Larix Elektro Origami Duo: a 26HP dual complex oscillator for Eurorack
French maker Larix Elektro releases the Origami Duo: two complex VCOs, two wavefolders, a mid-side dual VCA, LFO and envelope in 26HP, at €680.
Larix Elektro, a small French maker, has released the Origami Duo, a 26HP Eurorack module that packs two analog complex oscillators, two wavefolders, a dual VCA, a quadrature LFO and an envelope. It sells for €680, ordered by email directly from the maker. This article is based on Larix Elektro’s official product page.
What a complex oscillator is
A complex oscillator combines two oscillators (VCOs, voltage-controlled oscillators) in one module, one able to modulate the other, plus a timbre-shaping stage, usually a wavefolder: a circuit that “folds” the waveform back on itself once it crosses a threshold, adding harmonics as you push it harder. It is the so-called “west coast” approach, where the tone is built by adding harmonics rather than removing them with a filter as in subtractive synthesis.
What is inside the Origami Duo
Larix Elektro pitches the module as a full synth voice, a dual complex oscillator, a stereo waveshaper or a mid-side processor, depending on the patch. The panel is symmetrical: each side has its own oscillator, wavefolder and VCA.
Two VCOs
Each oscillator puts out a triangle and a saw wave, with fine and coarse tuning, a frequency modulation input (FM, modulating an oscillator’s pitch with another audio-rate signal) and a sync input. FM is covered in our explainer on FM synthesis: operators, ratios and index.
Two complex wavefolders
Each oscillator feeds its own two-stage wavefolder (Fold 1 and Fold 2), paired with a variable-width pulse shaper (PWM). An XFADE control crossfades between them. The folders have their own inputs and outputs, so they also process any external signal, hence the stereo waveshaper use.
Dual VCA, ring mod and mid-side
The two VCAs (voltage-controlled amplifiers) work in unipolar or bipolar mode; in bipolar mode they act as a ring modulator. Two switches place the VCAs inside a mid-side converter, which processes the centre and the sides of a stereo image separately. Both VCAs are normalled from the envelope: with no cable patched, the envelope opens the volume.
LFO and envelope
A quadrature LFO with four phase-shifted outputs and an attack-decay or attack-release envelope round out the module, so it can make a complete sound with nothing more than pitch and trigger sources. Control voltage basics are covered in our guide to CV and Gate explained.
Format and power
| Feature | Stated value |
|---|---|
| Width | 26HP |
| Depth | Approx. 35 mm |
| Current draw | +12 V: 210 mA max. · −12 V: 206 mA max. · +5 V: 6 mA max. |
| In the box | Module, four M3 screws, power cable, quick-start map |
More than 200 mA on each rail is a lot for a single module: check your case’s power headroom before buying. Our guide Eurorack explained: choosing a first case shows how to do the maths.
Larix Elektro has published two presentation videos:
Who it is for
- Eurorack owners who want a complete “west coast” voice in one module, with its modulation built in.
- Anyone after stereo processing: two folders and a mid-side dual VCA can treat an external source in stereo.
- Less suited to a very first rack: 26HP and over 200 mA per rail weigh heavily in a small case.
What it costs
€680 on Larix Elektro’s website, where orders are placed by email. The module is available now.
What it competes with
- Make Noise DPO: the benchmark dual complex oscillator, 28HP wide, with a bidirectional FM bus and a stated draw of 70 mA on each rail. It has no VCA, envelope or dedicated LFO: the Origami Duo covers a whole voice in a slightly narrower module, at the cost of three times the current draw.
- A patch of separate modules (two VCOs, two wavefolders, a dual VCA, an LFO, an envelope): more flexible, but much wider in HP and more demanding in cables and power.
See other releases in the Eurorack modules archive.
