Verbos Electronics Haas Zone Processor

Multi-effect delay module with analog VCO - Eurorack format

• Analog-clocked multi-tap digital delay bank, designed for the psychoacoustic effects of short delays
• Three delay taps: Tap 1 and Tap 2 from 1 to 20 ms each, Tap 3 from 9 to 42 ms
• Flanger, chorus, ADT, doubling, phase cancellation, resonances, and waveshaping
• Voltage-controlled mixer to blend the three taps with the dry signal
• Bandpass filter with 2-pole high-pass and low-pass filters, adjustable bandwidth
• VCO with triangle, square, and sawtooth waves from 0–10 V, ranging from one minute per cycle to audio frequency, with V/octave tracking
• Envelope follower on the input and internal normalizations for exploring resonances
• Can be used as an effect, as a waveshaper in a patch, or as a standalone unit

The Verbos Electronics Haas Zone Processor is an analog-clocked, multi-tap digital delay unit in Eurorack format, focused on the psychoacoustic effects of short delays. It includes a full-featured VCO, a bandpass filter, and a voltage-controlled mixer, which not only allow for a wide variety of time-domain effects—such as flanger, chorus, ADT, resonances, and waveshaping—but also enable the module to be used as a standalone voice. With the factory normings, you can emphasize different resonance frequencies by adjusting the oscillator frequency, bandpass frequency, and delay time.

The Haas effect in short delays under 50 ms

In 1951, Helmut Haas published the study “On the Influence of a Single Echo on the Intelligibility of Speech,” which describes the psychoacoustic effects of delay on sounds. Since the study refers to short delays, the “Haas effect” generally refers to delays shorter than 50 ms. The Haas Zone Processor gives you access to the effects of this zone: chorus, flanger, phase cancellation, doubling, ADT, waveshaping, and more.

Multi-tap Delay Bank Inspired by Vintage Processors

At the heart of the module is a digital multi-tap delay bank, heavily influenced by vintage studio processors, including the Marshall Time Modulator. Tap1 is switchable and adjustable from less than 1 ms up to 20 ms. Tap2 is daisy-chained to the output of Tap1 and adds an additional 1–20 ms. Tap3 ranges from 9 to 42 ms. Each tap has its own full-volume output, and all three can be mixed with the incoming dry signal via a voltage-controlled mixer.

Integrated Bandpass Filter and VCO

The bandpass filter consists of a 2-pole high-pass filter followed by a 2-pole low-pass filter. The bandwidth ranges from very narrow to full bandwidth, and the frequency covers the entire audio spectrum, with voltage control via a bipolar attenuator.

VCO with modulation ranging from slow to audio-band

On the left side, you’ll find a voltage-controlled oscillator, similar to the modulation section of a complex oscillator. It offers triangle, square, and sawtooth waves from 0 to 10 V, with a frequency ranging from over one minute per cycle up to audio band, and volt-per-octave tracking.

Normals for Resonance and Feedback

An envelope follower is present at the input, which—together with the oscillator’s triangular output—is normalized to the CV inputs of the delay time. The Tap3’s output is normalized to the bandpass filter’s input, and the bandpass filter’s output is normalized to the Feedback input. By adjusting the delay time, oscillator frequency, and bandpass filter frequency, you can accentuate multiple resonance points. The Haas Zone Processor is designed to be used as an effect, as a waveshaper within a patch, or as a standalone voice.

Technical Specifications

• Brand: Verbos Electronics
• Model: Haas Zone Processor
• Type: Analog-clocked multi-tap digital delay bank with VCO, bandpass filter, and VC mixer, Eurorack format
• Tap1: less than 1 ms to 20 ms, switchable
• Tap2: in series with Tap1, additional 1–20 ms
• Tap3: 9 to 42 ms
• Outputs: full-volume output for each tap
• Mixer: voltage-controlled, 3 taps and dry signal
• Bandpass filter: 2-pole high-pass + 2-pole low-pass, adjustable bandwidth and frequency, CV with bipolar attenuator
• VCO: triangle, square, and sawtooth waves from 0–10 V; from over 1 minute per cycle to audio frequency; V/octave tracking
• Envelope follower: on the input, normalized to the delay time CV
• Normalizations: VCO triangle wave to delay time CV, Tap3 to bandpass input, bandpass to Feedback input
• Width: 28 HP
• Power consumption: +12 V 110 mA, -12 V 55 mA
• Weight: 325 g