"SCHOPFHEIM, GERMANY: hardware and software developer Ploytec is proud to introduce its latest (V2.1) firmware update for its πλ2 MIDI- and πλ2 Leukos USB-powered, super-small footprint, software editing-enabled duophonic synthesizers at Musikmesse 2015, January 15-18 in Frankfurt, Germany...
The synth world was, quite frankly, taken aback by something so small sounding so huge when Ploytec’s ‘playful’ πλ2 made its impressive musical debut last year. This MIDI-powered, super-small synthesizer — with a super-small footprint fit for fitting into the smallest spaces — was soon joined by its USB-powered, super-small sibling, πλ2 Leukos, seriously satisfying those with a hardware craving to make music while on the move, wherever their inspiration might (literally) take them — with or without eminently portable laptops or an Apple iPad — with Camera Connection Kit — in tow (though these are always helpful to have at hand to power πλ2 Leukos, of course). Without wishing to sound silly, surely it’s impossible not to be impressed? It’s a knockout concept, after all!
As implied by their shared PI L Squared alternative appellation, πλ2 and πλ2 Leukos generally stick to the principals of subtractive synthesis, whereby the working waveform — bred by two square wave (pulse) oscillators — then travels through an adjustable — lowpass, high-pass, and bandpass — digital filter stage to transform the frequency spectrum and/or raise resonance, if desired. Digital filtering duly dispensed, an additional analogue lowpass filter follows forthwith. Destructive, digital-like tones balanced by all-the-rage analogue warmth are available at the press of a key. Could there be more? More than likely. Moreover, in fact, an analogue saturation stage at the output offers dynamic compression, adding a respectable bass punch to the proceedings — perfect for those that need to make some Boom! shake-shake-shake the room-style noise!But beneath those tiny black (πλ2) and white (πλ2 Leukos) square-shaped exteriors — living in perfect harmony with Ploytec’s PI L Squared alternative appellation — lie a wonderful world of options for further sound-sculpting and manipulative performance possibilities, like LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator) modulation, PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) envelope, plus play modes to make music performance more playful, whatever your musical leanings — LFO and envelope speed synchronise automatically to an external MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) clock, whereby both πλ2 and πλ2"
