Modal Electronics Cobalt 5S Virtual Analogue Synthesizer

General

So compact, you might think it's a backpack-sized MIDI keyboard, but no: the Modal Electronics Cobalt 5S is an extensive, fully fledged virtual analogue synthesizer rammed with potential and dripping with pure class. This mini-synth has a polyphony of five to support chords as well as leads, and while most virtual-analogue synthesizers only offers up two or maybe three oscillators per voice, the Cobalt kits you out with the thick and satisfyingly rich sound of eight virtual-analogue oscillators per voice.

The Modal Electronics Cobalt5

Since this itty-bitty-beast of a synth bears the name 'Cobalt', it also bears some of the features introduced with other Cobalt models, including the mass of sound-shaping options supplied by a stack of forty algorithms and an extensive filter. Fully future-proofed, this edition also comes with MPE support, so keystrokes can be distributed across different MIDI tracks and each note can be assigned its own controllers - like pitch-bend. When it comes to pitch bend and modulation control, an X/Y/Z-pad has been planted on the left of the keyboard, replacing the more traditional joystick, and the keyboard aftertouch, pad function, and various other modulators can be freely applied to the modulation matrix.

Potent & Portable

Is that everything? Heck no! This potent little sound-design tool comes with two effects processors for chorus and stereo delay, so if you're wondering if it can get any fatter than eight oscillators per voice - it can. On top of that, full support for the free MODAL app for macOS, Windows, OS, iPadOS, Android, VST3 and AU is offered - ideal for deep-diving sonic sculpting on the fly as well as in the studio and at home. In short, this is a rafter-packed and fully portable synthesizer that presents a small mountain of potential for an insanely reasonable price.

• Please note: The tablet seen in the images serves illustrative purposes only and is not included.