The Strangest, Most Interesting Synth He's Played This Year (Morphor Echon6)

video upload by Starsky Carr

"The Morphor Echon6 is the world's first analog modal polysynth — a genuine departure from the wall of subtractive synths flooding the market right now. In this review and demo I dig into its Karplus-Strong-based exciter and resonator, six voices you can split into six independent monosynths, and a modulation system so intuitive it doesn't need a menu. Full raw demo at the end so you can hear it completely unprocessed.

WHAT IS MODAL SYNTHESIS?
Modal synthesis uses a Karplus-Strong oscillator — an exciter (like a pluck, bow, or hammer) run through a resonator (like a string or instrument body) — to fake physical, plucked/struck sounds. First proposed by Kevin Karplus and Alexander Strong back in 1982, you'll recognise the concept from modules like Mutable Instruments Plaits, Rings and Braids, and digital oscillators in synths like the Arturia MiniFreak and Korg Minilogue XD. The Echon6 takes that same idea and builds it entirely in analog circuitry — as far as I know, the first synth to pull that off.

CHAPTERS
0:00 What's coming up
1:43 DEMO JAM #1 - glitchy ambient
5:40 What is modal synthesis? (Karplus-Strong explained)
6:53 Front panel overview
7:52 Six voice groups patch demo
9:53 DEMO JAM #2 - as an FX unit on drums
12:20 SIx voices in unison - CHORD MODE?
13:06 DEMO JAM #3 - 6 unique voices
13:48 Exciter section deep dive
21:15 BBD resonator deep dive
25:47 Modulation section deep dive
36:22 Building a musical patch from scratch
41:16 DEMO JAM #4 - A Love Story ;) IYKYK
43:15 Echon6 vs Erica Synths Steampipe
45:00 Final thoughts
45:40 Patreon & website
46:13 DEMO JAM #5 Intro raw (maybe a little reverb at the end)

MY TAKE
The Echon6 is a genuinely fresh alternative to the current glut of subtractive synths — your Jupiters, Junos, Prophets, and OB-style clones. It felt natural within minutes, the modulation is some of the cleverest I've used on any hardware synth, and the build quality is excellent. Compared to the Erica Synths Steampipe (digital modal synthesis), the Echon6 is easier to learn, while the Steampipe can get more chaotic, faster, thanks to its distortion and reverb. Both are worth a look if experimental modal synthesis is your thing — but the Echon6 gets a big thumbs up from me.

GEAR MENTIONED
Morphor Echon6 (analog modal polysynth, reviewed here)
Erica Synths Steampipe (digital modal synth, comparison)
Mutable Instruments Plaits / Rings / Braids
Arturia MiniFreak
Korg Minilogue XD

MORE PATCHES, SAMPLES & TUTORIALS
Patreon: www.patreon.com/starskycarr - patches, samples, tutorials and more
www.starskycarr.com - patches, samples, free and cheap goodies"