My Roland XP-50 had a bigger display and more controls than this. Granted, it was still horrible to use… this one is overall more limited, and maybe the interface works for that. But still…
The NonLinear Labs C15, all DSP with one knob is £4k. Continuum with pure DSP and one knob is £5k+. Both are some of the very best synths to play. If you are judging synths on the number of knobs you are doing it wrong (though I’m not saying sometimes they aren’t important 😂)
@@GOSHacid Nah, I actually really like the look of this thing, it's definitely focusing on being a musical instrument over a sound design tool, but heck I'm an old fart and remember this stuff from the first time round, and it was *definitely* an acquired taste back then too lol. All that said it sounds incredible and I'm going to be struggling to resist my GAS on it for a while!
90's was the best period! And this interface is way more useable than old synths, were you often had to type in the parameter number, then the value, or use a slider...
It sounds great but man did they f*up with that 80s alarm clock UI. I’d consider it at half the size/price. Love the honest balanced reviews Nick. True integrity 👍🏻
I own a lot of synths (too many actually), but this synth is the 1st in a good long while that really caught my ear. Sonically it's a nice blend of familiar elements and just sounds really good. The new-ish "3rd Wave" could probably cover these types of sounds and do so much more, but it's in a whole different league price-wise.
I think the 3rd Wave and this are very very distant cousins, 3rd Wave gives you more, but you pay more, this is something than can sound like a 3rd Wave, sort of but has its own character. Buy a lottery ticket, win and buy both synths :D
I really like the sound possibilities. I like the rolca s1 as a crazy oscillator substitute for 10% of the price too. The solo glide performance feature is nice. This minimalistic UI is perfect for a small module that sold for $599us. I would immediately buy it and run it from my dx7 keybed.
This synth sounds unique, it sounds really nice but the tiny screen is a little bit annoying. I used lots of synths with parameter access system,, DX7, JX3P and JX8P, If I can see the parameter name, stored value etc... than it can be a lot easier. Thanks for the review, Sonicstate rocks !!!
Yep. I‘m having lots of fun with this little beast, but the display is a pain in the a.. It‘s not so much the size but the partially illegible character set that annoys me - and I grew up with LED displays!
My take regarding the ui factor is that this is intended as a player's synth (rather than a tweaker's synth). Many synths make it possible to blur the lines between the acts of sound design and performance, which is great, but often not what is needed for many performance contexts. For example, you can't twiddle knobs while you're playing two-handed. Also, most knobby synths with presets run into problems for live manipulation of a patch because the knob positions don't match the values stored in the preset. This synth, it seems to me, offers a unique and pleasantly musical soundworld while allowing you to create expressive, playable patches with splits, interesting play modes (i.e. para slurred, as well as others), aftertouch on a high quality keybed, and the mod wheel. This streamlined interface for expression suits the needs of a live performer playing songs, which often gain continuity and identity by virtue of the chosen set of instruments/sounds with which they are composed. It is out of my price range, but I think it's an appealing player's synth.
Love the weird glassy sound but I have a hard time justifying the "zen approach" when just a few more knobs/faders could have been added to still keep it simple yet not tedious. Still I am a sucker for synths with a white finish like the limited edition yamaha montage.
Such high quality sound !!!! , so 3 dimensional ! as good as quantum/3rdwave but with an orgnaic warm sound ! Nick for the first time in 10 years of my favourit reviews, i think you didn't give full justice to this wonderfull synth... yes i agree the UI is a little Zen , but the expresivness and musicality is up there with the best no doubt , and if not sometimes more musical that some 5k synths (IMAO) ! PS: Ohhhh , the Defender game was on my Atari 800 around 1980, m favourit game with Star Raider
The bitmask approach is interesting. Knowing how bitmasking works, and seeing what the results are, I suspect what they actually have is a wavetable and they just mask out the parts they aren't using. If you are able to have masks of any value, it can get into some interesting areas. But given they limit the number of masks to 256, it feels more like wave selection in a wavetable than something new and truly unique. But a different UI on top of this would have made all the difference. I'm one of those folks that will just go ITB if the hardware isn't providing something compelling (great UI or analog circuitry you can't get in a plugin). As this is, the tech would be pretty easy to have in a plugin and with a potentially better UI.
The waves sound very similar to Casio HT line of synths. Technically called Spectrum Dynamic, in which some of the waves have movement. The Casios have real analogue VCFs after the oscillators, and that makes them really interesting.
Wow! I’m sure many will pass on this one, viewing as a menu diver, but it seems like a really intuitive layout that would be really easy to use quickly, sort of like the DSI Prophet 12 (simplistic layout but every parameter really easy to access quickly). This sounds fantastic!
The sound of this synth is very relaxing without rough edges. I don't think someone into acid techno would be interested. But for someone like me who is interested in ambient music this could be the right instrument.
God damn that sounds good. An oberhiem thing going nice neat almost Japanese in it's efficiency. I must have one. Oh dude , you there the talented rep of this channel. It's good to see you again. Now I can get talent along with homework. Thank you
The bitmask approach is interesting. From the brief overview here it seems similar to what modules like the Doepfer A189-1 or Xaoc Leibniz subsystem do: digitising the input then wave shaping it by swapping around the bits or applying logic such as bitwise XOR. Having that in a poly synth opens up some whole new possibilities, and it certainly produces some nice digital pad sounds here, especially with judicious filtering and fx. However, it seems like the input to the bitmask is limited to a static sine wave, which really reduces the possibilities, since that sort of waveshaping is at its most powerful with a dynamic input (e.g. wavefolding or filtering a wave *before* it gets to the bitmask). I may be wrong, but it seems as if with the Mask 1 all you can do is move through the masks, which in effect is identical to wavetable synthesis but limited to one wavetable. I can appreciate the creative decision to focus on a specific set of functions, but given the price point and potential, it seems like a missed opportunity.
Kinda interesting with some cool tricks. I love the Para-slur as that is something quite unique.. Having said that, I didn't hear anything I couldn't do with my Iridium as well as it covering a lot more sonic ground... I can see these being a quirky future classic and quite rare.. But then of course if Aphex Twin decides to do a whole album with one then they will probably climb in value..
The Kodamo Mask1 is an example of interesting idea, but limited with basic interface and modulation options. I hope they continue that path and develop a new, more advanced instrument. The philosophy of the Mask1 reminds me of Modal Cobalt8 synthesizers, which is a very cool! Thanks for presenting another interesting rarity 🙂
Great sound and personally I love the look of it... Shame about the price though, I think it's a bit OTT for its place in the market, especially considering it competes more in the VST market in terms of it's internal synth engine. If it was more around the £1k mark it would probably have been an insta-buy for me. But considering it's competition in and around this price point, I can't see it going very far unfortunately.
Here we have something that sounds really new, but people mope about the absence of knobs. So why not spend your money on next moog or Juno clone? You get all the knobs and a sound you already know. What could possibly go wrong?
Sounds nice... Nick is right, having an extra 8 Marco knobs to drive those lovely motions for that price..would have taken that synth to the top level.
Seriously, though... will there be one? 2 knobs, half of a 1983 calculator screen, barely any buttons even... this looks like a good choice for 3rd party preset designers, because I doubt many average customers will understand how to achieve the specific sounds they like. With a sw editor many people will at least try, but I think many other people would use tgis as a preset keyboard.
@@GizzyDillespee yes cringe matrix references aside it is definitely in need of an editor. I'm willing to bet if they don't make one a 3rd party will be made. It really sounds nice I just think the interface is asking a lot in 2023.
I really really like the sound of this thing and i think it's pretty unique. Not sure about the user interface but i'm sure with a bit of work you can learn how to use it.
I picked one up right when they released, and aboslutely LOVE it! Worth every cent. I have modular gear, Elektrons, etc. and other things if I want to sequence and go into deep sound design. This synth doesn't make a bad sound, and is ridiculously playable and expressive. Highly recommend it, especially if you're someone that actually likes to play your synths. It also has a deceptive amount of breadth in sound palette. It's just a different approach to getting those sounds out. The interface is also very quick once you play on it for an hour or so. The thing about it though, is that it just sounds incredibly good. Like creamy liquid chip/table type sounds through a REALLY nice state variable filter. I prefer it to the M that I recently sold actually. Not in the deep sound design department, but the overall sound. (for perspective, the XT and M are still in my top synths of all time) I do agree that the interface won't be for everyone, but I also think a lot of people will be surprised by what they can get out of it, and how quickly. I would also guess that one could stick a small knob-programmer over the "Mask 1" logo for a bit more hands on.
@@RustyTonesJr A few reasons. One is that I find the real time bit mask approach more interesting than wave tables. Two, I’m designing a wave table oscillator, and have others. I may buy another M sometime, but I’m covered on synths for now :) Also happened to need a 61 key board. And I like Kodamo.
I remember buying my first keyboard with an LED display like that, which was a Yamaha PSS 780 with mini keys and a row of blue drum pads, so I can understand the ethos of having a simple display like that and the nostalgic feel and look to program synth sounds, but it didn't cost £2000, it cost me £60 in 1996. It's £1500 cheaper than that big white behemoth without a display shown at the recent German event, but still I feel that many of these new synths are really missing the boat in terms of value for money. This is why I still use Casio keyboard products where they can be innovative and feature rich without breaking the purchasers bank. Take the old Casio XW-G1 from 10 years ago and compare.
Fantastic sounding synth, I think this would be an absolute pad monster where you don't really need to tweak too much on the fly, as you demoed, you can tie FX to the wheel for some nice modulation. Thx for the upload.
Yes I remember Defender! I played that while listening to Herby Hancock’s “Rocket!” It’s one of the inspirations I cite for my interest in synths/electronic music.
Maybe they could add a single push-button function called "Random" where (factory or user) selected parameters are assigned randomly at every stroke. This way, you could browse through infinite possibilities of settings, discovering interesting new sounds that you will never reach using the usual linear sound design techniques (OSC->MIX->VCA->VCF->FX->etc.).
Agreed. Getting big Fizmo vibes off this one. I'm intrigued, but seeing Nick fight the UI turns me off a lot. Probably one you have to sink some time into to learn your way around, and it may not be worth it for everyone, but the few who do are going to have one heck of an interesting synth. Can see this one ending up a similar fate as the Fizmo, ignored, misunderstood, hated on, and then being sought after in the future for the few people who appreciate what it did well. I'm just hoping it won't have a fatal flaw like the Fizmo's under-spec power regulator that ended up killing so many before the community found out what was happening and how to prevent it.
The price was a shock to me given the interface. That's not to say it looks bad or hard to use. I wasn't blown away by the sound on the demos I saw before this. Nick does have a way of making stuff sound better. It does sound new, but not way out there. Like kind of familiar, but not the same old sound. I found it interesting enough to want to buy it when I first heard about it, but I have too many keyboards, and the price kind of killed it for me. I might reconsider, but I'd have to make space by getting rid of another keyboard before I could buy this one.
This reminds me heavily of the digital synths that I used back in the day, of which the workflow is a total turnoff. I would want to do the same thing that I did back then, which is find a controller to access parameters easily. Sounds great, though!
There have been some decent updates since it came out. Osc mask delta envelope looping (2 kinds), double the masks, 600 user slots, 12 voices, a 2nd filter, arp modes are cool, more cc flexibility (i connect mine to a faderfox mx12 to make programming way more fun), but actually the ui isn't as obtuse as it appears, or in other words I've gotten used to it pretty quickly. I only use the faderfox controls for random experimentation in real time when using the looper for example. I've also made sounds in here I've never been able to easily or at all make on other synths. There's presets on here that really sounds awesome too. Wishlist for updates? A sequencer, and waveshaping like hard or window sync
absolutely beautiful synth, beautiful sound, totally get the idea of a zen programming experience but suuuurely it would be way more zen with a lil nice screen like the elektron model series - would be perf then imo
If they had used a modern OLED display with a bit more information, this would be a no brainer for me. Unfortunately the tiny LED screen gives me bad flashbacks to my attempts at building a live set around the Volcas. Not a high point in my music making career.
I went ahead and bought one, and I really like the sounds, simple direct UI and playability. I have a faderfox so I got most of the midi CC I need to edit with knobs, I tend to like accessing sound parameters and i can do most of the ones i want, that way. I just need an oscilloscope to see what’s happening with the masks [it helps with sound design for me], and, eventually, a way to select banks. I can program change factory presets, and select via button push different recalled factory presets, but I’m not yet successful in doing so with selecting user presets [memory recall per button press on my controller]. Something to do with MSB. I’ve reached out to Kodamo and thus far they’ve been very helpful, but maybe I don’t yet understand how to accomplish bank changes correctly yet using cc 32. MSB and LSB always were a bit confusing for me.
I really like some of the sounds this can make... I had kind of hoped that the 3rd Wave would have a mode on it that could get into this kind of territory - I know it's a different synthesis method but it kinda sounds like some alternate version of wavetable? - And should it have an analogue filter like the PPG? Though it sounds really good when it gets into certain types of sounds, the pads are great.
Definetly not "the 1st synth for a beginner". I realy appréciate the originality of the sound source. We all need many kinds of sound generation, even the weirdest ones. Now imagine it in a rack unit with a "GUI plugin" where you can easily edit and control it. Should be great. (OK, I know "rack" is a boomer's concept, now people have to deal with bulky, or too light & tiny to interact with, tabletop things. I don't even know if the words "19 inches" say something to anyone now. Poor youth...)
7:54 read... only... memories... Bird from Alice In Wonderland: "rom-PLER! ROMPLER! ROMPLER!!" "I am NOT a ROMpler!" "Do you have read only memories?" "Why, yes, of course..." "ROMPLER!!!!" Just kidding (and Alice wasnt really a serpent), but then again, they sure designed it to look like one. When you got Jexus asking about a software editor, then it's an interesting synth with a rough looking interface, yeah?
Very nice bit “LIKE “ waves but still much less clangorous more round and fuller. I like it much much more than their previous offerings . It’s like a high end poly with more than just oscillating going for it . And there’s only one level of editing to it so maybe the display will do .👽✌️
Sounds better than I was expecting, but the price is too high for that interface I know it’s hard for small companies to hit the right price point, and I think they failed here
Absolutely… manufacturers need to revisit that '84-90s design approach that made most any new synth release come in at least two form factors: one or more keyboard variants, or 19" rackmount.
While I agree that it never hurts to have more form factors, (especially for people without the space for multiple keyboards) this thing kind of acts as a cohesive instrument. It just feels a bit different than your typical keyboard or module sort of arrangement. If they did make a module of some type, I'd grab one to add to the keyboard though. More voices and parts would be quite cool. :D
@@basmatine Simple. They go where trends and $$ take them. If desktops hadn’t outsold (and now out-videoed) racks, they would still be around. Tooling and setup costs to bring out another SKU that only a few will prefer (comparatively) may not only make very little money, but possibly cost them money. Add to that that Kodamo is a 1-2 man company, and that becomes nearly impossible. It’s also much less comfortable to sit in front of most racks than pull up to a desk.
Just looking at the scope output, i knew what trick was played, it's not a bit mask but bit permutation. The name is misleading but the trick is awesome. I'll try this too on my own code... one day 😀
I think this is a synth for folks who want a quick easy 80s sounding synth. Looks like you can dial up sounds quickly, but maybe if you want total control over the patch, maybe look elsewhere. It would be perfect for what I do. Easy to get interesting sounds.
It is certainly super quick to dial up sounds like that, but I find myself finding the bizarre nooks and crannies of the thing that really push me in directions I couldn't have envisioned, far from my usual go to zones
This sounds like thew first new thing I've heard in a while and I'm really loving it although the Osmose which I've just waited 3 years for can do superficially similar things with way more control. I'm not a fan of FM or wave sequencing ... I'm an analogue guy outside of ITB ... I could be tempted. Even ITB, I'm not sure I've heard anything this sweet ... more complex for sure ... but this could sit next to my analogue polys ... and I think it could strand on its own as a whole new beast. This sounds like an instrument. I'm tempted.
I learned on one knob/slider per function synth, and then moved on to synths with additional pages that shared controls--like the Oberheim OB8. I really got annoyed with minimalist controls and menu diving on later synths--like the Roland D70, but then I got a completely different pallet of sounds. I have never ventured into soft synths. I abhorred the idea of using a mouse to adjust parameters. I guess my preference is a full featured synth with generous control surface, a mod matrix, and informative display. I don't mind sharing controls through additional pages. The Mask 1 has some interesting sounds, but the control surface is too anemic.
The synth sounds fantastic! IMHO, he could have easily included cutoff and rez knobs with a switch to select filter type, as well as ADSR knobs with a switch to choose between Filter, VCA and Pitch. This would have made the synth significantly, easier, more, enjoyable, and less tedious to use. With humility, I think he made a bad design decision. I have a prophet, VS and a chroma, and the one slider/many buttons design is no fun to use.
If you like the sound, i suppose you can map any midi controller in order to play and tweak the sound in realtime. But yes, somehow it feels like a nonsense to have an instrument without almost no knobs.
I kind of get the philosophy behind the UX, but I'd still prefer the display to be human readable :D Having to decypher that display all the time goes against the whole zen thing for me.
Sounds absolutely gorgeous even though I am not at all a fan of of the UI. Would love a more tolerant bandmate to have one. Bitmasking synthesis is definitely something I knew nothing about either so appreciated this deep dive..
Nice to see someone using new forms of wave synthesis in a simple accessible form factor. Too bad it's purely digital. If it at least had analog filters, the price might feel more appropriate. Nice synth though for sure.
This has a sound that really appeals to me - quite an individual colour that seems oddly 'natural' and certainly engaging. I'd dare to call it beautiful at times.
Great sound, but I really don’t like UI. Zen might be one knob one function, but not removing them. I’m also not convinced that zen is a good idea in general as far a synths are concerned. An Iridium is a great example of how complexity does not necessarily mean complicated. Kudos to the developers for trying something new, but I’m afraid it won’t work for me.
A pure DSP synth with a super minimal, nearly knobless interface retailing for over 2 grand? I guess the 90s really are back ;)
My Roland XP-50 had a bigger display and more controls than this. Granted, it was still horrible to use… this one is overall more limited, and maybe the interface works for that.
But still…
😂
The NonLinear Labs C15, all DSP with one knob is £4k. Continuum with pure DSP and one knob is £5k+. Both are some of the very best synths to play. If you are judging synths on the number of knobs you are doing it wrong (though I’m not saying sometimes they aren’t important 😂)
@@GOSHacid Nah, I actually really like the look of this thing, it's definitely focusing on being a musical instrument over a sound design tool, but heck I'm an old fart and remember this stuff from the first time round, and it was *definitely* an acquired taste back then too lol. All that said it sounds incredible and I'm going to be struggling to resist my GAS on it for a while!
90's was the best period! And this interface is way more useable than old synths, were you often had to type in the parameter number, then the value, or use a slider...
It sounds great but man did they f*up with that 80s alarm clock UI. I’d consider it at half the size/price.
Love the honest balanced reviews Nick. True integrity 👍🏻
Over 2K for that Fuggly thing...? No thanks. $999. And Black...maybe.
I own a lot of synths (too many actually), but this synth is the 1st in a good long while that really caught my ear. Sonically it's a nice blend of familiar elements and just sounds really good. The new-ish "3rd Wave" could probably cover these types of sounds and do so much more, but it's in a whole different league price-wise.
I think the 3rd Wave and this are very very distant cousins, 3rd Wave gives you more, but you pay more, this is something than can sound like a 3rd Wave, sort of but has its own character.
Buy a lottery ticket, win and buy both synths
:D
I really like the sound possibilities. I like the rolca s1 as a crazy oscillator substitute for 10% of the price too. The solo glide performance feature is nice. This minimalistic UI is perfect for a small module that sold for $599us. I would immediately buy it and run it from my dx7 keybed.
"I like it'. About a new concept. That's where we should start. The instrument looks amazing. And it sounds very nice and inviting.
This synth sounds unique, it sounds really nice but the tiny screen is a little bit annoying. I used lots of synths with parameter access system,, DX7, JX3P and JX8P, If I can see the parameter name, stored value etc... than it can be a lot easier. Thanks for the review, Sonicstate rocks !!!
Yep. I‘m having lots of fun with this little beast, but the display is a pain in the a..
It‘s not so much the size but the partially illegible character set that annoys me - and I grew up with LED displays!
There is a kind of unusual "Sweetness" to the sounds . . .
It does sound good. Just the interface makes it not for me.
My take regarding the ui factor is that this is intended as a player's synth (rather than a tweaker's synth). Many synths make it possible to blur the lines between the acts of sound design and performance, which is great, but often not what is needed for many performance contexts. For example, you can't twiddle knobs while you're playing two-handed. Also, most knobby synths with presets run into problems for live manipulation of a patch because the knob positions don't match the values stored in the preset. This synth, it seems to me, offers a unique and pleasantly musical soundworld while allowing you to create expressive, playable patches with splits, interesting play modes (i.e. para slurred, as well as others), aftertouch on a high quality keybed, and the mod wheel. This streamlined interface for expression suits the needs of a live performer playing songs, which often gain continuity and identity by virtue of the chosen set of instruments/sounds with which they are composed. It is out of my price range, but I think it's an appealing player's synth.
Love the weird glassy sound but I have a hard time justifying the "zen approach" when just a few more knobs/faders could have been added to still keep it simple yet not tedious. Still I am a sucker for synths with a white finish like the limited edition yamaha montage.
Such high quality sound !!!! , so 3 dimensional ! as good as quantum/3rdwave but with an orgnaic warm sound ! Nick for the first time in 10 years of my favourit reviews, i think you didn't give full justice to this wonderfull synth... yes i agree the UI is a little Zen , but the expresivness and musicality is up there with the best no doubt , and if not sometimes more musical that some 5k synths (IMAO) ! PS: Ohhhh , the Defender game was on my Atari 800 around 1980, m favourit game with Star Raider
The bitmask approach is interesting. Knowing how bitmasking works, and seeing what the results are, I suspect what they actually have is a wavetable and they just mask out the parts they aren't using. If you are able to have masks of any value, it can get into some interesting areas. But given they limit the number of masks to 256, it feels more like wave selection in a wavetable than something new and truly unique.
But a different UI on top of this would have made all the difference. I'm one of those folks that will just go ITB if the hardware isn't providing something compelling (great UI or analog circuitry you can't get in a plugin). As this is, the tech would be pretty easy to have in a plugin and with a potentially better UI.
The waves sound very similar to Casio HT line of synths. Technically called Spectrum Dynamic, in which some of the waves have movement. The Casios have real analogue VCFs after the oscillators, and that makes them really interesting.
Wow! I’m sure many will pass on this one, viewing as a menu diver, but it seems like a really intuitive layout that would be really easy to use quickly, sort of like the DSI Prophet 12 (simplistic layout but every parameter really easy to access quickly). This sounds fantastic!
The sound of this synth is very relaxing without rough edges. I don't think someone into acid techno would be interested. But for someone like me who is interested in ambient music this could be the right instrument.
God damn that sounds good. An oberhiem thing going nice neat almost Japanese in it's efficiency. I must have one. Oh dude , you there the talented rep of this channel. It's good to see you again. Now I can get talent along with homework. Thank you
The bitmask approach is interesting. From the brief overview here it seems similar to what modules like the Doepfer A189-1 or Xaoc Leibniz subsystem do: digitising the input then wave shaping it by swapping around the bits or applying logic such as bitwise XOR. Having that in a poly synth opens up some whole new possibilities, and it certainly produces some nice digital pad sounds here, especially with judicious filtering and fx. However, it seems like the input to the bitmask is limited to a static sine wave, which really reduces the possibilities, since that sort of waveshaping is at its most powerful with a dynamic input (e.g. wavefolding or filtering a wave *before* it gets to the bitmask). I may be wrong, but it seems as if with the Mask 1 all you can do is move through the masks, which in effect is identical to wavetable synthesis but limited to one wavetable. I can appreciate the creative decision to focus on a specific set of functions, but given the price point and potential, it seems like a missed opportunity.
Sounds awesome. One of the most interesting new synthesizers since the super 6. Somehow i get some Poly800 flavor from it 😊.
Yes, same here. Reminds me of my Poly 800.
Kinda interesting with some cool tricks. I love the Para-slur as that is something quite unique.. Having said that, I didn't hear anything I couldn't do with my Iridium as well as it covering a lot more sonic ground...
I can see these being a quirky future classic and quite rare.. But then of course if Aphex Twin decides to do a whole album with one then they will probably climb in value..
The Kodamo Mask1 is an example of interesting idea, but limited with basic interface and modulation options. I hope they continue that path and develop a new, more advanced instrument.
The philosophy of the Mask1 reminds me of Modal Cobalt8 synthesizers, which is a very cool! Thanks for presenting another interesting rarity 🙂
Great sound and personally I love the look of it... Shame about the price though, I think it's a bit OTT for its place in the market, especially considering it competes more in the VST market in terms of it's internal synth engine. If it was more around the £1k mark it would probably have been an insta-buy for me. But considering it's competition in and around this price point, I can't see it going very far unfortunately.
^ this
I cut my teeth on an Ensoniq Mirage so this interface doesn't worry me at all. Sounds great, looks nice, and does something new. Good luck to them :)
Always love seeing that Pittsburgh Microvolt 3900 back there behind you. I love that synth!
omg that synth sounds amazing! huuuuggggeee sounding.
Here we have something that sounds really new, but people mope about the absence of knobs. So why not spend your money on next moog or Juno clone? You get all the knobs and a sound you already know. What could possibly go wrong?
Very interesting approach to synthesis, and it sounds great!
Sounds nice... Nick is right, having an extra 8 Marco knobs to drive those lovely motions for that price..would have taken that synth to the top level.
will there be a software editor for it?
No, you will have to use the Matrix, and only you Neo know how to do this.
Seriously, though... will there be one? 2 knobs, half of a 1983 calculator screen, barely any buttons even... this looks like a good choice for 3rd party preset designers, because I doubt many average customers will understand how to achieve the specific sounds they like. With a sw editor many people will at least try, but I think many other people would use tgis as a preset keyboard.
@@dankeplace can i use the matrix in a parallel world or do i have to do it by clicking the real buttons
only you can answer the question by taking the red filter or blue modulation wheel Neoxus!!!
@@GizzyDillespee yes cringe matrix references aside it is definitely in need of an editor. I'm willing to bet if they don't make one a 3rd party will be made. It really sounds nice I just think the interface is asking a lot in 2023.
I really really like the sound of this thing and i think it's pretty unique. Not sure about the user interface but i'm sure with a bit of work you can learn how to use it.
I got lost somewhere in all your tweaking but this things really sounds good. Interesting 😊
I picked one up right when they released, and aboslutely LOVE it! Worth every cent. I have modular gear, Elektrons, etc. and other things if I want to sequence and go into deep sound design. This synth doesn't make a bad sound, and is ridiculously playable and expressive. Highly recommend it, especially if you're someone that actually likes to play your synths. It also has a deceptive amount of breadth in sound palette. It's just a different approach to getting those sounds out. The interface is also very quick once you play on it for an hour or so. The thing about it though, is that it just sounds incredibly good. Like creamy liquid chip/table type sounds through a REALLY nice state variable filter. I prefer it to the M that I recently sold actually. Not in the deep sound design department, but the overall sound. (for perspective, the XT and M are still in my top synths of all time) I do agree that the interface won't be for everyone, but I also think a lot of people will be surprised by what they can get out of it, and how quickly. I would also guess that one could stick a small knob-programmer over the "Mask 1" logo for a bit more hands on.
M as in...?
Why did you sell your top synth of all time, and buy a more expensive one?
@@andrewsmall4865 Waldorf M
@@RustyTonesJr A few reasons. One is that I find the real time bit mask approach more interesting than wave tables. Two, I’m designing a wave table oscillator, and have others.
I may buy another M sometime, but I’m covered on synths for now :)
Also happened to need a 61 key board.
And I like Kodamo.
Sounds good, but no oscillator sync or ring modulator ?
I remember buying my first keyboard with an LED display like that, which was a Yamaha PSS 780 with mini keys and a row of blue drum pads, so I can understand the ethos of having a simple display like that and the nostalgic feel and look to program synth sounds, but it didn't cost £2000, it cost me £60 in 1996. It's £1500 cheaper than that big white behemoth without a display shown at the recent German event, but still I feel that many of these new synths are really missing the boat in terms of value for money. This is why I still use Casio keyboard products where they can be innovative and feature rich without breaking the purchasers bank. Take the old Casio XW-G1 from 10 years ago and compare.
Fantastic sounding synth, I think this would be an absolute pad monster where you don't really need to tweak too much on the fly, as you demoed, you can tie FX to the wheel for some nice modulation.
Thx for the upload.
Yes I remember Defender! I played that while listening to Herby Hancock’s “Rocket!” It’s one of the inspirations I cite for my interest in synths/electronic music.
reminds me of a DW-8000, just wish it had a juicy VCF
Is this a modern Bit One? What a bold decision the designer made. You have to admire bold decisions. Its a bit DW 8000.....
The way synth reviews should be. Like the look of this one I have to be honest
Maybe they could add a single push-button function called "Random" where (factory or user) selected parameters are assigned randomly at every stroke. This way, you could browse through infinite possibilities of settings, discovering interesting new sounds that you will never reach using the usual linear sound design techniques (OSC->MIX->VCA->VCF->FX->etc.).
Hydrasynth has this and it's super useful.
There is a randomizer
At first wasn't impressed but after a few sounds. Peak my interest for sure. Sounds great
Reminds me of the Ensoniq Fizmo, which is also capable of some weird but wonderful sounds in the wavetable/transwave tradition.
Agreed. Getting big Fizmo vibes off this one. I'm intrigued, but seeing Nick fight the UI turns me off a lot. Probably one you have to sink some time into to learn your way around, and it may not be worth it for everyone, but the few who do are going to have one heck of an interesting synth. Can see this one ending up a similar fate as the Fizmo, ignored, misunderstood, hated on, and then being sought after in the future for the few people who appreciate what it did well. I'm just hoping it won't have a fatal flaw like the Fizmo's under-spec power regulator that ended up killing so many before the community found out what was happening and how to prevent it.
what a beautiful sounding synth!
Interface be damned, this sounds amazing.
Have to say it has a great vibe to it. A bit 90s but still quite unique. I like it a lot. 🔥👍
The paraphonic slur is interesting and sounds like it would work very well in certain kind of patches.
The price was a shock to me given the interface. That's not to say it looks bad or hard to use. I wasn't blown away by the sound on the demos I saw before this. Nick does have a way of making stuff sound better. It does sound new, but not way out there. Like kind of familiar, but not the same old sound. I found it interesting enough to want to buy it when I first heard about it, but I have too many keyboards, and the price kind of killed it for me. I might reconsider, but I'd have to make space by getting rid of another keyboard before I could buy this one.
Lovely sounding...
That Para Slur idea feels like when you hold the portamento button on the Korg Sigma...
This reminds me heavily of the digital synths that I used back in the day, of which the workflow is a total turnoff. I would want to do the same thing that I did back then, which is find a controller to access parameters easily. Sounds great, though!
A DX7 screen had 32 big juicy mouth-watering characters. I yelled DEFENDER though so that's something.
Interesting. Reminds me of my old FIZMO on steroids. Mult-timbral sequencing is a value add for sure.
The Paraphonice Slur function is very much like the old Farfisa Syntorchestra. It's a unique way of playing indeed.
There have been some decent updates since it came out. Osc mask delta envelope looping (2 kinds), double the masks, 600 user slots, 12 voices, a 2nd filter, arp modes are cool, more cc flexibility (i connect mine to a faderfox mx12 to make programming way more fun), but actually the ui isn't as obtuse as it appears, or in other words I've gotten used to it pretty quickly. I only use the faderfox controls for random experimentation in real time when using the looper for example.
I've also made sounds in here I've never been able to easily or at all make on other synths. There's presets on here that really sounds awesome too.
Wishlist for updates? A sequencer, and waveshaping like hard or window sync
Hoping for filter and crossfading updates and perhaps full midi cc mapping. Maybe even having other base waveforms to mask with.
absolutely beautiful synth, beautiful sound, totally get the idea of a zen programming experience but suuuurely it would be way more zen with a lil nice screen like the elektron model series - would be perf then imo
If they had used a modern OLED display with a bit more information, this would be a no brainer for me. Unfortunately the tiny LED screen gives me bad flashbacks to my attempts at building a live set around the Volcas. Not a high point in my music making career.
I went ahead and bought one, and I really like the sounds, simple direct UI and playability. I have a faderfox so I got most of the midi CC I need to edit with knobs, I tend to like accessing sound parameters and i can do most of the ones i want, that way. I just need an oscilloscope to see what’s happening with the masks [it helps with sound design for me], and, eventually, a way to select banks. I can program change factory presets, and select via button push different recalled factory presets, but I’m not yet successful in doing so with selecting user presets [memory recall per button press on my controller]. Something to do with MSB. I’ve reached out to Kodamo and thus far they’ve been very helpful, but maybe I don’t yet understand how to accomplish bank changes correctly yet using cc 32. MSB and LSB always were a bit confusing for me.
I really like some of the sounds this can make... I had kind of hoped that the 3rd Wave would have a mode on it that could get into this kind of territory - I know it's a different synthesis method but it kinda sounds like some alternate version of wavetable? - And should it have an analogue filter like the PPG? Though it sounds really good when it gets into certain types of sounds, the pads are great.
Sounds quite lovely. I’d maybe tackle the interface if it was in desktop form. I’m very sparing with keybeds at this point.
Yea that interface tells me a desktop is planned as it looks perfect for it.
This has to be one of the most difficult synths to review / demo from Mr B. No tweaking and paying 2k.Not for me .
That Paraphonic mode around 5:30 was reminiscent of my old Crumar DS-2!
Definetly not "the 1st synth for a beginner". I realy appréciate the originality of the sound source. We all need many kinds of sound generation, even the weirdest ones. Now imagine it in a rack unit with a "GUI plugin" where you can easily edit and control it. Should be great.
(OK, I know "rack" is a boomer's concept, now people have to deal with bulky, or too light & tiny to interact with, tabletop things. I don't even know if the words "19 inches" say something to anyone now. Poor youth...)
7:54 read... only... memories...
Bird from Alice In Wonderland: "rom-PLER! ROMPLER! ROMPLER!!"
"I am NOT a ROMpler!"
"Do you have read only memories?"
"Why, yes, of course..."
"ROMPLER!!!!"
Just kidding (and Alice wasnt really a serpent), but then again, they sure designed it to look like one. When you got Jexus asking about a software editor, then it's an interesting synth with a rough looking interface, yeah?
14:33
I actually love this. Damn.
Horrific user interface. What could be simpler then a Juno60 one pot per parameter interface.
Very nice bit “LIKE “ waves but still much less clangorous more round and fuller. I like it much much more than their previous offerings . It’s like a high end poly with more than just oscillating going for it . And there’s only one level of editing to it so maybe the display will do .👽✌️
Sounds better than I was expecting, but the price is too high for that interface
I know it’s hard for small companies to hit the right price point, and I think they failed here
I'd love to see this as a 19" rack module
Absolutely… manufacturers need to revisit that '84-90s design approach that made most any new synth release come in at least two form factors: one or more keyboard variants, or 19" rackmount.
While I agree that it never hurts to have more form factors, (especially for people without the space for multiple keyboards) this thing kind of acts as a cohesive instrument. It just feels a bit different than your typical keyboard or module sort of arrangement. If they did make a module of some type, I'd grab one to add to the keyboard though. More voices and parts would be quite cool. :D
I’d like to see that option for every synth in production, why they moved away from the format is beyond me.
Or… just a VST. The computing power of today means rack modules don't make sense for pure DSP designs
@@basmatine Simple. They go where trends and $$ take them. If desktops hadn’t outsold (and now out-videoed) racks, they would still be around.
Tooling and setup costs to bring out another SKU that only a few will prefer (comparatively) may not only make very little money, but possibly cost them money.
Add to that that Kodamo is a 1-2 man company, and that becomes nearly impossible.
It’s also much less comfortable to sit in front of most racks than pull up to a desk.
ça sonne! hope the desktop version will get a good screen :)
Just looking at the scope output, i knew what trick was played, it's not a bit mask but bit permutation. The name is misleading but the trick is awesome. I'll try this too on my own code... one day 😀
I think this is a synth for folks who want a quick easy 80s sounding synth. Looks like you can dial up sounds quickly, but maybe if you want total control over the patch, maybe look elsewhere. It would be perfect for what I do. Easy to get interesting sounds.
It is certainly super quick to dial up sounds like that, but I find myself finding the bizarre nooks and crannies of the thing that really push me in directions I couldn't have envisioned, far from my usual go to zones
Sounds lovely!
Wow this sounds amazing! Super retro and modern at the same time. I love the approach and the 80's aesthetic. Thanks for the review.
This sounds like thew first new thing I've heard in a while and I'm really loving it although the Osmose which I've just waited 3 years for can do superficially similar things with way more control. I'm not a fan of FM or wave sequencing ... I'm an analogue guy outside of ITB ... I could be tempted. Even ITB, I'm not sure I've heard anything this sweet ... more complex for sure ... but this could sit next to my analogue polys ... and I think it could strand on its own as a whole new beast. This sounds like an instrument. I'm tempted.
I learned on one knob/slider per function synth, and then moved on to synths with additional pages that shared controls--like the Oberheim OB8. I really got annoyed with minimalist controls and menu diving on later synths--like the Roland D70, but then I got a completely different pallet of sounds. I have never ventured into soft synths. I abhorred the idea of using a mouse to adjust parameters. I guess my preference is a full featured synth with generous control surface, a mod matrix, and informative display. I don't mind sharing controls through additional pages. The Mask 1 has some interesting sounds, but the control surface is too anemic.
9:50 - yeah, Defender's effect was based on the noise's sample rate reduction. The very clever feature IMHO.
Robotron all the way.
i get the one knob but there needs to be a switch for every parameter then,, or a bank of sub switches for ENV, OSC1, etc.
Sounds lovely. Not enough knobs.
5 character lcd ?
I only count 4 characters
The LFSR noise!
It's really a niche product! And the price "tells" it's niche as well. For special artists... let's say it like that.
Been waiting for a review of this synth. Makes some crazy cool sounds. But how is the UI?
You watched the video, right?
@@Psychlist1972 I came in on the last two minutes. Then I watched it.
The sound of this synth is a prize you can get sacrifying yourself by using it’s interface ;)
~£2k for digital synth with an 80's LCD screen? Are they mad?!
The presets are a bit like Boards of Canada b-sides, but I like this one. I'd be all over this in a desktop version.
The synth sounds fantastic! IMHO, he could have easily included cutoff and rez knobs with a switch to select filter type, as well as ADSR knobs with a switch to choose between Filter, VCA and Pitch. This would have made the synth significantly, easier, more, enjoyable, and less tedious to use. With humility, I think he made a bad design decision. I have a prophet, VS and a chroma, and the one slider/many buttons design is no fun to use.
Only 2 knobs? 😞
If you like the sound, i suppose you can map any midi controller in order to play and tweak the sound in realtime.
But yes, somehow it feels like a nonsense to have an instrument without almost no knobs.
This is amazing!
Love the sounds, the display is a deal breaker for me/
I kind of get the philosophy behind the UX, but I'd still prefer the display to be human readable :D Having to decypher that display all the time goes against the whole zen thing for me.
Cool synth. Just about the wave swapping osc, XAOC Drezno and Leibniz modules can do this but it’s controlled by patching each swap
Why they dondt bring this as a vst? They would earn more money and it would be much more usable.
absolutely unique!
Sounds very nice.
Hydrasynth on fentanyl function-wise. Sounds amazing though
I'd be interested in rack module for 1K currencies.
Honestly. AGAIN? Again with the tiny screen? On a Microfreak, yes, OK... I get it. But NOT on a synth this size.
Sounds absolutely gorgeous even though I am not at all a fan of of the UI. Would love a more tolerant bandmate to have one. Bitmasking synthesis is definitely something I knew nothing about either so appreciated this deep dive..
Fantastic character to the sound!
Nice to see someone using new forms of wave synthesis in a simple accessible form factor. Too bad it's purely digital. If it at least had analog filters, the price might feel more appropriate. Nice synth though for sure.
When it sounds as good as analog filters, what is the point of having analog filters ?
@@wphanoo seconded. the filters sound obscenely good
This has a sound that really appeals to me - quite an individual colour that seems oddly 'natural' and certainly engaging. I'd dare to call it beautiful at times.
Great sound, but I really don’t like UI. Zen might be one knob one function, but not removing them. I’m also not convinced that zen is a good idea in general as far a synths are concerned. An Iridium is a great example of how complexity does not necessarily mean complicated. Kudos to the developers for trying something new, but I’m afraid it won’t work for me.
Display from Korg nts1 in synth for 2k? Sound nice though... like a good soft synth.