2hp Perc (2013–Present)
A simple drum module that hits well above its size. It gives organic, unpredictable hits and tight control over them.
Overview
Flip on a 2hp Perc and it looks almost too minimal. There are a few knobs, a couple of jacks and a deep blue panel. Send it a trigger and it snaps to life. The attack bites and the decay breathes. It doesn't copy acoustic drums so much as run them through a warped analog lens. A snare comes out somewhere between a slapped spring and a struck tin can. A kick becomes a subterranean thump that sounds like it's coming from under the floorboards.
The module is 2HP wide, among the narrowest in Eurorack. It isn't a full drum module with separate circuits for kick, snare and hi-hat. It's a single-voice percussive synthesizer, made to be patched, modulated and pushed into odd territory. The core sound engine is analog, built around a resonant oscillator and a noise source that can be blended and shaped. The tone knob changes the identity of the hit, from clicky and metallic to deep and woody. The decay knob does more than set length. It turns transients into evolving textures, and short taps can bloom into resonant drones if you let them.
Within the 2hp lineup, Perc is one of the foundational voice modules, alongside Pluck and Snare. It isn't the most complex or the most feature-rich, but it's one of the most frequently used. Pluck leans toward melodic physical modeling, and Snare offers more specialized, snappy textures. Perc is the general-purpose workhorse for percussion sounds: kicks, toms, claps, even metallic effects. It's punchy without being generic, and tight without being sterile. Because it's only 2HP wide, it's often the first drum voice people add to a cramped system.
Specifications
| Manufacturer | 2hp |
| Production Years | 2013–Present |
| Module Width | 2HP |
| Depth | 40mm |
| Current Draw +12V | 30mA |
| Current Draw -12V | 10mA |
| Inputs | Trigger, Accent (CV), Tone (CV), Decay (CV) |
| Outputs | Audio |
| Trigger Input Sensitivity | 2V |
| Accent CV Range | 0–10V |
| Tone CV Range | 0–5V |
| Decay CV Range | 0–5V |
| Audio Output Level | 10Vpp |
| Weight | 45g |
| Panel Material | Aluminum |
| Color | Deep Blue |
| Made In | USA |
Key Features
Analog Sound Generation with Dynamic Response
Perc's sound engine is entirely analog. A resonant oscillator and a noise source generate the core timbres. The oscillator makes the pitched part, which suits kicks and toms. The noise generator adds the unpitched snap needed for snares and claps. The two are blended internally, but the balance shifts with the tone and decay settings. That interplay between pitch and noise feels more organic than most digital drum modules. The accent voltage does more than boost level. It raises both amplitude and brightness, the way real drums respond to harder hits. Patterns get a humanized feel even when sequenced rigidly.
Compact Size, Full Patchability
At 2HP wide, Perc gives up nothing it needs. Every essential control is present, and all key parameters are CV-controllable. The trigger input accepts standard 2V+ pulses, so it works with most sequencers and clock sources. The accent input allows velocity-like expression. The tone and decay CV inputs open up real-time morphing of the sound. An LFO can sweep the tone from a high-pitched click to a subby thud, or modulate the decay for swelling impacts. The knobs are small but precise. The jacks are recessed just enough to keep patch cables from snagging in tight systems.
Minimalist Interface, Maximum Expression
The front panel is down to tone, decay and volume. There's no screen, no menu diving and no hidden functions. The tone knob adjusts the oscillator's pitch and the noise color at the same time, which moves the sound smoothly from metallic to woody. The decay knob controls the envelope release and also affects the damping of the oscillator, so longer decays change in timbre as they ring out. The volume knob sets output level. Because the accent CV affects amplitude, the volume is often left at unity and controlled by CV instead.
Historical Context
2hp released Perc in 2013. The Eurorack modular scene was growing fast, and many drum modules were bulky, expensive or overly complex. Perc was a minimal, affordable option for adding percussion without eating panel space. It was part of a wave of ultra-narrow modules that showed a module didn't need 10HP to be useful. Many manufacturers were chasing feature sets at the time. 2hp went the other way and built one thing to fit anywhere.
Perc's design fit the broader minimalist trend in modular, seen in brands like Intellijel and Make Noise, but it pushed size reduction further. It competed less with full drum machines than with the need for a single, high-quality percussive voice that could be duplicated across a system. Its closest analog competitors were modules like the Doepfer A-110-3 Soft Sine VCO and the Noise Engineering Basimilus Iteritas. Perc found its niche by combining drum-specific behavior with general sound design flexibility. It also became a go-to for impacts, sweeps and experimental textures in ambient and industrial patches.
Collectibility & Value
Perc has been in continuous production since 2013, so it isn't rare in the traditional sense. Used units in good condition typically sell for $120 - $160, and new modules retail around $189. There are no major revisions or versions to track, just consistent builds. The module is known for durability, with few reported failure points. The most common issue is worn jacks from frequent patching, especially in live rigs. They're easily replaced. The recessed jacks help, but in tightly packed systems repeated insertion can stress the solder joints over time.
There's no collector's premium for early units. Serial numbers don't matter, and cosmetic variations are minimal. The deep blue panel has stayed the same, and there are no limited editions or color variants. Many users run several Percs for layered drums, so a single unit in a seller's inventory can come from a larger system teardown. That can be a chance to pick up other 2hp modules at a discount. Buyers should check jack stability and knob tightness. Loose knobs can usually be fixed with a drop of thread locker, but wobbly jacks may need resoldering.
Maintenance is minimal. The module draws little current and runs cool, so heat-related failures are rare. There are no user-serviceable parts, but the circuit is simple enough that a qualified technician can troubleshoot and repair it without difficulty. It's analog and not microprocessor-based, so there's no firmware to update and no memory to lose.
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