UDO Audio DMNO White Synthesizer

• Keyboard Synthesizer
• Hybrid sound generation
• 44-key FATAR keyboard with aftertouch
• 8-voice polyphonic / 2-part multitimbral
• 2 FPGA oscillators with 5 analog-style waveforms including PWM, noise & "sister VCOs" with 3 respectively 6 complex waveforms
• OSC2 with 3 waveforms without tracking
• Hardsync & VCO Modulator (Wave/PWM, Pitch, Cross)
• Oscillator mixer
• analog Stereo Multimode filter with routing
• analog Stereo VCA
• 3 (H)ADS(R) envelopes (ENV1 with loop mode)
  
• LFO 1 with 10 waveforms, delay/phase, BPM sync, FM source for OSC1/2
• LFO 2 integrated in joystick controller, primarily for Pitch & cutoff
• Modulation matrix
• Arpeggiator
• Sequencer with 64 steps
• 8 play modes for voice use
• Binaural voice distribution in the panorama
• Manual mode
• Voice mixer
• 32-bit effects with delay, reverb, distortion, Chorus & EQ
• 128 Performances
• 128 patches
• Stereo audio input with envelope follower
• Stereo Aux Out
• Stereo Main Out
• Headphone output
• 2 CV/Gate outputs
• 3 pedal inputs (volume, expression, switch)
• MIDI In/Out/Thru
• USB Audio & MIDI

Two identical synthesizer parts

The sound generation is hybrid, i.e. it consists of digital and analog elements. The signal path starts with the two digital FPGA oscillators. Both offer the five classic analog-style waveforms sine, sawtooth, square, triangle, pulse and noise. Oscillator 1 has six alternative waveforms and oscillator 2 has three additional waveforms that can be changed by the user. The second oscillator has three classic waveforms that are decoupled from Tracking. The modulations at oscillator level include hardsync, detune, wave/PWM, pitch/crossmodulation, optionally manually, with envelope 1 and/or LFO 1.

This is followed by the filter section, where the levels for oscillators 1 and 2 as well as external are adjusted first. External can be an external audio signal or the neighboring synth part, depending on which part you are currently working on. The filter itself is a first-class analog Stereo Multimode filter and offers a choice of lowpass, bandpass, highpass, allpass and phase shifter models with different poles. Filter tracking, envelope 1, LFO 1 and oscillator 2 are available to modulate the filter; VCO 2 in particular provides extreme sounds aka filter FM. Due to the consistent stereo signal path, there are two filters per part, which can be connected in stereo, parallel or series. The stereo mode has a direct influence on the binaural voice distribution, the other two do not. In all three cases, the alpha cutoff control affects the second filter. The analog Stereo VCA completes the signal path of a part.

In terms of modulation options, UDO Audio leaves nothing to be desired. There are a total of three envelopes and one LFO per part. The first envelope is a hold ADSR with loop mode and inversion and is primarily intended for the filter and the VCO modulator. The other two are ADSR envelopes; ENV2 controls the VCA, ENV3 can be assigned to any destination via the modulation matrix. LFO1 offers 10 waveforms, Delay (insert delay) respectively Phase in binaural mode to modulate the left and right sides in opposite directions, BPM sync and serves as an FM source for oscillator 1 or 2.

Programmer, Voice Mixer, Play Modes & Effects

This is where the two synth parts come together! The mixer with volume, panorama and FX send for each part is all too obvious. For the first time in a UDO Audio synth, a display with additional encoders has been installed, which is probably "unavoidable" given the wealth of functions on offer. :) The control section contains the memory management for 128 patches and performances, the modulation matrix with six slots, all parameters for the polyphonic step sequencer and the arpeggiator, setting options for voice, VCF and system and the effects.

The effects section shines with studio-grade 32-bit algorithms and distinguishes between insert and send effects. The insert effects are available individually for each part and form a signal chain consisting of multimode distortion, Chorus and a 3-band EQ. The send effects are covered by delay and reverb and are output independently of the parts and the selected routing on the main Out.

The PLAY MODE control is essential for using the voices. The eight modes Single, Dual, Split, One-Two, Cycle, Random, Chaos and Series also influence the overall sound, although basically only the notes played are assigned to one or both parts. A special feature is the Series mode, which routes Part 1 completely into the oscillator mixer of Part 2, where it can be processed with additional filters, envelopes and effects.

To the left of the keyboard, the second LFO is integrated into the joystick controller, with a look and feel reminiscent of old Roland classics from the 80s. This LFO is primarily intended for Pitch and Cutoff, but can be assigned to other destinations in the modulation matrix.

Connections

As far as the connections are concerned, you will find everything you could possibly need in the studio and on stage: MIDI In/Out/Thru is available as usual for communication with other MIDI instruments. MIDI is transmitted in both directions via USB and a 2-in/2-out audio interface is integrated. Audio is output via the Mix, Aux and Headphone outputs and fed in via the input (including USB In) for processing by one or both synth parts. The two CV/gate pairs can be configured via the menu and can output the last played voices of the two parts as control voltages. Three pedal inputs for volume, expression and a single or double footswitch extend the control options for players who like to use foot pedals.