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ELZ_1 Play V2 - Image 1

ELZ_1 Play V2

KeyboardDigitalPolyphonic

Sonicware's ELZ_1 play V2 is a pocket-sized synthesizer that punches way above its weight, packing 17 wildly different synthesis engines into a device you can actually carry to a gig or jam session. The V2 update brought serious upgrades including Waldorf's classic wavetables from the Microwave and PPG synth range, plus the ability to layer up to three oscillators together for richer, more complex tones.

The synthesis engine is genuinely diverse. You get lo-fi 8-bit oscillators for gritty, retro textures, standard high-resolution oscillators running on 32-bit floating-point math, FM synthesis, granular engines, physical modeling, filtered noise voices, and even a built-in drum machine with five kits and 100 rhythm patterns. Each engine supports up to 20 voices of polyphony depending on which one you're using, with most offering at least six. The 37 velocity-sensitive keys feel responsive for a compact keyboard, and there's a multimode arpeggiator for generating harmonic patterns on the fly. Sound shaping comes from nine digital filter modes and 33 effects split between insert and master slots, including reverbs, delays, distortions, and more specialized tools like ring modulation and auto-wah.

The real compositional power lives in the four-track stereo looper. Each track can be overdubbed, quantized, or played back as a one-shot, with full undo and redo functionality. There's also a 128-step sequencer with variable step lengths and microtiming for precise drum programming. You can record directly from the keyboard, external line input, or USB audio. The device runs on six AA batteries or a 9V adapter, includes built-in stereo speakers in the side panels, and connects via USB-C, 5-pin DIN-MIDI, and has an SD card slot for storing looper recordings and firmware updates. At just over a kilogram and roughly the size of a small laptop, it's genuinely portable without feeling like you're compromising on capability.

Released

Unknown

Status

In Production

Synthesizer
Format
Keyboard, Desktop, Micro
Type
Digital, Chiptune, FM, Wavetable, Granular, Physical Modeling, Virtual Analog
Internal Battery
Yes
Voice
A/D
Digital
Polyphony
Polyphonic
Oscillators
0
Oscillator Type
-
Voices
20
Tracks
4
Filter
Lowpass, Highpass, Bandpass, Notch
Envelopes
-
LFO
-
Effects
33 insert effects and 15 master effects
Expression
Aftertouch
No
Velocity
Yes
MPE
No
Additional
37 velocity-sensitive keys, 17 synth engines (8-bit, virtual analog, filtered noise, granular, FM, physical modeling, super oscillator, drum machine), V2 update with Waldorf wavetables and Layer Mode (3 oscillator stacking), 4-track stereo looper with overdubbing, 128-step sequencer, built-in speakers, USB audio interface (2x2, 48kHz 16-bit), battery powered (6x AA), soft carrying case included
Software
-
I/O
Audio In
1x stereo 3.5mm
Audio Out
2x 1/4" stereo
Headphone
1x 3.5mm stereo
MIDI
In, Out
MIDI Type
DIN (5-pin), USB
Ports
USB-C, SD Card, Clock In, Clock Out
Wi-Fi
No
Workflow
Arpeggiator
Yes
Sequencer
Yes
Mod Matrix
No
Memory
SD card storage
Measurements
Dimensions
399 x 131 x 50 mm
Weight
1.12 kg
Last updated Mar 22, 2026