Ahead of Superbooth 2022, Cre8audio today announced East Beast, a new semi-modular desktop synthesizer and Eurorack module, created in collaboration with Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers.
East Beast is a powerful monophonic full voice with many unique sound-shaping tools and deep performance capabilities.
The design is heavily influenced by Pittsburgh’s SV-1 and SV-1b synthesizers. At its core, you’ll find its 100% analog, Pittsburgh-designed oscillator. The oscillator features sine, saw, triangle, and square waveforms that can also be used in combinations. Rounding out its sonic core is FM and pulse width modulation (PWM).
To shape the sound, East Beast includes an analog envelope generator, VCA, LFOs, and a Pittsburgh “Zero Dead Spot” multi-mode filter. The “Zero Dead Spot” filter is the product of years of research into analog filter design by Pittsburgh’s founder Richard Nicol, and Chief of R&D Michael Johnsen. Unlike more traditional ladder filters, the PGH “Zero Dead Spot” filter does not distort as readily and features no “sonic dead spots”. The result is a fully sweepable frequency range that produces a “rich velvety sound”, throughout each of its lowpass, high-pass, and bandpass modes.
In addition to the analog sound-shaping tools mentioned previously, East Beast also includes a deep new digital multi-mod /multi-function tool concept to add more options. The multi-mod lets the user select between an additional envelope, clock synced LFO, MIDI CC control, and random voltage generator modes.
A semi-modular synthesizer, East Beast has basically 9 different patchable modules (Oscillator, filter, envelope, VCA, LFO, multi-mod tool, sequencer, MIDI to CV converter, and button keyboard) with 18 Eurorack compatible patch points to plug into itself and your other gear.
As a starting point, East Beast comes intuitively patched internally to create a bold and flexible full synth voice. Using the patch points enables the users to reroute internal signal flow as well as use with external eurorack format modules and synthesizers. To help facilitate experimentation, Cre8audio has included a set of premium Nazca Noodles patch cables.
East Beast’s playing and performance capabilities are as strong as its powerful sonic core. East Beast can be controlled via MIDI, control voltage (CV/Gate), and its function keys double as a keyboard controller. Additionally, included is an integrated sequencer & arpeggiator that can also be controlled via MIDI and is externally clockable.
Features:
- East coast style subtractive monophonic synthesize
- Controllable via MIDI, CV, and integrated button keyboard
- Fully patchable – use East Beast’s components as separate modules with external devices or reroute its internal patching. It’s like having 9 individual modules (Oscillator, filter, envelope, VCA, LFO, multi-mod tool, sequencer, MIDI to CV converter, and button keyboard).
- 32 step sequencer with up to 13 presets
- Generative sequencing mode
- Clock-synced arpeggiator
- Step sequencer can be manipulated & transposed via MIDI and the integrated button keyboard
- Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizer developed 100% analog oscillator
- Oscillator waveforms – sine, triangle, saw, square, and pitched noise – Waveforms can be combined
- Oscillator includes pulse-width modulation (PWM) and frequency modulation (FM)
- Variable state, multi-mode PGH “No-Dead-Spots” filter (lowpass, bandpass, highpass, modes can be combined)
- Analog envelope generator
- Integrated VCA
- Dual-range analog LFO with triangle wave output
- Digital multi-mod tool – modulation control via CV, random generator, and extra LFO and envelope generator
- Internal clock with tap tempo and can be clocked via an external source.
- Built-in clock divider
- Can be used standalone in its included case or removed and used as a eurorack format module
- Specifications for when used as a eurorack module
- Width when used as a module = 40hp
- Depth when used as a module = 25mm
- 213mA power draw when running +12V rail
- 151mA power draw when running -12V
- Input voltage range of oscillator = 0-10V
Included in the box – 1x East Beast, 1x East Beast wall-wart power supply, 5x Amazing Nazca Noodles Patch Cables, 2x 3.5mm to 5 pin MIDI Din pigtails, and love (love’s presence likely, but not guaranteed)
Pricing and Availability:
East Beast is available to pre-order now, with a street price of $249.99 / €249.99.
Neat. I don’t see using this as a standalone instrument (it has a very limited single oscillator design), but it could be quite useful as a Swiss Army knife style module in my Eurorack case. The only challenge is that I already have a vanilla VCO, VCF, VCA and envelope. Do I need more?
No-one is asking for a new single oscillator mono synth. Sorry.
What an absolutely worthless comment.
Show me where the single oscillator mono synth hurt you.
as simple as this is, it looks fantastic – and I’m stunned by the price, especially for PM’s quality build and sound.
can someone explain the “no dead spots” filter thing though?
The synth was “created in collaboration with” Pittsburgh Modular, not made by them. My niftycase says “assembled with love in China” I suspect this is the same.
Cre8audio and Pittsburgh modular are doing some awesome systems lately! I’m loving what they are doing! The east beast is nicely packaged and designed…it’s noodle city!!
Pittsburgh was my gateway drug into modular and i have nearly all their modules and love them so much. this seems like a really great workhorse full voice and worthy gateway drug for those wanting to jump in.
i wasnt really interested until i saw the price…. that puts it in the territory of those new roland things
so its pretty fascinating actually