Voltage Research Lab is now in production and Pittsburgh Modular had a spare prototype to send in for review. VRL is their Buchla-inspired mini synth with a primary complex oscillator that has a unique take at waveshaping and folding, an emulation of the classic low pass gate response and more. Here’s my review of VRL along with detailed scope analysis of the various waveshapers and dynamics features (response and pluck):
TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
1:05 Overview
3:20 MIDI
4:45 Clock
5:00 Arpeggiator
6:50 Primary oscillator
11:10 Secondary oscillator
12:30 FM, AM, Ring, and wave modulation
14:45 Function Generators
17:10 Unison
18:00 Dynamics controllers
19:30 Response
20:40 Pluck
21:40 Analog Delay
23:00 Random tools
24:40 Touch controller
28:00 Sequencing
29:30 System utilities
29:50 Pros & cons
32:50 Outro jam
One issue is there is no output for CV coming from MIDI. Without CV out, we need to have an other MIDI module if VRL is used in a more complex modular system. A bit of a shame.