KarmaFX Synth Modular 2 is out now for both PC and Mac (VST/AU)

31st October 2020 - KVR Audio News

KarmaFX has upgraded Synth Modular. There are lots of new modules and enhancements, improved sound, a redesigned user-interface, brand new skins, and a truckload of new patches.

New feature highlights in version 2:

New skins have been added that support HiDPI and Retina scaling + 20% larger GUI overall, knob-modulation-meters, drop-shadows, glowing displays, gradient curves, semi-transparent menus and motion-blurred trail markers.
A new Patch Browser has been added, which allows for quick browsing of banks as well as patches, and also offers keyboard browsing and search filtering.
Modules can now be connected using a simple one-click mouse-action + connections now highlight while hovering in connect mode.
New Subpatch modules that allow for nested generator- and effect-patches to exist and work within other patches.
A new Granular module has been added for sample-based granular synthesis, with variable grain size and rate.
New Effect modules: A Folder module for classic wavefolding through 0Hz Frequency Modulation, a SoftClip module for variable softclipping, a Repeater module for beat-synced repeated delay, a Limiter module for soft-knee peak limiting, and MultiComp: A 3 band multiband soft-knee compressor.
New Controller modules and enhancements: A Scope module: a synced oscilloscope, frequency and phase analyzer of up to two separate input/control signals, Phase module for direct control over the phase control signal, and a Keyboard module for easy viewing and triggering of MIDI input. Unison now offers Phase Detune and more modes, and Pattern module has been updated with Steptime, Velocity and Min/Max Note range-settings. Notepitch & Pattern modules can now be detuned from Concert Pitch (A=440Hz).
New Amplifier modules: An Inverter for audio and modulation inversion + a Mid/Side module for mono/stereo separation.
Filters and been reworked in part to be virtual analog. Three new filters have been added: The SVF2, the SKF (Sallen-Key Filter) and the Moog2, plus all Resonant Multimode filters now have Saturation and Drive controls, and all parameter settings are now retained when switching between filters.
An Exponential Tuning of Filter-Cutoffs has been added, giving better control over both high and low- filter frequencies. A Resonance tuning option has been added, featuring a flat Digital response and a simulated Analog response that attenuates resonance at low frequencies. The Filters Keyboard Tracking Base Key is now also adjustable.
New Modulator modules: A Shaper module for custom waveshaping and a Control module that exposes the internal control signals. LFO now supports optional Random Poly Phase Reset and Keyboard Tracking.
All Generators now support Through-Zero frequency, meaning that they accept negative frequencies that generate output in reverse phase. An extra Phase Control Signal has been added to complement the existing Frequency, Trigger, and Note Control Signals. The FM module has been reworked to support Linear FM and Exponential FM, both with Through-Zero support, as well as Phase Modulation. The module now also features and Exponential Sync option, so Exponential FM is kept in-tune.
Control Signals can now be 16x oversampled in a new High Quality (HQ) mode, forcing generators to run oversampled internally. Essential for high quality FM/PM.
An Expression option has been added to knobs that typically need performance tuning. Optionally responds to Mod.Wheel, Aftertouch and Velocity inputs.
The right click menu now offers an Auto Arrange option that neatly re-orders modules, and a Remove Unused option that deletes disabled or disconnected modules from the patch. A Swap menu option now also quickly swaps modules backwards and forwards in the signal chain. Finally, Insert offers a quick menu-based way to wire a specific module in front of another module.
Many parameters now have extra Range Menu Options added to their right click menu, allowing more fine-grained control over, e.g., Attack, Decay, and Release time-ranges in all envelopes, all Portamento time ranges, Modulation Index ranges, Delay Finetune ranges, LFO rates, Chorus Depth ranges, etc.
Control Panel automation controls Min- and Max-values can now be macro programmed, to limit parameter values to user-defined ranges.
A new set of patch banks have been added. New patch banks can now also be downloaded and installed instantly from within the synth using the Bank Install menu. Patch banks can now be loaded in read-only mode, while compressed on disk.
All panning operations are now constant powered, -3dB.
VST 2.4+ support on PC/Windows + Audio Unit and VST 2.4+ (64-bit only) support on Mac/OSX.
Version 2 is backwards compatible with version 1.x, meaning that all existing patches and patch-banks will load in version 2.
These additions are just the most prominent features. Please refer to the 120+ page manual or the Full Version 2 Changelog for more technical details.