Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers’ long-anticipated successor to the Voltage Research Laboratory is filled to the brim with interesting new inventions, such as several new wave-shaping technologies, an addictive tactile performance controller, and more…

May 14th, 2024 – Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers today announced Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2, standalone dual oscillator analog synthesizer synthesis laboratory with a unique integrated touch-sensitive performance controller.

Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 is a playground of new analog synthesis tools. Like its predecessor, it explores many new ideas in analog synthesis, plus many of the uniquely Pittsburgh inventions found in the original Voltage Research Laboratory. This painstakingly curated collection of synthesis tools is paired with a specially designed Touch Controller to provide hands-on performance control. Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 is sure to take the user into new sonic realms, countless hours of musical exploration, and inspired composition.

Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 includes a pair of Laboratory Oscillators. Each with a unique set of newly invented waveshaping tools designed to expand the sonic potential of analog synthesis:

– Laboratory Oscillator 1 introduces Center Clipping to analog synthesis. Center clipping unlocks independent control over the top and bottom of the waveform, allowing for detailed manipulation of harmonic sand timbre without affecting pitch. It does this by processing waveforms from the center out as opposed to traditional methods which work from the peaks inwards.

– Laboratory Oscillator 2 introduces a host of new sonic possibilities with two new waveshapers. Pulse Symmetry and Reflection.

Pulse Symmetry creates a new species of pulse wave that adds a step between the top and bottom of the waveform. The resulting wave looks like a set of stairs
where the depth of the center step can be adjusted in addition to the pulse width.

Wave Reflection takes the bottom half of the waveform and reflects it onto the top half. Each waveshape responds to this differently. For example, a saw wave
morphs into a triangle while triangle and sine waves lose their fundamental harmonic and jump up an octave.

Pittsburgh Dynamics Controller
Our new Dynamics technology imparts Voltage Lab 2 with a uniquely organic depth and presence. By simultaneously managing both amplitude and harmonic content, the Pittsburgh Dynamics Controller expands beyond the one-dimensional VCA found in other synthesizers. It does this by utilizing new advancements from traditional low pass gates to add additional definition and dimension to the voices of the Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2.

When used in low pass gate mode, sounds shed harmonic content and become warmer as they decrease in volume. This mimics how sound waves react to their environment. Because of this connection, the Voltage Lab 2 sounds more natural or complex compared to other instruments.

Touch Controller 2
The Touch Controller 2 enables artists to blend traditional pitched performances with the freedom to openly experiment, creating a flexible playground for music creation. Two independent channels offer a combination of real-time, expressive playing and in-depth sequencing. Assignable scales, step conditions, jumps, chance effects, generative sequencing, and a host of other tools come together allowing musicians to both create and interact with complex systems.

A Florist and Echos
Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 includes a set of analog time based effects, Florist and Echos. The Florist is a flanger/chorus hybrid that focuses on brighter, short time shifts with highly controlled feedback allowing for maximum ringing before self oscillation. Echos is a more traditional, darker analog BBD delay that also utilizes highly controlled feedback to provide a larger number of repeats before falling into self-oscillation. Both effects are perfect for traditional workflows and unconventional experimentation.

Complete set of modular tools
Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 includes a host of fully modular, analog and digital synthesis tools to support and enhance its core functionality. Analog tools include flexible mixers, a pair of complex function generators, noise, sample and hold, and an LFO. Digital tools cover external MIDI, arpeggiator, and a robust chance sequencer. The Voltage Lab 2 toolset is deep enough for all types of sonic experiments.

Voltage Lab 2 features at a glance:
– Dual oscillator synthesizer with innovative analog sound design elements.
– Dual channel, complex 16 note touch controller and sequencer.
– Fully modular eurorack format synthesizer with 101 point patch bay. Build complex sonic experiments within the Voltage Lab 2 or patch with external eurorack devices.
– Controllable via touch controller, sequencer, external MIDI, CV, gate.
– A pair of analog Pittsburgh Modular Laboratory Oscillators utilizing cutting edge waveshaping techniques.
– Laboratory Oscillator 1 utilizes a Pittsburgh developed process called Center Clipping to reinvent how waveforms can be manipulated. With independent control over the top and bottom of the waveform.
– Laboratory Oscillator 1 includes the six stage Pittsburgh Warped Wavefolder allowing it to fold previously unfoldable waveforms such as square and pulse waves.
– Laboratory Oscillator 2 introduces Pulse Symmetry, a new type of pulse wave invented by Pittsburgh that adds a second dimension of modulation to pulse waves.
– Laboratory Oscillator 2 also includes a new Reflection wave folder that folds the bottom of the waveform back onto the top of the waveform.
– Built-in oscillator effects include a highly tuned Ring Modulator, Frequency Modulation (FM), Bit Crushing, and bi-directional Hard Sync.
– A pair of multi-purpose Function Generators work as a voltage controllable envelope with or without sustain, slew, LFO, clock divider, gate delay, and more.
– The Function Generators can be intertwined to create complex modulation options using the trigger conditions and function generator mixer outputs.
– Analog synthesis tools include flexible amplifier, attenuator, mixer/splitter, dual range LFO, and a signal splitter.
– Digital synthesis tools include MIDI to CV converter, arpeggiator, and a robust chance sequencer.
– A pair of Pittsburgh Dynamics Controllers. An expanded alternative to a filter and/or VCA.
– Noise generator and fully patchable Sample & Hold.
– A pair of analog effects. Florist flanger chorus and Echos bucket brigade delay.
– Line level and headphone outputs.
– Dual Channel Touch Controller offers a combination of real-time, expressive playing and in-depth sequencing.
– Touch Controller includes 16 dedicated pitch knobs per channel and 16 shared CV channel knobs.
– Each channel offers 8 simultaneous outputs. Quantized pitch, unquantized CV, pressure, trigger, gate, envelope, a second unquantized CV, and MIDI outputs.
– Global Touch Controller inputs include MIDI input, clock input, and clock reset input.
– Per channel inputs include channel active step scan input, channel reset/1-shot input, channel repeat input, and channel chance CV input.
– Assignable Key and scale. Chromatic, major, minor, or microtonal scales with up to 32 steps per octave.
– Touch Controller pitch can be assigned chromatically or per step using the dedicated channel knobs.
– Range of channel knobs can be set to 2, 3, or 4 octaves.
– Per step Sequencer features include pitch, gate length, envelope length, step conditions (1-100% chance, every other one, etc.) chance, step shift, step length, step destination jump, and step roll.
– Global Sequencer features include first step, direction, touchpad mode, step quantizer, swing, humanize, sequence shift, euclidean generator, sequence generator, fill generator, clock division
– Each channel offers a dedicated chance amount that can be assigned to up to 4 destinations, pitch, trigger, note shift, note roll.
– Clock source can be set to internal, external MIDI, or external gate.
– Assignable MIDI channels
– Included in the box – 1x Voltage Lab 2, 1x Voltage Lab 2 wall-wart power supply, 20x Amazing Nazca Noodles Patch Cables, poster, thank you card with a link to download
– documentation