OVUM for Eurorack: Simplicity Meets Abundance

A hands-on bank of five analog oscillators built for drones, modulation, and tactile exploration, delivering flexibility and performance-friendly design at an affordable price.

The OVUM for Eurorack is an adaptation of the standalone OVUM synth, brought into modular format as a bank of five triangle-core analog oscillators. Built by hand in Vancouver, Canada, this module is equal parts drone machine, modulation source, and creative playground. At $149 USD, it positions itself as one of the most affordable ways to get five fully analog oscillators into your system.

The OVUM is refreshingly straightforward. Each oscillator has three primary controls—pitch, level, and wave shape—plus a switch to toggle between audio-rate and LFO. The layout is wide and breathable, with outputs at the top and performance controls at the bottom. Compared to modules that cram features into every millimeter, OVUM embraces white space to make live interaction easy.

Where many oscillators become “set-and-forget” sound sources, OVUM is designed to be touched. The control-driven interface makes it feel like a performance instrument rather than just a typical VCO.

Flexible Mixing Options

The five oscillators each have their own output, but they’re also normalled into a main summed output. Set all oscillators to audio-rate and leave everything except the last output unpatched; you’ll get a rich five-oscillator drone as a result. You could also take the first two oscillators as independent LFOs while the other three remain blended at the final output. Just watch your levels—five oscillators at full tilt can clip.

Generative by Design

There are no CV inputs, which is both a limitation and a defining feature. OVUM is not about clock-tight synchronization; it’s about hands-on, organic exploration. The absence of 1V/oct means it nudges you toward embracing drones, textures, and modulation. Used creatively, it can even act as a quirky five-gate generator or clicky noise source.

Affordable

At $149 USD, OVUM is remarkable value. It frees your more “precious” oscillators for melodic duties while covering drones, textures, or modulation. For anyone building a versatile yet budget-conscious system, this module fills a real gap.

Organic Over Precision

The pitch knobs are small and very sensitive, making precise tuning (if that's your thing) more difficult than usual. Dialling in perfectly pitched drones takes extra time. Similarly, the LEDs only show green, even though the oscillators swing from -5V to +5V, minimal visual feedback that leaves you relying more on ears and instinct than on meter-style precision. These design choices align with OVUM’s philosophy, but they may surprise users expecting more traditional VCO behaviour.

Some Use Cases

• Drone Generator: Layer five oscillators into a thick wall of sound. Set each oscillator to different notes and octaves for a rich and sustained chord.

• Organic Modulation Hub: Run oscillators as LFOs to animate filters, VCAs, or effects with subtle or chaotic movement. The summed output can even blend LFOs and audio-rate signals for complex modulation. Furthermore, use the module to macro-control many CV destinations at once with simple yet impactful gestures.

• Textural Performer: Treat it as a live performance instrument, leaning into its tactile nature. If dissonance is your thing, OVUM will deliver plenty.

• Experimental Gate/Clock Source: Push the oscillators into chaotic pulses and rhythms for unpredictable clocks and noise textures.

In Sum

The OVUM for Eurorack is not a do-it-all oscillator, but that’s the point. It won’t track your CV sequences, nor does it offer CV control over its parameters. What it does offer is five analog voices of raw tone and movement, packaged in a layout that encourages hands-on exploration.

If you approach OVUM with the expectation of precision and classic oscillator duties, you may be disappointed. But if you embrace its philosophy—simplicity, tactility, flexibility, and affordable abundance—it’s a uniquely rewarding module.

For $149, you get a performance-friendly drone and modulation bank that can free your more expensive oscillators for other tasks. In a market chasing feature density and offering plenty of expensive sound sources, OVUM’s minimalism feels truly refreshing.