UDO's Super 6 is a Roland-inspired, hybrid twelve-voice polysynth with a fully binaural signal path, perfect for creating everything from classic pads and synth key sounds to rich, swarming stereo textures. Using FPGA-based oscillators, an analog filter section, analog VCA section, and 192kHz, 24-bit effects, the Super 6's voice architecture alone is uncommonly powerful and clean. Combined with an intense and well-considered modulation section, Fatar keybed with velocity and aftertouch, and an integrated arpeggiator and sequencer, the Super 6 feels like we're back in the early 1980s imagining what the future of synthesizers would be like.



Each voice's two oscillators are FPGA-based wavetable designs, each with their own special tricks and sound-making possibilities. Oscillator 1 (called DDS1 on the panel) employs UDO's super-wavetable engine: a sort of hybrid of wavetable and super-saw like techniques for creating absurdly huge stereo swarms. DDS1 is, in fact, a single centroid oscillator and six sister oscillators which may be phase-separated across the stereo field for intense, swirling spatial images. User wavetables are supported via import from a computer, so you can truly make the Super 6 sound like whatever you want. Oscillator 2, also DDS-based, provides easy access to traditional waveshapes along with classic synth sound design techniques like hard sync, suboscillator, PWM, and more.

The VCF and VCA sections are fully analog, allowing for classic manipulations of the truly unique sound source. The filter section provides resonant highpass and lowpass filters, which can be coupled together for more traditional bandpass response. The lowpass filter can self-oscillate and allows for key tracking, opening up the possibility for all sorts of gnarly filter FM and sound generation.

Envelope 1 is an invertible HADSR with option for looping, while the second is a classic ADSR. Each envelope can be sent to control multiple destinations, which, in combination with the LFO section and modulation matrix, can make for remarkably complex and singular sound design opportunities.

All of this combined with a velocity and aftertouch-sensitive keybed, sequencer, arpeggiator, MPE compliance, and an outright solid build quality serves to make the Super 6 one of the most compelling polyphonic synths around.

https://www.udo-audio.com/

 

Anyone knows if the keyboard sends polyphonic aftertouch?

 

49-key Fatar mechanism with velocity and aftertouch

MPE MIDI compliance with response to note on and off velocity,
polyphonic aftertouch, polyphonic pitch bend and
polyphonic expression

 

how does one control note off velocity

 

According to the manual, it only receives PAT but does not send it.

 

By releasing the keys slower or faster.

 

I missed that completely. Where in manual does it state that?

 

If you don't know how they express it (NOT meant rude) it's hard to recognize in the MIDI manual. I found a clear statement in the MIDI specs in the German manual at page 103: Polyphoner Aftertouch (Polyphonic Key Pressure) Nein [for sending] Ja [for receiving].
The English User Manual should have a similar section.
But Channel Pressure is transmitted.

 

English manual is different. Does not have that section. This is weird af. Shit, I just read it in German, and as you stated correctly, it does not transmit PAT. In English it is on page 92, and instead of "input" and "output" (as in German) it is shown as "value" and control."

 

Last edited: Feb 24, 2021

Not quite, I just looked it up. It's the same as in the MIDI manual only. Owner's Manual Page 92 MIDI SPECIFICATIONS -> Channel Messages -> Polyphonic Key Pressure No [Value] Yes [Control Function].

The weird thing thing is Value = Send, Control Function = Received.

https://www.udo-audio.com/media/support-items/UDO_Super6_Manual_V2.0.pdf

 

I have a Super 6 since August last year (one of the first I guess). I like it a lot: the handling, the build quality, the knobs/sliders, the sound. HOWEVER, it does have its share of issues and not all functionality is there yet (such as MPE and USB midi).

Most annoying - for me - is that the MIDI send/receive locks up seemingly at random when using it in a DAW. They are aware of the issue, have even issued a patch for it, but the problem still persists.

On the other hand they're slowly but steadily fixing issues and adding functionality based on community input so I'm sure that over time they'll get it done. But at this point this is more of a beta product (hence patch version v0.26 and not v1.26 )

EDIT: When I assign aftertouch to the filter cutoff, it's definitely not polyphonic.

 

Last edited: Feb 24, 2021