Hot on the heels of their Ample release, Analogue Solutions has just released MAXIMUS a new semi-modular 8-voice polyphonic analog synthesizer with a design that creator Tom Carpenter says is “truly from the dawn of analog synths.”
The MAXIMUS is entirely analogue. It includes eight voices of polyphony and is evocative of the Oberheim 8-voice idea. mostly because you have eight distinct voices packed with attributes you may edit separately.
The operation is very vintage and there are no presets or patch save/recall functionality. Each voice must be set manually and individually.
Each MAXIMUS voice consists of two multi-wave VCOs with a selection of cross-mod controls, a sub-oscillator, and a white noise generator. There is also a VCO tune vernier dial, a mixer, three 12dB filters, a main out VCA, and a BBD-style retro echo processor.
On the modulation side, you get two full ADSR envelopes and a 16-step/modulation loop sequencer per voice. Plus, it has built-in portamento/glide. That makes eight voices of analog polyphony with 16 VCOs, eight sub-oscillators, and eight noises.
The master section consists of three LFOs (VC, LFO with delay, and classic), an 8-channel stereo mixer, and two real spring reverbs. On top, MAXIMUS has various other utilities: a master control knob, a poly MIDI to CV converter, four key modes, a multiple, and two MIDI sync modes.
“Although we label this as a polysynth – it is so much more. We can’t think of a label to give this synth since it is so much more than that.
When you think of polysynth you think of flat synths with one set of controls that control all voices equally. By giving MAXIMUS independent controls for every voice, you have more freedom to create unique styles of poly sounds impossible on traditional polysynths, whether they are hardware or software. You can dial up ‘traditional’ poly sounds (pads etc) or have something unimaginable different.
Because you can never dial up each voice completely identically, standard polys pads will sounds superbly vintage.
All the voice and modulation circuits are of course 100% analog. We purposely steered away from digital, aside from of course the digital needed in MIDI and the mini-sequencers.
This synth is purely for those who want it just as it was in the 1970s – but new with parts still in production. For those who want a synth that could have been built in the 70s.
There are no gimmicks – this is pure synthesiser. A huge sound enclosed in a solid metal case wrapped in solid hardwood. No expense has been spared to bring this incredible machine to life.”
More information here: Analogue Solutions
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