loopop Puts the Suonobuono POLYVERA Through Its Paces

Loopop kicks off with the Suonobuono POLYVERA, a synth that’s unapologetically designed for grit lovers. Forget about cleanness; this instrument embraces the imperfections that digital synths of the ’80s have famously ironed out. With six voices and a hybrid nature, it melds digital oscillators with an analogue filter, showcasing an interface that dares you to make things sound worse—in the best way possible. It’s a love letter to lo-fi, zigzagging through distortion, grit, and digital artefacts, all along its signal path.

Loopop dives into the oscillator section of the POLYVERA, focusing on how it redefines playing dirty. Its six voices feed wavetables and samples through an analogue filter that’s got more modes than your average fashionista. Each oscillator supports not just basic waves but a palette of gritty wavetables that bring to mind the best of 80’s synthesizers like the PPG Wave. With just one sample to a key, this synth intentionally offers you wild sound transformations as you pitch-shift samples to oblivion, introducing filth and character in spades. Loopop highlights digital artefacts that it applies, evolving your tones into landscapes of ‘damn right chaos’. These touches are akin to sprinkling a little punk magic, letting you keep plotting new creative capers.

When it comes to effects and modulation, the POLYVERA is truly in its element. Loopop illustrates how the synth’s effects section complements its design perfectly. You’ve got your choice of counters or delays, decimators and diode distortions – each one an invitation to mangle your sound into new aggressive forms. It doesn’t stop there; the modulation options are equally liberating. Featuring three LFOs, a flexible mod envelope, and a freely assignable mod matrix, this beast ensures your sonic experiments are not only possible but compellingly rewarding. Even if it requires some menu diving, the payoff is a lo-fi kaleidoscope that reinvents what could otherwise be just another synth.

Despite its impressive features, the POLYVERA isn’t without its quirks. On the pro side, Loopop embraces its ‘rough around the edges’ character, championing the distinctive oscillator artefact styles and ancient-sounding pitches of the samples. It’s a delightfully wild card for those who fancy their music a bit more fractured than most. Loopop also appreciates the hands-on control it offers but notes a few missed opportunities. With all the grit this thing churns out, the absence of multi-sampling does raise an eyebrow, as does the menu-driven interface for critical adjustments like the noise mix. Still, its unique filter drive and distortion offer a gritty gourmandise seldom found elsewhere. As you juggle the pros and cons, this earns its place as a unique if eccentric challenger in the synth market.