Modal Electronics Cobalt8M Synthesizer

General

The Cobalt8M is the compact desktop module version of the 'standard' Modal Electronics Cobalt8 VA synthesizer. As such, you're offered everything its keyboard-fitted sibling comes with - except for a keyboard, which is great if you already have a solid keyboard set up in your studio. Simply put, the Cobalt8M sounds very different compared to other virtual analogue synths. Where most other VAs only pack a couple of standard waveforms, the Cobalt has been outfitted with no less than 34 algorithms, including hard-sync triangle, PWM, filtered noise and a lot more of these awesome timbres. Polyphony-wise, the Cobalt8M puts eight voices with eight oscillators per voice at your disposal, meaning you're given the potential to shape unique and rich sounds!

The Modal Electronics Cobalt8M

When it comes to sound-design, Modal Electronics have got you covered. The Cobalt8M features amp, filter and modulation envelopes, a fat and flexible 24dB Ladder filter and three LFOs that can operate at audio speeds - which is great for FM effects. Of course, it's up to you to tie these things together, and you can do so using the comprehensive, 12-source modulation matrix with 55 routing options. Even an arpeggiator and sequencer have been crammed into this modern bit of kit, and have we mentioned the effect engines yet? There's three of those, so if the eight oscillators per voice aren't enough for your synth pads, perhaps you can create the fresh sounds you're looking for by simply adding chorus, reverb or one of the many other effects!

Other Awesome Features

The Cobalt8M comes loaded with ample storage capacity. In fact, it not only offers room for presets, but you're free to save sounds, sequences and even effects. In terms of more visible features, you're getting a beautifully clear OLED display to help you keep track of what's going on with razor-sharp graphics. Safe inside in a robust and road-ready housing, the Cobalt8 is perfect for gigging musicians and comes with editor software that can be run in your DAW as a VST3/AU plugin. Last but not least, this future-proof VA synthesizer supports MPE - the new MIDI standard that divides polyphony across multiple MIDI tracks so you can do stuff like pitch-bends per note - which concludes the list of reasons why the Cobalt8M deserves a spot somewhere at the top of your gear-based wishlist.