Back in 2001, this little desktop beast brought Yamaha's Analog Physical Modeling synthesis to groovebox fans, packing the fat, punchy tones of classic analog synths into a super compact silver chassis that weighs just 1.6kg and measures a slim 338x209x52mm—perfect for slipping into a gig bag.
At its heart is a 5-voice polyphonic AN engine modeling two VCOs with sawtooth, variable pulse, mix, multi-saw, OSC Sync, and FM capabilities, paired with resonant multimode filters, dual LFOs and ADSRs, noise generator, ring mod, and a Free EG for evolving motion. It teams up with a 32-voice AWM2 rhythm section offering 120 drum, percussion, bass, and FX samples across three tracks. The analog-style 16-step sequencer—one for synth, three for rhythms—lets you tweak pitch, gate, and velocity per step with dedicated knobs, plus real-time recording, step mode, or MIDI input; store 256 presets, 128 users, 10 songs, and two Scene Memories for instant morphing. Hands-on control shines with 18 dedicated knobs and switches for cutoff, resonance, envelopes, effects like 13 types (delay, flanger, phaser, overdrive, distortion, EQ), plus stereo outs, MIDI I/O, headphones, and velocity sensitivity.
Over two decades on, players still dig its beefy basses, squelchy leads echoing the AN1x, and intuitive loop-making for DJs and studio tweaks—though some wish for more polyphony on complex patches. A timeless groove factory that holds up beautifully today.
