K Multimedia has debuted its premier hardware synthesizer, the $199 UNO Synth (www.unosynth.com). Designed for everyone interested in rich, true analog sound, this new monophonic synth offers a wide sound palette and easy programmability in an ultra-portable, battery-powered format for on-the-go music creation, live performance or studio recording.
UNO Synth delivers everything from classic to modern sounds to create music in any genre. It packs 100 presets and an easy-to-play keyboard with selectable scales and an arpeggiator. Beneath its miniature exterior, UNO Synth packs a powerful synth engine with professional sound and a full analog audio path on par with more expensive synthesizers. It includes:
° An all-analog audio path with 2 VCOs, noise generator, resonant multimode VCF and VCA;
° Two independent VCOs with Saw, Triangle and Pulse waveforms with continuously variable shape including PWM of the square wave plus a separate white noise generator;
° A two-pole OTA-based analog resonant sweepable multimode filter (LP/HP/BP) with overdrive;
° Seven LFO waveforms (Sine, Triangle, Square, Up Saw, Down Saw, Random and Sample-and-Hold) to modulate Pitch, Filter, Amp and continuous oscillator wave shapes including PWM.
While UNO Synth is monophonic, its two independent oscillators can be tuned differently to generate interesting pad-like interval sounds and octaves. Pulse width modulation of each oscillator offers advanced modular-style timbres from classic synths.
The pure analog filter brings all the warmth, depth and fatness expected from a real analog synth. The multimode resonant filter can be used for subtle tonal modification or screaming, aggressive resonant sweeps. The filter can also be modulated with the filter envelope, LFO and performance buttons.
More than 40 onboard controls are available on the top panel to give real-time access to synth engine parameters, for immediate sound sculpting capability with no deep menus to scroll through. For added control, a Mac/PC editor is also available.
The UNO Synth’s 27-note onboard multi-touch keyboard offers over two octaves of sound control as a chromatic keyboard or as a predefined scale keyboard with 13 available scales. The built-in arpeggiator with 10 arpeggio modes and a 4-octave range offers even more creative possibilities for keyboardists and non-keyboardists alike.
The UNO Synth keyboard also doubles as a step-edit control for its built-in, 100-pattern sequencer. Sequences can be programmed in real-time or in steps (with modulatable synth parameters per step). In addition to a built-in delay effect, five instant performance modulations are also available (Dive, Scoop, Vibrato, Wah and Tremolo) for added real-time playability and instant dynamic expression during performances.
UNO Synth’s ultra-compact dimensions make it among the smallest monophonic synths available. Its light weight (only 400g) and battery power (4xAA included) or USB power-supply (for battery power banks) give musicians the freedom to make music anywhere.