Suonobuono Polyvera Unveiled

The hybrid synth space is certainly hotting up! Lovers of digital waveforms into analogue filters have many options these days, so what makes Suonobuono's new instrument a compelling prospect? Read on...

Suonobuono's Polyvera is a hybrid polyphonic wavetable/sampler synthesizer that blends the gritty charm of vintage digital technology with the warmth of modern analog sound. Polyvera is set to make its debut at the Roma Modularefairon September 27th-28th, where visitors will have the opportunity to play a pre-production unit firsthand.

Polyvera features six voices of vintage-inspired digital oscillators paired with modern analog filters and digital effects, crafted for sound designers and musicians seeking a unique, unpolished character in their music. Equipped with 36 potentiometers and encoders, alongside two OLED displays, Polyvera invites musicians to go beyond presets and explore in-depth sound shaping. External sampling and seamless import of user wavetables and samples expand Polyvera's sonic possibilities well beyond its factory content. A versatile modulation matrix and dual effects, which also retain a certain '80s vibe, complete its sound palette. While Polyvera is a competent analog-sounding synth, thanks to its multi-mode analog filters, it shines brightest (or grittiest!) when crafting complex soundscapes, synthetic choirs, and raw, textured basses.

At the beginning of the 80s, technology enabled the release of the first affordable digital wavetable oscillators and samplers. The brilliant engineers behind those devices had to devise creative solutions to cope with the processing and memory limitations of that time. The result was a dirty, artificial timbre, rich in aliasing and artifacts, which became a trademark of the digital electronic sound of the 80s. By the end of the decade, technology had advanced to the point where digital artifacts had become less audible and less interesting, musically speaking. Polyvera is not a clone, but rather an original homage to that early digital sound. Vintage wavetable synths and samplers from the likes of Akai, PPG, Ensoniq, Roland and E-MU were reverse engineered during the development of Polyvera and some of their digital artifact traits are reconstructed, and in some cases even exaggerated, into Polyvera's own oscillators. A style of choice can be assigned to each oscillator, offering a selection of both high-quality and vintage-style flavors.

A secret sauce of early 80s digital synthesizers and samplers is that they actually used analog filters,which greatly contributed to the beauty and punch of their sound. Polyvera modernizes those vintage filter designs by providing eight different analog filter types based on a classic synth analog filter chip. The filters can be overdriven, brought to self-oscillation and frequency-modulated, offering endless flavors ranging from classic analog sounds to purely experimental ones. The low-pass filter can even be combined with an analog post-filter distortion stage. The combination of vintage-sounding digital oscillators and Polyvera's proprietary warm analog filters is the key to its distinctive sound.

Colour me interested! Many things about this synth appeal to me; the apple & blackcurrant paint job, vintage-style digital voicing, flexible filters (with filter FM!) and sequencer (with automation) all attract me to this instrument. Here's the specs:

Oscillators:

• Two wavetable/sampler oscillators and multiple vintage styles
• User wavetables and samples may be loaded from SD memory
• Oscillators support frequency modulation, ring modulation, sync, phase re-triggering and an additional noise source is provided
• A drift mode provides analog-style detuning
• Osc1 (wavetable) includes a sub-oscillator
• Osc2 (wavetable/sampler) can be routed to the VCF, to the same VCA as Osc1, or to its own VCA and envelope

Filters:

• Resonant analog filters (VCF) with self-oscillation and 8 filter types including a LP filter with analog post-filter distortion
• Original design based on a classic analog filter chip
• Filter drive, frequency modulation, adjustable tracking

VCA:

• Analog VCA including level control

Modulation:

• Three tempo-syncable LFOs per voice (can be set as common LFO for all voices) with  key-trigger
• Three Envelopes per voice (Env1 is hard-wired to the VCF and Env2 is hard-wired to the VCA)
• Env3 can be assigned as modulation source and can be looped

FX:

• Two digital effects in series:
• Fx1 includes various chorus, delay and phaser models
• Fx2 includes '80s-inspired modulated reverbs
• Effect parameters can be edited

Other Features:

• Arpeggiator
• Polyphonic sequencer with parameters automation
• MPE support
• Binaural mode (halves polyphony)
• High quality anodised aluminium case

Pre-production tests are ongoing and a release date will be provided on suonobuono.net and on Suonobuono's Instagram @suonobuono_instrument. Pricing details are not confirmed yet, "however, we are confident that we'll be able to offer Polyvera at a price that is well below what one could expect from such a boutique instrument."

Posted by MagicalSynthAdventure an expert in synthesis technology from last Century and Amiga enthusiast.

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