Crumar Bit One

Back in 1984, this hybrid poly synth punched way above its weight by packing serious expressivity into a compact five-octave frame, with velocity sensitivity that let you shape sounds dynamically like few budget keys could.

Each of its six voices rocks two DCOs offering triangle, sawtooth, pulse (with PWM), and noise, all mixable for thick, evolving tones tuned across 32', 16', 8', and 4' footages. A resonant 4-pole lowpass VCF—early models with SSM2044, later CEM3328—pairs with dedicated ADSR envelopes for filter and VCA, plus two LFOs (triangle, saw, square) that modulate pitch, filter, pulse width, and more, with rates fading in via delay. Velocity hits pulse widths, envelope attacks/amounts, and LFO speeds for lively play; stack voices in Unison for fat duophonic leads, split the keyboard bi-timbrally with separate upper/lower outputs, or double up patches. Controls cluster intuitively on the panel with four LED displays for params/programs, pitch/mod wheels stacked above the keys, and 63 user memories via cassette or MIDI.

Players love its raw analog growl and hands-on vibe for vintage polysynth vibes, though some note the programming takes getting used to without modern screens. A true gem for anyone chasing that '80s character without breaking the bank.