Studio Electronics SE-3X [PRE-ORDER]

Three + Four = Heaven. The SE-3X: a three-voice Paraphonic synth with four discrete, classic hardware filters.

Seen where the sound of success was heard, the SE-1(X)’s popularity with hit-makers, film composers and sound designers has spanned decades, and the 'X never quite rode off into the sunset. Now, it's blazing back with software sweetening and sweeping hardware refinements — innovations worthy of 30 years of rack time… and your time. Built attractively, built solidly, bringing you the bump 'n' thump and higher frequency clarity and warmth that has been the secret weapon of legends.

The voice architecture of this synthesizer is powered by three Voltage Controlled Oscillators (VCOs), each with a diverse range of waveforms including triangle, sawtooth, and variable-width square for OSC 1, sine and sawtooth for OSC 2, and triangle and sawtooth for OSC 3. These oscillators can output waveforms simultaneously, with OSC 1 synced to OSC 2 and 3. The system also includes four Voltage Controlled Filters (VCFs), offering a variety of classic analog filter sounds, including Moog®, ARP®, Juno/Jupiter, and Oberheim® filters. The Oberheim filter has an expanded frequency range, giving users more tonal flexibility. These filters provide rich possibilities for shaping sounds with Low Pass and Band Pass modes.

The envelope section is made up of four multiple-stage Envelope Generators (EGs), each with attack, decay, sustain, and release controls. Two envelopes are fixed to the filter frequency and amplifier level, respectively, while the other two envelopes are assignable for a variety of modulation tasks. The envelopes offer increased speed compared to standard SE-1X models, enhancing their responsiveness. Additionally, the synthesizer features three Low-Frequency Oscillators (LFOs) with a range of waveforms including triangle, sawtooth, square, and noise. These LFOs can modulate several destinations, such as VCO frequencies, pulse width, and VCF resonance, providing extensive modulation options.

Additional features include a noise generator, hardware ring modulation, and a fuzz effect with switchable overdrive modes for 70’s soft fuzz and 90’s hard fuzz. The synthesizer also provides a glide function with linear or exponential portamento, as well as an auto-glide feature for smooth pitch transitions. Users can store up to four factory preset banks and four designer preset banks. The matte black faceplate with high-contrast color accents (black, red, blue, green, and white) adds a sleek aesthetic, making it both visually appealing and highly functional for sound design.