Fred’s Lab Töörö, a hybrid multitimbral wavetable synth with an impressive set of analog and digital features is now on Kickstarter.
At SynthFest 2020 (home edition), Fred Meslin aka Fred’s Lab announced Töörö, a new colorful hybrid multi-timbral polysynth. Projects he worked on are the Waldorf NW1 wavetable module or the Arturia MiniBrute 2. His first own release was the Buzzzy!, also a unique hybrid Synthesizer, but less feature-rich and in pocket size.
Seen in this way, Töörö is Buzzzy’s big synth brother but is based on a different architecture that I will highlight for you later.Fred’s Lab Töörö desktop Synthesizer is now available for pre-order on Kickstarter for 399€ + shipping.
Fred’s Lab Töörö
First, the sound core. Töörö relies on a 6-voice hybrid synth engine with 4-part multi-timbral support. Each voice consists of two complex 12-bit digital wavetable oscillators (factory & user tables) with a wide range of shaping functions. These include waveform morphing, 2-operator linear phase modulation, and hard-sync. Additionally, you can activate a noise source and ring modulate the wavetables. A lot on board to shape the wavetables and catapult them into new sound directions.
Then, both oscillators flow into an original FL A847 optocoupler based 12dB/octave lowpass filter with auto-oscillation and saturation features. It can generate wild and classic tones through its unique MS-10 inspired filter design. The sound demos on the website show that it can also make crisp stereo soundscapes or icy pads.
Two advanced LFOs and multi-triggering ADSR envelopes join the hybrid synth engine. Both LFOs offers various waveforms to choose from. Two individual AD envelopes support the LFOs and let you dial them perfectly in your sounds. A DCA (digital controlled attenuator) with volume and panning control is also onboard. An 8 slot matrix allows you to set conveniently all your desired modulations. Stereo ping-pong delay, chorus, and flanger improve or refine your sounds in the final stage. Further, you have a sycable arpeggiator with multiple modes and patterns per part.
Interface & Connectivity
Thanks to its 4 part multi-timbral engine, users can create up to 4 layers to create complex patches or play up to 6-note chords with panning each note in the stereo field for lush sounds. As already written in May, Töörö has a matrix interface that is well-known from the Waldorf Blofeld, for example. Here, you can edit easily all sound parameters with 4 knobs & 14 tactile switches. Then, it includes a built-in preset memory allows you to save up to 100 presets and 10 user multi-patches.
Furthermore to highlight is Töörö’s impressive MIDI implementation. It supports polyphonic aftertouch controllers for great expressivity. There are a total of 88 MIDI CC’s available, allowing users to control nearly all sound-shaping parameters with readily-available MIDI controllers or software, greatly extending possibilities for external control and creative modulation
Finally, the entire engine is built into an aluminum enclosure (70 x 120 x 45mm) equipped with all the connections a modern keyboard player needs. Two line-level unbalanced 6.35mm jacks (mix left & right), two instrument-level 3.5mm jacks for separate voice outputs (for voice 1-4 only), DIN5 MIDI IN/OUT+ THRU configurable, and a USB connection. The latter is for MIDI over USB but also to power the unit.
At a second glance (1st SynthFest), Töörö is an interesting hybrid Synthesizer. It has a unqiue feature set that makes its powerful, a refreshing sound, and all of this at a very affordable price.
Fred’s Lab Töörö is available now for pre-order for 399€ on Kickstarter.
More information here: Fred’s Lab
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