Audiorealism Semi Modular X, formerly ABL Pro, is a Roland MC-202-inspired semi-modular synth that got a major free update.
The ABL Pro from the Swedish company Audiorealism is a semi-modular polyphonic Synthesizer plugin inspired by the Roland MC-202. It’s an analog groovebox with a TB-303/SH-101-style synth and a built-in sequencer.
After more than 10 years on the market, there is now a long-awaited upgrade. Audiorealism has released updates 1.5 and 1.6, with plenty of new features, including a renaming to Semi Modular X. Better: it’s a free upgrade for existing users!
Audiorealism Semi Modular X
ABL Pro is history. Welcome to Semi Modular X. Audiorealism has not only renamed it to Semi Modular X, but also supercharged it with new features. Many users will surely be pleased with the native Apple Silicon support that it now has.
When you open the new version for the first time, you are greeted by two new GUIs: a new, sharper gray one and a black alternative. Both are now fully resizable, something not available in the ABL Pro.
The engine remains the same at its core, including 32-voice polyphony, two multi-wave oscillators, multiple filters (202, Ladder, Diode 303, Highpass), two ADSR envelopes, and a multimode LFO running at audio rate, all still onboard.
Versions 1.5/1.6 also bring significant new features and improvements. There is a new filter mode menu that shows all the modes and their oversampled versions.
The modulation generator impulse now also features a new decay mode that produces a noise decay when audio is enabled. With this new mode, you can synthesize drum sounds with an extra click that goes in the direction of the Roland 808 and 909.
Alongside this, Semi Modular X also comes with a new de-clicker and limiter as well as hard sync to the host.
More Modularity
Semi Modular X is a patchable Synthesizer via virtual patch wires and sockets on almost every element. Also here, there are some improvements.
Attenuator 2 benefits from a 2x higher gain by default. So the outputs are amplified 2x to expand the modulation destination range. The AUX input is temporarily disabled, but remains in the plug-in so that the Balance panning CV still works as intended.
Version 1.6 also comes with three new modulation input sockets: VCO-1 Level CV in, VCO-2 Level CV in, and Noise Level CV in.
Furthermore, a new foldable pattern editor view is available, displaying all steps, accents, and slides in a single view. And pattern view and MIDI keys view are now the default setting.
First Impression
The upgrade is great news for existing ABL Pro now Semi Modular X customers. Upgrading a plugin to this extent that’s been on the market for over 10 years, and for free, is a wonderful gift. I hope this upgrade will bring the plugin back into focus of music producers.
Audiorealism Semi Modular X is available now for 95€. The upgrade from ABL Pro to SM X is a free upgrade for existing users. It runs as a VST2, VST3, and AU plugin on macOS (native Apple Silicon + Intel) and Windows.
More information here: Audiorealism
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