Noise Engineering’s Fala Versio: Formant Filtering with a Modular Twist

Noise Engineering kick things off by unveiling Fala Versio, their tenth module for the Versio platform, and immediately set it apart from traditional formant filters. Rather than simply mimicking vowel sounds, Fala is designed to impart a rich vocal quality to any signal, all while preserving the underlying musicality. This isn’t about static formant shapes—it’s about adding a living, breathing dimension to your patches, whether you’re after subtle enhancement or more dramatic transformation.

The heart of Fala Versio is a densely packed signal chain. Up to 24 bandpass filters sculpt the incoming audio, while post-filter saturators and three all-pass filters add further complexity and movement. There’s also a pre-filter wavefolder for those who like their harmonics on the wild side, and a suite of dynamics control utilities to keep everything in check. This combination allows for a wide palette of timbres, from smooth and melodic to bristling and aggressive.

Modulation is another key focus. Fala Versio includes a built-in, clockable stereo LFO with both sine and noise modes. This LFO can modulate the filters and introduce panning animation, adding stereo movement and rhythmic interest to your sound. The LFO is flexible—run it free, tap tempo, or clock it externally, with the speed knob acting as a divider or multiplier when synced. The index knob sets modulation depth, and you can choose between smooth sine or random modulation for more unpredictable results.

Every major parameter on Fala Versio—frequency, resonance, saturation, wavefolding, and LFO controls—has its own CV input. This opens the door to intricate modulation schemes, letting users animate filter sweeps, morph between formant settings, or inject external rhythms and envelopes for dynamic, evolving sounds. The stereo ins and outs encourage broad spatial processing, but the module works just as well in mono setups.

Noise Engineering highlight how external CV can be used to clock the internal LFO, sync modulation to a master clock, or even drive the filter bands into unpredictable territory. The result is a module that rewards creative patching, whether you’re after subtle movement or full-on, modulated chaos.

As with all Versio modules, Fala supports firmware swapping via USB, allowing users to transform the hardware into a reverb, delay, granular processor, or any other Versio effect. This flexibility extends the module’s lifespan and makes it a true chameleon in any rack. Noise Engineering make it clear: with Fala Versio, you’re not just buying a filter—you’re investing in a platform for ongoing sonic experimentation.