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Parasite Antifilter module includes: one 9″ 2×8 Doepfer-style power cable and four M3x6 mounting screws and nylon washers.
Comparison view (prototype units):
(Note: Final production knobs will be slimmer than those shown in the prototype profile picture.)
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What is the Parasite Antifilter?
Well, it started out as a VC parametric equalizer, but it sucked. Really bad. I decided to trash the idea and sent the original prototype to the Great Wizard for them to play with since we had been chatting about it. The subsequent findings were completely the opposite of what I found – not about the filter part though, that still sucked. It turns out the Parasite Antifilter is a ridiculously fun and useful drone source, drum generator (especially kicks, snares, and blocks), distortion and fuzz, absolute sonic wreckage device, coloring mixer, formant generator, and so on. We keep finding more uses for it each time it’s fired up.
Ostensibly, the Parasite Antifilter is a 2nd-order cascaded parametric equalizer. Out1 is from the first stage, Out2 is from the second stage. Both can be used simultaneously for a stereo-esque signal. The Feedback knob controls amount of output fed back to the input, and the Feedback toggle chooses if it’s from Out1 or Out2.
The “Infest” switches are wholly serendipitous and defy explanation. Just know that they are there for good reason, which is readily apparent when you use them. Infest 1 affects the first stage, Infest 2 the second.
Even more than with other f(h) gear, it is built out of sweet spots. Every nudge of a knob can completely change what is happening. I believe Parasite is what led to MxR Frost commenting something to the effect of “The trademark of f(h) modules is thinking it’s broken and wondering if it even works, then touching a knob and realizing ‘Oh, it works just fine’.”
It works best when used wrong: Ignore the audio in and feed audio to the CVs, use the CV ins as outs and turn it into a selfcest orgy, etc. Oh, it can still be used as an EQ if you really want to, but there are many better ones out there, so don’t get it for that purpose.