ADDAC 300 V2 (2014–present)

A backdoor into circuit chaos—starve your modules of power and watch them cough, wheeze, and scream in analog agony.

Overview

It starts with a whimper, not a bang: a filter that used to sing smoothly now sputters like a misfiring engine, its resonance collapsing into gritty stutters. A delay line burps out warped echoes that dissolve before they finish. A VCO detunes into a swarm of unstable harmonics, then cuts out entirely—only to roar back when you tweak the knob just right. This isn’t malfunction; it’s the ADDAC 300 V2 doing its job. Power starvation isn’t just a trick—it’s a compositional tool, a way to make your modular rig breathe, choke, and mutate in real time. The 300 V2 is the second revision of ADDAC’s Power Starvation module, and while it looks like a simple 4 HP utility, it’s more like a controlled demolition device for your signal path. Plug an analog module into it, dial down the voltage, and suddenly you’re not just shaping sound—you’re inducing cardiac arrest in circuits and seeing what kind of ghost signals crawl out.

Born from the DIY circuit-bending ethos where starving a chip of power could unlock bizarre sonic artifacts, the 300 V2 brings that underground practice into the Eurorack mainstream. It’s not for the faint of heart or the tone-pure. This isn’t subtle saturation or warm overdrive—it’s voltage torture. But in the right hands, it’s pure alchemy. The module doesn’t generate sound itself; instead, it sits between your power bus and another module, letting you independently reduce both the positive and negative rails from the standard ±12V down to as low as a few volts. Most analog circuits weren’t designed to run like this, and that’s the point. When starved, they behave unpredictably: filters oscillate erratically, VCAs gate themselves, LFOs speed up and stall, and mixers cross-modulate in ways they never should. The result? Organic, unstable, and often deeply musical chaos.

ADDAC, the Lisbon-based modular boutique known for blending analog warmth with experimental interfaces, didn’t just clone a hack—they refined it. The V2 revision improved reliability and added bypass switches for each channel, making it easier to A/B the effect mid-performance. It’s not flashy, with a clean black panel and minimal controls, but that belies its destructive potential. At 4 HP, it’s skiff-friendly and unobtrusive, but don’t be fooled: this is one of the most sonically disruptive modules you can own. And unlike digital effects that simulate degradation, the 300 V2 delivers the real thing—actual circuit starvation, with all the risk and reward that entails.

Specifications

Key Features

Voltage Starvation as Performance Tool

The 300 V2 doesn’t process audio or CV—it manipulates power, the lifeblood of every analog module. Each of its two channels inserts between a module and the power bus, allowing you to independently reduce the +12V and -12V rails using front-panel trimmers. This isn’t a global power supply mod; it’s surgical. You can starve a single filter while leaving the rest of your system running clean. The effect varies wildly depending on the victim: a Mutable Instruments Clouds might start glitching its granular engine, a Doepfer A-107 filter could collapse into subharmonic growls, or a Make Noise Maths might begin self-oscillating in unpredictable bursts. There’s no manual for this—each module responds differently, and part of the fun is experimentation. The module includes trim pots to set a minimum voltage “floor,” so you don’t accidentally drop below the threshold where a module dies completely. It’s like having a dimmer switch for circuit instability.

Bypass and Stability

The V2 revision added individual bypass switches for each channel, a small but crucial upgrade over the original. Before, you had to repatch or power-cycle to restore full voltage; now, you can instantly compare starved vs. normal operation. This turns the 300 V2 from a set-and-forget mod into a live performance tool. Engage the bypass, and your filter returns to its pristine state; disengage, and it starts wheezing like a broken accordion. The tactile feedback of the switch makes it ideal for dramatic shifts in texture. Technically, the module draws only 5 mA, so it won’t burden your power supply, and its passive design means it doesn’t introduce noise or coloration when bypassed. It’s a utility in form, but a performance instrument in practice.

Targeted Chaos

While digital modules will typically just shut down when underpowered, analog circuits often degrade in musically interesting ways. The 300 V2 excels with analog filters, delays, and oscillators—especially those with analog signal paths and minimal regulation. Modules with onboard DC-DC converters or strict voltage regulation (like many modern digital-analog hybrids) may resist starvation or fail unpredictably. But that’s part of the charm: the 300 V2 rewards deep system knowledge. You learn which modules can be pushed, which collapse gracefully, and which might let out a puff of magic smoke if you go too far. It’s not a “safe” effect, but it’s a real one—no modeling, no emulation, just raw electrical compromise.

Historical Context

The 300 V2 emerged in 2014, during Eurorack’s mid-2010s explosion, when boutique manufacturers were mining every corner of analog weirdness. At the time, most modules focused on pristine signal generation or digital precision. ADDAC went the opposite direction, embracing imperfection. Power starvation wasn’t new—it had long been a staple of circuit bending, where kids would tape resistors over battery contacts to make toy synths glitch. But bringing it into modular required a safer, more controllable approach. The 300 V2 did that, packaging a garage tinkerer’s trick into a reliable, Eurorack-standard module. It arrived alongside other experimental utilities from ADDAC’s 300 Series, like muscle sensors and floor controllers, cementing the brand’s reputation for tactile, body-driven interfaces. While companies like Intellijel and Make Noise were refining musicality, ADDAC was asking: what if we made modules that *break* on purpose?

Competitors largely ignored this niche. You could achieve similar results with external power supplies or DIY mods, but nothing offered the convenience and safety of the 300 V2. It wasn’t trying to compete with filters or effects—it was offering a new dimension of control. In an ecosystem increasingly dominated by digital modules with perfect tracking and flawless recall, the 300 V2 was a deliberate act of analog sabotage. It spoke to a subset of modular users who valued unpredictability, who saw their systems not as instruments but as living, unstable ecosystems. It’s telling that the module was introduced on Mod Wiggler, the epicenter of modular DIY culture, by a company that still sells direct and encourages hands-on experimentation.

Collectibility & Value

The ADDAC 300 V2 isn’t a collector’s grail in the way a vintage Roland or Moog might be, but it holds steady value among modular enthusiasts who appreciate its niche utility. Originally priced at €70, it still trades in that range on the used market, with mint-condition units rarely exceeding €90. Because it’s a passive, low-current module with no complex circuitry, failure rates are minimal. The main risk isn’t in the module itself but in how it’s used: starving a module too aggressively can damage it, so owners of rare or expensive modules tend to be cautious. There are no known design flaws in the V2 revision, and the bypass switches have proven reliable over time.

When buying used, check that the trim pots turn smoothly and that the bypass switches click cleanly. Since the module relies on IDC connectors, inspect the pins for bending or corrosion—though this is rare. The 300 V2 doesn’t require calibration, and there are no user-serviceable parts beyond the trim pots. Because it’s been in continuous production since 2014, NOS (new old stock) isn’t a concern, and counterfeits are virtually nonexistent in the ADDAC line. For those building a performance-oriented or experimental rack, the 300 V2 remains a cost-effective way to add controlled instability. It’s not essential, but for the right system, it’s irreplaceable. Just remember: this module doesn’t make things sound “better”—it makes them sound *different*, and sometimes that’s exactly what a patch needs.

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