Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2: Analog Synth Taking East Coast Into the Future
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Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2 · Source: Pittsburgh Modular
Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2 · Source: Pittsburgh Modular
Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2 · Source: Pittsburgh Modular
Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2 · Source: Pittsburgh Modular
Pittsburgh Modular’s Lifeforms SV-2 is a new analog synth that builds on past traditions while also pushing the envelope with thru-zero FM, unusual oscillator waveshapes, that Pittsburgh filter, and more gain than you’ll know what to do with.
Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2
Pittsburgh Modular has built a career on exploring the sweet spot between honoring traditional analog synthesis and developing new ways to push it into the future. Nowhere is that more on display than Lifeforms SV-2, a new semi-modular analog synthesizer with all of the company’s hallmarks: interesting oscillator waveshapes, their famous filter, and tone for days.
As you’ve probably already guessed, it’s a sequel of sorts to Lifeforms SV-1. Although the original was a self-contained modular system, the new SV-2 is semi-modular with a normalled signal chain for play right out of the box.
“The Lifeforms SV-2 represents a complete architectural redesign of the original SV-1, an instrument that established the Pittsburgh Sound upon its debut in 2016,” said the company in a press release. “As one of Pittsburgh Modular’s most successful synthesizers, the Lifeforms SV-1 was a pioneering achievement, serving as the industry’s first fully modular standalone voice. The Lifeforms SV-2 builds upon that prestigious legacy by refining its classic subtractive synthesis foundation. This updated iteration significantly expands the available toolset and sonic palette, augmenting the musical potential of the platform while maintaining the uncompromising power and unique character of the original instrument.”
Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2: Synthesis Highlights
At the heart of SV-2 are two triangle core oscillators. These are capable of putting out the usual waveforms like sine, triangle and saw, but also Pulse Symmetry, which adds a second “vertical” dimension of modulation to pulse waves, Blade, a proprietary Pittsburgh sawtooth variant with a chorus-like output, and random. They’re also capable of thru-zero FM, phase modulation, linear FM, and hard sync.
Additionally, Lifeforms SV-2 brings two triangle core LFOs to the party with triangle, saw and square waveforms. These can also do linear FM with low and high modes for audio rate modulation. You can also use them as additional sound oscillators. A square wave sub-oscillator and analog white noise round out the sound generation section.
As for the filter, you actually get two of the multimode beasts, with highpass, lowpass, bandpass, combo and random responses. Pittsburgh have augmented the filter section with two new character modes: Warped Mode modifies the shape of a waveform without modifying harmonic content, while Warped and Rectified Mode “further changes the shape of a waveform by slicing the warped wave in half and rebuilding it based on the remaining wave,” according to the company.
Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2: Driven to Distraction
The new Lifeforms has a surprising number of saturation, distortion and gain-boosting circuits — more than you might expect. First off, the dual mixer offers twin switchable saturation points for warmth and soft compression. Moving on, there’s a variable preamp with up to 30x boost or 28dB of gain. The filter section includes a pair of pre-filter variable overdrives, each providing 5x boost or 15dB of gain. Lastly, the spring reverb features a saturation circuit too.
Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2: Other Signs of Life
Ostensibly monophonic, the SV-2 also includes a one-button paraphonic and patchable full duophonic voicing modes. Speaking of patches, the semi-modular instrument supplies 84 patch points plus a 24HP Eurorack Expansion Bay as on the Taiga Keyboard.
I haven’t mentioned envelopes yet. There are two analog ADSR envelope generators with new response curves and two range modes, which Pittsburgh Modular describes as “short and plucky or long and relaxed.” There are also two independent VCAs.
That spring reverb I mentioned is capable of self-oscillation and features a tilt EQ tone shaper along with the saturation. There’s also a complex arpeggiator, patchable two-channel audio or CV mixer/signal splitter tool, a digital modulation tool, and a custom-designed 37-key keybed with pitch and mod wheels.
Looking around the back, there are MIDI in and out DIN ports, USB and stereo outs.
Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms SV-2: Pricing and Availability
Lifeforms SV-2 looks like another winner from Pittsburgh Modular: flexible, with Eurorack integration, and all kinds of new avenues for analog synthesis exploration
The new synth is available now from our affiliate partners Thomann* and Sweetwater*.
More Information
- Pittsburgh Modular homepage
- More about Pittsburgh Modular
- More about synthesizers
- Buy synthesizers at Thomann*
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