Once there and sold out forever: the Cirrus 2 is a 12-voice touch FM Synthesizer from the talented developer and YouTuber Otem Rellik
Synthesizers don’t just come from big companies. Also often by developers who only do it as a hobby. For example, Otem Rellik is a very talented developer who only publishes his releases in mini-series. Often the devices were sold out before I published a news article. And once sold out, they remain sold out. So if you get to hold one of these rare developments, be happy to have one.
He recently presented the successor to his Cirrus Touch FM Synthesizer from 2019 called the Cirrus 2. And unfortunately, and it was to be expected, the instrument is already sold out.
Otem Rellik Cirrus 2
Like the first Cirrus, it has capacitive touch pads for notes and modulation. This time even 12 in number. The new version looks much more mature and finished. You don’t notice the DIY character of it.
Cirrus 2 features a 12-voice polyphonic FM synth engine with 3 LFOs, and 3 looping 5-stage envelope generators, and a noise generator. That’s a nice number of modulators with which you can do a lot of wild things. Also onboard is an effect processor that hosts delay and reverb effects.
If you want even more movement, you can benefit from a 32-step sequencer. This not only sequences notes but also handles parameters. It uses parameter locks, as we know from Elektron devices for example. A very creative feature because you can have a different sound per step. From subtle to wild, a function that brings a lot of life to sequences. Cirrus can store up to 32 sounds + sequences in its internal memory.
On the backside, you can find a USB and MIDI connection on TRS-A MIDI as well as a clock input and output. The latter allows you to synchronize it to analog gear like modular systems. Support for MIDI CC data is also provided, meaning that parameters can also be recorded directly into the DAW.
Once again a very nice, inspiring instrument from Otem Rellik. Very hands-on and expressive playable thanks to many knobs and the touch-sensitive strips.
At $ 350, the Cirrus 2 is relatively affordable, considering that it comes from an indie developer. But unfortunately, the 9 units that Otem Relik built are already sold out. Yes, it’s a shame.
More information here: Otem Rellik
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