Gotharman’s new compact modular Synthesizer Urano has landed and is fully packed with analog and digital modules (wavetable, sampling…)
I recently reported on the new Urano Synthesizer from Gotharman’s. A boutique manufacturer from Denmark who makes unique hand-built electronic instruments.
At the time of the first article, there was only teaser information. Gotharman’s has contacted me in the meantime and given me the official feature set. This is anything but a small modular Synthesizer or should I say sampler.
Gotharman’s Urano
The Urano housing is compact, the engine is however full of technical know-how. Analog as well as digital. The synth has 67 built-in modules. It starts with a massive oscillator module range including classic waveforms, drum OSC, wavetables, sampling, and more. How deep these are can be seen on the wavetable module with which you can draw your own wavetables using the touch display.
On the filter side, you have up to 4 analog (Gotharman’s filter board system) and 8 digital filters with 27 different types. Here you get standard filters, triple, sharp, tube filters, and more. Filter lovers get their money’s worth here. Then, you two mixers, 8 flexible VCAs, each with an ADSR envelope, various curves, as well as 4 ring VCAs. On the end of the signal chain, it has a multi-FX processor with 8 effect slots including a new reverb, wavefolder, pitch effects, delays, granulator…
Urano also has a huge modulation engine that hosts 8 LFOs with variable waveforms, 8 loopable ADSR envelopes, and 5 random generators. The synth has numerous I/ O and with the dedicated modules, you can address these. You get an output, trigger input/output as well as CV output module.
Patching Without Cables
Urano is modular but does not use virtual cables to make the connection. The modules can be easily connected using the knobs and touch interface manually or with the unique auto function. You can patch and arrange the modules into up to 8 parts, to make it possible to play 8 different sounds at the same time. A little limation: part 1-4 can only have an analog filter. Certainly another way of patching a more modular Synthesizer. The video below shows this in more detail
On top, it has a built-in sequencer taken from the Little Deformer3 with 8 note tracks and 16 controller tracks. Urano connects to your analog gear via minijacks, and to other instruments via MIDI and jack connectors.
An exciting modular Synthesizer with a completely different concept. There is no lack of features here and it is nice that you get analog as well as digital modules here. However, all of the modular fun is not cheap.
Gotharman’s Urano starts shipping in October. The first batch is already sold out because it’s limited due to the current chip shortage. Urano starts at 2199€ with 18min of sample time/max 2048 samplings and ends with 193 min of sample time/max 8092 sampling for 2479€.
More information here: Gotharman’s
Sorry, but I’m not warming up to this engine. It may be full featured, but the wavetables all sound harsh and similar to me, and in the second video I have absolutely no clue what is happening, so I’m left with the perception it’s a difficult machine to work with and at the same time it gets easily distorted. If I do injustice to the synth, I suggest better demo material is offered to prove I’m wrong. This is one of those few cases I’d be happy to be wrong. But as it stands now, it doesn’t convince me.
But glad to notice the first batch is fully sold, so we might see different testimonials about the synth in the near future, to look out for.
Don’t expect the most polish wavetables, it’s more a noise-making machine
Bad marketing video. And I still think touchscreens are in 95% of the cases a bad design decision.
2500k for this may be reflected the work and materials to put this together but it’s not worth the product as such. Maybe a better video is coming. However, I start to think that as long it’s handmade and somewhat elitist / boutique you can ask any price for everything.
This is not a modular, but semi-modular synth.
It’s an environment where you can work with modules and connect them how you like. Semi-modular would be if you have a fixed voice with option to patch it. This limitation you don’t have here.