Synth Geekery 152

Synth Geekery is a weekly podcast/live stream (YouTube) show about everything synthesizers, drum machines, samplers, sequencers, eurorack and music technology. Please enjoy episode 152 🙂

Watch the show replay here: https://youtu.be/KkoR2H2NtrQ

If you would like to contribute or take part in future shows, please subscribe to the YouTube channel here – or contact me via the about page here.

Funny Side

The funny side segment is a collection of memes that are somewhat relevant to the synth geekery community. Some of these images are taken from Facebook, Instagram and other social media sources. Please respect the creators. Hope you enjoy this week’s selection:

News from the Geekery

This week we have a mixed bag of firmware updates, eurorack modules, synth prototypes, and a tirade of Behringer announcements. See if you can hold your breath 🙂

Argon 8 Firmware 2.6

Argon 8 Firmware 2.6 now available

Link: https://www.modalelectronics.com/argon8-firmware-v2-6-now-available/

Video: https://youtu.be/hXEHXVABuv0

Details:

12 new Wavetable Banks, 60 new Waveforms and a host of must-have workflow enhancements.

Tetragrid

Tetragrid

Link: https://www.aimoscampa.com/4d-m8

Video: https://youtu.be/ZizjdPqCCQg

Details:

Tetragrid is a strange 2D cross-section of a polytope that generates voltage via placing pins on a magnetised board to connect cross-modulating touchpoints.

TIWA analog synth prototype

TIWA

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FqJXjhYxMo

Details:

Little details can be found about this analog synth prototype, posted by rasool on his YouTube channel. It has a VCO, VCA, low-pass filter and pitch / gate / velocity cv-inputs.

FDSI-8 digital synth prototype

FDSI-8

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olioLj4k5LU

Details:

Little details have been provided about this digital synth prototype, posted by rasool on his YouTube channel. It was developed with ESP32 and some other codecs and components and programmed it with MicroPython.

Behringer product announcements

UBXa Desktop

Behringer UBXa Desktop

Behringer writes:

While we’re all waiting for chips to finally produce and ship the UB-Xa, our engineers haven’t been sitting still and in the meantime finished the prototype of the desktop version. Like with all our other desktop modules, this one will be rack mountable, too. We’re super excited and hope you love it, too:-)

from Facebook post

Pro-VS Soul

Behringer PRO-VS Soul

Behringer writes

PRO VS. Polyphonic 4-Voice Hybrid Vector Synthesizer with Presets and full Midi implementation modeled after the Prophet VS from 1986 but with many extra functions. This little monster has 127 wave tables and 32 presets plus sequencer, arpeggiator and display with oscilloscope.
Development is completed and once we receive chips it’ll go straight into production.
Estimated price US$ 99.

from Facebook post

JP-4000 Spirit

Behringer JP-4000 Spirit

Berighter writes:

When Uli was 16, he built his first synthesizer because he couldn’t afford to buy one. This experience defined his later career to build musical equipment and make it affordable for everyone.
It was his dream to one day deliver a synthesizer everyone could afford so kids could be introduced to music at an early stage. This could spark a lifelong love affair for electronic music and the art of music synthesis.
This day has come. Today we’re launching the JP-4000, an extremely powerful and portable 4-Voice Hybrid Paraphonic Synthesizer with 2 Analog Modelling Oscillators per Voice, Analog Filter, Arpeggiator and OLED.
Power the JP-4000 via your phone and connect it to your headphones or play it via USB/MIDI keyboard and a PA or recording system. Don’t let the small size fool you – it’s a full blown synthesizer in a micro package.

from Facebook post

Behremin

Behringer Behremin

Behringer writes:

Many people asked about the progress of our Behremin. While it might have been a bit quiet, our engineers have been working on the first prototype. The team is super excited as we’ll be adding some really cool new functions, never been seen in a Theremin product.
And we’re still targeting 99 USD sales price.
We hope you’re equally excited about this musical instrument:-)

from Facebook post

Price Watch

Oberheim OB-MX
Modal 002
Analogue Solutions Colossus
DSI Polyevolver

Name that synth

This week’s Name That Synth segment has been provided by Grace Griffin! Thanks so much 🙂 How did you go?

Jam of the week

This week’s Jam of the Week goes to a great enjoyable cover of one of my favorite games “Mass Effect” – the cover is by Jameson Nathan Jones. He doesn’t know I’m doing this – but we like it!