Blipblox After Dark is the ideal toy for big kids into synths and drum machines

First introduced at NAMM 2020, Playtime Engineering’s Blipblox After Dark is the big brother of the original Blipblox – the music-making toy for kids. Aesthetically, it’s pretty similar, albeit sporting a darker theme than it’s brightly coloured sibling. There have often been remarks of budget synths being ‘toys’, but in this instance, it looks like Playtime Engineering really took this one to the edge.

This iteration of the music machine is a little more advanced, with over 300 pre-loaded melodies that have been custom made by professional musicians. You can deploy sixteen oscillator schemes with a variety of synthesis techniques, such as pulse width modulation, FM, sync and detune. The ROM-based wavetables feature 256 tones that can be manipulated with ease, which gives Blipblox After Dark “a range of synthesis possibilities never before seen on a device in this price range”, according to Playtime Engineering.

A resonant multi-mode filter and stereo multi-tap delay are onboard to shape sounds and create pro-sounding effects with ease. This is made more expansive with thanks to two LFOs, two envelopes and a 3-in/3-out modulation matrix.

You can also make use of a built-in drum machine, that includes over 100 pitch-shifting drum samples to swiftly add some groove to your patches. With 5-pin MIDI-In and a stereo quarter-inch audio out, the Blipblox After Dark can be integrated into your existing setup.

Blipblox After Dark is now available for pre-order. Playtime Engineering is using Indiegogo to manage pre-sale orders with product delivery by November 2020. Campaign supporters will enjoy a $20 off discount from the After Dark retail price of $199.

Find out more at indiegogo.com

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