The Ladder

500 Series Ladder Filter

The Ladder is a Dynamic Transistor Ladder Filter that is based on Bob Moog's original ladder filter designs. Don't be fooled by its small size, The Ladder is a powerful and fantastic sound sculpting tool that allows for creative and unique sound shifting and shaping. By design, The Ladder sports the smoothest all analog Low Pass and High Pass filter section. Simply adjust the Cutoff knob to add vibe, warmth or tonal adjustment. Choose LP to add analog vibe and warmth to a sound or select HP for sweetening and relieving the heft of a sound.

The Envelope section of The Ladder is where things get really cool:

• Variable Attack and Release controls allow you to perfectly dial in the behavior of The Ladder's envelope section. Use these controls to open and close the envelope as fast as lightning, or slow as molasses.

• Use the Amount control in Positive or Negative mode for mild to extreme sound shaping and manipulation. From slight timbral excitement and voicing to extreme compression-like behavior. Even reversed filter action is achievable!

• The Resonance control used with The Ladder’s other features allows for the creation of sweet, dynamic and even speech like behavior. Use it to tune The Ladder to a sound source… or not. You can excite or accentuate specific frequencies as well as create completely new unique and wild sounds.

NOTE: The Ladder's Resonance control will push the unit into self-oscillation. This can be used for effect if desired.

The 2Pole/4Pole switch allows you to select how aggressive your filter slope is. 2 pole is equal to 12db per octave which is smooth and sweet, while 4 pole is 24db per octave which is hard and aggressive.

You also have a hard wire Bypass for totally transparent routing and A/B comparison.

Audio I/O: Balanced line level via 500 rack. +19dBµ to -16dBµ input accepted.
Filter Type: 2 and 4 pole dynamic low-pass & high-pass transistor Ladder Filter
Envelope Type: RMS detector, bi-polar with variable attack & release
Attack time: Better than 250µS to 2.0 seconds depending on program material and level.
Release time: Better than 150mS to 2.0S depending on program material and level.
Envelope Control: Positive and Negative Modulation
Input Impedance: Nominally 24KΩ balanced differential, 12KΩ unbalanced single ended.
Output Impedance: Nominally 50Ω differential 25Ω single ended.
Max. Output Level: Better than +22dBµ, balanced.
Drive Gain: 36dB Range of control
Output Gain: 36dB Range of control
Frequency Response: Better than +/-0.5dB 20Hz – 20KHz pass band. Better than +/- 1.5dB 5Hz – 24KHz pass band.
Bypass: Hard Relay True Bypass
Power Consumption: Less than 105mA +16V, less than 75mA -16V.

http://www.moogmusic.com/products/500-series/500-series-ladder-filter