I have to preface anything I say about k-Accumulator with the caveat that I don’t really understand the module very well yet. We still don’t have a manual, and while the quickstart guide is longer than some module manuals, it can in places raise more questions than it answers. I even hesitate to post audio demos because it feels like I’m scratching the surface and what I’m doing is obvious and probably not representative.
I haven’t put it together with Three Body; I have them in different double cases right now, and I don’t have the space to easily run them simultaneously. I could put one of them into a Pod to make it easier, but I’m not sure what I’d do with the two of them together. It’s hard enough to figure out how to make one of them fit with something else (that is easier for 3B, I’m still working on synergies with k-A).
Superficially, k-A and 3B have some overlap, but they are really rather different. I view 3B as more of a PM/FM laboratory. It provides building blocks in the form of three nearly-identical oscillators, each with a whack of outputs. There are some nice normalizations, but one often overrides or doesn’t use them. 3B is more rooted in classical technique and consequently more transparent.
k-A takes some of the ideas of 3B, and some that 3B doesn’t cover, and builds another layer on top of them. This allows it to go in a bunch of new directions, but those are more specific. There are more normalizations, and more varied ones, and there are effects that one part has on another that haven’t quite been explained to us yet. There are fewer outputs. It opens up new doors, but is a bit prescriptive, not forcing you through them, just making it pretty attractive to go that way. Maybe some of that effect is my own lack of imagination at early stages of exploration.
k-A is more of a complete voice, and it’s a little too compelling to use the UFG as an envelope and the ∆-∑ for synced V/oct, even though other uses are possible. So far, for me, ∆-∑ is the weak link. I don’t have enough control over it, and I don’t care for how it sounds at audio rate, meaning I probably won’t like it as an audio-rate modulator, either (I haven’t tried yet). I wish they’d added a S&H input instead of the hard-to-use Pattern switch. I have Random8 on order for that case, which further undercuts the role of ∆-∑. But I forgive k-A a lot when I just listen to it while turning some knobs.
k-A and 3B are both gems, and I can happily recommend them, each with some caveats. They’re big and on the expensive side, so I can’t just glibly say “Get both”. Either one will likely bring the owner much joy, and I feel privileged that I can own both.
Happy to answer more questions.