Review: PWM Mantis // Here's what makes it special // Pros, cons and tutorial

[@joelou]

it's kind of amazing how as an independent KZbinr, looppop has basically become the gold standard in reviews.

[@mifflinfinity]

That synth is one ‘sexy boy’! 😊

[@arkasonus7678]

Maybe they could think about a module version 🙏🏻

[@loopop]

That would be nice!

[@fiddlestickzmuzik]

Its the synth I always wanted about ten years too late. I still might get one though. Reckon it will come to life with some nice pedals.

[@lars1914]

2 voice for a digital synth is quite modest in this day and age.

[@xfghffhfg]

It's not digital only, the limited number of voices is because of the analog circuitry. maybe you missed that.

[@scottlord5288]

It does what it does very very well. Not every synth needs to be a jack of all trades. I’d rather a tool do its job and inspire music, than have a feature list full of sales pitches :)

[@xfghffhfg]

@@scottlord5288 Copy paste this to all features counting complainers!

[@dakoiaa]

Thank you for another great analysis. Congrats!

[@voidcat6876]

honestly not worth the 1.5k in my humble opinion , it was in the 700-900 will def be a buy , but for 1.5 k? you can pick a Hydrasynth Deluxe or an iridium core

[@By_Rant_Or_Ruin]

In my experience the more wiggle in a knob, the cheaper it is built and the shorter the life span. Good video. Thanks again.

[@xfghffhfg]

nice work sherlock

[@avisintes4799]

TRU

[@DavidChatterton-j6b]

Agreed. The knobs should NOT be wobbling.

[@klinkske]

Did you ever touch a microkorg?? See what they sell for 2nd hand

[@devondetroit2529]

That latency with the knobs seems really bad

[@neuroactive3301]

Excellent review once again!

[@teamphil]

I think it sounds great and the price seems very fair to me.

[@Hrotti]

Its so characterful

[@ZAYAZOfficial]

Before I read the manual, I watch Loopop.

[@loopop]

Thanks! But this doesn't even have a manual, I'm all ya got!

[@ZAYAZOfficial]

@@loopop exactly bro! You are better than any manual out there either way. 🤘🙂

[@ZAYAZOfficial]

@@loopopI should have originally posted, “before I read any synth manual, I watch loopop first”. I’ve learned lots of great stuff from your videos on gear that I’ve purchased. Thank you for your channel dude 🤘🙂

[@RayyMusik]

It definitely *should* have a manual at this price point!

[@ZAYAZOfficial]

@@RayyMusik agreed! Loopop saves the day.

[@chapoteaukatz]

tried this at a trade show and it sounds incredible irl. thought the price was insane until I tried it

[@kaitlyn__L]

For sure. There’s a lot to be said about finely-tuned analogue filters and a synth full of sweet spots. If I didn’t love playing 4-8 part chords with long tails I’d probably be very tempted by this. I’ve always had a soft spot for the OSCar. As it is though, I have one fairly-pricey analogue-filtered synth and don’t expect to own any more. But if I was still making up my mind this might have complicated the decision!

[@chapoteaukatz]

@@kaitlyn__L oh yeah, I’m certainly not buying it lol

[@jmarvosa6x3]

something original or a Behringer churn&burn? easy choice

[@chapoteaukatz]

@@jmarvosa6x3 spend $300 or $1,500? sometimes an easy choice as well

[@colinodea2407]

​@@jmarvosa6x3not an easy choice at all. Who's all got 1400 quid to spend on this ! Not many I would say

[@michasonstwer9176]

in its sound i can already hear a lot of new dark wave / cold wave / post punk songs

[@AliAusAachen]

1600 Euros is just overpriced but it sounds sick

[@888visuals]

How do you not have a million subs? There has to be at least that many synth fans out there? Jeez. ☝

[@joelsilva6689]

I've always thought the same thing. Maybe there's less of us than we think. 🤷‍♂️

[@phyxirian]

I bet he made many more people synth people too :)

[@lowstaar]

r/synthesizers have 381K Members, so 1 million subs would be pretty much impossible

[@neuronist]

KZbin wouldn’t be the same without loopop

[@ToyKeeper]

There just aren't that many people who are interested in synthesis at a technical level, and enjoy spending their time basically reading synth manuals in video form.

[@klinkske]

This video made me buy a malevolent 😂

[@blkrbbt]

Im critical of PWM, because I love the Malevolent, but they dont supply a manual to describe exactly what the knob per function can do. And the design of the knob layout is a bit convoluted.

[@JamesIsCommenting]

Its called the Mantis because your wife will kill you if you bring home another synth

[@lucid484]

my saying is, if your wife every gets mad at you for buying something. She isn't the right wife... 😂😂😂😂

[@DoctorColossus777]

Well said, sir

[@PLA.net-DANTE]

😂😭Too good

[@GreenHoleSun]

To be precise: she will eat you with your new synth.

[@tombasports]

@@lucid484truer words have never been spoken of a marriage

[@Finn.Diesel]

Mantis is the synth of the year. Awesome VCF. I was checking my mailbox every day since its release for a loopop Video. 😀

[@charmingpianovideos6185]

Another great video! Fortunate l didnt get any GAS for this one haha. I'd like to ask if you'd ever review the new Solar 42 from ELTA, I watched your review on the Solar 50, and woukd love to hear whar you think of the updated version. Thanks!

[@loopop]

Thanks! No plans for now but I think it’s an excellent improvement

[@d3tuned378]

1300+ for a 4 voice digital synth seems excessive, despite how great it clearly is

[@loopop]

I’m not arguing whether it’s worth it or not but the filters and drive are analog

[@EVILJAMARR]

I thought PWM stood for pulse width modulation, which is a favorite of mine 😅

[@yourcitysleeps]

The vibe at :40 🔥

[@AngMoKio8]

A nice synth. But I really like it if a synth has a good onboard reverb. This one really doesn't convince me ...🙁

[@TwinCitiesOxygen]

Is there any indicator light like on on the bs2 to see where the presets knob setting originally was when adjusting a knob around?

[@xfghffhfg]

don't seem like it but a "pickup mode" may help.

[@touarec]

Great review, very informative thanks! Would you consider doing a review of the Dirtywave M8 tracker?

[@loopop]

Thanks! I have and would consider it (and any suggestion!) - depends what else is going on...

[@franknicholls4698]

yes +1 for m8, pretty please

[@johanneshej4940]

I just love the art design of this thing. Looks totally like something from the 80's but still original if you get what I mean. Sounds great too!

[@synthsamuraiproductions]

I want all the SYNTHS!!!! Moar!!!

[@darwiniandude]

Ooh, they sent you a Malevolent too. Keen to see that covered, there's one at a local music store I've played with a bit. Hard to resist.

[@maxpowers3494]

Sounds straight out of a AIR album.

[@MiltonGrimshaw]

I love it, but £1350 is a silly pricetag for a 3 octave synth

[@voidcat6876]

for that price you can literaly pick up a hydrasynth deluxe

[@ksqmusic]

There’s no other synth anywhere near that price point that gives you 8 filter types.

[@voidcat6876]

@@ksqmusic *cof cof * digitakt 2 *cof cof*

[@ksqmusic]

@@voidcat6876 pretty sure the Digitakt filters aren’t analog.

[@xfghffhfg]

@@ksqmusic digitak is not a synth

[@georgespencer3973]

I’m assuming loopop takes his watch off when doing these reviews to avoid the inevitable gang of hoodlems that will bash him for his choice of watch.

[@loopop]

ha yeah I gotta tan that part. Actually, I still wear an Apple Watch like I did in many of my first videos which no one gave me a hard time for, but the reflections annoyed me. Off to tan!

[@GrootsieTheDog]

"If I had to find one flaw" OMG lol. To say a synth has good build quality but just an inconvenient flaw, wobbly knobs, is like saying you have a great sports car but the steering wheel is wobbly...and the controls on the dash...and the hadles on the door...and...sorry, no. Sturdy well made quality knobs are where a synths buikd quality starts and finishes. But even if you don't agree with that, at the very least its not just a minor issue only worthy of a - If I HAD to say something negative...if you had to pull my arm, well then... Ugh. That all being said, I thnk this synth, build quality not withstanding, is a super cool synth.

[@loopop]

If I thought it was a huge deal I'd say it as such. If I thought it was nothing, I wouldn't mention it. It's not as bad as a wobbly steering wheel but not as good as a rock solid knob.

[@VincentPresley]

This is the closest sound to an OSCar you can get. Unfortunately the look and build are just not grabbing me. Especially since I have had an OSCar twice and think it’s one of the best and most unique looking synths ever. It’s not worth 5-6k for an OSCar but the Mantis just isn’t grabbing me. It’s nice to hear those driven dual filters again.

[@dankeplace]

It's a great synth, not something I would use but I get why it will sell well.

[@earlsfield]

Nothing special IMO. However it has great name of the late Chris Huggett attached to it. I kinda prefer Malevolent. Both of these synths somehow feel unfinished, maybe I am not digging them.

[@eddievanheinous666]

loopop was being pretty generous with the effects praise - I think they sound mid at best. Should be better for digital. And this synth is just begging for some true distortion.

[@xfghffhfg]

I will probably not buy it but it's one of the more special subtractive synths out there with many functions and sound abilities that don't exist on any other synth. It's clear the designers really tried hard to make something different here. I could give you examples but I guess you are just not into it so it will probably not be a logical discussion.

[@earlsfield]

@@xfghffhfg I would be happy for you to tell me what makes this synth special, especially with this price tag. If the filters are the selling point, I would look at Matriarch any day, especially due to the semi modular built (I love my Matriarch so much). If it is oscillators, I honestly can think of range of synths from MicroFreak/MiniFreak over Hydra, Argon, to Super 6/8/ Gemini or 3rd Wave that mix digital oscillators with analogue circuitry (Ok, hydra is full on digital). Even Minilogue xd can do most of the stuff seen here (oscillator section). Not to mention Matriarch if its about dual peak filters. I have modular filter very similar to this, it is nice, but aside of that , I really don't see what exactly is so special about this one. Happy to hear the explanation tho.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Yeah the Matriarch is a super classic and totally incredible (opinion). I’d have a hard time pulling the trigger on Mantis when Matriarch exists. Obviously sounds totally different due to the oscillators and filter. But i already own a couple of digital osc synths so i guess it’s not for me. This would be a great synth for someone who doesn’t own any odd digital oscillator synths.

[@earlsfield]

@@sub-jec-tiv With this price tag, there are probably 10 other poly synths I would go first. Only 4 voices and somewhat "para" approach than real polyphony. It costs almost as REV2 - c mon.

[@Dead_Welsh]

Another great video, will you be making one on the Malevolent?

[@loopop]

Thanks! Probably not, a lot of people covered it and it's quite simple and easy to understand so I don't feel like I have much to add that's not already been said

[@christoroppolo8742]

I filled the user bank immediately it’s a beast and very capable. The sync to external clock still needs work for external devices hopefully it will be done soon. 👽

[@entropybentwhistle]

Didn’t the rep at Superbooth say the paraphony was kicked up to 4 voice polyphany after they did some tinkering?

[@loopop]

yes, I explain that in the video

[@luisbarrera5740]

I don't like the sounds. Based on the performance, it seems like an incomplete synthesizer. I do like the oscillator drift and its twin filter gimmick. But ultimately, I don't find it compelling enough to consider. Shame. I wanted to like it. TEO5 it is then.

[@gooneybird808]

I liked the first one better

[@Expectaz]

Yes!

[@danwentz]

Interesting times we live in, I’ve lost count of new synths!

[@TwinCitiesOxygen]

How was the latency on the knob adjustments?

[@loopop]

I demo this in the video - you can judge for yourself whether it's acceptable or not

[@SonicVibe]

Sounds great 👍

[@lachopakapura]

Great review as always... But I don't know... I don't hear any sounds that my trusty rev2 can't do.

[@loopop]

Thanks! The rev2 is awesome, with more polyphony and very interesting sequencer, but can't make the wavetable/organ sounds nor the dual filter and distorted sounds this can, and the reverb is quite different

[@xfghffhfg]

I hear mostly sounds my rev2 can't do :)

[@RPLKTR]

Intriguing synth but Minilogue Xd is right there costing 3X less for twice the voices.

[@loopop]

It's cheaper for sure and gives Mantis a good fight, I just want to correct your observation about voices. Except for the filters, both have 4 voices. I'm not saying Mantis is better, but the two filters in Mantis are very different and can make sounds XD can't. However, the filter on XD is per voice as opposed to global on Mantis , and XD has user oscillators and effects, so it's certainly no slouch

[@InFamousProductions]

It does have its own sound, and if I had extra cash, it would be fun to have. It does have a quasi old schools sound, but more bite for sure. That random feature pushes into an almost must have category.

[@xfghffhfg]

Why almost? every digitally controlled synth should have random, and undo :)

[@infindebula]

Hi @Loopop Will you be reviewing the Malevolent as well?

[@loopop]

@@infindebula no sorry I have too much coming up

[@cauldronofbats]

This is a real fat sounding synth.

[@ildarkinildarkin]

Obvious question from Nick Batt: Does PWM Mantis have PWM?

[@loopop]

Yes of course shown in the video

[@garyphillips725]

Strange. You click on the user's guide PDF link on the website and it downloads the Malevolent PDF. I'd like to know how much external MIDI CC control there is. Cheers!

[@loopop]

quite a lot, I got a draft - I didn't go over it one by one but it seems like every parameter that's saved with presets

[@NOLNV1]

The sound at 41:54 is god damn magical

[@tombasports]

So torn great form factor sounds that can replace a Moog sub37 but it’s missing the sequencer and led

[@InFamousProductions]

But adding an external sequencer is so easy, I think it’s ok to not have it

[@vertigev]

Oh, it's way more expensive than i assumed 😢

[@frankschneider7190]

great review! thanks. But the concept of the synth is a bit weired.

[@loopop]

Thanks! I agree with you, it's kind of doing its own thing away from the crowd

[@krakulandia]

Might be one of the best sounding analogs ever made IMHO.

[@moonshine7374]

I agree, those digital oscillators are beasts!

[@nalaeel219]

Can it BoC tho?

[@loopop]

I believe so

[@TwinCitiesOxygen]

BoC?

[@danielpirone8028]

Boards of Canada

[@TwinCitiesOxygen]

@@danielpirone8028 I’m like “blue oyster cult” Me: Mantis, we need more cowbell

[@entropybentwhistle]

@@danielpirone8028Bored of BoC. I want to know if it can BÖC!

[@vasil3089]

That chirpy sound at the end was painful even at low volume.. Thanks for another great review.

[@loopop]

Thanks but which one specifically? what time in the video?

[@bricelory9534]

​@@loopop not the OP but for me, listening through a phone, the patch at 47:51 was piercing. I'm guessing that's the one they meant.

[@TwinCitiesOxygen]

43:12 reminds me of See you by DM

[@ubustudio]

I might have missed it but there didn’t seem to be a sustain/hold function. What’s up with that? Thanks for another great review!

[@zdravkodimitrov]

There's a sustain pedal input

[@loopop]

there's a hold function in the joystick and a sustain pedal input

[@blipblip88]

Neat! Thanks.

[@_fig.8]

32:30!!!

[@juniorvicepresidentofzimba4946]

I know this is a 'good' synth cerebrally, but physically I totally hate how it makes me feel when I hear it. Just goes to show you personal tastes are pretty weirdly different.

[@TwinCitiesOxygen]

Aside from not being Polyphonic I feel like my Behringer wasp could cover a lot of this territory, I’d just have to sample it.

[@xfghffhfg]

Does your guitar cover the territory of your violin?

[@vitaobassbr]

I still dont see why the hype in this synth

[@loopop]

I actually don’t think there is hype - it was announced over a year ago and it’s now available, seemed interesting so I’m checking it out

[@vitaobassbr]

​@@loopop Yeah, I now what you mean. But before your video, I've only seen demonstrations that don't show anything other than distortion patches that I can make on my BS2 and sounds that I don't see myself using. Your video showed much more, as always. But it's not a synth for me. About the hype: I noticed on the channels that I follow that there was a hype around it. But maybe it was just an effect of my YT echo chamber.

[@d0nn13m0n0]

Filter sounds so steppy

[@colinodea2407]

See when he gets sent the Synths etc is it on loan or can he keep them. If so I wanna see what his synth room looks like 😂

[@loopop]

I keep them most of the time, and yes it's pretty insane

[@colinodea2407]

@@loopop amazing perks of the job man. Thanks for the reply

[@PC0067]

Sympa mais ça sonne comme un vst avec certes un très bon filtrage. 2 voies poly... Insuffisant.

[@theatral_manner4002]

3:07 "Quad mode"

[@dmomcilovic9185]

Not hearing anything new …same old

[@xfghffhfg]

Not reading anything new …same old

[@johanfwahlberg]

Well hello!

[@johncastello1965]

Sequential Pro 3 is still king of monophonics

[@xfghffhfg]

And you are the king of the douches

[@PLA.net-DANTE]

It's a wasp on steroids

[@kaitlyn__L]

Like Wasp and OSCar had a baby!