ADDAC 310 Pressure to CV (2024–)

A pressurized puff from your lungs turns your body into a modulation source for Eurorack.

Overview

Plug in the melodica-style pipe, seal your lips around it, and your breath becomes voltage. The ADDAC 310 Pressure to CV is not a MIDI wind controller with reeds and sensors mimicking saxophones. There's no air escape. You build pressure in your mouth, a bit like holding a note on a didgeridoo, but instead of sound you get control signals. The sealed tube lets you sustain pressure indefinitely while breathing through your nose, so you don't need to master circular breathing. Dial in a filter sweep that rises and falls with your inhalation, or modulate a delay feedback with a slow exhale, and that's the whole idea.

Yes, it will make you lightheaded. Most modular control is abstract - twist a knob, press a button, patch a sequence. The 310 demands stamina. It rewards breath control like a wind instrument does, but with no pitch to worry about, you can shape dynamics, timbre and space purely through airflow. The module gives you two fully independent channels, each capable of sending CV, gate, and inverted CV signals. You could use one to open a filter while the other triggers envelopes, or modulate panning and reverb wetness together. Two channels means you can make interlocking, breath-driven rhythms or layered swells.

Specifications

Manufacturer	ADDAC System
Production Years	2024–
Original Price	€340
Format	Eurorack
Width	10 HP
Depth	45 mm
Power Consumption	70 mA (+12V), 40 mA (-12V)
Channels	2 independent
Control Voltage Output	0–10 V (adjustable)
Inverted CV Output	Yes, per channel
Gate Output	Yes, per channel
Hold Function	Manual button and CV control, latching and momentary modes
Response Curve Control	Adjustable from logarithmic to exponential (linear at center)
Attack/Decay Envelope	Per channel, for shaping breath response
Offset	Adjustable per channel
Gain	Adjustable per channel
Gate Threshold	Bipolar knob per channel
Pipe Type	Standard melodica pipe with silicone tubing and air filter
LED Indicators	Monitoring LEDs for CV level and hold status per channel

Key Features

No Escape, Just Pressure

The sealed breath path is the 310's defining trick. Most breath controllers measure airflow, which means you're constantly exhaling, limited by lung capacity. The 310 measures pressure, not flow. Once you seal the pipe, every puff you blow increases internal pressure, and the sensor converts that directly to voltage. You can hold a peak pressure indefinitely while breathing through your nose, so modulations don't fade out. That suits ambient textures, slow filter ramps, or holding a reverb swell while your hands work other parameters. Woodwind players might find it counterintuitive at first, since there's no need to keep air moving. You're not blowing *through* it; you're pressing *against* it, like a theremin player sensing space, but with your diaphragm.

Twin Channels, Twice the Expression

Each channel has its own attack, decay, offset, gain, response curve, and gate threshold, so you can set them to behave completely differently from the same breath input. A soft inhale can trigger a gentle low-pass filter sweep on channel one, while a sharp exhale blasts open a wavefolder on channel two. Or set one to respond logarithmically (sensitive to light pressure) for subtle vibrato, and the other exponentially (responsive to strong bursts) for percussive accents. The hold function, activated by a front-panel button or external CV, freezes a voltage. That's handy for locking in a filter state while switching patches or layering breath gestures over a held chord. With both normal and inverted CV outputs, you can do push-pull modulation: one parameter opens as the other closes, all from a single breath.

Designed for the Real World (and Moisture)

The melodica-style mouthpiece feeds into an air filter, a small chamber that traps condensation before it reaches the sensor. This isn't optional. Blow into any tube long enough and saliva and moisture will fog it up. Without that filter, the sensor would corrode or drift, leading to erratic CV and eventual failure. The filter lets pressure transmit while catching liquid. The silicone tubing is replaceable, and spare pipes are available for €15.

Historical Context

The ADDAC 310 landed in a Eurorack scene that already had plenty of sequencers, LFOs, and random voltage sources, and players were asking for more human interfaces. Modules like the Buchla Thunder, Make Noise Pressure Points, and Bastl Soft Touch explored touch and force sensitivity, but breath remained a niche. Traditional wind controllers like the Akai EWI or Yamaha WX5 were complex and expensive, and were designed for keyboardists who wanted to play sax lines, not for modularists seeking organic modulation. The 310 is not an instrument; it's a control surface powered by physiology. It shares DNA with the EMS Synthi 100's pressure pad and the Synthi AKS's joystick, but replaces hand gestures with breath. It also fits into ADDAC's 300-series of expressive controls, sitting alongside the 307 Heart Sensing and 301 Floor Control.

Collectibility & Value

As of 2026, the ADDAC 310 is too new to be "vintage," but it's already carving a niche among modular performers and ambient artists. It launched at €340 (around $370), and prices have held steady, with used units trading between $300 and $350 depending on wear. There are no known production flaws or widespread failures, but the air filter is the weak point. Neglect it, and moisture can seep into the sensor, causing drift or dead zones in the response curve. Before buying used, ask if the filter has been cleaned or replaced. Also check that both channels respond evenly; mismatched calibration can happen if the module was dropped or stored improperly. The pipe itself is standard melodica hardware, so replacements are easy, but the silicone tubing can degrade over years of use, especially if exposed to heat or UV light. Replacement tubes are available from ADDAC. Inspect for cracks or stiffness. Treat it like a wind instrument: wipe the mouthpiece after use, store it upright, and occasionally blow through it with the filter removed (then reassemble) to clear any buildup. There's no firmware and no calibration screws, just an analog design that should last decades with basic care.