Back in 1984, this desktop module burst onto the scene as a keyboardless powerhouse, packing the brains of a modular synth into a sleek black-and-blue box that let you sculpt sounds like never before—essentially previewing the Matrix-12 a year early.
At its core, each of its six voices blends analog warmth from two voltage-controlled oscillators (with sync, FM, and classic waveforms like saw, triangle, and pulse) feeding into a wildly versatile 15-mode filter using Curtis chips for low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, notch, and more, all shaped by dual VCAs. Digital smarts handle five DADSR envelopes (with delay), five LFOs offering 64 waveforms, three tracking generators, four ramp generators for sweeps, a lag processor, and a massive 27x47 modulation matrix that routes everything from MIDI velocity and pressure to pedal inputs with positive or negative amounts. Controls live on a front panel with three green alphanumeric LED displays for editing, while the back offers stereo outs with 7-position panning, six individual voice outs, CV/gate ins per voice, full MIDI I/O/Thru, trigger, pedals, and even a cassette dump.
Players have long praised its fat, bassy tones and endless versatility—run it as one polysynth, six independent monos, or multitimbral setups across MIDI channels or CV—though some note the deep programming can feel menu-dive heavy without a dedicated controller. It's a hybrid legend that still inspires sound designers chasing that classic Oberheim vibe.
