DISC BLACK CORPORATION Deckard's Dream

Full Description

Classic Cinematic Sound

The Deckard’s Dream Analog Synthesizer is a faithful recreation of a cinematic synthesizer from the 80s. It bases the design on a synth that revolutionised cinematic sound and dance music. The original was used to create the music for the film Blade Runner and was used in countless pop music hits from Kraftwerk and other dance music pioneers.

The retro-style aesthetic is borrowed from the original design of the rare French polysynth from the late 70s. It utilises multi-coloured faders keeping true to the original style. Deckard’s Dream also includes features that bring it into the modern world such as polyphonic aftertouch and MPE support for maximum expressiveness. It also features integrated MIDI to USB connectivity, allowing you to use the synth with your DAW for computer-based music production.

Eight-Voice Polyphony with Analog Circuitry

The synthesizer features 16 VCOs in total, with the eight-voice polyphony and two independent synthesizer layers per voice. This provides in-depth sound design capabilities, allowing you to create rich, layered sounds with ease. It boasts a wide range of waveforms including square, saw and sine, as well as PWM with sine-wave LFO.

The fully-analog circuit provides classic warmth and grit, providing full and rich sounds with full-bodied tones. The built-in discrete waveshapers faithfully reproduce the nuance of the original waveforms, staying true to the original sound. It also features Autotuning capabilities, ensuring every one of your VCOs are tracking perfectly. Microtuning and detune settings allow you to experiment with more unusual sounds and tones for added versatility.

Polyphonic Aftertouch and MPE

Bringing this classic into the modern-era, Black Corporation have incorporated polyphonic aftertouch and MPE technology. The MIDI-based polyphonic aftertouch is unique to the Deckard's Dream, only featured in a handful of synths. It provides added expression when used with a keyboard module.

The MPE technology was made famous by the ROLI seaboard controller, providing a natural hands-on feel for controlling sounds. It takes this to the next level with the addition of the polyphonic pitch bend.

128 Factory Presets and Built-In Filters

Deckard’s Dream comes complete with 128 factory and 128 user presets. The factory presets span a wide range of genre-defying sounds. They capture the essence of vintage synths with the rich and gritty tonality. An additional 128 slots are available for creating your own user presets, which can be saved and recalled instantly.

12dB highpass and lowpass discrete filters are included, with separate resonance controls. Also includes is an ADSR filter envelop with adjustable initial and attack level accompanied by an ADSR VCA envelope. It also features alternate scales and tunings for experimenting with your sounds.

MIDI, USB, VST/AU Editor

One of the most prominent features that sets the Deckard’s Dream apart from the original is the MIDI over USB connectivity. This brings the synth into the modern-era, providing the means to use the synth with your favourite DAW or other music software. This allows you to utilise the rich, vintage sounds that the synth produces.

A dedicated software editor by Spektro Audio allows you to further get in-depth with your synth. 384 presets are available in total. The main panel of the synth features a small LCD screen which displays settings info and more. It also features an integrated headphone output for private monitoring. Additionally, the synth comes complete with built-in rack ears, making it rack-mountable for use in a studio or on stage.

Features

• Eight-voice polyphonic analogue synthesizer
• Fully analogue signal path
• Two synthesis layers per voice
• 256 presets

• VCO with square, saw and sine waveforms
• PWM with sine-wave LFO
• Manual PW (50-90 )
• 12dB HP and LP discrete filters with separate resonance controls
• ADSR filter envelope with adjustable initial and attack levels
• ADSR VCA envelope
• Velocity and aftertouch controls for filter brilliance and volume levels

• Global coarse/fine tune
• VCO2 detune
• LFO with sine, saw, ramp, square and stepped random waveforms
• LFO destinations: VCO, VCF, VCA
• Crossfade between layers 1 and 2
• Global filter brilliance and resonance control for additional resonance
• Polyphonic aftertouch destinations: LFO speed, LFO to VCO amount, LFO to VCF amount, filter brilliance, volume level
• Keyboard tracking adjustment for VCF and VCA

• MIDI/MPE with polyphonic aftertouch
• Polyphonic pitchbend
• Unison
• MIDI over USB
• 128 factory and 128 user presets
• Alternate scales and tunings
• Software editor by Spektro Audio

Specifications

• Display: 128×64 OLED display
• Connectors:
  • DC input jack (9-24V)
  • External modulation input jack (1/4″)
  • Expander jack (DIN5)
  • USB jack (type B, device/host)
  • MIDI IN jack (DIN5)
  • MIDI THRU jack (DIN5)
  • AUDIO OUT LOW jack (1/4″)
  • AUDIO OUT HIGH jack (1/4″)
• Rack-Mount: 19″ 4U
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 483mm x 178mm x 200mm
• Weight: 4.8 kg / 10.6 lbs incl external PSU brick