uZeus

Tiptop Audio 4HP
UTILITY I/O

Verified sheet

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4HP Eurorack power supply. Accepts 15VDC adapter (1A or 3A uZeus-Boost) and delivers up to +12V/2000mA, -12V/500mA, +5V/170mA over two or three keyed flying bus boards.

Patch Ideas · 4

Happy Ending Kit starter rack
uZeus + stock 1000mA adapter + 84HP skiff · one flying bus handles ~16 analog modules at ~600mA +12V / 250mA -12V · keep a mental budget: each module's max current × count ≤ 60% of adapter rating to leave headroom for power-on spikes
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Patch diagramPatch diagram with 2 modules and 3 connections. Modules: uZeus, Analog Modules. Signals: 3 cv.uZeusAnalog ModulesAdapter: stock 1000mABuses: 1 of 2 used+12V railcv-12V railcv+5V railcv+12V pincv-12V pincv+5V pincv11. few draw +5Vcv
Digital-heavy 6U case
uZeus + uZeus-Boost 3A adapter · 3U x 84HP digital row (Plaits, Rings, Disting) on bus A · 3U x 84HP analog row (VCAs, LPG, filters) on bus B · separates noisy digital spikes from quiet analog paths · faceplate check at 10 minutes to verify thermal headroom
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Patch diagramPatch diagram with 3 modules and 2 connections. Modules: uZeus, Digital Row, Analog Row. Signals: 2 cv.uZeusDigital RowAnalog RowAdapter: uZeus-Boost 3000mABus A: digital rowBus B: analog rowFlying bus AcvFlying bus BcvPowercvPowercv11. crosstalk isolationcv
Three-bus expansion
add third flying bus to the Additional bus port on the PCB · split modules three ways: one bus for VCOs/noise, one for digital DSP, one for utilities and CV · reduces cross-bus noise coupling more effectively than two-bus daisy-chain
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 3 connections. Modules: uZeus, VCO Bus, DSP Bus, Utility Bus. Signals: 3 cv.uZeusVCO BusDSP BusUtility BusBuses: 3 (A, B, and Additional port)Flying bus AcvFlying bus BcvAdditional bus portcvPowercvPowercvPowercv1231. sound sources2. digital3. CV/utilitycv
-12V rail reclaim for analog-heavy rack
case already draws >100mA on -12V (4+ analog modules) · power off · pull uZeus · move J7 jumper to single-pin rest · reinstall · the full 500mA -12V is now available to modules instead of the internal bleeder · verify all three status LEDs come up steady
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 2 modules and 1 connection. Modules: uZeus, Analog Rack. Signals: 1 cv.uZeusAnalog RackJ7: rehoused on single pin-12V available: full 500mA-12V railcv-12V pincv11. +100mA reclaimedcv

Behaviors

Three status LEDs power on

Three red LEDs indicate +12V, -12V and +5V rails are healthy. Any LED dark means a rail has failed or the adapter is overloaded — switch off immediately and remove modules before re-powering. Flashing LEDs (post-2017 switch-mode adapters) indicate adapter overload protection has tripped.

Thermal budget continuous load · ~10 minutes

Designed for 3U–6U of 84HP mixed analog/digital modules. After 10 minutes of use, check faceplate temperature: warm is normal, nearly-too-hot-to-touch means overload. Remove modules until temperature is acceptable. The module is designed for metal rails (Tiptop Z-Rails) which act as heatsinks — never mount to wood.

Adapter tiers choice of wall adapter

Stock 1000mA adapter (Happy Ending Kit) is sufficient for small racks. Post-2017 switch-mode versions include overload protection (triggers LED flashing). Systems beyond 3U x 84HP or with many digital modules should use the 3000mA uZeus-Boost adapter to reach the full 2000mA +12V rating.

-12V jumper (J7) remove jumper from factory position

The -12V switching regulator needs 100mA minimum load to stay stable. Factory jumper bridges an internal resistor to consume this current. If modules already draw >100mA on -12V (roughly >4 analog modules), re-seat the jumper on a single pin to free that 100mA for module use. Requires rack removal.

Keyed bus connectors connecting a module

Flying bus boards use keyed 10-pin headers — the connector physically prevents reversed insertion. The red stripe on a module ribbon still indicates -12V; align it with the bottom of the bus-board connector. Reversing is nearly impossible but visually verify before powering on.

Bus-board crosstalk layout loading multiple high-current digital modules on one bus

Digital/DSP modules, VCOs and noise sources pull current in spikes that can induce audible crosstalk on shared bus boards. Spread high-draw modules across both supplied buses (and the optional third) rather than clustering on one. Route long ribbons around modules that share the bus-board plane.

Bus daisy-chain expansion connect a flying bus's female end to another bus's last male connector

Two stock 84HP flying buses can be lengthened by chaining a third with its female header onto the last male header of an existing bus. Power budget does not grow — still bound by adapter and uZeus ratings. Prefer the third bus-board port on the PCB for proper parallel distribution instead of daisy-chaining.

Controls

Global Power switch Front-panel ON/OFF toggle. Turn off immediately if any of the three red status LEDs fail to illuminate.
Cuts power to all bus boards
-12V rail J7 jumper (PCB) Factory setting consumes 100mA internally to keep switching regulator stable. Rehoused on one pin to free the full 500mA for modules.
Remove only if powering more than ~4 analog modules on -12V

I/O

IN · 1

  • 15V DC barrel 15V DC · 1000mA (stock) or 3000mA (uZeus-Boost)
    Center-positive 2.5mm barrel jack · official Tiptop adapter required

OUT · 6

  • +12V rail +12V · up to 2000mA (with Boost adapter)
    Main positive analog rail · fed to all bus board connectors
  • -12V rail -12V · up to 500mA
    Negative analog rail · switching regulator requires 100mA minimum load (self-consumed by default)
  • +5V rail +5V · up to 170mA
    Digital rail · generated on-board
  • Flying bus A 10-pin Eurorack power
    Primary flying bus board · 10-pin keyed connectors, red-stripe = -12V
  • Flying bus B 10-pin Eurorack power
    Secondary flying bus board · ships attached
  • Additional bus port 10-pin Eurorack power
    Third bus board connector on PCB · optional expansion