It’s got some interesting routings in there for sure, just not what I would call an “expansive mod matrix” when you can only pick 8 of these per patch.
Edit: I did some research into this, and the mod matrix is Argon8 is solid compared to other hardware synths out there (ok - except Hydra as it’s next level in this area). The Argon8 has an LFO per voice, and that’s not so common, plus the Mod Env is per voice. One thing I’d like to see changed is to not have FEG hardwired to the filter. Since it’s a wavetable synth, on some patches you don’t want the filter, and that seems a waste to have a per voice EG running doing nothing audible.
On LFOs i see from the manual that the two are slightly different.
The manual says about LFO2: LFO2 (knob adjustment) in a positive direction is free rate for the first half then snaps to divisions of the main frequency of the note being played. This allows the LFO frequency to run into the audible range and maintain harmonious modulations.
I think i remember this from one of the “Jackson videos”, so it is selectable to something like two octaves down, or an octave and a fourth down, etc? This is musical and useful, given you have an LFO that runs to audio range, it’s nice if it has some idea of what’s going on so it can hold to some sort of pitch.
Again an X means you can’t do it.
LFO shapes are pretty basic: sine, sawtooth, square and sample & hold. But you can modulate the shape of LFO2, so that compensates a little for that. (I don’t suppose it morphs between shapes?)
LFO1 and LFO2 can modulate their own rates – that’s fun, i can imagine the result. I’ll have to try that on my HS – perhaps having that whole thing modulating pitch, it changes faster when it’s higher and slower when it’s a lower pitch. Or you could invert that.
ADDED: Isn’t triangle pretty much a standard LFO shape?
Yeah the LFO from note frequency is super intriguing. In loopops video https://youtu.be/QeuImSnEFuo?t=1641 it looked like the fastest rate was f/4 (note frequency / 4).
If that covers a good note range, then that’s super fast - like Elektron DT LFO fast! . The top note on a piano is 4186 Hz (C8), and if you divide that by 4 it’s over 1Khz - which is awesome.
Regarding morphing the LFO, maybe? It has not yet been confirmed, it might just be a visual in the UI, don’t know if you hear the LFO morphing.
Regarding triangle LFO, hmmm will have to look into that as I do find them useful. In fact the DT defaults to a triangle LFO and that’s when I really got hooked on them. A triangle LFO, doesn’t “hitch” like a sine does, and I prefer them on rhythmic filters, and side-chaining.
Speaking of side chaining I wish the Audio-In Volume on the Argon8 was in the mod matrix, as that would be fun to play with
I notice that a Mod-Matrix source shows EXPR, which i think means Expression pedal. (The manual is not crystal clear about this.) If so that’s a way to get something like CV input – there’s some tricks for doing that. Then with a minimal amount of external hardware, you’d be able to “look” at the input audio and create a CV like signal that would let you do some interesting things from an external audio input. The rate response on the EXPR input is probably pretty limited so we’re not talking audio rates, but still.
Also over on Gearslutz a user (who might be Jackson from Modal) posted this little piece.
I think it sounds really really nice.
Note that it’s also in this video (which is why I thought it might be Jackson):
Edit: it also just popped up here:
Edit 2: Turns out this is an arp, and patch #1 on the synth. That explains why it’s in Jackson’s video with a different tempo, so the user on gearslutz is not him.
As I’m thinking about using the Argon8 in my setup, I have a few questions.
1 - Does the last waveform in a given wavetable morph to the first one? IOW When you choose a bank like Virtual Analog, does the 5th waveform morph to the first if you keep turning the encoder? Or does it stop at the last one?
2 - Trying to figure out if the Wav Mods are applied before or after the Osc Mods. My guess is that they are applied before because it’s a one time process, but I could be wrong on that.
3 - How tall is the unit exactly? I see that it’s listed at 100mm in height, but don’t know if that includes or excludes the joystick and feet.
Best regards,
Gino
Edit: after looking at a few videos I’m pretty sure the answer to #1 is no. The first and last waveforms are bookends of the wavetable and do not wrap.
For #3 someone confirmed that it’s 10cm tall including the joystick.
Gav I just watched your Argon video as well, totally beautiful! I’m so jealous of you two, if I could go buy one at the GC near me right now I think I’d just do it.
. The top note on a piano is 4186 Hz (C8), and if you divide that by 4 it’s over 1Khz - which is awesome.
