Baloran has announced that a new batch of The Pool bi-timbral synthesizer is now available to pre-order.
The Pool is a unique synthesizer concept featuring a full bi-timbral panel, four bi-timbral voice cards and a two-bus effects unit. The control panel houses a large 7-inch color capacitive touch screen, 79 potentiometers, 34 encoders and no less than 169 illuminated pushbuttons.
Each bi-timbral voice card features:
- 2 analog VCOs (type CEM3340) with wave mixer by VCAs, magnificent “natural” saturation beyond the unit gain accessible via modulations and morphers, sync by VCO or digital generator.
- 2 complex digital generators with classical waves, wavetables, soundfont, additive synthesis, euclidean generator and VCO ADC for complex operations like RING, FM or multiband formants with vowel presets, mixing by VCAs always with this beautiful “natural” saturation beyond the unit gain. You can import your wavetables using the WaveEdit application (https://synthtech.com/waveedit). The import of your own soundfonts will be possible later.
- Hardware Sync from VCO or Digital generator to VCO.
- 1 input for insertion of an external signal before each filter group.
- 2 groups of 2 VCFs (type CEM3320 and CEM3350), Lowpass 12/24 db/Octave, FM via VCO or digital generator for the 3320, Bandpass/
- Highpass 12 db/Octave for the 3350, serial or parallel, mixes of the two filters and filter groups on each channel. Hardware FM from VCO or Digital generator to filter 3320.
- Two analog envelopes (type CEM3310 with VCA CEM3360) with ajustable/modulable offset (perfect for drone mode) and modulable pan.
- Two digital envelopes with adjustable exponentiality from ultra percussive to linear.
- Three digital LFOS integrating complex waveforms. You can build your own modulations using the WaveEdit application (https://synthtech.com/waveedit).
- For each timbre/channel, the envelope VCA incorporates panning and adjustable offset, ideal for drone modes among others.
Other features:
- The Pool incorporates optimized support for MPE devices.
- The Pool is also a sequencer making the most of the large screen: 16 sequences from 2 to 64 steps, 3 modulation tracks, touch or encoder editing of each step of notes, duration, velocity, ratchet and tempo as well as three tracks usable as modulation.
- The Pool features a unique arpeggiator making the most of the large screen: Numerous patterns, scroll orders, range, touch or encoder editing of each step of notes, durations, velocities, ratchets and tempo, as well as three tracks usable as modulation.
- The Pool also offers two buses and two digital effects units. The buses can be daisy-chained, parallel or independent (dedicated output for each). Each voice card can be addressed to one of the buses. Numerous effects are available and the list can easily evolve: reverb, shim, echo, chorus, phaser, flanger, etc… All routings (Wet, Dry, Feedback, Bus assignment) are done via VCAs and audio switches, there is no DSP routing in order to preserve a 100% analog signal path. The routing and some effect parameters are modulated by a dedicated LFO. The echo can be synchronized to the internal tempo of The Pool.
- The Pool saves sounds and settings on MICRO SD Card. Their number is therefore almost unlimited. The saving/loading operations can be limited to effects, sequences, settings of a card or encompass the whole configuration of The Pool: you can thus take back a sequence or an effect setting that was created for another sound.
Pricing and Availability:
The Pool is available to pre-order, priced at €5100 without tax or €6120 with 20% VAT.
I have to admit that the examples in the video sound quite lackluster for the price of 6000.
tho You can make any sound on a I pad these days and nobody can tell the difference …. So much programmability in hardware is gonna cost.
I can hear most fully digital electronic productions, especially the one that imitates analog, they do sound a little lighter, clearer, some will say better, but I agree that one digital part may be hard to notice. Not that it matters much, good music is not so much about the tools.
The funny thing is, it’s usually more obvious because of the tight timing more than the actual sound. Whoever produced mostly with analog instruments may understand what I’m saying.
Made it thru 14 minutes…
To each his own, and whatever floats your boat, buy and support whatever makes you happy, but based solely in terms of the audio in this demo, (and if demos are meant to impress or at least show the capabilities of something), sonically I could do this stuff on my iPhone waiting for my dogs to get groomed. All the best with sales and stuff, and good luck , etc., but to my ears… and then based on the price… 6k of meh.
Shhhh, you’re not supposed to let that cat out of the bag. I was thinking the same thing, that I could easily reproduce what I heard on the now defunct Ronafed Pro, a free synth. Remember the Nissan GTR? It looked average but performance specs blew away a Ferrari and a Lamborghini for 1/4 the price. But for status, you buy the Ferrari.
Sounds very Sweet. The base sound is great imho!
This demo obv shows off relatively dry sounds presenting the “raw” sound.
Looking forward to hear more complex patches and multitimbral arrangements.
I see a synth with great potential.
(Yes the price is hefty.)
Every time the price is high we are back with the “poor mindset” comments.
Its a high-end boutique beast and not a mass market item. I’d sure love to see the books, from investment to return from sales. That would probably seem as alien as the manual to most of us, me included.
I’ve heard some demos that show off its admirable strengths, but I like having several kinds of synths. For that price, you’d have to just live with the Pool for a long time to get much value from it. I’m happy with my UltraNova and pile of software synths.
For me a boutique is a unique, special synth, in synth terms. How many of them are made, does not factor in. If a john, a Barry or a Tom made, instead of Roland, or Yamaha, again doesn’t make it special.
This looks crazy, like something unreal made by AI.
The screen software looks like some of the Gotharman synths
Looks like a ‘plug out’ synth, which catches my attention, but it isn’t, if you catch my drift. From the demo, it’s lacking that broad sound pallet that you would expect for something in this price range. Honestly, if this was a a hardware sampler akin to ‘RIP ?? CA Alchemy’ and half the price, it could have a place. But it’s not something I think is that useful. Amazing dedication and good design. But sadly not a winner.
Looks amazing …. Like a massive Elektron groove box with tits
Terrible demo. The sounds are good (though as many have pointed out, easily reproducible), but hte demo is mostly just past selection and basic keyboard playing. The value (and high cost) of a synth like this is in the user interface. If you’re just going to use it as a preset box then you are better off with a workstation. This synth needs a demo where the musician is tweaking the hell out of it in real time, not playing out very safe-sounding leads and pads while occasionally making a minor adjustment on the panel.
The synth looks outstanding. The sounds showcased here seem very good, the musician’s playing seems heartfelt and expressive. But if you are asking ~$6000, you have to show off the benefit of the hundreds of panel controls. The specs didn’t mention anything about matrix modulation, and given the fairly conventional voice architecture, that just emphasizes the importance of the front panel.
its good to know that proper monster synths simply exist in the first place
Personally, I just downloaded the Legend HZ VST synth and I feel that most of the sounds in this demo could be done with that and come out sounding the same or better. Having 3 tracks of modulated EG or sequencing other params is always a good thing for beast like this but it can be done on so many other synths at a lower cost. I hate that im saying any of this, however, as other have said, if you have income to get a beast like this I say go for it. I guess as I get older, Im learning to bigger things with more readily available hardware and software.
i like gum!
john…this is an amazing disappearing gum trick. It only works with Hubba Bubba Gum or Bazooka Gum. Have someone eat 4-5 cashews then give them a some Hubba Bubba gum. It will dissolve in to nothing when they chew it.
Checking the detailed walkthroughs baloran has posted on the pool website it’s a designer’s dream. Feels like a better designed Waldorf Quantum with a better thought out interface and respect towards the qualities of analog that matter most. I’m very excited about this.