Body Synths Laboratory: Dual-Channel Effects Processor and Feedback Synthesizer With Attitude
4,4 / 5,0 | 
Body Synths Laboratory is a stereo delay and filter hardware effects unit with four feedback paths. It’s even capable of generating sound on its own.
Body Synths Laboratory
Two years ago, newcomer manufacturer Body Synths released Metal Fetishist, a gloriously digital drum machine aimed at industrial and hard techno producers. Now the company is back with Laboratory, a hardware stereo effects unit taking aim at even harsher musical genres. Like feedback? You’re about to fall in love.
Body Synths Laboratory: Effects and Feedback
Made in collaboration with Andrey from the Berlin-based pedal company akkusativ, Laboratory is a dual-channel effects processor and feedback synthesizer – meaning it’s capable of generating sound all on its own, thank you very much.
Each identical channel offers a delay and filter. The delay provides control over time, while the switchable lowpass/highpass filter gives you cutoff and resonance controls. Both delay and filter have inputs for CV control, as does input gain. A clipping stage at the end of each channel adds compression and distortion when driven hard.
You can use Laboratory’s two channels in parallel as a stereo processor, or in series. When run together, setting one filter to highpass and the other to lowpass gives you bandpass filtering, while delays can be combined for multi-tap and ping-pong echoes.
There’s also a Modulator that can act as an LFO with trigger or AD envelope. “This adds motion across the system, enabling effects such as tremolo, vibrato, chorus, stereo filter sweeps, modulated delays, and beyond,” says Body Synths.
Body Synths Laboratory: Feedback Time
Body Synths Laboratory is also a feedback synthesizer, and this is where things get hairy. Each channel has a feedback path, with a cross-feedback section for driving channels into each other. You can use the four feedback paths in conjunction with the delay for additional repeats, for grit and texture, or to push the whole thing into self-oscillation.
Having two channels, Laboratory is capable of stereo feedback noise, “a rarity among feedback and experimental noise instruments,” according to the manufacturer.
Body Synths Laboratory: Pricing and Availability
Body Synths Laboratory will not be for everybody, but for a little extra dirt and power, it could be just the thing. It reminds me of the no-input mixing board technique.
Body Synths will be showing the device at Superbooth next month. Price has yet to be announced, but it seems fair to guess that it will be similar to Metal Fetishist, which costs €380.
More Information
- Body Synths homepage
- More about Body Synths
- More about effects
- Buy effects at Thomann*
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