Critter and Guitari Organelle S2 – the Fastest Desktop Synthesizer Ever?
A Tiny Synthesizer with a Flexible Effects Unit
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Critter and Guitari Organelle S2 - the Fastest Desktop Synthesizer Ever? · Source: Critter and Guitari
[13 August 2025] The new Organelle S2 from Critter and Guitari brings fresh momentum to the world of compact desktop synthesizers, building on the strengths of its predecessor. With a 1.8 GHz quad-core processor, the upgraded instrument runs about 50% faster than the S model and nearly twice as fast as older versions. This additional processing power opens up more possibilities for complex patches, elaborate modulations, and sophisticated real-time sound processing. It’s an invitation to creative sound design without compromise.
All About Critter and Guitari Organelle
The Critter And Guitari Organelle S2 is a Synthesis Powerhouse in a Mini Format
The Organelle S2 is versatile not only because of its hardware, but also because of its open software architecture. It natively supports various synthesis forms, including additive, subtractive, wavetable, granular, physical modeling, and frequency modulation synthesis. Additionally, it features ADSR envelope generators, resampling effects, and experimental sound manipulation, all of which are constantly expanding thanks to the active community.
One particularly exciting feature is the ability to use the synthesizer as an effects device for external signals. Whether you want to emulate classic guitar pedals or decompose sounds using granular synthesis, you can flexibly integrate the sonic options into existing setups.
The new synthesizer is also well-equipped in terms of rhythm. Beats can be played live via the keyboard or generated automatically. This includes polyrhythmic structures and generative sequences. Samples can be adjusted to the timing, manipulated for beat juggling, or woven into complex patterns. Its audio inputs and outputs, freely assignable controls, and USB ports make integrating the device into studio or live environments easy.
The ability to connect a keyboard, mouse, and monitor makes programming much more comfortable and allows for significant intervention in the patch architecture. Priced at US$499, the Organelle S2 offers a remarkably open concept that appeals to beginners and experienced sound designers alike (see here).
Adorable wooden buttoned Organelle thing gets a hardware update
[26 June 2019; by Robin Vincent] The Critter and Guitari Organelle is a remarkable and weird little blue box with wooden buttons and a whole computer engine of synthesis and sound design flexibility. They just announced a new version with a slightly bigger box and more stuff.
Organelle M
It’s running all the same software and setup as the original Organelle but with this new “M” versions they’ve upgraded the RAM and processor to give you more room to play. But the most obvious upgrade is the speaker that seems to have grown out the side. They’ve also built in a microphone for easier sampling. And lastly it now has MIDI jacks for MIDI cable adapters and can run on batteries. All in all it makes for a more powerful, more versatile, portable and independant device.
Check out the most adorable promotional video you will ever see.
As the video says the synthesizer can become all sorts of musical devices; effects, samplers, synthesizers and pretty much anything else in between. Part of the update is to improve the web interface for patch management and link sessions. It all runs on Pure Data so you can program your own patches or download new ones from the community – it’s all very open source.
It is available now for $595.
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One response to “Critter and Guitari Organelle S2 – the Fastest Desktop Synthesizer Ever?”
Really? That made it faster? I dont remember it being slow. I am rooting for this team to come out with something a step up from the organelle. I would love to use all of the fun plugins of on a new and more accessible device. There were so many great ones baked behidn the 4 screen UX, If I didnt have kids, I could easily sit there for hours, loading, fiddling.