The Pulse 2 comes and goes from my set up so I can’t say I’m an expert. But every time I turn it on I quickly get over any thoughts of selling it. It’s really very flexible IMHO
What exactly are you asking about modulations? Do you mean in the matrix?
Can’t wait to hear what you make of it.
Yes. I want to modulate MOD2 with MOD1 for instance.
In modulation targets, there are “LFO 1 SPEED” and “MOD 1 AMOUNT”.
There is also a “M-ACCU” that sums up several modulations (and “M-PRODUCT”)
So you can modulate MOD 1 with MOD2, not sure the opposite is true.
Would there be a way to send the Pulse2 LFO out over MIDI as a CC message to modulate a parameter on another synth? If it can’t be done directly, could there be a way to do it with the MIDI Events Processor? The only ‘out’ routing I can see is to CV out.
I’m thinking about getting one of these. I’m surprised we don’t hear more about this synth- the used prices are great. Would any Pulse 2 owners like to chime in and sound off on how the Pulse 2 cuts the mustard in 2021? Thank you.
I’ve had mine for about five years and love it. The feature set is amazing for what you can get it for these days. It’s particularly suited for harmonically rich and aggressive sounds, though to a lesser degree it can do soft, smooth, silky sounds as long as you go easy on the oscillator levels.
I mostly use it for XOR and ring mod type sounds and the oscillators are stable enough that you can get harmonically unusual patches that will track decently for melodies. Since it’s paraphonic, it’s also great for stabs. The modulation system and arp are very deep but I don’t use them extensively so can’t comment on them much. The envelopes are quite snappy so I also often use it for making drum sounds. The filter resonance can make pretty beefy kicks.
If you produce ITB I highly recommend getting the MonstrumPulse editor. I basically never touch the unit itself and use the editor as a plugin in Ableton, it’s very well designed and does everything you need. I’m not a fan of the matrix design of the unit itself but if you have experience with a Blofeld or Evolver it’s much simpler than those so it’ll be a breeze.
Overall, I’d say that if you want a rich-sounding (but not quite “premium” sounding") and highly versatile analog that rewards exploration and has patch memory, it’s a winner. It holds up extremely well even among today’s more recent options. I recommend listening to demos to make sure you vibe with the overall tone and character of it.
All of the lead/non-pad synth sounds on this EP of mine are the Pulse 2, if you want to hear it in a full mix.
Thank you for the detailed response! A lot of very helpful information and it’s great to hear the instrument in a musical context. I really like those Pulse 2 stabs I’m hearing in “Pure Delusion” after about the halfway point. I’m digging the music by the way.
thank you! I’m glad you like it 
came back because I remembered that I did the lead arp in Valeriana using the Pulse 2 in 8-note paraphonic mode, all in one channel/recording without any multi-tracking of notes. managed to get it to sound almost like a mandolin or something. a testament to how much you can squeeze out of this mono synth!
I would say not much since the Pulse 2 is an analog synth and the Iridium is digital.
it really does. I sequence it with My DK. Just steps. Don’t even worry about CC’s. The step seq is flexible enough to stay interesting while I fiddle with my knobs. Feels a lot more open than I got used to staying in the DK.
I’ve owned one for a few years. It actually was the 2nd synth I bought as it was very affordable at the time.
In the past I used to absolutely hate the interface, but since I got better at synthesis and know what I want from each knob so to speak it’s been a breeze to use (except for the LFO’s. But I use an OT for that)
I think it’s sort of a bad choice for a beginner and an awesome one for more experienced users.
It seems like the Pulse 2 is an almost perfect companion to an OT. The paraphony works well with the OT sequencer’s limited polyphony and the extra LFO’s take it to modular grounds of sorts.
Has anyone owned this and the Dreadbox Typhon and can compare?
I have a Typhon and I like it, but I find the raw OSCs to be a bit harsh, I wish there was a 12db filter, and I don’t really care about the FX because I sequence and run everything through my iPad anyways (though the fx are nice for sure). I love the hands-on performance controls, the sound of the (limited) filter, the external input and the modulation options.
The Pulse 2 seems like a good buy for my needs with the variable filters and the additional OSCs. But I’m a bit scared of the editing being bad (I couldn’t gel with the evolver) and other annoyances.
p.s. I’ve read a bit about knob wiggle on the pulse 2, have folks run into that?
I own both synths, the Dreadbox and Pulse 2. Overall, I prefer the Pulse 2, as it also has limited paraphonic capabilities. However, I can see others opting in the other direction. Both are quality synths.
In regards to the matrix editing process found on the Pulse 2, it’s not as cumbersome as I had initially thought it would be. The main downfall is the inability to adjust multiple parameters on different rows in real time without an optional controller. The Pulse 2’s knobs do have a slight wiggle, but I do not find it excessive.
Thanks, this is helpful!
I sold my Pulse 2 before buying the Typhon.
It wasn’t hard at all to program, but I didn’t like it for live tweaking, because of knobs course. Imho Typhon is much better for live tweaking as it has direct access to cutoff and envelope depth / decay.
Better modulations for Typhon, better fx of course. And it can be used standalone, sequencer and with usb power.
So I don’t regret my choice, even if couldn’t compare them side by side.
I have been playing with Para modes and trying to wrap my tiny mind around how the Keytrack works in this mode as a ‘fade envelope for the pulse oscillators’. What does this mean- that modulates the pulsewidth value? It doesn’t sound like it does anything when I change the Keytrack value so I am obviously not understanding.
The SOS review says:
“When you select Para8 mode, up to eight incoming notes are given a pulse oscillator each, while DCOs 2 and 3 are disabled. If I can draw your attention for a moment to the top row of the programming matrix, you’ll see the fifth encoder is ‘Keytrack’. Ordinarily, this determines whether incoming notes track oscillator pitch, but in either of the Para modes, it becomes a simple fade envelope for the pulse oscillators. Para4 differs in that only four notes are assigned, but they’re doubled up; the second layer’s interval, detune and fade envelope are dialled in with the controls of oscillator 2”
The manual says:
In Para8 mode In this special case, the Keytrack parameter controls the fading of the
pulsewidth modulation. The rate also depends on Attack and Release of the amplifier envelope ENV A.
And in Para 4 mode: “You can set up pulse-width, pitch and fade individually”
What does it all mean?
