Dave Smith Instruments Evolver

Please read a review as a whole rather than paying attention to the sections.

This is great little synth, and naturally it has its pros and cons.

Pros are mostly covered along the internet. It's beefy, it's impressive, the modulation/routing capabilities are enormous. It's small and lightweight, and it's cheap.

This is a beast, which might be good, but when you want to calm down things a bit, you need time. There are numerous paramaters that are just waiting to be tweaked, and the synth will howl. Careful!!

Analog oscillators are fine, although waveforms are not the brightes ones. It's a pity square wave is not on an exact point of pulse with. Hard sync is great, it's syncing 2 to 1. There's no other way round, or soft sync.

Pitch options are great, each of the Osc's can be assigned to any modulation source or tuned separately. Each has it's own portamento settings. Although I would prefer a parameters controlling differences relative to a global portamento setting, so it could be tweaked fast during the live performance. Portmanento setting is not assignable to modulation sources. Pity. You have to set them all on the same modulation knob on an external MIDI control, if possible at all.

Key mode is a welcome feature! It's a note priority parameter low/high/last as well as legato/retrigger switch. However, legato/retrigger affect all three ADSR's, you can't separate triggerings (except for sequencer steps and keyboard).

What annoys the hell out of me is the absence of KEYBOARD TRACKING for each of the oscillators. Not only gradation, not even the on/off switch. Of course, all osc's are tracking keyboard 100% by default. To switch one osc off, you have to assign one modulation on Midi Note source and to apply the maximum negative amount, that is -100 (thank goodness for bipolar parameters, by the way), which affects it by 50%. Which means, you have to waste two Modulation sources to set one oscillator to 0 keyboard track. Not enough for all 4 oscs or to program texture of fixed pitch, but gradually changing the timbre across the keyboard. What's even worse, oscs are not mapped properly, so on a >61note keyboard pitch will start affecting after three octaves or so.

Filters are cool. I wouldn't dare to call the analog LPF "thin", but perhaps it's lacking a bit of a cream. On higher resonances stepping of a dedicated knob becomes more obvious. I don't know if this can be avoided with use of external controller. Digital HPF is cool. No pole mode, no resonance, but it's great. There's no band reject filter.
LPF filter can be routed to any modulation source, including Keyboard Tracking. Self oscillating is not tracking the pitch perfectly, but it's not as bad as on some other synths. There's a weird parameter called Audio Mod which affects self oscillation - basically, it's lower it down and renders it to an actually keyboard frequency - I'm not sure what it's exactly doing. However, it won't tame the howling, it will widen Evolver's range of brutal noises.

I'm missing a CV inputs/outputs, at least one of each. Or at least one CV input or expression pedal input of any kind or any slope.

The next thing that annoys me are audio outputs: there are two separate audio outputs, for left and right channel, as well as two audio inputs. (One mono audio input and one CV input would be much better idea. Who is using stereo sources to be affected with Evolvers effect anyway?) I would prefer left/mono + right/stereo outputs, or at least headphone out. Without that you have to cope with a pile of cables, Y-adapters and such. Or to listen half of the synth and check Output Pan parameter for every patch (and there are loads of patches by the way).

A thing or two about the Digital Oscillators. I'm rarely using any other waveforms then first three ones, since I don't like hollow and glassy digital sounds (I would prefer an Evolver with 4 analog oscs, but that's just my taste). Digital Waveformes can be fun when they're shifted with sequencer steps. FM is next to useless since it's affecting the pitch. Good for nasty sound effect, but do not expect DX7 palette of timbres.

There are three ADSR envelopes, Env1 and 2 hard wired to LPF and VCA respectively, but they're all assignable to anything. I mean, anything. You can even assign one envelope to control another's envelope stage (for example, attack). I do not how useful this might be, but with a hit-and-miss experimentation, some interesting rhythmical patterns could be acquired. There's Exponential/Linear switch which will affect all three envelopes.

Effects are: digital delay (3 of them), Output Hack, Grunge, Feedback and Distortion.

Digital Delay 1 comprises of Time, Level, Feedback1 and Feedback2. Delays 2 and three have only Time and Level.
Delays are great, widening the band's sounds significantly, and with careful programming and applying Time to any of the LFO's or Envelopes one could produce elegant chorus/phaser/flanger/what not effects. Distortion is also great - moreover, it's brutal, and it's beefing up sound considerably. If anyone's complaining about "thin" filter, with the use of distortion it's not an issue anymore. All other effects are making sound dirtier, digital, glitchier - cool stuff if you're into Lo Fi music. Feedback effect could be used as another sound source.

LFO's are the best part of the Evolver's story; there are 4 of them, they're of course, assignable to anything (and to each other), syncable with sequencer & MIDI. Unfortunately they can be synced to sequencer's BPM, but they're missing triplets, quintuplets, 1/6 and 1/15 rhythm fractions which are present in Digital Delays. Waveforms are sin, tri, square, reversed saw, saw, sample and hold. Great things, ideal for slowly...ehm, EVOLVING pads. It's easy to get lost when they're all in function. Actually, I'm often using all of them and often I want more of them - there's never enough! Two OSC's can be used as sources too, so if they're working on low frequencies, that's extra two LFO's with a variety of waveforms. However, it's hell to keep them on desired value - see above my comment about difficulty about keyboard tracking.

Various other parameters are Noise Generator, Modulation Slots (x4) for routing different parameters, Trigger Selection (sequencer, envelopes, MIDI, various combinations, gated or not), dB value for external audio sources etc.

There are 4 parallel sequencers with 32 steps PER PATCH, and there are great. The steps could be assigned to many things, giving endless possibilities. Apart of the values, each step of sequencer 1 could be set on "rest" or "off", which is not the case with sequencers 2,3,4. So you can make complex polyrhythmical sequences, but cannot force all of them to be synced in an irregular time signature.

I am aware this synth might be un-appealing to some. Sound could be really harsh, you have to dig deep into programming, and it's easy to get lost. But consider all the modulation capabilities. Consider the sound in it's core when you remove all the digital glitches and noises. Impression? Spectacular. It's cheap! And it's a great value. It's reliable.

Perhaps the closest description of its sounds will be: 70's Kraftwerk, with an extra howling dimension. All old fashioned German analog sequences could be achieved. Kosmiche Musik, Space rock, 80s synthpop, techno, hardcore. Even ambiental stuff like calm meditative dolphins and whales. It just requires patience. If course it won't do big tapestries since it's monophonic, but I'm often using it as a pseudo-poly synth, stacking four oscillators to a minor or major chord; the results could be astonishing.

Another thing I must mention is that it "cuts" through the mix very well. When you're doing sophisticated changes, the other sounds will just eat your synth leaving you with a organ-like poo somewhere in all that noise. But not Evolver. No matter how loud guitars and drums are (I play in several bands), Evolver will always be present in all of its glory.

Great little synth, perhaps a bit flawed, but the best you can get for a reasonable price.

Software Version: 3

The presets are okay, but nothing outstanding. It's when you begin to program that this thing really cuts through. Editing is easy with the matrix imo, I learned the positions of the different settings quite fast and the manual is well written.

One of the nice features is its modulation capabilities. The sequencer is very nice, and there are lots of destinations.
The Evolver is also a true stereo synth and you can control the right and left filters seperately, which is nice. Delays and distortion is handy to have inside the machine too.

THe Evolver can create a wide range of sounds, from warm analog leads/basses to digital fm-sounds. What i like about this synth is the unique sounds you can make using digital and analog oscillators in combination.
The best component inside is the analog filter i think. It sounds fat and warm and nice and...
Delay is nice really a nice feature, I use it often for chorus effects. The distortion good to have but in some cases it sounds too digital.

It is build of steel and i fully depend on it every gig.

I had a couple of question and they answered a 2 days later i think.
They were friendly and helpful, I can't ask for more.

I would probably buy it again if it were stolen.
I love this synth's versality, I hate that I don't have money for the top-of-the-line polyEvolver - but the desktop evolver is fantastic value for the price i must say. Buy it!

I own Version 3.0 of this little blue beast. The presets are cool and give a pretty good idea of what it can do. Not a user of presets myself, but they make great start points.

The matrix isn't hard, after a while it becomes second nature. I fly through it, which is more than I can say for the interface on the MicroKorg. Or the Alesis Micron. The manual is pretty straight forward for this unit. Come to the table with knowledge on synthesis and Midi and you won't have a problem.

There are 2 patch editors for the Evo, if you want to go the computer route. But I really just like rolling up my sleeve and getting down and dirty with the unit.

It's a mono synth, but it sure as hell doesn't sound like one. 2 ocsillators are analog and 2 are digital. So it's a 4 osc monster! 3 EGs, 4 LFOs. Full midi control (IN/OUT /THRU)
Stereo Inputs and outputs.

Effects include a 3 tap feedback delay, distortion, Grunge, and output hack (sounds like a bit reducer). The feedback can get all sorts of chrous, flangy and delay type sounds out of it. It's not like just pressing a button and you get instant delay, though. Takes a bit of experimentation. You might want to consider this, although I like this, it's a small part of this synth's charm. You can also use this synth as a signal processor. All of the Fx, plus the filters will work on the incoming audio.

Updates I assume can be downloaded via MIDI (probably through the patch editors as well).
Extensive Midi capabilities. Haven't dug into them yet, but I have a feeling I will very shortly.

The sequencer is the s**t ! Old school step sequencer with 4 tracks, which can be routed to control pitch, the filters, LFOs, noise, the EGs and more. Needless to say, this give you vast modulation capablities. The sequencer also has a clock divide which is nice feature.
I've only seen that on old step sequencers. Word has it that V3 allows you to use the Evo's step sequencer to control other midi synths.

I haven't attempted to emulate real instruments with this thing. Nor do I want to.
It would work well with any sort of electronic music. Guess that comes to mind when I use it.
Not static at all! Some sounds will play on and on after you stop a sequences. The oscillators can even be panned left or right to the stereo outputs, as well as the delay. The sound quality is excellent. Beware though, some of the sounds can get really loud. Keep and eye on your levels when recording with this.

Built like a tank, although the knobs come off easily. But the encoders are nice. They seem pretty firm, unlike my first gen Waldorf Pulse, with the wonky red knob.

You can talk to the creator himself via email. He's pretty cool. I'm sure he'd fix this thing if it did break.

If it were lost or stolen, I would buy it again, then hunt down the bastard who took my first one, and serve up some nasty pain, hehe. Seriously though, there's nothing like this at this price range. Closest thing to this is the Nord Micro Modular (which isn't made anymore).

For $500, you pretty much get a micro portable modular synth with out the cables. Not the easiest synth, but certainly not the most difficult either. A power switch, LCD, and maybe CV/Gate ins/outs are things I would like to see in it. But it's great as it is.

If you are looking for cheap analog, a 303 clone, Moog, etc., look elsewhere. If you are looking for a groovebox, you won't find it here. I think the whole point of this synth was to build something new and different. And it does sound that way.

It doesn't sound like a crappy VST plug in, or a computer at all. Granted, it can sound digital and even harsh, but it can also sound creamy and warm. It's all in the programming. In fact, it's the most musical instrument I've ever owned.

Version 3 of the software.

Presets are pretty good and show the machine off pretty well. Version 3 can also play the keyboard patches that you cad download from the web site, I prefer these patches.

The matrix control is not my favorite but is a reason why the synth is so cheap, also once you get the hang of it its not a problem. You need to get the software editor at $25 to get the best out of this thing.

Manual is ok but slim and expects you to know your stuff, there is a nice guide available on the web by a guy called Anu Kirk, this is about 100 pages long and excellent for starters.

Overall I have no difficulty useing this synth all quite simple really, you just need the software editor to see whats really going on.

It monophonic although somtimes you wouldnt beleive it by the noises it makes.

FX basically is ok offering tuned feedback, distortion, hack (sounds likebit reduction/sample reduction), grunge (switch) and a 3 tap delay. The 3 tap can be used for chorus/flanger type effects. I have found you dont need to pass this through any other affects really as it all sounds pretty good, you don't even need reverb.

Multiple evolvers can be chaned together to give you poly if you have the cash.

The midi stuff is good (as you would expect from Dave Smith), version 3 adds more CCs for controlling the synth but you can only get at all params useing sysex.

Has a sequencer with 4 parts that can control most things (even its own timeing).

You get a 4 part modulation matrix with loads of source and destinations, also seperate modulation matrix for velocity, breath ctrl, pressure, foot ctrl and mod wheel. These are all filtered for smoothing out the CC messages so you can do nice filter sweeps.

The guy that reviewed here and said it isnt velocity sensitive is just plain wrong.

I just think this synth sounds great, I really like it. It does tend to stand out alot when its played and dominates the mix.

It can be very expressive when the patch is good, real time modulation options are very good (see above).

Also the guy that says it sounds like a computer above is just daft, possibly a analogue synth snob, do not listen to him this thing sounds great.

Pretty tough thing, hefty and made of metal. Knobs seem good.

No power switch which is mad.

Excellent, I had a couple of issues with mine, Dave Smith answers and sorts it out.

I have heard nothing but good about support

I have had this a couple of weeks and now I want the poly version and another evolver to give me 6 voice poly.

I would definately buy one again and recoment it to anyone wanting a different sounding mono synth.

My only real fault is no power switch.

Go out and get one you will love it.

Rev 2.0 software (latest).

The presets are all INTERESTING though not musically useful (especially since most contain sequences). This box is capable of a lot of really oddball sounds and the presets show this off to great effect. Unlike most other synths where you could take it out of the box and use the presets immediately, this one really needs to be programmed by you before you can use it.

Programming is easy, you have eight knobs and since they are "rotary encoders" every knob is always at the current value in the current patch...so just grab and twist. There are only 144 total parameters to set on the box, you selcet one of 18 "rows" and then you have the eight knobs assigned to that row of parameters. Since the rows are printed on the top of the box, it's the next best thing to having 144 knobs.

The manual is not for newbies. It assumes you understand basic subtractive synthesis and MIDI. If you have experience in those areas the manual does contain everything you need to know to operate the synth.

It's a monophonic synth and the built in effects are limited to delay and distortion. That's about the only bad news as far as features.

The Evolver is a very interesting hybrid, large parts of the signal path are analog but digital circuitry is used where it's sensible. For example the low pass filter is analog but the high pass filter is digital. Two of the oscillators are analog, two are digital, the LFOs and EGs digital but smoothed to prevent stepping, etc. The ability to use as a processor for external audio is also developed to a far greater extent than most other synths and the digital sequencer acts like an analog step sequencer. Looking at it as JUST an analog monosynth overlooks a lot of what it can do. The sequencer triggering options alone go beyond anything I've used or seen before. Thanks to a very well designed modulation matrix it's like having an analog modular in a box the size of a hardcover book.

The MIDI capabilities are quite good. The biggest limitation is that the knobs do not transmit over MIDI as they are moved. The latest software now allows sending MIDI data (notes and various controllers) so you can use the Evolver as a real-time tweakable MIDI step sequencer to drive your other synths. It responds to the basic standard MIDI real time controllers (wheel, aftertouch, breath, velocity, etc.).

The sequencer is of the step type (16 steps max) and can be free-run, synched to MIDI, triggered by MIDI notes or even triggered by external audio (i.e. plug in a guitar to trigger sequences). It can drive pitch over all four channels allowing polyphonic sequences (each channel driving one oscillator) or it can be used as multiple modulation sources. The value of each step of each channel and what each channel is driving can be tweaked in real time while the sequencer is running, which is incredibly powerful. As noted above, you can even sequence external MIDI devices.

There are really only two expansion features. The first is the capability to upgrade software via MIDI. Since the rev 1.0 software a number of new features have been added. The second is "poly chain" which lets you string together multiple Evolvers and have them act as a single polyphonic synthesizer (albeit with separate outputs for each voice). You can also poly chain to the PolyEvolver synths.

The Evolver is intended to make electronic sounds not realistic emulations of other instruments (well, other synths maybe...ha ha). That makes it good for any kind of music that can use monophonic electronic sounds. The sequencer will be appreciated in dance, techno and experimental styles.

The only onboard effects are digital delay and distortion. They work well for what they are and the basic sound of the synth is fat enough that it doesn't need chorus or reverb to thicken it anyway.

If programmed to respond to real time controllers it can be very responsive to your playing. You can also freely tweak knobs while playing, this is where the rotary encoders really pay off...every knob is always "where you left it" so you never get rude surprises twisting them. The big surprise is how much expression you can get when step sequencing since you can use the channels to not only sequence the note's pitch but also the modulators for each note. Of course, you can also do the totally robotic step sequence thing...you're just not limited to only that.

While there are digital stages in the audio path but it still sounds thick and fat thanks to all the analog components. I've certainly heard real analog that sounded thinner.

I haven't had long enough to gauge long term relibaility. The case is metal and the knobs seem pretty robust. It uses a wall wart, though and there is no power switch.

Excellent! You can email Dave Smith himself with problems, the DSI website allows you to donwload manuals, factory patches, OS upgrades, etc.

I'm giving it a 10 because it truly is a "fantastic value". It's a versatile ANALOG monosynth with KNOBS as well as patch memory, it's also a versatile step sequencer, an audio effects processor, tiny and inexpensive.

Would I buy it again? Probably...I see it as a niche synth in my system but it does so many things so well that no other synths can do (at least without paying a lot more money).

What do I love? The sound, ease of programming.

What do I hate? No power switch, no dedicated volume knob, knobs don't transmit over MIDI.

Other products I compared to: boutique analogs (mostly modulars, in fact!!!). I thought it had the best feature-per-dollar ratio, the sequencer and patch memory were a major selling point.

I have owned Evolver for year or so. Using latest version 2.0 there is four banks of sounds and many other additions. I dont' like presets much. Editing is not hard but you the interface would be better. It has so much parameters to tweak. So far I have managed to edit presets for my needs. I have, maybe few times, checked the little manual when digging the sequencer stuff. I think the manual is ok.

Tons of features: 2VCO/2DCO, LPF/dual HPF, 4LFO, hard sync, FM, ring mod to name few. Effects are real plus: digital distortion and 3-tap delay. MIDI is ok. If I remember right, it sends/responds sysex. I can easily give full ten for this.

At first I was a bit surprised there was only few sounds I could use right away. Of course this is matter of taste and music style. There wasn't much usable bass/lead sounds I was looking for. Actually I was going to trade it few times but then I realized I was used it for every song since I got it and couldn't ever get those sounds from "any" other synth. Now I have made some cool leads, basses etc and I would trade it only for poly evolver. It can sound very nasty and hard, because of digital oscs maybe a bit like Microwave (good for industrial type stuff).

Reset button is really good idea and usable (for me atleast).

Great. Contacted few times and Dave has always been very helpful.

This is "fresh" and unique new synth and welcome addition to VA/analog world. Sounds very different than any other synth of my setup (check the pages for music/studio if interested). There is so much for long time so I think I should review this again after few years. Feel free to contact. Worth to check out!

First off, I want to address the last review - this guy missed the point. Its not supposed to be an old school analog synth. Ebay exists for that. Its new and its f^&king sweet. I've been programming it for a year now and I'm not bored, in fact I just keep finding new stuff I can do and it all sounds awesome. Live, sequenced, synth or effects processor.

Dave Smith said this of his intentions: Well, that's not my intention, though I suppose anything with real voltage-controlled analog filters would certainly fit in that category. I've received many requests over the years to re-do old Sequential gear, and later to design software versions of old products. As a synth designer, I really have no desire to re-do a product. If you want the old stuff, it's still around. I like new stuff. New sounds. And, most importantly, instruments with personality!

Ease of use: you'll get used to the matrix. No problem really.

A nice set of tools, not too many, not too little. Enough programming that you don't get bored.

FUCKING SWEET.

1.5 years of practices and gigs.

Dave answers you himself.

I love this instrument. It actually deserves to be called an instrument.

well, the matrix is easy to understand. however it is not fun or very intuitive. this type of interface is for turning blue kafka-esque late night synth nerdsville. the double click is annoying.

check out the other reviews. lots and lots of features. smallness is always good for live/traveling etc.

here's where this review goes sour. this basically sounds like a computer synth to me. i bought it from musician's friend thinking if i didn't like it i'd send it back for the refund. well after 5 days of putzing around that's what i did. the distortion and delays sounds like cheesy plug-ins. it's way too clean sounding. the oscillators may be analog, however they are contolled by computers...they don't really have any charactor. i must admit the filter sounds really wonderful, but the rest of this sounds digital crap. the wavetables are awful! i tell you what, those wavetables are some oingo boingo shiny sterile sounding little turds. fans of glitchcore or big evil four on the floor techno or new age, or you know, the list goes on...cheessy knucklehead stuff, this would be a good synth. i repeat, the "analog" circuitry is BURIED under an overbearing digital brain which forces it to lose all analog feeling. i even like a "little" bit of hiss on an output...but no, nothing, even when it's cranked. this thing would be good for a pro i guess. i personally hate that aspect. gimme some dirt, please. i live for burping out of tune noisy synth. i bet some of you readers will go buy one of these based on my statements. "no noise on the output? o great, i hate noisy outputs."

you could likely depend on it. the body is solid heavy little peice of metal. however the knobs and buttons do seem a bit crap.

i got rid of it. wasn't a tough decision. good idea, great price, bad implementation. i own analog modular stuff (not too much mind you...i'm not rich). i tinker with soft synths for fun. they are mostly crappy. i think someone could just get a high end soft synth or an interesting program like max msp or absynth and be happy with a laptop. i don't like laptop sounds, but if evolver sounds (to me) like a computer, just get a computer, then you can have lots of other cool programs on it. i feel that digital synthesis is really in it's infancy. hasn't really gotten into high resolution sound yet. still sounds cold and empty, not matter how expesive or upmarket. once you start getting into modular analog, building your own controllers and so forth, finding really strange modules, or circuit bending, you realize that analog is far from over. the possiblities of sounds for analog haven't even begun to be realized. if you've played a minimoog and you think you've heard all it can do, maybe you have. get a modular! they go pretty cheap these days with all these small companies and demand for analog. it sounds so much better i can't even tell you. analog vs digital...cliche, right? sorry. no comparison. dirty soulful music must be made. please make some for me and your friends and your girlfriends to listen to. sterile computer music is no fun.
dave smith seems like a genius cool guy. sorry dave....you know i'm right!

I love this thing! The matrix system took me about 20 minutes to get the hang of. I like the interface because it makes you think on your feet, especially in live situations. Shipped with version 2.0, so I can't compare to earlier versions. Pre-sets are fine, but I have fiddled with quite a few.

After going over the excellent manual and figuring out the interface, I 'reverse engineered' several of the patches (as far as I could figure out some of them), which gave me a better overall understanding of the architecture. Editing has become more or less a breeze. I say more or less, because it is quite easy for sounds to get away from you. But that is also what makes it so great!

Features are detailed at the website. No polyphony, no keyboard. Essentially, it's all effects.

MIDI works fine for my purposes. I control it with a K-Station (when I need a Keyboard).

The sequencer is a simple step-type. Haven't had any trouble.

Awesome sounds. Fun, fun, fun to tweak and tweak some more. Other than an EMS Synthi (which I cannot afford, and which the Evolver, in my case, would perhaps make redundant), this is final complement to the sounds I am looking for in my set-up. I use this for one of my projects to make wild sounds and samples in conjunction with my other electronic equipment, and in my other project (standard rock band) it is perfect for adding subtle flourishes.

And that's just after having it for about a month. I look forward to many years discovery with this little beast.

I have used this live, and the only concern I have is with the point where the adapter connects with the unit. It fits snugly, but I am afraid it may pop out. I move my Evolver about quite a bit when performing, so this may not be as big an issue if your Evolver is static during performance.

Otherwise, solid construction, though care with knobs during travel should be considered.

Excellent, as far as I can tell. I ordered the unit directly from Dave Smith, and he was very prompt with all e-mails.

I love this unit. I made a carrying case for mine, and take it everywhere I can. I use it in as many music/noise situations as possible. If it left my possession for any reason, I would replace it immediately, and worry about the money later.

I had been looking for something analog that would make graet sounds that had a built-in sequencer, with a control interface I could intuit quickly (and easily). The Evolver fit the bill in every area I was looking for, and then some. I chose the Evolver over another VA product (which would have rendered my K-Station useless), and a high end analog, specifically a Sorcerer or EMS Synthi/VCS3 (could not afford/justify to significant other). I am VERY happy with the decision to purchase the Evolver.

The Evolver has helped me, more than any other synthesizer that I have owned or had access to, illustrate to the rest of the members of my band that tonal and non-tonal sounds can not only co-exist, but sound wonderful together (when necessary and/or desirable). I think the lack of a keyboard, or any other visible means of 'analog control' helps immensely. If I am not obviously playing a a fixed pitch (whether I am or not), the need to want to follow said pitch vanishes.

I use the Evolver along with a Novation K-Station and a Roland D2 through a TASCAM PortaStudio 414II and/or Behringer 2442 Mixer. Also use an Ovation electric/acoustic and a Fender fretless P-Bass.

The Evolver is an excellent synthesizer, and is all the more so for the price.

Weird interface. I like synths with a seperate button for everything, and this is definitely not it... Eight knobs control everything, depending on what buttons have been pushed. Not terrifically easy to use. However, you can get a pretty easy to use software editor.

Lots of features which I have only begun to explore. I'm not going to bother repeating the list you can find on their site...

Excellent! I love the sounds I can get from it. Mixing the digital and analog oscillators makes for some truly unique sounds and the filter sounds great.

Not sure. Mine had a problem recently, but I don't know how common that is. Feels perfectly sturdy.

Imagine the best customer support you can possibly get -- the owner of the company answers your questions, and when you have something go wrong with the product, he personally brings by a replacement part for you.

Ok, he isn't personally bringing by a part, but he is shipping it out 2ND DAY AIR. This is by far the BEST service I have ever received on any product. I emailed the company about a problem I was having and wanted to know if they knew what was wrong and how to fix it. I get an email back AN HOUR LATER telling me what the problem was (a faulty processor), and to give them my address and they'd ship out a replacement part.

That's service.

For this price, and especially for this kind of SUPPORT, you can't go wrong. Hell, if it came with only one oscillator, filter, and LFO, I'd STILL recommend buying it. If they come out with another product I can afford (unfortunately, I cannot afford a poly-evolver...), I will immediately be purchasing it. This is a company worth supporting!

I'm using version 2.0 of the operating system.

The Evolver is surprisingly easy to edit from the front panel, despite initial reservations. I don't think it could have been made any easier given the space limitations and the price and it really isn't that hard if you know what the parameters mean. Sometimes it is difficult to work out which modulation source is in effect without turning them all off but thats where the software comes in handy........

I have also bought the software which really opened up the machine in a new way. Anyone who has an Evolver should really have this software, especially those who are having trouble editing the machine. Aside from all the obvious parameters there are a few "extra" features. The genetics section allows you to mix and mutate different patches together in different ways to create new patches, and this function can yield surprisingly cool results. There are also extra handy functions that apply to the sequencer that are nice to have.

Having said all that, the Evolver seems to be a machine prone to "happy accidents". Often you will be trying to create a specific sound and will come up with something entirely different but better along the way.

Again, given the price and size this machine is by no means short on features and these are all very well implemented. I think others have summarized these sufficiently. It might be worth noting that version 2.0 of the software allows the sequencer to work with external midi instruments which is quite nice.

My only complaint about the Evolvers sound is that it makes all my other instruments sound like rubbish.

Budding noise musicians note : If Merzbow had heard one of these before ditching his VCS3 for a laptop then I'm sure he'd have one of these little blue boxes instead. Open up the VCA, turn up the feedback, modulate the delays. Nothing comes close in extreme noise terror land.

Absolutely. Solid as a Frostwave resonator.

Prompt delivery to Australia. Never had any problems.

I'd get another one for sure. I don't think I'll bother with a Poly though as I can imagine there might be such a thing as "too complex".

I know that I'm late to the game on this, but have finally grabbed an Evolver after playing with it at a couple of NAMM shows. I don't know if I'm adding anything that isn't already known, but it works for me so here goes..

-Fatter bass/pad sounds

Set the same sound in both channels (detuned saws, for instance). With the filters at the 24dB setting, increasing resonance cuts the passband as on the Moog filters. Set Envelope 3 to minimum attack, maximum decay and release, and sustain to maximum. This "creates" an offset, a continuous "on" signal while the keys are gated. Modulate one filters' resonance up (just one), or of the overall resonance level is high, us it to modulate one filters' resonance to its minimum. You get the resonant character plus the size of the non-resonant filter. Use Tri and Sine waves on that side too.

Set Pan to Non for center.

-I don't find it to be really punchy, but this is easily dealt with by setting the envelopes to linear, and using a Mod to modulate AmpEnv All by itself (lin through log responses with positive and negative self-modulation).

This is of course fun on the filter envelopes as well.

-More vintage character

Oscillator Slop, set at 5, doesn't come close to the Moog and other old-timer movement, so add slight (1 or 2) LFO to pitch modulations, with individual LFOs per oscillator, and a touch of LFO to LFO rate modulation. A tad of Envelope 3 to pitch helps as well.

-Don't miss out on the 12dB filter setting.

The 24dB setting has much more resonance, but the 12dB setting can sound nice and plucky, and do nice slightly fuzzy pads etc.

This is only approaching the instrument as a keyboard plus tone source device; I haven't touched the sequencer yet, and note many excellent factory programs using it for multiple-part harmony and timbrality. Some folks did some killer work here.

-Inside the Evolver

The PCB, Rev 1.5, has "Yeee-Ha!" on it :-)

There are Analog Devices OP275 opamps on the output section. This is a surprise; they're not cheap but have great specs, so Dave has paid attention to sound quality (I think that it's a good-sounding instrument, even with overall digital conversion involved).

-Oscillators

Yes, I know that there is digital involved, but I've been a fan of digital waveforms through analog filters for a long time. The analog-waveshaping oscillators have a nice character and a wide pitch range as well, and a nice hard sync tone. The PWM isn't quite as sweet as the Juno, IIRC. The digital oscillators alias more than I'd expected in a 24-bit DA system, so I use them at lower frequencies with the analog-waveshaping oscillators for hf stuff such as Triangle waves to add harmonics etc.

The instrument sounds clean, but not clinical, and lacks (thankfully) the "brazz" of somem DCO synths.

There is a touch of noise, but that's okay.

Clavinets and bells just pour out of this thing. I usually don't program clavinets either (ION found me making some brass patches, and I don't usually go for those either; interesting how different synths have different "voices" depending upon all of the different tonal and parameter aspects). This is a great device for pads, percussive tones, filter sweeps, leads, bass, SFX, etc. It has a wide range of strong results.

Fear the PolyEvolver! If you like the Evolver, start saving now.

Software 2.0. Some presets are outstanding. Patches are a hair difficult to edit until Dave told me that the Shift button acts like a computer mouse (double-click to "hold" the shift). The manual is well-written and complete.

The dual voice paths with individual modulation potential per path sold me on this unit (along with the sound).

Using the dual paths as individual tone layers is great fun, and several of the factory programs go even further. My only gripe would be that the HPF Fcs aren't idividually available as modulations, as I'm interested in running a sound out of the left side into the right side, and not enveloping the right side at all, but using the filters on the modwheel etc. to process the left side's synth tone. (Don't know if this is possible, if the external ins can be used one side at a time etc., haven't checked the manual).

This unit has some intriguing modulation routings and enough envelopes and LFOs to keep me happy (until there's a lagged Random waveform). Kudos for such a well thought-out instrument.

Modulating the resonance via envelope level and velocity in the 24dB mode gives a bit of the Moog filter response (but not exactly its sound; the resonance on the Moog decreases with frequency and it won't self-oscillate below about 130Hz).

Modulating the envelopes with velocity and with their own outputs with a linear slope, to provide continuously-variable envelope slopes from exponential through log, is a lot of fun and should be on more analog instruments. It's on ROMplers.

This is well-built! Only two issues so far: the encoders seem to require slow movement or they get jumpy at times, and the power supply input doesn't have a tie-off like the Korg Electribes, so if you're not careful, it might get pulled out.

I'm not worried about that too much.

Dave was amazingly fast and informative every time I made an inquiry.

I'd get another one, and want the Poly :-)

I'm using software 1.0. The presets range from atonal, poly-sounding metallic roaring patterns to classic analog timbres. Editing patches has a learning curve, but once you get past that it's really no biggie. It all depends on how deep you want to go. The endless rotarys make sure you don't do anything unpleasant. There is a patch editor on the dsi webpage, but I've not felt the need to download it yet. I've read that the editor will allow waveshaping, maybe I'll download it later. The manual is good for getting started, once you've got the basics, just experiment!

The Evolver is monophonic, but with two analog and two digital oscs and the layout of the synth, it's easy to believe it's polyophonic. Built-in fx include nasty distortion, "input hack" and delays that are really cool. Endless rotary dials make editing so much funnier. The new os means an extra bank of memory, other than that I don't see any direct need for expansions. MIDI-wise, you can control just about anything with anything, to great results.

This synth is like having many of the greatest synthesizer ideas all combined in one small box. It's easy to tell that Dave Smith is involved; many of the presets evoke sweet memories of Wavestation and Prophet sounds. The Evolver is very much alive, and it is extremely rewarding; the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. At the same time, it's hard to make it sound anything but great. Just about any kind of adjustment to a sound is at least interesting, usually pleasantly surprising. That is if you like getting spanked by an analog synth! Anything from aggressive metallic sounds to sweet analog chords is possible.

One strange thing is that the Evolver doesn't seem to go out of tune - the oscillators are extremely stable - and at the same time it sounds warm and alive, just the way I like it. I'm not really sure whether to call this a gigging synth or not, but I have no doubts about reliability. I haven't had a single problem in over six months of use, transporting it between studios.

Upon ordering, I recieved an email from Dave Smith. I neither care nor know whether he sent it himself, but it made me feel really cared for. In the 2.0 upgrade, DSI seem to have included loads of things from the wishlists users sent in. I've also read that a four-voice rack mount expansion box is coming out, sweet!

Come on, at $499 this is a steal! Look at the other monophonic analog synths out there (don't even mention the plug-ins!), and I you can tell this is the one to have. I've been playing for years and years, owning far too much hardware, but this is one purchase I'm glad I made. If you want a monophonic analog synth, this is the way to go! Yay!

This is very easy to use, once you figure how the sequencer is working. Once you do, you find it *very* easy and intuitive. All modulation sources, parameters and sequencer accessible on a cleverly thought matrix. The manual is good, nothing more. It lacks IMO some details about how the sequencer is exactly working because it took me some time to know how it was working, even after reading the manual several times (but maybe it's me ?).

It's a monophonic synth, but each patch can use from one to four oscillators. There are two analog-style osc, and two digital ones. There are four LFOs (extremely welcome !), and each LFO can be redirected to virtually every parameter. In addition, there are four sequencer tracks (from 8 two 16 notes), and the length of each track can be different, giving birth to some wild and ever-changing sequences. Each sequence can also modulate the same destinations as the LFO. One could imagine the power of such a synth. The effetcs include a very nice stereo delay, and a distortion. The midi specs are quite good. Several evolvers can be linked together.

Wow ! It's the word that will come out of your mouth the first time you will use it. And the more you'll use it, the more you'll love. The Evolver is capable of very different patchs, going from haunting sci-fi sounds, to very analog 70'ish sounds, or more digital sounds. I cannot see a limit to this synth. Given the variery of sounds, I can see it used in a lot of music styles.

It seems very nicely built. The knobs and switches are of good quality.

Dave promptly answered to the mails I've sent hims. Very friendly and helpful.

Overall an incredible instruments with a lot to go for it. Capable or extreme sounds and wild sequences or more conventional sounds, and can be easily programmed. Would suit a lot of styles. I'd definitely buy another one if it was stolen. Get it, I'd bet very few of you would be left unsatisfed. Requires an overall good undestanding of the sound synthesis before getting the best out of it.

this is not your bread and butter synth.
Presets are good and useful but needs to be sexed up by you.
editing the sounds is easy but its quite hard to edit the secuences.
it always turns out cool however.

ONE voice were talking monophonic but wait...It sounds like a massive modular..it blurps and rattles ...its alive!
Only delay but it can sound like a flanger.or a chorus.Now it sounds like a reverb.AAAAAGH!feedback in my ear!Now its a delay again.Phew!
Oops now its distorting!AC/DC in a box?
no expansion(we got Rumsfeldt for that)But yes a onboard sequenser.Wich is quite hard to program if you want to make ...melodies?Really easy if you want to make a whooping delaydrone with a chorus of falsetto frogs in unison with a dragon in heat.

Realistic sounds?Sure it sounds like the buzz comming out of Ken Keasys hippiemobile if you know what i mean. This baby together with a sampler and a midiclock and you can create wierdness galore.Or just on its own for thoose lonly hours at the psychiatric care facility.
Just add headphones.(and a Y cable).This is all the analog sounds you need.And it will rip right throu any mix.And it will utterly destroy all sanity.

Thou shalt not have any synthzisers next to the evlolver.
Do not mistrust in Evolver your Lord.For she will guide your music in all your misdeeds.Look at the other keyboards.Weak they are.You shall utterly destroy them with the saudering iron,and then rejoice!
For the Evolver is your synth and its name is jealous.

Dave is a great guy!
Buy direct from him,its the best way!

This will never leave your studio once you get to know it.
It sounds like nothing else in its price group or size for that matter.Maybe it would compare with a modular synth of some kind.
But its not bigger than a videocassette!And so cute!Maybe it could have bben easier to program...but its just a few knobs and buttons so there is bound to be some cutbacks.Still a great score if you like analog sounds.

Presets really show some of the cool stuff the Evolver is capable of; the only problem is that you can't see how it's done. The aforementioned shift functions work fine for me. In terms of ease of use, this synth goes right in between my other synths, of which the Nord Lead 3 is the easiest to navigate and the Roland MKS-80 the hardest.

The fact that you have four oscillators really opens new doors. The built-in delay lines are great, and the smoothed midi controllers work like a wonder. The aux inputs and the ability to trig the sequencer with audio means all kinds of possibilities; the sequencer is a wet dream! If only the filters had multi mode and serial patching on the feature list, this would be a clear 10.

The VCO:s are nice and warm with a lot of prescence, the filters are really warm and smooth sounding, which can be needed for taming the wild sounds this little beast can produce. When self oscillating, the filter sounds wonderful. You can actually do very good Minimoog emulations by using one of the digital oscs as a sub osc. For what it does, it's great; anything from warm, round basses and singing leads to raunchy, distorted digital mayhem and chaos, and anything in between, is possible.

I've had it for two weeks, and not a glitch. I think it's sturdy enough for most applications, however I believe the power cable may fall out easily. It hasn't happened yet in the home studio, but on a stage I'm not so sure. I would use it on a gig after making sure I secured the power cable somehow.

The Evolver arrived two days from ordering, including overseas shipping. This makes me feel comfortable that they'll be there if anything was to happen to it. I won't rate this since I don't feel I have enough info.

This is really fantastic value; compare it to the ATC-X or SE-series, or the Macbeth or Minimoog Voyager synths, and you'll see just how cheap this is. If it would ever leave me, I'd get another one right away. I've been gigging for 10 years, and this is exactly what I want from a synthesizer manufacturer; great new ideas, thinking and craftsmanship. I really love the Evolver, and it fills a void amidst my synths that I did not even see before. Gear: Rhodes 88 stage mk II, Nord Lead 3, Roland MKS-80 Super Jupiter, Nord Electro 2 key, Korg Triton rack, Nord Electro 2 rack, Studiologic SL-161, Roland A-50, Line6 Delay pro, Akai MPK-80 MIDI patchbay, Fostex line mixer, MoogerFooger MF-101 lowpass filter, Small Stone phaser, Vox wah-wah, Mac G4 and DIGI 001.

the software do a magic here. the evolver have a very bad interface
and some times it can be a problem to tweek and kicks.

very versatile for this tiny box you get almost everifing you need for
your spacific sound

god sound a mono analog synth thats realy rocks. a reverb can do somthing here but this synth realy can move your body.

bugs free.

dave smith is a sweet man.

for what i paid for it is not the best buy of my life. in israel everything is expensive and some times when you think vintage you can get amazing things. still it is a very good synth and i keep it close
to me.the seqencer is not a easy to use but you can get a very strange result if you use it with the input.

The evolver's matrix-style UI (described by a previous reviewer), is certainly not as nice as a fully knobbed-out UI, but it's very well thought out, and in practice I don't find it hard to use. In particular, the arrangements of parameters into rows is such that you can keep editing on a single row for a while, just using the knobs. The parameter diagram is quite clear and uses simple graphics to separate out the parameters for various components in a way that makes it fairly easy for your eye to quickly find what you're looking for (and since the synth has many many parameters, this is important).

I find this UI fully as easy to use as some of the recent `kinda-knobby' VA interfaces (for instance on many of Novation's VAs, you must share a single set of knobs among all the oscillators/lfos/whatever, and end up constantly switching between them).

The sequencer is also very accessible: you can toggle the matrix between voice-editing and sequence-editing with just a single button press (though if you forget to press that button, the results can be ... surprising!), and each sequencer step in all 4 sequencers have its own location in the matrix.

I do find the way the shift key works to be a bit annoying -- you must double-click to `lock' the shift, which I find often to be slightly a pain. I'd much prefer a single click to toggle the shift-lock, unless you modify a parameter while holding the shift key, in which case it wouldn't lock (many calculators with shift keys work this way).

It's only a monosynth, of course, but it's very full-featured for one. The analogue functionality is pretty simple -- two VCOs (with hard-sync) and two analogue low-pass filters (they're normally used as if they were a single filter duplicated for each stereo channel, but their cutoff frequencies can be decoupled to a degree, and this can be useful). It's well integrated with the digital side, and the latter is just crazy, with lots and lots of cool stuff that I've never seen on a (non-modular) synth before. There's an external audio input which gets injected into the signal path alongside the oscillators, and a noise source. The external input has an envelope follower which you can use to trigger the envelopes based on the external input.

The digital functionality includes 2 more, sample-based, oscillators (which use one-cycle sample-loops, 96 from the prophet VS, and 32 user-downloadable), which can do osc FM and ring-mod of each other (in both directions simultaneously!), high-pass filters, multiple feedback loops, delays, and distortions, all very much part of the voice architecture instead of just something tacked onto the output like most synth effects units.

For control, there are 3 envelopes (VCF, VCA, and assignable), 4 LFOs (all assignable to many destinations, with a fair number of waveforms, and cool syncing functionality), a four-entry mod-matrix, dedicated modulations for a fair number of midi-control inputs (mod-wheel, aftertouch, etc), and best of all, a 16-step 4-channel sequencer, which can control anything that's modulatable. Each patch has its own set of sequences, so it's easy to just go nuts with this.

In general, the design is quite elegant, taking advantage of the strengths of both analogue and digital components, and combining them seamlessly.

The midi capabilities seem pretty decent, allowing the all the usual sorts of things and having a variety of filter modes to control exactly which midi events are sent or interpreted. Currently the sequencer doesn't send any midi output, but Dave Smith has said he will provide this in a future update. The OS is midi-updatable, incidentally, so any OS improvements should be simple to install.

There's a `midi overflow' mode which allows multiple evolver's to be linked via midi and used as if they were a single polyphonic instrument.

The power supply is an `all voltages' wall-wart, that comes with a variety of different adaptor plugs so that can be used just about anywhere in the world.

Basically it just sounds wonderful. The VCOs and filter can sound very sweet and clean and have a nice `deep' sound at low pitches. The digital oscs can be used for rougher or more clangorous tones (though they can sound pretty sweet too), well controlled by the filters. The feedback can be used for both subtle thickening and wild out-of-control screaming. The distortions sound great and crunchy. The delays also sound good, and can be synced to the clock.

The overall tone palette is very wide, from thin pure sounds to utterly absurdly huge and complex ones that you will NOT believe are coming from a monosynth without effects. The deep modulation possibilities and the sequencer make it easy to create dynamic ever-changing sounds (the name `evolver' is well-chosen indeed). Because the oscillators sound great individually, it's quite reasonable to have all 4 of them playing separate melodies, something which the factory presets take great advantage of (some of them will really make your jaw drop).

This is an instrument you simply don't need to put effects on, it just doesn't need them.

A good tag-line for this synth might be `I can't believe it's a monosynth.'

It seems physically very robust and well-made: the case is all steel, and the knobs solid, with a good feel. The OS is simple and straight-forward, and seems unlikely to be a problem.

I haven't need support so far, but I've exchanged email with Dave Smith (the company, as far as I know, is only one guy!) and the response was quick and friendly.

I've heard stories from others about needing something fixed, and apparently he was extremely supportive and helpful.

This is just one of those synths that just clicks.

There are a lot of simple analogue monosynths currently on the market that sound pretty good, but I've seen nothing that's as inspired (and inspiring) as the evolver, which takes a sweet analogue core and adds layers of digital sound mangling and control that vastly expand its repertoire. It sounds great, and despite the relative complexity of its voice architecture and low-end user-interface, is fairly simple to use. I see it as an elegant compromise between analogue and digital synthesis, which manages to combine the strengths of both.

Not only would I buy it again if stolen, I'm seriously thinking about buying more of them; I wish he'd release a polyphonic version!

Fairly straightforward, and will get easier with extended use. Sound Diver adaptation makes it a breeze - edit iton the PC and then tweak live - mmmmmm!!!

Awesome - this is one feature packed monophonic synth. It invites musicality, not just tweaking...and it sounds awesome in a mix - just the right mix of power and subtlety.

Incredible array of sounds. Ive never heard one analog based machine have so many different sounds, and the sequencer is the best feature on ANY synth I own or have ever owned...this baby rocks!!

Brand new, built like a brick sh..outhouse!

Great company, excellent personal service - double thumbs up.

Overall one of the best synths Ive ever bought. So many features, yet so easy to use. This baby will go down as a future classic, snap one up before its too late.

It's a shame I have to start this review with the "Ease of Use" category, because the user interface of the Evolver is definitely it's weakest link. But at the same time, it's also the reason why such a feature-packed analog synthesizer can be price below $500, so my bank account welcomes the compromise.

The Evolver uses a "matrix" style table of parameters - you choose a row by selecting one of the 10 buttons on the left, and then the 8 knobs across the top will edit the corresponding parameters in each column. Each row actually has two sets of parameters, upper and lower - you toggle between them with the Shift button, either holding it down or tapping it twice quickly for "Shift hold". Not counting the two top rows (which are the Main and Sequencer parameters) this means that a total of 128 parameters are all crammed into a grid that's about 7 1/2 inches wide by 3 1/4 tall. While all of this is laid out in a straight-forward and logical manner, it's still pretty easy to get lost sometimes, i.e. think you are editing the Freq. Cutoff on row 3 when row 2 is actually selected. I've only had my Evolver for about 5 days now, so I'm sure I'll begin to get a feel for where everything is located without having to think about it much.

Perhaps the most confusing thing about the inteface is the 3-digit LED display (another cost-cutting feature). Once you grab a knob and start turning, the value of that particular parameter shows up in the display (Note: the knobs are endless rotary encoders with 'clicks' in them, NOT regular pots - so everytime you grab a new knob to change a different parameter, the very first 'click' will display the *current* value, then any further movement from there will begin to change that value). The LED display is fine for numerical values, but iit switches to an alphabetical code when it needs to, for such parameters as Modulation Source and Destination. Most of the "codes" make sense once you find out what they are (for inctance, "O1F" means Oscillator 1 Frequency) but you'll probably find yourself grabbing the manual a lot, at least in the beginning, just to look up the tables of codes in the back. All of this increases the learning curve, so that's why I've given it a 5 in this category.

Speaking of the maunal - I've done a lot more tweaking than reading up to this point, but each time I've had to look something up I found the answer fairly quickly, so I'd say the manual gets a thuumbs up.

The quick specs: This is a monophonic synth with 4 oscillators and a 4-track, 16-step Sequencer. The archetecture is hiybrid analog/digital: 2 analog OSC's / 2 digital OSC's (with waveshapes from the SCI Prophet VS included). The Amp and Filter sections are also analog. The signal chain (in stereo, by the way) gets converted to digital for other sections, such as multiple Delays, Feedback loops, bit reduction, etc.

The synthesizer section can definitely be described as "full-featured", with everything you would expect PLUS a few cool tricks that you don't normally see - the feedback loops comes to mind, for one. It has 3 Evelopes - one each for the Amp and Filter, plus a 3rd freely assignable one. 4 assignable LFO's. All of this means you've got a lot of options here - but it's the Step Sequencer that pushes the Evolver over the top. You get 4 tracks, each with a maximum of 16 steps. You can set each track to be a different length, for "evolving" patterns - not only that, but the list of Destinations is quite long, and you can even send each track of the sequencer to each individual oscillator! This means the Evolver can pull some really neat tricks for a "mono" synth, essentially sounding like a very complex and layered polyphonic sequence, all coming from one voice. Very nice. Having such a cool on-board sequencer also makes editing via the Evolver's front panel that much more inviting - I think I've only plugged in an external keyboard once.

The main reason why a few points were taken off in this category is that the sequencer will not transmit MIDI data. This is definitely a disappointment, but it's one I can live with since the internal sound engine is so extensive. I can't comment much on any other MIDI implimentation as I have mostly been using the Evolver by itself. I do know there is a "chain" feature that will let you connect multiple units together, essentially making a Polyphonic Evolver.

It's probably worth noting at this point that this machine isn't really ideal for on-stage tweaking, thouhg it could be done of course. And anyone looking for the next "groove box" should look elsewhere. This is definitely a SYNTH first, and a sequencer second. Not to mention there's no "Song" mode available, so you can't chain patterns together. If you send it a program change while a sequence is playing, the chage is fairyl quick...probably smooth enough to form a song, but you'd have to time the program change precisely because it won't wait until the end of the sequence to change. Also worth noting - there's a Reset button that will start any sequence over back at the beginning as soon as it's pressed.

I almost forgot to mention the Audio Inputs - there are two of them, for stereo processing of external signals. They show up near the OSC's in the signal path, so you can run any signal through most of the guts of the machine. The Filter section is comprised of 2 independant filters by the way...they can be linked for normal operation, or they can act separately on the Left/Right signal paths.

I must say that I had very high expectations for this synth ever since I heard it was in evelopment. Now that it here I can say that it has *surpassed* my expectations. Inside this little blue synth is a monster, often bordering on the edge of being uncontrollable, but always bringing a smile to my face. At it's core, I can definitely hear the signature characteristics of the Sequential Circuits family, but there are so many new features piled on that can take the sound in a completely different direction. It can sound bubbly and liquidy-smooth, or it can get as harsh and gritty as you want it to. There is a little red "Clip" LED, top and center, to let you know when the signal path is being overloaded - and I get the feeling sometimes that it's not really there as a warning so much as it is a goal. Thankfully the distortion sounds quite nice, to my ears anyway, and this could be thanks to the analog part of the chain sort of keeping the digital side in check.

The presets do a good job at showing off what the sequencer is capable of. Some of them will definitely make you second-guess the fact that this is really a MONO synth. There are even a handful of percussive loops that are quite impressive and suggest that this thing could be used for some evolving rhythms. The "traditional" type presets, i.e. meant to be played from a keyboard, show a balanced mix between the analog-types of sounds that a lot of people will want to hear, and the more "out there" kind of patches that remind you that this is no ordinary synth.

I think the sound could best be summed up by saying it's got a great deal of what made the 'vintage' analog synths great, but it takes it a few steps further. I don't think anyone has to worry about the Evovler sounding too much like any other synth they may already own. It definitely has it's own voice.

I've had it for less than ne week, so I can't really comment on this.
First impressions are fairly good though. The case feels very solid and seems to be put together very well - made with heavy guage metal, not plastic. The knobs aren't exactly rock-solid...they have a little wiggle in them, but not as bad as a few other synths I've owned (better than, say a Korg Electribe, for instance).

Dave Smith has always responded to my emails in a timely manner, even though I'm sure he's very busy. You couldn't ask for a nicer guy to deal with. He even offers a 30-day money back guarentee...THIS Evolver is staying right where it is though ;)
As for repairs, I'll post an update if it ever needs fixing...let's hope you don;t hear from me.

I sold my Sequential Pro-One in order to afford this, and I'm 99% happy with my choice. The hands-on user interface of those old analog synths, with one knobs for each function, would be the *only* thing I miss. But I knew what I was getting into with the Evolver, and the sound (and the sequencer!) more than make up for the interface. I'm having a LOT of fun with this thing. It can be very inspiring, and surprising at times too.

My music style: ambient / industrial / music for film
Other equipment: Korg Z1, Electribe ES-1 Sampler, E-mu EIII sampler, Roland Juno-60, Octave Kitten