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PWM Mantis is a Wasp-style synth with an OSCar-inspired filter

The Mantis is a collaboration between the late Chris Hugget (Gnat, Wasp, Oscar) and Paul Whittington of PWM, and turned out to be the legendary designer’s final synth.

Here, Whittington tells the story of the synth’s origin:

PWM’s Paul Whittington calls Mantis a “unique-sounding synth” and a “beautiful collaboration”, confirming that it’s being released with the blessing of Huggett’s family. “We are thrilled to bring you our new synth that we are sure will be loved as much as he was!” he says.

Mantis is duophonic and features mathematically generated oscillators and an analogue signal path, both of which are based on Huggett’s designs. In fact, Mantis is said to offer a contemporary architecture based on Hugget’s classic Wasp synth, plus a filter that takes its lead from his OSCar instrument. There are two oscillators plus a sub-oscillator per voice, with the oscillator drift feature creating random pitch variations between the oscillators.

Each signal path has its own multimode analogue filter, and there are also two LFOs and two independent envelopes. You have a choice of six ‘control’ modulation parameters, and six ‘source’ effectors.

Other features include a digital effects section with reverb and chorus, an arpeggiator and a full-size 37-note keyboard with velocity-sensitive keys.

Features:

• 200 Patches
  • All patches in RAM so can be overwritten
  • Bank A: 100 Factory presets
  • Bank B: 100 User presets (all set to initial patch)
  • Compare function
  • Initialize patch function
• Duophonic with 2 analog signal paths
  • Mathematically generated oscillators designed by Chris Huggett
  • Analogue signal path designed by Chris Huggett
• 2 Oscillators plus sub-oscillator per voice
  • Sine / Triangle / Saw / Pulse plus additional wave types
  • Shape control and shape modulation input
  • Will create pulse width modulation on the pulse waveform with perfect square
  • at the center
  • Pitch modulation control
  • Octave selects per oscillator
  • OSC 1 SUB follows oscillator 1 parameters
• Oscillator Drift
  • Creates random pitch variations between oscillators
• ?Multi-mode state variable VCA filters with overdrive
  • 2 Analogue filters – 1 per signal path
  • Low Pass / Band Pass / High Pass in 12dB and 24dB configurations
  • Additional WBAND (series) and WSTOP (parallel) types
  • Filter Cutoff
  • Filter Cutoff Modulation
  • Filter Resonance
  • Filter Width
  • Filter Width Modulation
  • Filter Keytrack
• LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator)
  • 2 LFOs
  • 4 waveshapes per oscillator
  • Fade In / Fade Out parameter
  • SYNCable
• Rate control
• Envelopes
• 2 Independent envelopes
• ENV 1 normalised to amplitude
  • ADSR

* + Sustain Fall parameter for shaping during key-down

* + Repeat which can be used to create looping envelopes

* Velocity positive and negative control

• Ring modulation
• Mixer
  • First mix: OSC1 and OSC2
  • Second mix: OSCillators and noise
  • Third mix: OSCillators + noise and Ring modulator
• VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier)
  • All amplification is done in the analogue domain in multi-stage VCAs
• Modulation Routes
  • Control – 6 choices of modulation parameters
  • Source – 6 choices of effectors from envelopes and LFOs
  • Scale – choices of controls used to scale the effect of the modulation
• Glide
  • Glide amount
  • Auto-glide mode
• Indicator LEDs
  • Two LEDs for Voice
  • LED for Keyboard activity
• Master tune
• Master volume
• Triggering
  • ENV 1 Legato
  • ENV 2 Legato
  • LFO Keytrig
  • LFO Keytrig
• CONNECTIONS
  • Master power switch
  • DC 9V input
  • USBC
  • MIDI IN / OUT / THRU
  • Sustain pedal input (switch)
  • Pedal input (continuous)
  • Stereo 1/4” line Outs: L/Mono and R
  • Stereo 1/4” headphone out
• ?Multi-function Joystick control
  • Left / right for pitch bend
  • Performable vibrato
  • Latching hold mode
• Arpeggiator
  • 6 arpeggiator types – Up, Down, Up/Down 1, Up/Down 2, Played & Random
  • Sync rates control from 2nds to 32nds
  • Tap tempo button
  • Swing including positive and negative swing
  • Auto clock sync – Detects MIDI or USB-MIDI clock and synchronises the arpeggiator
  • automatically
  • Latch via joystick HOLD
  • 6 Octave range
• Dedicated tempo control
• Duophonic mode control
  • Duo mode
  • Duo mode with simple filter
  • Pan control for duophonic voicing
• Digital Effects
  • Reverb time
  • Reverb level
  • Reverb High Pass Filter
  • Reverb Low Pass Filter
  • Chorus level
  • Chorus type
• Keyboard Control
  • 37 Full-size semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keys
  • Channel aftertouch
  • Octave shift

Mantis is scheduled to ship in the summer priced at $1,499/£1,349/€1,599. Find out more on the PWM website.

Reason’s ‘organic’ Objekt synth promises sounds that you can’t create anywhere else.

Reason Studios has taken the wraps off Objekt, its new physical modelling synth. At Superbooth 2023, Reason Studios introduced Objekt, It is available now to use inside Reason and in other DAWs via the Reason Rack plugin (VST/AU/AAX).

Designed to emulate real-life acoustic sounds, Objekt promises to “open the hood on physical modelling” and present it like a synthesizer. As well as enabling you to create bell, mallet, percussion and string sounds, you can also use it to produce natural textures, organic pads and more.

Objekt gives you three resonating objects to work with. These form the basis of your sounds, and can replicate the likes of strings, skins and bells. The Exciter section dictates how the instrument is played, and there are plenty of parameters that can easily be tweaked to create entirely new tones. More than 500 presets come included, and you also have a randomiser for fast inspiration.

“Objekt is the most unique and innovative instrument we’ve ever made,” says Mattias Häggström Gerdt, Product Manager at Reason Studios. “It opens the door wide to a whole new world of sounds that simply can’t be made with anything else. I recommend trying it and daring to experiment. Where you end up might sound familiar or like an imaginary instrument that doesn’t exist. Until now.”

Of course, this being a Reason device, you can also combine Objekt with other modules in the rack and get even more experimental.

Features:

• Open-ended physical modeling synthesis for unique acoustic sounds
• Dynamic, lifelike, and easily customizable
• Powerful randomizer for instant variation and inspiration
• Over 500 included patches
• Included with Reason+
• Requires Reason 10.1 or later. The included Combinator patches require Reason 12.

Audio Demos:

Reason Studios Objekt Intro Video:

Objekt is included with the Reason+ subscription and also available separately priced at intro price $79/€87 till 25 May (regular price $99/€109).Find out more on the Reason Studios website.

At Superbooth 2023, Erica Synths is introducing Steampipe. Erica Synths is offering something different with Steampipe,created in collaboration with Dutch company 112.dB.  The physical modelling synth with eight voices of polyphony and no conventional oscillators.

Steampipe is designed to mimic the way that sound is generated by wind instruments, strings, pipe organs and more, and has three major sections – STEAM, PIPE and REVERBERATOR

First up, there’s Steam, it simulates airflow, with the envelope section determining the force with which air is blown out. DC/noise refers to the sound that is generated when ‘blowing out’ – this can be replaced with an external audio source if you wish.

The Pipe section is akin to a flute. It’s here that the tone is formed, with the delay box subsection adjusting the tuning and shape. Finally, we have the Reverberator, which is used to add space and ambience.

Steampipe has been optimised for use with MIDI wind controllers but can also be played using a conventional MIDI keyboard. There are several of “organic and rich” presets, and you can create all kinds of “sonic imagery” that ranges “from wisps of cloud to fairground band organs, then to industrial horns of the railroad and finally, to massive, otherworldly ambiences.”

The Erica Synths Steampipe is currently in development, so details on pricing and availability are to be announced, but it is expected to be available later this year.

Video: Superbooth Berlin