2hp. The best thing that happened to modular.
And why you must not miss out on their modules.
In the past decade, modular synths have become more popular than ever. More and more people have started messing around with modular and a ton of companies have started making all sorts of modules with Eurorack being the most dominant modular format. Just consider that there are more than 11.000 Eurorack modules listed on Modular Grid…
Since most Eurorack manufacturers are small companies and the whole market can be considered as a niche market, getting into modular is an expensive move but there are still quite a few affordable options to get you started. Our favorite value-for-money option to get you started or just fill in the gaps in your case is definitely 2hp!
As its name implies, 2hp is a company from California that produces only 2hp modules (where Hp is the horizontal size of a module) which are tiny but also powerful. They have almost 50 different modules that cover almost every single aspect of modular, they are very affordable, you can fit lots of modules even in a very small case, and they are very simple to understand & operate.
For every need you may have, there is a 2hp module that can cover it so using 2hp modules can be a lifesaver for your rack and your wallet.
I started building a modular synth in the past month and my goal for it was pretty straightforward. I wanted a synth with 4 voices that I could sequence separately to create all sorts of melodic and rhythmic patterns. But having a small 104Hp case meant that I’ll have to do a lot of thinking on what modules would help me get there since I don’t have that much space. The obvious choice was to add a few 2hp modules to cover a few specific needs without taking much space so today Im going to go through what I have and how I use them in my system!
2hp Sine
While sine waves are the most basic and not harmonically rich waveforms, I love having the sine option since they produce a mellow and soft sound. Perfect for some chill and ambient melodies. So the 2hp Sine was a great option for one of my voices. Besides the main output, it also has a Sub output that adds an octave below or a fifth above and you can blend it with the primary one using the Blend knob. It also has a Fold knob that’s a wavefolder and adds harmonic content to the very pure-sounding sine wave.
You can also modulate the Fold & Blend knobs resulting in very interesting results making this a quite flexible voice!
2hp MMF
So far, I only have two filters on my system. As we all know, filters are an essential part of a synth voice, so I needed a multi-mode one that could be used with many sounds. The 2hp MMF is an analog 12db multi-mode filter that has separate outputs for lowpass, bandpass, and highpass with Frequency and Resonance controls that can be modulated. It’s a very smooth filter with a lot of knob range and its resonance can go wild pretty fast so you can shape your sounds very precisely.
2hp Rnd
Randomness and unpredictability on a modular is the best way to make it feel alive. So for modulation purposes, I wanted a random voltage generator and the Rnd module was a great choice for that. It has a switch for the internal or external clock, a random gate output, and two distinct CV outputs. The Smooth output goes gradually from 0V to 10V and you have an attenuator to control how much of it you want and the Quant output is a quantized output that also has an attenuator. The rate of randomness is controlled by the Rate knob on the top.
For its size, the Rnd module has a ton of features and can work in numerous ways in your system. And for its price, I think it’s a great addition to any kind of modular rig.
2hp S+H
Another very common type of module in the modular world is the Sample & Hold. And the 2hp one is a dual Sample & Hold since it has two identical analog S+H channels. If you’re not familiar with the Sample & Hold concept, it works by feeding a signal using the input, you trigger it using a gate, and you route its output to anything you want to be randomly modulated. The most common input for a sample & hold is a noise source since it’s a completely random source and every time the module is triggered it will provide a random value for modulation.
The fun thing about the 2hp version is that it can also be used to downsample an audio signal working almost like a bitcrusher making your signal sound distorted and crunchy! Again, this is a great module for modulation and randomness and since it’s two S+H in one, it’s impossible to find something that’s more value for money!
2hp Switch
This concept might feel a bit more advanced (I was also really confused thinking of it) but in reality, it’s a very simple concept and module. When I was thinking about my modular synth, I wanted to have the option to use it like the Korg Mono/Poly or the Vermona Perfourmer and their round-robin functionality. That means I could have a single sequence going to all of my four voices and each time a note is sent to the voices, only one voice is active per note. This way you could have a multi-timbral melody with each note having a completely different tone, filter, envelope, etc. That’s where a Switch module comes in. The 2hp Switch has four inputs and only one output and a Selection knob that can be operated manually or using CV. That way I can patch in all my voices and have only one of them go to the output each time I press a note. But it doesn’t have to always be audio. Switch can also do the same thing with CV signals. So you can feed it, for example, different LFOs, and only one of them will go to your modulation source each time. This is a more specialized module that has a specific purpose. If you want to do something similar to what I did, it’s a great option since there are not many alternatives and the other switch modules are way more expensive and take up more space.
2hp Slice
Slice is a very fun module to play with. it’s a beat-repeater with a massive range that can be used to add a few glitchy beat repeats or stutters with no clicks to your sounds. The most obvious usage would be to use this with drums like for example a hi-hat but since I don’t have any drum modules on my system, I use it for one of my synth voices.
Having a few glitched every now and then can add rhythm and the element of surprise to your melodies and that’s exactly how I like to use Slice. It has a Triplet switch to add or remove triplets from the repeats, a clock input to have everything in sync, a size knob to control the time divisions of the repeats which can also be modulated, and, of course, an input and a trigger input to activate it using gates.
This a very useful module for drum racks, but can also be quite handy when working with melodic stuff. It adds an extra layer of syncopation and rhythm that is hard to program and can lead to some fun and interesting glitches!
2hp Mult
After playing around with my system, I quickly realized I needed another Mult module, although I already had a dual Mult that came with the case. In modular they say you can never have too many VCAs, but on a small system, you can also never have enough Mult modules. The 2hp Mult is just a dual 1 to 3 multiple module that takes a signal and creates 3 copies of it. Channel 1 is normalized to channel 2, so you also have the option to use it as a 1 to 6 which is very helpful and the one I got is a passive one, meaning it does not need power to work!
And since it cost around 35€, it’s a no-brainer utility module for any modular synth.
Conclusion
Without wanting to get dramatic, it would be very hard for me to take the step and go into modular if there weren’t companies like 2hp. Their combination of minimum size and affordable prices makes your journey to the modular world much easier and fun since you can get something that’s not too expensive even if you’re just looking to experiment. For example, if my whole round-robin synth experiment ended up being a stupid idea, I would have just spent 120€ on a Switch module and continued with my life (by the way the experiment was a success!!).
Furthermore, when you’re a beginner you’ll probably have a small case and the ability to add fully-featured modules that take only 2hp is unbelievably important. I would definitely not be able to have 4 voices, 2 filters, 8 VCAs, and lots of modulation options in 104hp if it wasn’t for 2hp.
So if you’re looking for a new module or you’re planning your first modular setup, make sure to check out 2hp’s modules. You can’t possibly beat the combination of quality, features, price, and size better and it’s a great way to get you started. I plan to add even more 2hp modules in the near future since I’m amazed at how much functionality I can pull out of them. I’m already eyeing Vowel & Pluck for voices, Loop & Arp to experiment with looping and sequencing, and probably some effects. I’ll keep you updated of course when a new module comes my way.
A huge thank you to 2hp for helping us with our modular journey and explorations! It wouldn’t be possible without them!
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