Knobula Pianophonic - Poly Wavetable Synth review by MATTHS for Sonic LAB

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Another polyphonic module from Knobula, who are making a habit of this sort of thing. Pianophonic is an 8 voice Wavetable multi-sample player with a unique mix of multisample front end (Hammer portion) and a wavetable sustain/release portion (Sides). These can be blended and controlled and mixed and matched from the 24bit/48kHz samples stored on the front panel mounted microSD card.
And yes you can created your own samples using their own Waveslicer utility.
There's also Unison and detune with three oscillators cloned per voice, compress/overdrive and a delightful Reverb.
@matthsmatthsmatths gives us his take on the unit.
Available now priced at £420/$449
knobula.com
00:00 Start
00:43 Intro and Overview
08:56 Sound Components
15:24 Sounds
18:42 Connections
19:54 Examples
26:20 CV modulation
28:15 Conclusion
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[@thomasyon4332]

Great Matths . Always a pleasure to listen you...

[@McEnroe911]

I don't like to be negative but man... Knobula needs to make their modules 4 HP wider and add actual CV control.

[@mrotaveria]

feeling the same, not sure about the use case for them

[@lifeformmusic3301]

Agree

[@bigmanlizard7326]

The only selling point is its small enough to be in a rack otherwise just get a better sounding and more featured synth and put it on your desk next to your rack and play it along with your eurorack patches..

[@karelhacker]

Absolutely yes!

[@linuxbender]

I agree. I think the idea and the sound quality are great but without CV for the price, I find it almost usurious.

[@philbrown8181]

Some lovely sounds coming out of that wee beasty! Nicely paced video too.

[@dagberge3803]

Really nice sequences there. I like it!

[@d-v-f]

A 4hp expander for CV ctrl of everything would be nice, sounds good tho.

[@EnviroDouglas]

❤❤❤ Great demo!!

[@AlexAlcyone]

underrated brand. Very cool.

[@dedidude220]

SOLD!

[@ModLifeCrisis]

Not sure why I’d want this in a modular rack. Sounds okay but watching the presenter tweak those tiny knobs and no CV control I can’t see it as being that much fun.

[@JohnTrasher]

I use it as a pianosound midi controlled in my intellijel 7u for chords

[@Th3LordZalor]

I really like the idea of these as like a "starting point preset" for polyphonic playing. If you have modular effects etc, getting this and something like Demon Core Osc instead of multiple keyboard synths.

[@Ratskank]

Nice intro

[@jonaseggen2230]

You said they should make a single reverb module, 2hp I guess? Anyway, I think they should make a Stereo filter with reverb in the same size as their other modules. Anyway, great module, great demo, nice music. (Another comment and suggestion lost in the myriads of comments, commercials and content and other words beginning with c that we love to drown our misery inn. )

[@Nastermusic]

I need a pad and more for live. Do you think it has the pad capacity and more over the cinematic

[@DBPawlan]

Never apologize for "too much reverb". There is no such thing.

[@zacharyreutlinger7623]

Without more CV I don't see the point, might as well be a desktop unit.

[@synkrotron]

The Disting EX has the poly wavetable algorithm which is similar though of course you have to menu dive a little and the EX does not have the hammer element

[@JohnTrasher]

Replaced my disting ex today with the pianophonic

[@synkrotron]

@@JohnTrasher was you needing the cash? I hope you got a good price for it... I would have kept the EX

[@ScottofOakland]

I like the sounds of it but the small pots on the module seem very wobbly and you'd think they would buy knobs that are more sturdy than that. I'd be afraid to break the thing.

[@JohnTrasher]

U cant break the knobs , or are you trying to get some lever force to the Potentiometer beneath it?

[@ScottofOakland]

@@JohnTrasher In a case, travelling around, its very easy to break plastic potentiometers. Metal ones would be a lot less likely to sheer off in (godforbid) an accident or if something dropped on it.

[@thenarproject7186]

Is This Really Modular?

[@GazWilliams]

Yes. It’s a module. There are no rules.

[@thenarproject7186]

Love It Ok, Educated!

[@jantuitman]

it kind of funny that half of the things that are on this module are also on the ghost module next to it: DJ style filter, compressor, reverb. It is awesome if you just can have a small case full that modules add a lot of extras, but at the same time it is kind of weird if you put lots of this “very complete” modules together in 1 case, because you get so much functionality where you might need some HP spent on more utilities to control all this functionality.

[@seanmassot1220]

Nick looks different

[@_o__o_]

onion farts

[@RickBatyrMusic]

🧀

[@cockur]

The piano sounds awful