Sonivox’s Stratum synth promises 1980s futuristic soundscapes

Sonivox has released the new Stratum synth, which combines a supersaw synth with a 4 operator FM synth. Joshua Casper takes the reins to show off it’s many features…

Put on your shades and get on board the time machine, as Stratum will take you down the wormhole straight into the 1980s futuristic soundscapes. By combining the fat, wide supersaw oscillators with the classic, rich sounding FM engine, we have brought synth technology of different eras together to give you THE SOUND of future-past.

Stratum will provide you with all you need to create tracks in a variety of retro-inspired genres, be it synthwave, retrowave, outrun, cinematic electronica, 8-bit chiptunes, you name it. These timbres are gaining popularity fast and, if you want to keep up with the wave, check out Stratum. The instrument will also prove of great use in techno, trance, lo-fi hip-hop and EDM, bringing a blast from the past to spice up your tracks.

Stratum, a virtual instrument by Sonivox, is a rock-solid layering of a classic Supersaw synthesizer and a 4 operator FM synthesizer. Originally made famous by the Roland JP-8000, the Supersaw waveform has made a strong comeback in the trance and hardcore genres due to its edgy sound, particularly in synth leads and synth basses. Stratum takes this a step further by combining this classic waveform with a 4-operator FM synth, a noise generator and sub oscillator to produce a virtual instrument perfect for modern synthwave, vaporwave and retro electro productions like those found in the recent hit series “Stranger Things” and the movie “Synchronicity OST”.

Stratum also features two low-pass filters, a vocal formant filter, and a tube distortion circuit to further enhance your sounds, all controllable by a simple modulation matrix featuring 4 LFO’s with modwheel control and an 8-step sequencer called the Stepper. For those who need to punish their sounds even further, Stratum includes a unique XY Pad which can mix in a Bit Crusher, Dirty Phaser, Wah Wah, and a Non-Linear Delay.

Arpeggiator enthusiasts will be happy to see not one, but TWO arpeggiators, one for the Supersaw synth and one for the FM synth. And too add the final polish to your sounds and tracks, Stratum includes built in Chorus, Phaser, Delay and Reverb effects.

Stratum key features:

• Supersaw FM Synthesizer with Noise and Sub Oscillators
• Individual arpeggiators for the Supersaw and FM synths
• Dynamic Filters including Low-Pass Filters with Resonance, Vocal Formant and Tube Distortion
• Unique XY Effects pad for additional bit crushing, dirty phasing, wah-wah and non-linear delay effects
• Simple but powerful Modulation Matrix featuring 4 LFOs and an 8-step sequencer
• Built in Reverb, Delay, Phaser, and Chorus effects

System Requirements

Mac

• OS 10.10 or later
• 4GB RAM (8GB’s recommended)
• 2 GB’s free disc space
• Intel Core i5, i7, 2.3GHz processor or higher
• Core Audio driver

Windows

• Windows (x64) OS 8, 8.1, 10
• 4GB RAM (8GB’s recommended)
• 2 GB’s free disc space
• Intel Core i5, i7, 2.3GHz processor or higher
• ASIO sound driver

Pricing and Availability:
Stratum is available to purchase now for the special intro price of £86.95 (RRP £174.95) from Plugin Boutique.