NOISE ENGINEERING DEBEL ITERITAS ALIA

Born from a fondness for the cheesy, yet lovable sounds of 80s FM synthesizers, Debel Iteritas Alia is Noise Engineering's latest Basimilus spinoff packing bells, plucks, and more. Like many historical FM synthesizers, including the ubiquitous Yamaha DX7, the DIA makes use of a phase modulation architecture to generate its sound. But doing away with the complex menu systems and abundant parameters that lend an intimidating reputation to FM synthesis, Debel Iteritas features a streamlined control set that ensures you can get great sounds instantly, ranging from lately basses to tubular bells and beyond.

To keep things easy, DIA features two four-operator FM algorithms across three different modes: Taco, Nacho, and Diablo. You might be thinking: "Hold the sour cream—what do these names have to do with FM synthesis?" Some well-known synth trivia reveals that a certain fast food chain's signature chime-y sound was created not with a real bell, but a DX7. Taco employs a 2x2 FM algorithm, which most closely resembles the DX7's algorithm 5—the one used in Tubular Bells. Nacho thickens things up by switching to a cascading linear arrangement of operators, yielding more complex timbres. And finally, Diablo brings the heat by adding pitch envelopes to the mix, adding some special sauce to your FM sound design

Like other members of the Iteritas family, DIA gives you plenty of knobs to twist and mangle your sounds, with the benefit of optional CV control over everything. Octave blends between parallel additive oscillators for a unique take on shifting registers. Detune allows you to create inharmonic relationships between carriers and modulators, while Index increases the amount of modulation that occurs. Distortion is a foundational element to the Noise Engineering sound, just as rice and beans are to any tex-mex meal, thus Grit imparts saturation for harsher tones. Finally, DIA's full-voice capabilities are rounded out with a flexible internal envelope generator, with Shape skewing between attack and decay relationships and Time setting the overall length of the envelope.

Because Debel Iteritas is built on the new Alia oscillator platform, Noise Engineering has made it such that you can easily swap firmware whenever you crave new sonic flavors. Own a DIA but wanna try out the Basimilus or Manis? You're free to easily do so and build up your own modular combo meal. With a palette of sounds that can best be described as "grande," the Debel Iteritas Alia is guaranteed to be a baja blast as part of your modular rig.

DEBEL ITERITAS ALIA FEATURES

• Hybrid FM + Additive voice for Eurorack modular synthesizers
• DX7-style phase modulation architecture
• 3 modes change FM algorithm: Taco, Nacho, Diablo
• 3 pitch ranges: Bass, Alto, Treble
• CV inputs for all parameters
• Envelope output for external patching
• Swappable firmware on Alia platform