planet Z

Updated: Mar 5, 199

A chart detailing the differences between the analog synths is here.

Click on the synth picture for a full-size version. It's a good way to familiarize yourself with the synth parameters and user interface.

EZ Synth

Overview

A single oscillator synth, requiring minimal DSP, allowing up to 16 voice polyphony.

The oscillator can be set to Sawtooth or Pulse. The pulse width is either set by a knob, or controlled by an LFO (a sine wave with depth and speed controls).

The filter is a resonant low-pass, with cutoff and resonance controls.

There is a filter envelope which can be applied to the filter cutoff in varying degrees, controlled by the a knob. The attach, sustain and release of this filter are fixed, while the decay time is controlled by a knob.

Two more sound shaping stages are a stereo chorus unit, with level, speed and depth, and a distortion unit with a single level control.

The final stage is the very simple amplitude envelope, with two modes. In one, it uses the filter's envelope (which has the variable decay), and in the other, it is a preset envelope with infinite sustain.

Comments

It's a very simple little synth, but surprisingly you can do a lot with it. The lack of any decent envelopes makes it not very useful for pads, but it's pretty good at resonant bass sounds, and sharp plunky sounds. The chorus fattens up the sound, and since it is so easy-on-the-DSP, you can pile up the polyphony for some big sounds. I found it most effective when running it through a delay.

For an in-depth review, with audio samples, see Johan Malmgren's EZ Synth article.

Inferno

Overview

This is essentially a beefed-up EZ Synth, with richer modulation, and some cool new features.

The oscillator can be set to sin, saw-up, saw-down, tri, and pulse. Also, there is a new sub oscillator. Ring modulation has been added (hurray!)

The filter has a fully adjustable ADSR envelope, which is also velocity-sensitive. This envelope can be inverted by a switch, to create backward-sounding envelopes.

The amplitude envelope is now fully adjustable ADSR, also velocity-sensitive.

There is a new Pitch Mod section, with a mod-wheel which can control a settable amount of pitch modulation.

Comments

With the addition of ring modulation and the sub oscillator, the Inferno can produce some really fat and nasty sounds. Also, with full ADSR envelopes, you have much more flexibility than with the basic EZ Synth.

In my opinion the amplitude envelope's release stage cuts off a bit abruptly - there's no super-smooth fade-out, even on max setting.

BlueSynth

Overview

This is the most flexible of the Pulsar analogs, aside from the Modular of course. Said to be modelled loosely on the Sequential Prophet 5.

For an in-depth review, with audio samples, see Johan Malmgren's Blue Synth article.

Top | EZ Synth | Inferno | BlueSynth | miniscope | miniscope mkII | U Know 007
FM One | Modular | Sample Player | Sample Player F

miniscope

Overview

Rumored to be modelled on the Minimoog. (Decide for yourself, look at this picture).

More coming soon...

Comments

miniscope MK II

Overview

This is an apparently minor modification to the original miniscope. Aside from being red with chrome sides instead of black with wood sides, the UI is identical. The synth does indeed sound different from the original miniscope. Creamware says this synth uses a new low pass filter with a "different, special characteristic". In my opinion, it has a warmer, richer sound than the original miniscope.

U Know 007

Overview

New in Pulsar software version 1.1 is an emulation of the original Roland Juno-106. This is the fattest, warmest synth of the Pulsar analogs. It is also the most responsive to real-time control, capable of very smooth filter sweeps, etc.

For an in-depth review, with audio samples, see Johan Malmgren's U Know 007 article.

FM One

Overview

A strictly monophonic 8 algorithm FM synth.

Comments

More coming soon...

Pulsar Modular

Overview

The Pulsar Modular is, to me, the most exciting device in the system. I plan to write a more extensive article about the Modular later, but for now a brief overview will have to suffice.

Many Modular components are provided, grouped into categories: oscillators, filters, envelopes, LFOs, mixers, switches, audio I/O, MIDI. Pictures of each of the modules are included over on the Modular DSP usage page.

Just like a traditional modular synthesizer, you place modules in your workspace, and then wire module outputs to module inputs. Parameters of various modules can be modulated using envelopes, LFOs, or even audio signals. In creating a signal flow, through various modules, you can create virtually any kind of synthesizer or sound shaping tool.

The possibilities are endless. Consider that instead of an oscillator as your sound source, you can also use audio inputs routed from outside the modular (like maybe your voice or guitar) through your modular set up.

Sample Player

Overview

The Sample Player device is a simple AKAI S1000 format sample player. It can read AKAI format sample programs directly from CD-ROM, or from AKAI sample programs which you have copied to your hard disk. There is no facility for creating your own sample programs, or for editing existing programs.

You can layer up to 4 different sample programs in the same player, however you cannot specify key ranges for the samples, so if the loaded samples do not have mutually exclusive keyboard ranges, the sounds will overlap. Additionally, only the amplitude envelope information for the first sample program will be used.

There is a simple facility for modifying the ADSR amplitude envelope, which involves setting offsets which will be applied to the amplitude envelope stored in the sample programs. There is no way to set specific envelope values, only offsets to the existing envelope values.

The Sample Player is extremely simple, and extremely light on DSP usage. So, you can use several high-polyphony sample players without too heavily impacting your overall DSP usage. However, it should be noted that the maximum polyphony for any one device is 16 voices. This can be problematic in emulating instruments like pianos or vibes, with which 32 or 64 voice polyphony might be more appropriate.

How accurately does the Sample Player recreate AKAI sample programs? I've found that some sample programs are recreated very well, while others seem to lose certain information like velocity cross fades, etc. I'll need to do more scientific testing to declare which situations are problematic.

Sample Player F

Overview

The Sample Player F extends the basic Sample Player by adding the ability to modify the cutoff frequency and envelope settings of the filter. Again, these modifications are by offset - there is no way to set specific values.

EZ Synth

Overview

Comments

Inferno

Overview

Comments

BlueSynth

Overview

Top | EZ Synth | Inferno | BlueSynth | miniscope | miniscope mkII | U Know 007 FM One | Modular | Sample Player | Sample Player F

miniscope

Overview

Comments

miniscope MK II

Overview

U Know 007

Overview

FM One

Overview

Comments

Pulsar Modular

Overview

Sample Player

Overview

Sample Player F

Overview

Top | EZ Synth | Inferno | BlueSynth | miniscope | miniscope mkII | U Know 007
FM One | Modular | Sample Player | Sample Player F