, we'll normally hold off on shipping anything until the pre-order item(s) have arrived, rather than splitting it into multiple shipments. If you need the in-stock items sooner, we'd recommend placing separate orders. As always, please get in touch if you have questions.
