2hp Slice (2019–)

A tiny glitch engine that turns rhythmic precision into controlled chaos, all in 2HP of Eurorack space.

Overview

The 2hp Slice is for when the groove needs to stutter or splinter, with tight timing and no clicks. It doesn't generate sound. It warps what you feed it. Patch in a drum loop, a synth stab or a vocal phrase, turn the Size knob or send it CV, and it slices the audio into rhythmic fragments that repeat, freeze and collapse in time with your clock. Its sibling Freez latches and holds. Slice is built for motion, a beat repeater that lives inside the pulse of your sequence. It gives clean, repeatable stutters, from subtle embellishments to full digital meltdown, with no pops and no hiccups.

At first glance it looks simple: one knob, a few jacks, a button. The depth comes from how it responds to control voltage. The Size parameter can be modulated in real time, sweeping from whole-bar repeats down to frantic 1/256th-note blips, all locked to your tempo. That range makes it a compositional tool as well as an effect. Then there's the Triplet toggle. Flick it and the rigid grid flexes into triplet subdivisions, which opens up trap-style fills and off-kilter grooves without a separate clock source.

Slice doesn't feel stripped down. It feels focused. Every element has a job, and with so little clutter you're never hunting for a parameter mid-performance. The LEDs give clear feedback: green for clock rate, white and purple for latching and momentary modes. You can see at a glance whether the module is frozen, repeating or waiting for a trigger. Some glitch modules need patch cables before they do anything. Slice works right away and still rewards deeper exploration. It suits a live rig for on-the-fly chaos and a studio setup for careful rhythmic design.

Specifications

Manufacturer	2hp
Production Years	2019–
Original Price	$149
Width	2HP
Depth	45 mm
Power Consumption +12V	85 mA
Power Consumption -12V	7 mA
Power Consumption +5V	0 mA
Audio Input	1 x 3.5mm
Audio Output	1 x 3.5mm
Clock Input	1 x 3.5mm
Trigger/Gate Input	1 x 3.5mm
Size CV Input	1 x 3.5mm
Triplet Gate Input	1 x 3.5mm
Size Control	Knob with CV attenuverter
Triplet Toggle	Push-button with LED indicator
LED Indicators	Green (clock rate), White (latching), Purple (momentary)
Function	Beat repeat / glitch effect
Repeat Range	2 bars to 1/256 note
Sync Type	External clock required

Key Features

Click-Less Glitching with Dynamic Timing

The standout feature of the 2hp Slice is that it repeats and stutters audio without a single audible click or pop. That's rare in digital glitch modules, where artifacts often give the processing away. The clean behavior comes from its buffer management and tight clock synchronization. It's externally clocked, so every repeat lines up with your sequence, which makes it better for rhythmic precision than for random noise. The Size knob sets the slice duration, from long, drawn-out loops to compressed bursts that blur into pitch. Modulate it with CV and it becomes a performance control, for example a filter sweep paired with a widening repeat window, or an LFO slowly tightening the stutter until the audio fractures. The CV input has an attenuverter, so you can scale and invert the modulation.

Triplet Mode: Rhythmic Flexibility in a Button

Most beat repeaters lock you into straight divisions - quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenths. Slice breaks that grid with a dedicated Triplet toggle. Engage it and the Size knob's range shifts to include triplet subdivisions, turning rigid patterns into syncopated, off-kilter grooves. This is where the module earns its reputation in hip-hop and electronic production, where triplet-based fills are a staple. The button can be triggered manually or via gate, so a sequence can inject triplets automatically. There's no menu diving and no mode shifts, just a physical switch that flips the rhythm from binary to triplet.

Minimal Footprint, Maximum Integration

At just 2HP wide, Slice is one of the most space-efficient glitch modules on the market, and it still has real connectivity. It has dedicated inputs for clock, trigger, Size CV and Triplet gate, everything needed to fit into a complex patch. It draws no +5V power, which helps in power-limited systems, and at 45mm deep it fits even the shallowest cases. The large knob dominates the face, flanked by clearly labeled jacks and a prominent button. There's no display and there are no hidden modes. That makes it a favorite for touring musicians and minimalists, who value reliability and speed over flashy interfaces.

Historical Context

The 2hp Slice arrived in 2019, when Eurorack was shifting from experimental curiosity to mainstream adoption among electronic musicians. Early modular setups focused on raw sound generation. Performers and producers then began demanding more rhythmically intelligent effects, tools that could manipulate time as precisely as they shaped tone. Slice filled that niche. It wasn't the first beat repeater in modular, but it was among the first to offer glitch processing in such a compact, clock-synced, click-free form. Competitors like the Qu-Bit Nebulae or 4ms Spectral Multiband Resonator offered more complex granular manipulation, but they came with steep learning curves and wider footprints. Slice did one thing, rhythmic repetition with surgical precision.

It also reflected 2hp's design philosophy of minimalism without compromise. Founded by Tony Rolando, the company built a reputation for elegant, functional modules that put musicality ahead of feature bloat. The Slice followed classics like the Turing Machine and Shades, small modules with outsized creative impact. Some manufacturers competed on polyphony, polyphony and screen-based interfaces. 2hp stuck with immediacy. The Slice wasn't meant to be a standalone instrument. It's a scalpel, designed to cut cleanly through the grid and expose the rhythm beneath.

Collectibility & Value

The 2hp Slice has settled into a stable spot in the used market, typically selling for $100 - $130 in good condition. That's slightly below its original $149 price, which reflects its ongoing production and broad availability. Unlike rare or discontinued modules that inflate in price, Slice remains accessible. It's not a collector's trophy. It's a working musician's tool. Units in mint condition with original packaging can still command close to retail, especially from buyers building boutique racks or seeking specific color variants (black or silver).

Failures are rare, but not unheard of. Service technicians observe that the most common issue is related to power. The module draws minimal current, but some early units were sensitive to voltage fluctuations, particularly on the -12V rail. A faulty power cable or overloaded bus board can cause erratic behavior or LED flickering, and a proper power check usually resolves it. The buttons and jacks are durable, but because the module relies on momentary triggering, owners report that heavy stage use can eventually wear the switch mechanism. Replacement is straightforward.

When buying used, test the core functions. Feed it a steady clock and audio signal, then trigger repeats at various Size settings. Listen for clicks or dropouts. A healthy Slice should stutter cleanly at any division. Verify that the Triplet button toggles reliably and that the CV input responds smoothly with an LFO or sequencer. Also check the LEDs: the green clock indicator should pulse in time, and the white/purple mode LEDs should light correctly based on trigger behavior. The module is firmware-based, so make sure it's running the latest update (available from 2hp's website), as early versions had minor timing glitches in triplet mode.