Polyvera recreates the character of early-1980s digital synthesizers and samplers — reverse-engineering circuits found in Akai, PPG, Ensoniq, Roland, and E-MU gear — but runs that signal through a real, multimode analog filter rather than a digital simulation of one. The panel carries 36 potentiometers and encoders alongside two OLED displays, so sound programming happens directly on the hardware without digging through menus. The included 19" rack ears let the synth live permanently in a studio rack instead of taking up desk space.
1980s digital grit run through a real analog filter
Oscillator 1 reads wavetables and adds a sub-oscillator, oscillator 2 works as either a wavetable or a sampler, and both can be routed through a ring modulator and noise generator into a shared or separate VCA with its own envelope. The secret behind the sound of the original era's machines was the analog filter sitting behind the digital engine — Polyvera recreates that approach with eight filter modes built around a classic filter chip, complete with self-oscillation, overdrive, and cutoff FM. The result isn't a clean, idealized plugin emulation but actual oscillator aliasing and digital grain, worked over by an analog VCF the same way the machines that inspired this instrument did it.
A sampler built into the synth engine, ready for a rack build
The audio input lets you sample external sources straight into oscillator 2 or route signal through the effects sections, so Polyvera doubles as a lo-fi sampler without a separate box. An SD card holds user wavetables and samples in .wav format alongside 512 storable presets from the factory library, and MIDI over USB and classic 5-pin DIN (In/Out/Thru) integrates the instrument with a hardware sequencer or a DAW. In this rack-ear configuration, the same synthesis engine moves into a permanent studio build — sitting alongside other 19" units instead of claiming its own patch of desk.
KEY FEATURES
- Six-voice polyphony with stereo panning
- Two independent oscillators: wavetable with sub-oscillator, and wavetable/sampler
- Ring modulator and noise generator, with oscillator 2 routable to its own VCA
- Multimode analog filter (VCF): eight modes, self-oscillation, overdrive, filter FM
- Three envelopes per voice (filter, amplifier, mod) and three LFOs per voice
- Multi-pattern arpeggiator and a 64-step polyphonic sequencer with per-step automation
- Two serial effects sections (chorus, phaser, delay, reverb)
- Eight-slot modulation matrix, MPE support
- Performance modes: polyphonic, binaural, monophonic, legato, unison, chord, with portamento
- Audio input for sampling and external signal processing
- 512 presets, SD card for user wavetables and samples
- MIDI over USB and DIN (In/Out/Thru)
- 19" rack ears for mounting in a studio rack
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Polyphony: 6 voices
- Sound storage: 512 presets
- User data storage: micro-SD card, .wav format
- MIDI: USB and 5-pin DIN (In/Out/Thru)
- Controls: 36 potentiometers and encoders, 2 OLED displays
- Chassis: anodized aluminum
- Power: external 12V adapter
- Dimensions: 44 x 36 x 17cm
- Weight: 3kg
- Included: synthesizer, 12V power adapter, printed manual, micro-SD card with factory content, USB cable, 19" rack ears
