Most synthesizer hardware owners will be very familiar with gear acquisition syndrome, and this isn’t made any easier by the range of new instruments released regularly. So, if you find that you still have an empty spot in your collection that needs to be filled or have some spare cash to spend on shiny new hardware to try out, here’s a roundup of what is new in the world of synth hardware. 

Totem v2

By AtomoSynth

Price: $279

Website: https://atomosynth.net/tottem.html

AtomoSynth introduced their new Eurorack module, the Tottem v2, which is a new version of their legendary drum synthesizer. New additions include four independent, all-analog percussion synth voices, an envelope for the “sweep” effect, a modulator with triangle and square waves as well as noise, and a decay envelope for overall volume contour. According to AtomoSynth, the new Tottem produces a “raw” organic character sound that doesn’t try to emulate any of the other drum machines available. 

Full Specifications

• Four analog percussion synthesizer voices.
• Two voices feature, one oscillator, two decay envelopes, one LFO, and a noise generator.
• Two voices feature, one square wave and metal oscillator, one noise generator, one mixer, and a decay envelope.
• Individual manual gate buttons.
• Output mixer.
• Individual outputs for each voice.
• Master mix output.
• Manual gate button for each voice.
• Current draw: 197mA +12V. 75mA -12V. 0mA +5V.
• 24HP wide.
• 25mm deep.

The Matrix

By Synthetic Sound Labs

Price: $425

Website: https://steamsynth.com/shop/moog-unit-modules/the-matrix-model-1660/

Synthetic Sound Labs has unveiled “The Matrix,” which is a tribute to the original Triadex Muse from 1969. It is described as a deterministic algorithmic sequencer that can play up to 16 notes in 9 different user-selected scales. These are programmed with the use of 8 sliders, each of which has 38 active positions that are also associated with an LED. The four sliders on the left control the pitch of the sequencer, and the four on the right assign binary feedback into the sequence. Synthetic Sound Labs has expanded upon the original Muse with features such as a 9-position user-selectable SCALE slider that can affect both an internal square-wave tone generator and the CV OUT jack. 

Opsix SE

By Korg

Price: $1,999.99

Website: https://www.korg.com/us/products/synthesizers/opsix_se/

Korg has announced that their new digital synth, the opsix SE is now available for pre-order. It features a premium all-metal design, 61 keys, and aftertouch. While it is built on the expansive sound engine of the original opsix, Korg has enhanced it with increased polyphony and voicing, as it now boasts 80 stereo voices of polyphony. It is preloaded with hundreds of sounds that are enhanced for aftertouch control but is also fully compatible with all the sounds and samples of the original opsix as well as opsix Native software. Korg has also stated that to celebrate the release of the opsix a special “Platinum” model will also be made available in very limited numbers. The specifications are exactly the same as the standard model, so the differences are only cosmetic. 

Conway’s Game

By Nervous Squirrel

Price: $560

Website: https://www.nervoussquirrel.com/conways_game.html

Nervous Squirrel has released Conway’s Game, a cellular automaton pattern generator that also functions as a MIDI to trigger converter. It generates and displays the “game of Life” algorithm by legendary mathematician John Horton Conway on the 8x8 LED matrix while the activity of the cells is mapped to the outputs below. The MIDI input can also be used to control 64 separate trigger outputs. For more information on the features and controls of Conway’s Game or an explanation of Conway’s Game of Life, visit the official Nervous Squirrel website. 

DM-101

By BOSS

Price: $499.99

Website: https://www.boss.info/global/products/dm-101/

New from BOSS is the DM-101 Delay Machine, a pedal capable of delivering 12 unique modes of stereo operation and a wide array of tonal colors. It is driven by eight BBDs under smart CPU control and maintains 100 percent analog signal processing throughout. It also sports 127 user memories, tap tempo, carryover, MIDI, and much more. The delay modes featured are Classic, Vintage, Modern, Multi-Head, Non-Linear, Ambience, Reflect, Doubling+Delay, Wide, Dual Mod, Pan, and Pattern.