Signal Flow
The stereo inputs feed a regenerative tape loop. The tape result is then blended with a coupled spring tank before reaching OUT L/R.
- If IN R is unpatched, IN L is normalized to both channels.
- If SPRING IN is unpatched, the tape-delay result excites the spring tank.
- Patching SPRING IN replaces the tape feed to both spring channels with that external mono source.
- WET OUT carries the mono sum of the spring tank only.
- Rack bypass routes IN L/R directly to OUT L/R.
Tape Controls
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Length | Selects delay time inside the active range. Its response is squared for finer short-time adjustment, and the record/playback head spacing follows it. |
| Regen | Returns up to 98.5% of delayed signal to the tape loop. |
| Speed | Sets tape speed from 0.5× to 2× before CV. Faster speed shortens and brightens the loop. |
| Saturation | Adds soft tape compression and harmonic drive inside the feedback loop. |
| Wow Depth | Adds 0–20 ms of slow tape-speed pitch movement. |
| Wow Rate | Sets wow speed from 0.03–2 Hz before tape-speed scaling. |
| Mix | Blends dry input with delayed tape output. |
| Tape Tone | Sets feedback-loop filtering from dark to bright. |
| Hold Loop | Latches capture on or off. When held, new audio is muted and loop feedback is maintained near unity. |
| Delay Range | Short: 8 ms–1.25 s. Long: 250 ms–120 s at 1× speed. |
Tape Speed changes the effective delay range. For example, 2× speed halves delay time and 0.5× speed doubles it, subject to the internal 121-second buffer limit.
Use caution with high Regen or Hold settings. Resonant material can become loud even though normal regeneration is limited below unity.
Reel LFO
- Reel LFO: sets automated reel-travel depth.
- LFO On: latches automated movement on or off.
- Assign: selects the left reel, both reels, or the right reel.
- Invert: reverses assigned motion; with both reels selected, the reels move in opposite directions.
The reel-LFO rate follows tape speed.
Spring Reverb
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| Exciter | Raises spring input gain while opening the excitation filter from dark to bright. |
| Tank Size | Changes spring-line length, resonance spacing, decay, and display motion. |
| Damping | Removes high frequencies, shortens brightness, and dims the animated shimmer. |
| Pre-Delay | Adds 0–250 ms before the spring tank. |
| Spring Mix | Blends the spring tank into OUT L/R. |
| Level | Trims spring output from -24 dB to +6 dB. |
| Power | Latches the tank on or off. |
| Range | Selects a tighter Short tank or a longer, more resonant tank. |
| Knock | Sends a short mechanical burst into both coupled springs. |
The cathode-ray-style spring display follows tank size, damping, signal level, power state, and knock energy.
CV and Gate Inputs
| Input | Mapping |
|---|---|
| Length CV | ±10 V offsets the full normalized Length range; values are clamped. |
| Regen CV | 10 V spans the full Regen range and is added to the knob. |
| Speed CV | Exponential speed control: +5 V doubles speed and -5 V halves it. Combined speed is clamped to 0.25×–4×. |
| Mix CV | 10 V spans the full wet/dry range and is added to the knob. |
| Tone CV | 10 V spans the full tone range and is added to the knob. |
| Hold Gate | Each rising edge toggles Hold; it is not a momentary gate-following input. |
| Size CV | 10 V spans the full tank-size range and is added to the knob. |
| Damp CV | 10 V spans the full damping range and is added to the knob. |
| Trig | Each rising edge strikes the spring tank. |
All additive CV inputs accept bipolar modulation and clamp at their valid limits.
Interactive Tape Mechanism
The animated tape mechanism consumes mouse events directly, so dragging it does not move the Rack module.
Large Reels
- Drag the left reel horizontally to alter Length, Wow Depth, and Wow Rate.
- Drag the right reel horizontally to alter Length, Regen, Tape Tone, and Saturation.
- Reel positions are stored in Rack patch JSON.
Tape Heads
The copper-marked record head and green-marked playback head sit beneath the lower tape span. Their distance represents the selected delay time. Drag either head independently while the opposite head remains stationary. Increasing their separation lengthens the delay and decreasing it shortens the delay through the existing Length parameter.
Center Idler
Press and hold the small center idler to brake the tape. The loop slows into a pitch dive and returns to speed when released.
Tape Pluck
Drag any visible tape span vertically. The tape visibly bends and the audio receives a damped pitch wobble when pulled and released.
Patch State
Rack patches store all knob and switch parameters plus these latching and mechanical states:
- Hold state
- Spring-tank power state
- Reel-LFO power and inversion
- Left and right manual reel positions
- Tape-head midpoint position
Included milestone patches can be loaded from Rack's File > Open command. The AetherSpool-current.vcv and AetherSpool-optimized-final.vcv files contain the latest verified module state.
Troubleshooting
Module Does Not Appear
1. Confirm that the folder exists at ~/Library/Application Support/Rack2/plugins-mac-arm64/vcv-AetherSpool.
2. Confirm that it contains plugin.json, plugin.dylib, and res/AetherSpool.svg.
3. Confirm that Rack is running natively on Apple silicon for the current package.
4. Restart Rack after replacing the plug-in.
No Stereo Input
Patch IN L for mono-normalized operation. Patch both IN L and IN R for true stereo input.
Spring Input Seems to Replace the Delay
That is expected only inside the spring excitation path. SPRING IN overrides the tape feed to the tank, while the main tape signal remains available at OUT L/R according to Spring Mix.