Ahead of Superbooth 2026, KOMA Elektronik and Passpartout Duo have introduced Haloplane, an electromagnetic micro-loop sampler.
In 2024, the Berlin-based company KOMA Elektronik returns with the Chromaplane. This is a fascinating polyphonic electromagnetic Synthesizer played with two pickup coils. They teamed up with Passpartout Duo to bring this project to life.
At Superbooth 2026, KOMA will showcase the Haloplane, the sister product to the Chromaplane. Nicoletta Favari and Christopher Salvito of Passpartout Duo are again on board for this second project.
KOMA Elektronik Haloplane
Haloplane is not the successor or evolution of Chromaplane. It’s more like its sister product with a different sonic direction. The experience they gained from developing the Chromaplane has led to new ideas that can be paired with the interface.
According to KOMA Elektronik and Passpartout Duo, Haloplane is an electromagnetic instrument meant to explore digital sound design.
The core concept is the same. Haloplane also features seven highly customizable electromagnetic fields that you can play with the same pickup coils that the Chromaplane uses. You can swipe them, swing them, etc., the same way you can with the first synth.
Digital Not Analog
It’s a truly multidimensional instrument. The difference to the Chromaplane lies within. Haloplane doesn’t have analog oscillators and a filter; instead, it uses the electromagnetic surface to trigger a digital core.
This houses two distinct sound engines: a micro-loop sampler and a wavetable Synthesizer, both with full sound-design functionality. Whether it’s possible to sample directly into the engine or only play back samples is currently unknown.
The same applies to the feature sets of both engines. Alternatively, you can use it as a USB audio controller and control other devices.
Once a sound is designed, it can be played expressively with the pickup coils, just as in the Chromaphone. With the difference that you play here: digital sounds, not analog square-wave oscillators.
KOMA Elektronik and Passpartout Duo promise that the Haloplane has an even higher degree of expressivity and control.
Creating sounds directly on the hardware doesn’t seem to be possible. For this, the developers have created a cross-platform app that connects wirelessly to the Haloplane.
This app is an engine editor that lets users design their own sounds. How deep these engines go is not yet known. We’ll certainly learn more about the individual engines and other features at Superbooth 2026.
On the official Passpartout Duo YouTube channel, you can also find a recent performance where both use the Haloplane prototype.
First Impression
The Chromaplane is a very fascinating and unique instrument. The instrument’s greatest strength is undoubtedly its unique play surface, which lets you expressively play sounds in a novel way. The sound itself, however, is rather unspectacular.
In Haloplane, this is different. Same playing concept, but you have access to a sample and wavetable synthesis engine, offering greater sonic versatility and flexibility.
How the engines interact with the electromagnetic field remains to be seen in person, but it already sounds very exciting. Looking forward to more demos.
Price and availability are TBA. KOMA Elektronik and Passpartout Duo will showcase Haloplane at Superbooth 2026 and Sonar festival.
More information here: Chromaplane
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