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Modal Electronics Cobalt8 37-Key Virtual Analog Synthesizer

  • $749.00
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Modal Electronics Cobalt8 37-Key Virtual Analog Synthesizer

  • $749.00
8 voice extended virtual-analogue synthesiser
Building on the tradition of warm and punchy analogue-style synth sounds, conceived by legendary synthesisers from the past, COBALT8 unlocks the full creative potential of analogue waveforms. This powerful, inspiring instrument reinvents the aesthetics of analogue sounds and invites musicians, producers and sound designers to explore a new era of virtual-analogue synthesiser textures, far beyond the limits of its analogue forefathers.

On top of the innovative oscillator engine of COBALT8, we added a new morphable 4-Pole Ladder Filter. Combined with Modal’s unparalleled modulation options, an inspiring real-time / step sequencer, the energising arpeggiator, the Premium FATAR 37-note keyboard, MPE, studio-quality effects and MODALapp integration, COBALT8 is the perfect synth for everyone who wants a versatile electronic music instrument to play vintage synth sounds and is eager to enter new sound dimensions.

Eight true polyphonic voices tempt players to lay out wide string or rich synth pad chords, while a monophonic bass or lead patch, played with 64 oscillators can shake the walls of every stadium. And with the avant-garde sound forming features, every synth enthusiast can refine his performance with sounds that no other synthesiser is able to generate.


Product Specification
  • Polyphony - True 8 voice polyphonic
  • MPE - Supports MPE-compatible MIDI controllers, allowing you to apply polyphonic control and expression to individual notes
  • Oscillators - 64 high-resolution virtual-analogue oscillators, up to 8 per voice
  • Two independent and self-contained oscillator groups with sine, pulse, triangle, sawtooth waveforms, 34 different algorithms including: complex analogue synthesis techniques, built-in crossmodulation (SYNC, RM, and many more), PWM, smooth morphing between VA waves, bit crushing, filtered noise.
  • Extended Oscillator Drift

  • Algorithms
    • VA Sweep: Sweep through sine, triangle, saw, square, pulse (with pulse width) (A), ability to detune the oscillators (or snap to musical intervals) using spread (B)
    • VA Crushed: Sweep through sine, triangle and saw shapes (A) with real-time control over bit crushing (B)
    • Spread Saw: Spread mode with increased oscillator count, ability to blend between the fundamental and detuned oscillators (A) and more comprehensive spread (B) options (e.g oct up + detuned)
    • Spread Square: Spread mode with increased oscillator count, ability to blend between the fundamental and detuned oscillators (A) and more comprehensive spread (B) options (e.g oct up + detuned)
    • Spread Triangle: Spread mode with increased oscillator count, ability to blend between the fundamental and detuned oscillators (A) and more comprehensive spread (B)options (e.g oct up + detuned)
    • PWM: Classic Pulse Width Modulation with width control (A) and ability to detune the oscillators using spread (B)
    • PWM Dual: PWM mode where as the width control (A) changes, the pulse width increases in the first cycle of the wave and decreases in the second cycle. Oscillators can be detuned using the spread (B) control
    • PWM Triangle / Square: Alternating triangle and square waves with control over the width of the triangle portion (A) and an asymmetry control (B) that allows every second cycle to have a different triangle width (inverse) to the first
    • PWM Saw Eraser: Wave with both a saw and PWM portion, with control over the ratio between the two portions (A) and the width of the PWM portion (B) relative to parameter A
    • PWM Triangle Pinch: Triangle wave with pulse width modulation (A) and an asymmetry control (B) which allows every second cycle of the wave to have a different width to the first (can be wider or narrower)
    • Hard Sync Saw: Classic hard sync with un-quantised ratio (A) that can be blended with a sub oscillator (B) one octave below the fundamental
    • Hard Sync Square: Classic hard sync with un-quantised ratio (A) that can be blended with a sub oscillator (B) one octave below the fundamental
    • Hard Sync Triangle: Classic hard sync with un-quantised ratio (A) that can be blended with a sub oscillator (B) one octave below the fundamental
    • Fractal Saw: Complex sync with un-quantised control over ratio (A) and and an asymmetry control (B) that allows every second cycle of the wave to have a different sync ratio to the first
    • Fractal Square: Complex sync with un-quantised control over ratio (A) and and an asymmetry control (B) that allows every second cycle of the wave to have a different sync ratio to the first
    • Fractal Triangle: Complex sync with un-quantised control over ratio (A) and and an asymmetry control (B) that allows every second cycle of the wave to have a different sync ratio to the first
    • Reverse Saw: Periodically reverses the direction of the waveform and changes the playback rate (A), asymmetry control (B) changes the period length (I.e the switch point within a cycle)
    • Reverse Square: Periodically reverses the direction of the waveform and changes the playback rate (A), asymmetry control (B) changes the period length (I.e the switch point within a cycle)
    • Reverse Triangle: Periodically reverses the direction of the waveform and changes the playback rate (A), asymmetry control (B) changes the period length (I.e the switch point within a cycle)
    • Window Amp Sync: Applies amplitude modulation to a sine wave using a hard synced waveform. Features an un-quantised sync ratio control (A) and the ability to morph between multiple window shapes (B)
    • Metal Saw: Creates ring modulation/amplitude modulation like effects by syncing a waveform to two separate signals, one at the base rate and one at the sync rate. Features un-quantised control over sync rate (A) and ability to balance between the base wave and the modulated signal (B)
    • Metal Square: Creates ring modulation/amplitude modulation like effects by syncing a waveform to two separate signals, one at the base rate and one at the sync rate. Features un-quantised control over sync rate (A) and ability to balance between the base wave and the modulated signal (B)
    • Metal Triangle: Creates ring modulation/amplitude modulation like effects by syncing a waveform to two separate signals, one at the base rate and one at the sync rate. Features un-quantised control over sync rate (A) and ability to balance between the base wave and the modulated signal (B)
    • Ring Mod Saw: Ring mod applied to two saw waves, with quantised ratio control (A) that snaps through a series of useful ratios, and a fine control (B), which cross-fades between these ratios allowing precise control across the whole range
    • Ring Mod Square: Ring mod applied to two square waves, with quantised ratio control (A) that snaps through a series of useful ratios, and a fine control (B), which cross-fades between these ratios allowing precise control across the whole range
    • Ring Mod Triangle: Ring mod applied to two triangle waves, with quantised ratio control (A) that snaps through a series of useful ratios, and a fine control (B), which cross-fades between these ratios allowing precise control across the whole range
    • Ring Mod Triangle / Square: Ring mod applied to a triangle and a square wave, with quantised ratio control (A) that snaps through a series of useful ratios, and a fine control (B), which cross-fades between these ratios allowing precise control across the whole range
    • Ring Mod Saw / Square: Ring mod applied to a saw and square wave, with quantised ratio control (A) that snaps through a series of useful ratios, and a fine control (B), which cross-fades between these ratios allowing precise control across the whole range
    • Ring Mod Saw / Triangle: Ring mod applied to a saw and triangle wave, with quantised ratio control (A) that snaps through a series of useful ratios, and a fine control (B), which cross-fades between these ratios allowing precise control across the whole range
    • Chaos Saw: Un-quantised ring modulation (A) combined with randomisation (B)
    • Chaos Square: Un-quantised ring modulation (A) combined with randomisation (B)
    • Chaos Triangle: Un-quantised ring modulation (A) combined with randomisation (B)
    • Fold Triangle: Triangle wave-folding (A) with DC offset (B)
    • Filtered Noise: Noise generator combined with a morphable filter with full control over Cutoff (A) and Morph (B)

  • Filter
    • 4-Pole Morphable Ladder Filter with Resonance and four switchable configurations
    • Resonance and Balanced Filter Modes

  • Modulation
    • Three dedicated envelope generators for AMP, MOD and FILTER that can be accessed independently or all three simultaneously including negative (reverse) versions for MOD and FILTER ENVs
    • Three audio-rate LFO’s with tempo sync (two poly, one global) with seven different shapes
    • Eight assignable modulation slots and four additional fixed modulation routings for common assignments with 12 modulation sources and 55 modulation destinations

  • Sequencer and Arpeggiator
    • Polyphonic Real-time sequencer with 512 notes and four recordable/editable parameter animations (Delay FX, LFO’s, sequencer and arpeggiator can be either clocked internally or externally)
    • Polyphonic Step Sequencer with 64 steps, 8 notes per step, 4 lanes of Parameter-Lock style animation, Step Input mode, multiple playback modes including gate modes and rest function
    • Built-In sophisticated programmable arpeggiator of 32 steps with rest capability with up to 2048 steps before repeating

  • FX
    • Three incredibly powerful independent and user-configurable stereo FX engines for Chorus, Phaser, Flanger (Pos), Flanger (Neg), Tremolo, LoFi, Rotary, Stereo Delay, Ping-Pong Delay, X-Over Delay and Reverb that can be arranged in any order

  • User Memory
    • 500 patch memories, all fully editable and ships with 300 factory programs
    • 100 sequencer presets that can be linked to any patch for quickly loading arrangements
    • 100 FX presets
    • 8 Quick Recall slots accessible from the panel for quickly loading your favourite patches

  • Controls and Performance
    • Premium FATAR 37-key Keyboard with velocity and channel aftertouch
    • 29 endless encoders, 24 buttons
    • 4-axis joystick that can be assigned to a huge range of modulation destinations and virtually ‘locked’ when desired
    • Multiple keyboard modes, Mono, Poly, Unison 2, unison 4, unison 8, Stack 2 and Stack 4
    • Glide/Portamento with both legato and staccato modes
    • Chord Invert control to easily create chord inversions and variations

  • Inputs and Outputs
    • 6.35 mm / 1/4″ TS dual-mono line outputs
    • 6.35 mm / 1/4″ TRS headphone output
    • 3.5 mm / 1/8″ TRS stereo audio input

  • MIDI DIN In and Out
    • 3.5 mm / 1/8″ TS Analogue clock sync In and Out
    • Class compliant MIDI over USB connection
    • 6.35 mm / 1/4″ TRS expression pedal input
    • 6.35 mm / 1/4″ TS sustain pedal input

  • Enclosure and Display
    • Road-ready steel and aluminium enclosure with economical stained bamboo end cheeks
    • 1.54-inch large OLED display for instant visual feedback at all times of playing/editing

  • Power
    • Power: DC-9.0V – 1.5A centre-positive

  • Editor Software
    • Free MODALapp software editor available for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
    • MODALapp can also be run within your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), with VST3 and AU versions available

  • General
    • Dimensions (L x W x H): 555 x 300 x 100 mm / 21.9″ x 11.8″ x 4″
    • Weight: 5.60 kg / 12.4 lbs

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