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Notes: Second-gen version of the excellent Opsix features major updates including 64-voice polyphony and an improved interface. Same powerful six-operator FM synth engine.

Supplier's Notes:
A Full-Spectrum Sound Experience

Opsix mk II is a digital synth like no other. Based on the sound engine of the original Opsix, the number of simultaneous voices and voicings has been expanded to an astounding 64 voices. The result is superior performance and precise control.

The Opsix Operator Mixer simplified FM synthesis for the first time, making it not just comprehensible but also controllable. With the addition of extra synthesis capabilities and programming, it offered a more efficient workflow and an even richer sound.

And, it is fully compatible with the sounds and samples from both the original opsix and the opsix Native software, including numerous high-quality libraries.

Evolved to an astounding 64 voices

The Opsix mk II has 64 voices, twice as many as the original 32 voices, allowing users to enjoy tone editing without having to worry about the number of simultaneous voices. In addition, the operator-mixer section, the most distinctive feature of this product, has been accented with a new image colour, green.

Get Illuminated with the Operator Mixer

At the heart of every sound is Opsix mk II's Operator Mixer - a simple set of six faders and knobs that invite exploration. Each part lights up red to indicate carriers or blue for modulators. Manipulating them opens up new sound-shaping possibilities to breathe fresh life into your musical ideas. This straightforward, hands-on workflow is part of what makes Opsix mk II so unique, just like the sounds it offers.

Direct Hands-On Control

Whether you're tweaking a preset or building a patch from the ground up, the six data entry knobs on the right give you quick access to the parameters you need and seamlessly sync with the large OLED display, giving you a clear, focused direction to your workflow. Coupled with the mixer, it makes creating fresh sounds super easy and, most importantly, fun!

Select from a full range of analogue-style filters, from the radical Korg MS-20 low-pass/high-pass filter to the powerful yet smooth KORG Polysix low-pass filter that gives your sound a vintage feel. There are also two or four-pole low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and band-reject filters with resonance.

There's even a built-in spectrum analyser and oscilloscope that gives you visual feedback via the screen on the music you're making.

Six in One Synthesis

The core of Opsix mk II is nothing short of exponential. Since waveforms can be arranged and modulated in nearly infinite ways, Opsix mk II can easily do the sonic work that is similar to numerous types of synthesis:

Subtractive

Removing parts of the sound to get the sound you want; the most widely-used synthesis. Opsix mk II uses up to six envelopes and multi-modelled filters to achieve many cutting-edge and classical analogue synthesis tones.

Semi-Modular

Rerouting signal paths to change the sound. A spin through the Algorithm section will dramatically reshape the sound by changing how the signal routing between the operators work together, and no patch cables are needed. Analog-style controls and plenty of stackable waveforms take you from digital to analogue-sounding in no time. Enjoy deep basses, crisp leads, thick pad sounds, fuzzy brass tones, and so much more.

Analogue (Modeling)

Analogue-style controls and plenty of stackable waveforms take you from digital to analogue-sounding in no time. Enjoy deep basses, crisp leads, thick pad sounds, fuzzy brass tones, and so much more.

Waveshaping

Adding intentional distortion to the waveforms to achieve aggressive overtones that are either harmonic or inharmonic. This will help you achieve gritty, bitey tones dripping with character.

Additive

Stacking waveforms and blending their harmonics is key to an expansive range of harmonious, dissonant, and tension-driven sounds. With six operators available, the complete FM experience is possible, including the ability to go back in time for classic sounds you have heard throughout recording history.

Classic FM

Last but certainly not least, Opsix's highly flexible and powerful architecture starts with true six-Operator FM. As a result, it easily delivers signature sounds you have surely heard on thousands of hits from the '80s on through today, and with far more polyphony than other standalone FM synths available today.

With all of these ways to realize and explore sounds, Opsix mk II is uniquely suited as a "future-modern-classic" synth!

Altered Reality

What started as a legacy synthesis has evolved into something completely different. Opsix mk II is FM-based, but the similarities to the classic synthesis end there. The Altered FM architecture delivers sounds across a vast spectrum, far wider than any single synthesis has been able to cover before, thanks to new sound components; new waveforms, filters, shaping, effects, LFOs, envelopes, modulations, and more, all translating to its broad assortment of sounds.

Powerful Effects Processing

Opsix mk II provides three blocks of 30 types of high-definition effects that you can use together to enhance your sounds even further. There's everything from a great mix of usable standard effects like chorus, phaser, delay, and compressor to some world-class shimmering reverbs that will elevate your sound to the next level.

Specifications

Keyboard: 37 keys (velocity and release-velocity sensitive)
Sound generating system: Altered FM sound generator
Maximum Polyphony: 64 voices (varies depending on the setting)
Structure: 6 operators, 1 filter, 3 EGs, 3 LFOs, 3 effects, step sequencer, arpeggiator
Algorithm: 40 presets + user algorithm (unique to each program)
Operator: 6 modes (FM, Ring Mod., Filter, Filter FM, Wave Folder, Effect)
Oscillator waveform: 23 waveforms (Sine, Sine 12bit, Sine 8bit, Triangle, Saw, Saw HD, Square, Square HD, Additive Saw3, Additive Sqr3, Additive Tri3, Additive 12345, Additive 1+2, Additive 1+3, Additive 1+4, Additive 1+5, Additive 1+6, Additive 1+7, Additive 1+8, Noise S/H, Noise White, Noise Pink, Noise Blue)
Filter: 11 types (LPF 12, LPF 24, LPF MS-20, LPF POLY6, HPF 12, HPF 24, HPF MS-20, BPF 6, BPF 12, BRF 6, BRF 12)
EG: ADSR
LFO: 23 waveforms (Triangle, Saw Down, Saw Up, Square, Sine, Sample&Hold, Guitar, Exp. Triangle, Exp. Saw Down, Exp. Saw Up, Step4 Triangle, Step6 Triangle, Step4 Saw Down, Step6 Saw Down, StepRnd:Time, StepRnd:Lvl&Time, StepRnd:Level, Random:Time, Random:Lvl&Time, Triangle + , Saw Down + , Saw Up + , Square +)
V.Patch: 12 routings
Effect: 30 types (Chorus, Unison Ensemble, Phaser, Phaser (BPM) , Auto Pan, Auto Pan (BPM), Flanger, Flanger (BPM) , Rotary Speaker, Auto Wah, Exciter, Enhancer, LFO Filter, 3-Band EQ, Distortion, Guitar Amp, Decimator, Grain Shifter, Master Limiter, Compressor, Delay, Delay (BPM) , Autopan Dly, Autopan Dly (BPM), Tape Echo, Tape Echo (BPM) , Early Reflection, Reverb, Shimmer Reverb, Spring Reverb)
Sequencer: Step Sequencer (up to 16 steps, up to 6 notes per step), Motion Sequencer (up to 6 lanes)
Arpeggiator: 7 patterns (MANUAL, UP, DOWN, ALT1, ALT2, RANDOM, TRIGGER)
Number of programs: 500 (350 preset programs and 150 user programs as the factory-set default)
Favourite: 64 (16 Slots × 4 Banks)
Controllers: MODULATION wheel, PITCH wheel, RATIO OP 1-6 knobs, LEVEL OP 1-6 sliders, DATA ENTRY A-F knobs
Inputs/outputs: Headphone (6.3 mm stereo phone jack), OUTPUT L/MONO and R (impedance-balanced 6.3 mm TRS phone jacks), DAMPER (6.3 mm phone jack, half-damper not supported), MIDI IN and OUT connectors, USB B port
Power supply: AC adapter (DC12V)
Power consumption: 5 W
Dimensions (W × D × H): 565 × 338 × 90 mm / 22.24" × 13.31" × 3.54"
Weight: 2.9 kg / 6.93 lbs.
Included items: AC adapter
Accessories (sold separately): DS-1H damper pedal, PS-1 pedal switch, PS-3 pedal switch

Review: Following their succinctly titled 2019 debut full-length Cunts, the Los Angeles based hardcore mob of the same name (sans the one vowel), would only briefly tour the project before the 2020 pandemic put a stop to all live shows. During this time, vocalist Matt Cronk suffered from a paralyzed vocal cord as result of a surgical error following a car crash injury. With other members Kevin Avery and guitarist Mike Crain keeping busy in Retox while the latter also serves as bass-man for Mike Patton-fronted Dead Cross, Cronk recovered against any medical predictions and between his personal strife and the state of utter division across the US, he has a whole load of hate to get off his chest on their cynical sophomore statement, Thoughts & Prayers.

Review: The long-gestating follow up to 1992's initial instalment, Black Aria II would finally arrive in 2006 after years of discussion from Misfits/Samhain horror-punk visionary Glenn Danzig, and further his exploration into the cavernous realms of modern classical dark ambience. Conceptually based around Lillith, the first wife of Adam, the material here is far more minimalist and starker than its gothic predecessor, while utilising a more varied array of instruments on top of the pre-established organ and strings, with more Eastern sonic influences to conjure a mercurial vision independent of the preceding volume. Complete with eerie chimes, chants and esoteric lamentations, the project marks one of Danzig's most intriguing works when compared to, say, his Elvis covers compilations, and offers a transportive, biblical, haunting narrative delivered almost exclusively via instrumental atmospherics and insidious gloom.

Review: Shabazz Palaces is masterminded by vocalist and producer Ishmael Butler, whose unstinting drive to reimagine hip-hop - even as he enters his fifth decade on Earth - remains undimmed. With Robed In Rareness, there's a respectful eye on the past, an embrace of an ever-evolving present, and two feet firmly planted in the future. It features collaborations with the likes of Seattle's Royce The Choice and Porter Ray, Colorado Springs' O Finess, Bronx's Geechi Suede (of Camp Lo) and Butler's son, the incomparable Lil Tracy. Most instrumentals land like slick, soft jaunts over which mega-chorused flows oxbow, while weird subversions of hip-hop's trademark braggadocio and opulence are heard throughout. Palaces' cloudiest project yet, this one oozes alt enjoyment from start to finish.

Review: 1994's original pressing of Steely & Clevie's outstanding leftfield production with Johnny Clarke's vocals is well worth inspecting, but you might struggle to find one these days, and it'll be pricey if you do, because it's become something of a classic 45. Thankfully it gets reissued here with A-side original 'Leggo Violence' rolling lazy drums while the Clarke vocals soar high and sweet despite what they sing about. On the flip is a smooth rolling version that allows that super bassline to do its thing free from any distraction, and all with extra dub goodness.

Review: Robert Pollard's output is still a marvel to behold in the annals of US indie rock. As the driving force behind Guided By Voices and a tangled labyrinth of other projects, he's released more music than any one person can surely keep up with. That said, such is the power of his songwriting, a one-off single can be as much of a gem as, for example, the recently released Crystal Nuns Cathedral or Earth Man Blues albums. If you're a fan of GBV then you should know what to expect to some extent, but that doesn't diminish the grandeur of both 'Alex Bell' and the B-side, 'Focus On The Flock'.

Notes: Another update for WMD's clever dual VCA, this time a little bigger to give more control. Digital control of CV and attenuation gives lots of creative options. Third time's a charm.

Supplier's Notes:
WMD have done several designs of this circuit over the years, the first one had no knobs, the second was too small, the MKIII is finally how this circuit should be packaged. This module does some really cool stuff and is super useful in any system.

The Digital VCA lets signal through like a normal VCA, but the CV and attenuation level is controlled digitally. This lets us do things like wait until there is a zero crossing to change the amplitude, resulting in clickless amplitude changes.

The Trigger mode causes the VCA to only update when a trigger is received. The addition of a noise circuit for each side let us do a very quick and easy sample and hold that never droops. With no input, 5V is normaled to the attenuator, so you get a 0-5V sample and hold. In Bipolar mode, you can get -5 to +5V.

Both sides have bipolar VCA mode (polarizer), which lets them invert the signal when negative CV comes in. Also known as ring modulation. With the zero crossing detector, this can produce some super wild wave shapes.

Features

Dual VCA Design
Unipolar or Bipolar Operation
DC Coupled Analogue Signal Path
Low Distortion / Low Noise
VCA Closes Completely
Zero Crossing Detector Mode
Trigger Mode
Two Independent Noise Sources
8 bit CV resolution
Great for Fast Envelopes and Sine Bass Sounds

Specifications

Power: +65mA, -45mA
Width: 8HP
Depth: 35mm with cables
Height: Eurorack 3U (128.5mm)
Board Height Behind Panel: 112mm
CV/Signal Input Impedance: 100k
Output Impedance: 1k
UPD in 3.3V Threshold Schmitt Trigger
ZCD produces 15us 5V pulse
5V CV to fully open VCA
Linear VCA response
20Vpp signal handling

Notes: Really nice take on an arpeggiator module here. Four-channel design features editable arpeggio patterns, CV control and transposition. Real-time performance meets customisable melody generation.

Supplier's Notes:
Four-channel arpeggiator with customizable patterns and CV control

Opp Ned is a four-channel arpeggiator designed for creating patterns that can be modified with CV. Opp Ned ships with 12 of Noise Engineering's favourite arps, including tetrads, major, pentatonic major, minor third, and pentatonic minor, but you can edit and save custom arpeggios to twelve memory slots. Recall your custom arpeggios manually or with CV using the Ptn input. If you ever want to restore the factory arps, just head to the Noise Engineering Customer Portal.

The transpose input makes it easy to combine Opp Ned with external sequencers, too!

Arps have never been easier than with Opp Ned.

Features

Size and Power
8HP Eurorack
+12v: 60mA
-12v: 10mA

Opp from Norwegian Opp for "Up"
Ned from Norwegian Ned "down"
"Ups and downs"

What's in the box

Module
Power cable

*** Noise Engineering no longer include screws with newly packaged modules. Bulk screws are available for purchase. ***