Elta Music Solar 50, a monster analog ambient Synthesizer from Russia with 50 oscillators, flexible effects and expressive control is ready for pre-order
In November I wrote about Elta Music SOLAR 50 prototype, an analog ambient Synthesizer with 50 oscillators, tons of knobs and designed for ambient drones, textures and more. It should actually celebrate its premiere on Superbooth 20 but unfortunately, the event was canceled due to the current situation.
Instead of a big release at SB, the developer shows the final design of the synth on the internet and states that the SOLAR 50 is ready for pre-order. For 990 € there is a lot, especially a lot of oscillators. SOLAR 50 consists of 10 analog voices, each in its turn, consists of 5 simple saw oscillators (2 low, 2 middle, 1 high) with a pitch controller and a mute button for each oscillator. An approach that is very different.
10 Analog Voices
Oscillators don’t have linear or logarithmic dependence from control voltage and remind of first electro musical instruments and organs generators. Each voice is provided with an envelope (attack/release parameters) controlled by a tactile sensor. In addition, there is a GATE-ON button for every voice, making it sound constantly, and a voice volume controller. There are two independent LFOs and a bunch of external CV inputs on board and so-called PLS connector for connecting a CV source in order to control the pitch of each of 50 oscillators and to start the envelope of any voice.
Patching is possible with Eurorack standard. MUTE buttons let you use from 1 up to 5 oscillators per voice, tuning in for chords, thirds, fifths and other intervals or to get a clean single note. Every oscillator has a sawtooth waveform.
Customizable Effects
All voices are mixed together and then go to the effector block where you can use cartridges from ELTA CONSOLE pedal. This adds even more variety to the sound of the instrument! Every cartridge has 3 effects inside, now 12 cartridges are available, so that are 36 effects in summary like delay, pitch delay, reverb, shimmer, tremolo, chorus, flanger, phaser, filter and many more! You can also create your own effects in a special software application (available on spinsemi.com (http://spinsemi.com/)).
The effector unit is based on common FV-1 chip, which is DIY friendly. It consists of a cartridge slot, three effect parameters controllers, effect switch, and master volume. The SOLAR 50 has dry outputs for 5 right and 5 left voices and a general mono output from the effector, where all 10 voices are mixed. Dry outputs can be used either to create a wide stereo field, processing them through stereo reverbs, delays and other effects or for tuning as you play (If you connect a cable into a dry output, it’s signal would disappear from the overall mix).
Features
- 120 control pot’s
- 114 switches
- 50 CV – minijack’s
- 10 photosensor modulation block
- 10 voices per 5 oscillators inch voice
- 50 saw oscillators
- CV – effects cartridge processor
- 12 dB analog CV-Filter
- Envelope follower/ gate detector
- Two independent LFO’s
- Contact microphone
- Headphones amp
- 12 sensor keys
- AUDIO connectors 6,3 mm JACK’s
- External audio input
- External guitar/mic input
- Two DRY outputs
- Wet output
A very exciting synthesizer mainly because it is something completely different. What would we do without our Russian synthesizer manufacturers? Lovely instrument. According to the developer, a new video demo is in the works.
Elta Music Solar 50 is available now to pre-order for 990€ (or dollar equivalent) and will be ready in June.
More information here: Elta Music
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