Stretta got his hands on the new Tiptop Audio Z5000, a modular analog CV-friendly DSP effects processor, and says “Go buy one”:

What the world needs is a Eurorack-format DSP with CV control. Along comes the Tiptop Audio Z5000. First of all, it is in stock, you can buy it now. None of this, announce, wait six months, pre pay, wait some more, get aggravated, learn the boards or parts are delayed, etc… This is a real product that you can have in your hot little hands in the time it takes to ship to your door. Kudos for this. Really. Standing ovation

Secondly, it weighs in at under $200. Yes, really. That, my friends, is what I call a reasonably-priced module. Actually, the price is more like, “I don’t have to think about this at all, I’m just going to buy it.”

I spent all of last night playing with it, giggling. Tons of fun. I love putting reverb before the amplifier so the lines you play are smeared, but still gated by the keyboard. A reverb module makes patching far more easy, and opens up creative opportunities you may not have considered before. The Z5000 also includes a handful of other programs like chorus, flanging, but the real focus is on various reverbs

There is nothing about the Z5000 that feels inexpensive. The knobs are nice, the panel graphics and logo have a professional’s eye. Nothing to complain about at all. It feels and works like a solid, professional product, and not some hobbyist side-project. I’m utterly baffled. I hope Tiptop has more products in development, I’m a happy customer.

Stretta’s review is pushing me over the edge – must. get. eurorack. modules.

Read the full review at his site, and let me know if it doesn’t fill you with unbridled modular gear lust.

Now, where can I find a Eurorack case to match a Synthesizers.com cabinet?

Anyone? Anyone?