Supercritical Redshift 6 is a new desktop analog polyphonic Synthesizer powered by Demon Core oscillators and variable character filters.
NAMM 2024 starts tomorrow in Anaheim (LA)—an event where many new products are usually presented. There are also developers who do not exhibit themselves at NAMM but take advantage of the opportunity to announce new products.
This is what Supercritical Synthesizers do, the developers of the Demon Core oscillator and Neutron Flux Filter Eurorack modules. With the Redshift 6, they unveiled today their first desktop analog synth.
Supercritical Redshift 6
The Demon Core and Neutron Flux are two exciting oscillator and filter modules with their very own concepts. They are now melting these module technologies into a new intriguing desktop analog polysynth
Redshift 6 is a new six-voice/6-part multi-timbral analog polyphonic Synthesizer with a fully analog signal chain. The voice core uses the digitally controlled analog Demon Core oscillator, producing classic “swarming-style” waveforms.
The voice structure can be flexibly configured in many ways. It can be a 6-voice poly synth, a dual-layer synth with 3+3 voices, or as an instrument with six individual voices, each with its own patch and physical output. Optional voice chaining is also available. That’s voice flexibility.
Also, the Demo Core oscillator offers flexibility. Each voice has customizable engines, offering traditional twin oscillators, supersaw, flanging phase sync, or transistor organs. These are fully controllable and modulable. Plus, each of the six voices can also operate as a paraphonic voice with up to 16-note paraphony.
Then, the filter, based on the Neutron Flux, is a digitally-controlled analog 4-pole/24dB state variable filter with five characters and versatile gain stanging. This is just as flexible as the Demon Core oscillator. Besides classic cutoff and resonance controls, multiple filters can be chained by routing audio from one voice to another.
The entire analog tree of the Redshift 6 is completely under digital control. This way everything stays in tune and gives you the maximum of flexibility.
Modulation & Effects
Redshift 6 also offers a solid modulation engine. It includes four multi-wave LFOs, three envelopes (amp, filter, aux), and six user-assignable macro controls. It is fully MPE compatible and also has an onboard bypassable stereo DSP processor. However, it is not known yet what kind of effects can be found here.
The design is very special in my eyes. It’s modern, sleek (378 mm x 254 mm x 63 mm), and somewhat mathematical with its shaped buttons. It has 18 tweakable knobs and hosts a 2.7-inch color screen in the middle.
Supercritical Synthesizers promises to reduce menu diving to a minimum for quick navigation via the shortcut button grid. Further, the developers confirm that it has a modern MIDI implementation, allowing you to control the synth parameters from extra gear, including full MPE support.
Redshift 6 has a lush and warm sweet spot inspired by the analog polysynth tradition, but it can also cover the full range from almost digitally sterile
and clean to distorted misbehavior and beyond, says the developers.
Connectivity
On the connection side, it offers a main stereo output (L/R), two auxiliary stereo outputs, MIDI input & thru ports, a USB port, a headphone socket, and a power supply input (12V/3A)—too bad no USB host functionality. Lastly, the voices can be routed flexibly to the outputs.
First Impression
The analog polysynth market is growing by another instrument. This time, it’s a desktop one, an excellent news. What Supercritical Synthesizers has in development here sounds like an exciting new analog poly synth. A device that primarily focuses on its flexibility in routing. I’m looking forward to hearing more about it.
Supercritical Redshift 6 will be available now for pre-order and will be shipped in Summer 2024 with an MSRP of 1259€.
More information here: Supercritical Synthesizers
way too many hexagons.
Why? I think it fits the name and number of voices pretty well.
Beautiful with great sound. It’s a Buy 🤩
You spelt honeycomb wrong.
this looks amazing. hopefully demos will come out soon
Let me know when they come out with an Angel Core model:)
Prefer the demons 😉
Why?
Very interesting synth! Not totally into the look but it is different. The controls are well laid out and this is more important to me than the look.
I can’t wait to read the manual and understand better what it can do. From what is known, it looks like it’s an instrument i would use a lot. It even has extra outputs which are sometimes lacking from instruments costing a lot more.
Great price for something thats like a modern day Xpander! 6 voice multitimbral analog for just over $1000?!?! Unheard of. I hope its dope!