Sonicsmith Modular A1

Imagine squeezing a semi-modular analog synth into a rugged stompbox-sized enclosure that runs on a standard 9V pedal power supply—thats the clever premise here, letting you patch wild modulations anywhere from your desk to your pedalboard.

At its core, its a monophonic beast with a single audio-rate VCO offering square and triangle waveshapes, full frequency sweep via coarse and fine tune knobs, plus 1V/oct CV pitch input and sync. The matching LFO mirrors that setup with rate, amount, and CV controls, both oscillators fully patchable via 3.5mm jacks. Two VCAs handle amplitude—one dedicated to the VCO with its own CV in, the other for the LFO—while a central switch routes LFO to VCO pitch for instant vibrato. Dual outputs shine: a pre-VCA mini jack for raw oscillator feed, and a rear 1/4-inch +4dBu line-level main out, all in a bulletproof 9x10cm frame drawing just 30mA.

Folks digging into it appreciate the endless tweaking potential as a companion to bigger rigs or audio-controlled synths, praising its sturdy build and surprising depth for such a tiny package, though some note it thrives most with extra patch cables or modules for full voice potential.