SynthFest France 2026: Baloran The 3FX is a 3-voice analog multi-FX unit with delays, filter, and modulation with digital remote control.
Just like Superbooth, SynthFest France brings together dozens of developers from all over the world every year. A visit to SFF is especially recommended if you want to meet developers like Lauren Baloran, who don’t attend Superbooth or other shows.
Baloran brought his epic The Pool Synths and his news from 2025, The BumbleBee, to SynthFest France 2026, along with his new analog FX unit, “The 3FX”.
Baloran The 3FX
This year, Laurent Baloran’s focus on his booth was not on synthesizers but on analog effects. The 3FX is a new stereo analog multi-FX unit housed in a rather unusual, flat box. The contents, however, are exciting
The 3FX is an analog FX workstation that is built around three fully independent effect voices, each based on the same architecture. They can be used alone, stacked, or combined with the others to achieve results not possible with a conventional delay.
Each voice consists of two PT2399-based delays, which can be configured in series or parallel. Yes, the PT-2399 is a chip and is considered digital, but the circuitry it sits on is fully analog.
This forms an advanced, progressive feedback path that goes into controlled self-oscillation. Then, each voice features an analog 12dB/oct multimode VCF with bandpass, lowpass, and highpass options, allowing to shape the audio spectrum.
Nice, the filter can be used on the delay lines and on the dry signal. Each of the three voice also have independent levels for the dry and each delay line, as well as a panorama control to position the voice within the stereo field.
You can use mono and stereo signals with the processor. A mono signal is distributed across all three voices, while a stereo signal is distributed across the three voices in a left-left/right-right configuration.
There is also a link option between the modules of voice 1 and 3 to the corresponding module of the central voice, turning it into a macro-instrument.
Modulation & Remote Control
To add more complexity and versatility, each module of each voice also features its own dedicated multi-wave LFO, giving you a total of 24 LFOs. This also includes full MIDI CC modulation, making it perfect for integration into studio setups.
Alongside the 24 LFOs, you also have three macro controls that can house up to 24 settings, allowing you to morph between settings. Nice, you can also map the macros to MIDI CC, giving more options to control them.
The hardware has no controls other than Gain Control. However, Baloran has addressed this with The 3FX. It has four options: a PC/Mac software application, a Wi-Fi-enabled web server for tablets or smartphones, or a VST3 plugin.
Alternatively, you can also buy the 3FX with a dedicated Bluetooth hardware remote controller featuring a 5-inch capacitive touchscreen and three pots.
All four options give you full control over the analog FX processor. So, there’s something for every control preference.
The hardware features 6.35mm stereo input (switchable between line and high-impedance) and output connectivity, a 5-pin MIDI DIN socket, a USB-C port, a 5V power USB port for the remote controller, and an external DC power supply.
Baloran The 3FX is an impressive analog multi-FX processor that, thanks to its flexible signal path and modulation, can create a wide range of delay-based effects.
This includes elegant echoes, vintage-style choruses, more phasing effects, ambiance, or even noisy, self-oscillating textures. It’s also a great replacement for its discontinued hardware tri-chorus rack unit, The Triko. It goes even beyond that.
First Impression
The 3FX looks like an impressive analog multi-effects unit capable of creating a wide variety of vintage-style delay-based effects.
While there are many delay and chorus pedals available these days, I think the 3FX is one of the most comprehensive ones. A big advantage is its full MIDI support and remote control, making it easy to integrate into larger studio setups.
Baloran The 3FX is available now for 552€, or 696€ with the remote controller.
More information here: Baloran
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