Back in 2015, this synth burst onto the scene as a compact powerhouse from a British outfit aiming to blend digital precision with analog soul, sharing its core voice design with its bigger sibling for that family synergy on stage.
At its heart, it's a 2-voice duophonic and bi-timbral hybrid machine with two high-resolution NCO oscillators per voice, each paired with two sub-oscillators that can mirror the mains or go square—effectively four oscs per voice across over 50 waveforms, from vintage analogs to wild digital shapes. A pure analog signal path kicks in right after, feeding a Modal-designed 4-pole transistor ladder filter with hardware morphing between modes, plus classic ADSR envelopes for VCF and VCA, two LFOs (one per-voice, one global, both MIDI-syncable), and four front-panel modulation matrices for deep routing. The 37-key FATAR semi-weighted keyboard delivers velocity sensitivity and aftertouch, topped by an XY joystick where any parameter assigns to its four axes, a context-sensitive 4.3-inch LCD screen, aluminum encoders, and quick front-panel access to six recall slots (expandable to 100 banks). Connectivity shines with 4 CV ins/outs, dual audio inputs for external processing through the filter, stereo outs, MIDI I/O/T, and even Ethernet; a 2-track 32-step sequencer with 12 rows and arpeggiator round it out in a sleek white metal chassis.
Players loved its gorgeous, stable tones and performer-friendly workflow, calling out the filter's flexibility and build quality as standouts, though some noted the original price tag kept it from wider casual adoption—now a sought-after gem for hybrid analog fans hunting value.
