Bristol (UK)-based Modal Electronics launched an interesting monophonic synthesizer 2 years ago called the CRAFTsynth, with components that slotted together before the player hit touch strips and turned dials to create sounds. The company based its follow-up polyphonic synth on the voice architecture of the CRAFTsynth, but wrapped it all in a modern package. Now Modal has gone monophonic again for the CRAFTsynth 2.0 wavetable synthesizer.
Currently raise funds on Kickstarter, the CRAFTsynth 2.0 draws on the original but takes design cues from last year's Skulpt model and adds more features.
It rocks eight oscillators per voice with two selectable waveforms from a library of 40 divided into eight banks of five, and players can select and morph between waveforms in a bank. There are three envelope filters included, two LFOs, and a two-pole resonant filter. And modulation modifiers allow users to tap into the device's two oscillator sets and create unique sounds.
All that's enabled by 12 rotary controllers above an eight key touch-enabled MIDI keyboard with eight custom scales and root note selection, and the new CRATFsynth has its own arpeggiator too.
The 150 x 135 x 68 mm (6 x 5.5 x 3 in), 300 g (under 1 lb) portable sound generator can be powered by three AA-sized batteries or over USB, with the latter performing double duty as a Class Compliant USB MIDI connection. The analog clock sync in/out has been configured to Korg/Teenage Engineering specs, and MIDI DIN in/out and SYNC in/out allow for integration into an existing rig.
Finally, using the Modalapp editor on a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone offers virtual control of the CRAFTsynth 2.0's features.
When it goes up for sale, the CRAFTsynth 2.0 will retail for £129.99 (about US$165), but Kickstarter backers can get in early and save some money. Pledges start at £99 and, if all goes to plan, the monophonic wavetable synth will ship in April. The video below has more.
Sources: Modal, Kickstarter
