When I decided to expand my Doepfer Dark Energy mk1 and mk2 setup, the first modules I bought were two A-110 standard VCO's and the A-108 low pass filter.
This filter definitely imparts its own character onto whatever sound source you put through it. It is a transistor ladder design in the style of the minimoog, and having owned and used a minimoog for several years, in my view it captures the sound of that synth's filter, but it is also a great sounding filter in its own right. The A-108 offers 4 outputs that correspond to four filter 'slopes' from 6db, 12db, 24db and finally 48db. My favourite is the 24db output, but they all sound great. As with several of Doepfer's filters, the input stage can be overdriven, which results in a harmonically rich sound, a bit like running a synth through a valve guitar amp.
The filter can be forced into self oscillation if the emphasis ( resonance) is turned up high, and the filter can produce the full range of fat bass synth sounds up to squelchy acid-house stuff.
I really cannot fault this filter, especially at the price. I have other filters such as the multi-mode filter in my Doepfer Dark Energy mk2, and a Doepfer A-101-2 Vactrol low pass / gate module. These all sound good and very different from each other.
My only suggestion is that the A-108 would look great with black control knobs, like the ones fitted to the Dark Energy synths. That would be really cool.
