Modal’s Cobalt5S is an ultra-portable synth “founded on Cobalt synth architecture”
The “go-anywhere” synth will arrive with an attractive price of £379.
Image: Modal Electronics
Modal Electronics has introduced the Cobalt5S, a portable virtual analogue synth which draws inspiration from the sounds of the brand’s Cobalt series instruments.
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Dubbed an “ultra-portable” and “go-anywhere” synth, the Cobalt5S is a five-voice polysynth that features sounds that hark back to its analogue forebears, along with further support for external MPE controllers.
With eight oscillators per voice, the Cobalt5S lets users work with a vast sonic palette. There are 40 sound-shaping algorithms on offer, ranging from ring mod, waveform morphing, cross modulation, PWM and loads more.
Meanwhile, the onboard filter is of the same four-pole ladder design (with self-oscillating tendencies) found in the larger entries of the Cobalt series.
Modulation includes three envelope generators for amp, mod and filter, which can be independently or simultaneously engaged. Two LFOs are available with seven shapes to choose from and both poly and global tempo sync.
There are eight mod slots, and four extra fixed modulation routings provided for common assignments, with 11 selectable sources and 41 destinations.
For performance, the Cobalt5S has a 37-note mini keyboard, along with a 32-step arpeggiator and a five-axis XYZ touch-sensitive pad for pitch bending, mod wheel and more.
Users can store up to 300 patches on the instrument, and each comes pre-programmed with 200 factory presets. Four quick recall slots let you quickly load your favourite patches hassle-free.
The Cobalt5S can also run in tandem with the free MODALapp, which lets you access detailed editing from a Mac/Windows computer or iOS/Android mobile device.
As for connectivity, there’s a 1/4” input and output, 1/4” headphone jack, MIDI DIN input and output, 1/8” analogue clock sync input and output and a 1/4” input for a sustain pedal.
Users have two options for powering up the Cobalt5S: either an included DC 9V PSU or USB-bus power.
Check out Modal Electronics’ Cobalt5S in action below:
The Cobalt5S is available to pre-order now, priced at £379 / $449, and is set to launch later this month.
Learn more at modalelectronics.com
