Echon 6 Analog Polyphonic BBD Synthesizer

Imagine taking the classic Karplus-Strong synthesis technique—pioneered in the 80s for plucked string sounds—and supercharging it with pure analog bucket brigade devices for a polyphonic beast that's all about organic, decaying resonances.

Each of its six voices pairs an analog exciter, blending noise or sound sources with sample-and-hold for that initial pluck, feeding into a dedicated BBD resonator that delivers warm, darkening delays as the signal buckets through capacitors, complete with input/output filters, VCA, and envelope shaping. Four LFOs and four random generators per voice fuel a massive 9x32 modulation matrix, letting you assign sources like envelopes, mod wheel, velocity, aftertouch, or key follow to virtually anything via intuitive button-driven programming—no menus in sight. It's 6-part multitimbral with stereo spread per voice, individual mono outs for each, plus stereo main outs, all packed into a sleek 19-inch rackmount or VESA-compatible chassis measuring just 17.7 x 7.3 x 2.1 inches.

Debuting late last year, it's already earning buzz at events like Bristronica for its hands-on workflow and uniquely alive textures—players love the immediate depth without digital sterility, though some note the learning curve for dialing in the matrix pays off big in live sets.