The pioneering engineer and designer, who created a string of celebrated digital devices within the ’70s, ’80s and past, labored with PWM on a brand new synth known as the Mantis, earlier than passing away in 2020.
The Mantis is now in full manufacturing and anticipated to hit shops in the summertime. It’s a duophonic synth with digital oscillators and an analogue sign path—with two filters, one for every voice. It additionally has a drift perform that makes the pitch of the oscillators weave out and in of tune subtly, to imitate the sound of outdated, analogue devices.
The new synth comes with a 37-note, semi-weighted keyboard with aftertouch and velocity. Its filters will be overdriven to create extra harmonics and distortion, and it has a built-in digital results part with reverb and refrain, plus an arpeggiator.
According to PWM, the synth was conceived by Huggett as an replace of his most well-known instrument, the Wasp, which got here out in 1978. The yr earlier than, Huggett had arrange an organization known as Electronic Dream Plant, which constructed a variety of small, low cost, yellow-and-black synths and sequencers, together with the Wasp, the Gnat, the Spider and the Caterpillar. These devices have been profitable on the time however identified to be unreliable, and EDP went out of enterprise in 1981.
Huggett went on to work with Italian synth firm Elka on the Synthex earlier than forming the Oxford Synthesiser Company in 1982. OSC solely made one instrument, known as the OSCar, which was one of many first digitally programmable synthesisers. Huggett later labored for Akai and Novation, and remained extremely concerned with the digital music neighborhood. A portion of the income from the brand new PWM synth will go to Huggett’s household.
Watch a video concerning the Mantis and Chris Huggett.
The PWM Mantis will ship this summer time, priced $1,499, £1,349 or €1,599.
