Analogue Systems RS-370 Polyphonic Harmonic Generator (36HP) - Secondhand

Full Description

Polyphonic and Real-time Modes

At a glance the RS-370 is a 6 note polyphonic additive sound generator that incorporates 24 digital oscillators, with each voice comprises of up to four oscillators that can be independently detuned to provide flexibility in choosing notes. Additionally there are independent audio amplifiers and outputs for each voice. The RS-370 offers 4 modes of operation which are essentially split into 2 groups; polyphonic, and real time. In the 2 polyphonic modes all the 6 voices can be played simultaneously but it does not allow you to modify the harmonic content of additive waveforms whilst playing. However, in the two real-time modes you can modify the harmonic content whilst playing but you are restricted to just one single voice, turning the RS-370 into a monophonic synthesizer. In polyphonic MIDI mode the RS-370 operates like a normal polyphonic synth and as it uses additive synthesis giving you the potential to create a wide range of sounds even before connecting any external devices. Meanwhile the RS-370 functions as a MIDI-CV converter allowing MIDI devices to be connected and triggered.

Presets

Analogue Systems have provided 8 major headings that are followed by sub-menus, making the menu system as simple as possible. The first part of the menu is "Copy from memory" which allows you to load and save a patch. In this section you are able to access the 46 available patch memories, where 23 are occupied by factory presets, allowing you to quickly load up a sound and start manipulating it without the need to start from scratch. In addition, the RS-370 gives you the ability to overwrite any preset at the touch of a button, for optimum customisation.

Synthesiser Menu

The next part down the RS-370's menu is the synthesiser menu. This menu allows you to access to the voicing of the synth within the RS-370 and the 7 sub-menus for controlling the voices such as voice control, envelope settings, transposing, expander (when it's fitted) and the mapping of control inputs and MIDI control. Delving further into each sub-menu you will find further sub-menus providing you with even more control of harmonics, waveforms, tuning, output mixing and more.

Additive Synthesis

Conveniently, the RS-370 offers 4 conventional waveforms including sine, triangle, sawtooth and square. The fifth option is 'synthesis', which gives you access to additive synthesis, and allows you to browse through the 32 harmonics and select amplitudes in the range -127 to +127 to create new waveforms. The RS-370 provides 6 harmonic templates including sine, triangle and saw tooth, giving you the choice to quickly choose a template rather than having to program the harmonics yourself. Additionally you can use these as a starting point and switch up harmonics as you wish. Furthermore, every voice can comprise up to 4 oscillators that allow you to change level settings and detune to create rich, dense textures. The voices can be mixed internally or routed individually to extend the possibilities of the RS-370, enabling you to process the different voices independently.

Envelopes

As well as providing synthesis the RS-370 offers 6 envelope generators providing six steps. The RS-370's envelope section is versatile offering an impressive 10 stages of attack level and time, slope level and time, sustain level, and release level and time. Once you have defined an envelope you can then affect the the overall execution speed, giving you full control of the envelopes.

LFOs

Two LFOs are featured in the RS-370, providing you with a choice of waveforms including sine, saw, triangle, square and random. The array of options for editing the LFO are countless, with controls for adjusting speed, shape and amplitude.

MIDI-CV

The RS-370 is a single-channel 6-note MIDI/CV converter. It offers 6 pitch CVs, multiple note allocation modes, plus triggers, gates and s-triggers with variable voltage ranges for each. The RS-370 offers 4 control outputs that can generate a voltage sourced from the MIDI controller. With the RS-375 or RS-376, more outputs are programmable (CTRL 5 to CTRL 8). With the RS-370 you can direct the internal envelopes to the MIDI CTRL outputs meaning that you can also tap the envelopes triggered by the MIDI not ONs, directing them straight back into the RS-370 or send them to external modules and synthesisers.

Reviews

Sound On Sound

Features

• 6-note polyphonic
• Incorporates no fewer than 24 digital oscillators, so each note (or 'voice') comprises up to four oscillators (although each uses the same waveform)
• Offers range of common waveforms, but can create new waves using additive
• Each additive oscillator comprises 32 harmonics
• Each of the four oscillators in a voice can be independently detuned (which means that a note can contain up to 128 independent 'partials')
• Independent audio amplifiers and outputs for each voice
• Independent 6-stage EGs for each voice, internally routed to the audio amplifiers
• 'Vintage drift' to emulate the tuning instabilities and warmth of analogue synthesisers
• Dual LFOs
• A multi-mode arpeggiator
• 46 patch memories
• MIDI In and Thru (with activity LED)
• 6 pitch CV outputs
• 6 trigger outputs that you can configure as triggers, gates, or S-Trig outputs
• 3 CV inputs that you can direct to a variety of internal destinations
• 4 MIDI/CV CTRL outs that respond individually to over 130 MIDI controllers
• 4 operational modes: polyphonic MIDI, polyphonic analogue, MIDI real-time, analogue real-time

Specifications

• Width: 36HP
• Depth: 89mm
• Power: 70mA @ +/-12V, 680mA @ +5V
• Weight: 0.543kg