CLEAN, VINTAGE, CLEAN-VCA, VINTAGE-VCA
The clean setting is a very transparent discrete class A audio path. This is the most
transparent audio path in the device. The clean setting imparts the least amount of color
on the sound.
The vintage audio path has color similar to a triode tube circuit and single ended
Class A transistor circuits. The color is mostly second harmonic with third harmonic being
introduced when clipping is approached. Using this setting will result in a rich, fat,
warm sound.
Many vintage tube and solid state compressors have small amounts of control voltage
feed through and other modulation artifacts that take place with gain changes. The VCA
settings add these types of modulation artifacts to the audio pat. It is important to note
that the color added by the VCA setting is dynamic. This means that the sound change is
only heard when TRAKKER's gain is changing and is more prevalent with fast attack and
release settings. The sound setting is called VCA on the front panel. (The VCA artifact
can be attached to the clean or vintage sound.)
Because of relay switching, when changing the character switch there will be a small clicking noise. The signal turns off for .2 ms thus causing the click. It will only happen when there is signal present. If it was possible to change the relay at zero crossing of the signal, there would be no click. By using relays the audio path quality is maintained.