{"product_id":"cherry-audio-elka-x","title":"CHERRY AUDIO ELKA-X","description":"\u003ch1 class=\"text-3xl font-bold md:text-5xl\"\u003eA Renaissance Synthesizer\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Cherry Audio \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElka-X\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e synthesizer is based upon the legendary Synthex, a rare Italian analog synthesizer designed by Mario Maggi and manufactured by ELKA in the early eighties. Elka-X replicates the extraordinary character of the original synth without compromising sound or functionality, thoughtfully expanding its feature set and delivering the authentic Synthex experience at a price anyone can afford.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"If it had been built by a more prestigious manufacturer, and released at a more sensible price, the ELKA Synthex could possibly have rivaled the DX7 and kept analogue from being so swamped by digital.\" - \u003c\/em\u003ePeter Forrest (1998), \u003cem\u003eThe A-Z of Analogue Synthesisers, Part One\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Synthex included a combination of uncommon and forward-looking features that stood out from other contemporary synthesizers, including highly stable digitally-controlled analog oscillators and a flexible four-pole multimode filter. Unlike most other popular synths utilizing CEM3320 filter chips in a lowpass-only configuration, the Synthex filter featured a 24 dB\/oct lowpass mode, 6 and 12 dB\/oct bandpass modes, and a 12 dB\/oct highpass mode. Along with a powerful onboard analog chorus effect, this gave the Synthex a distinct and powerful tonality. It was multitimbral, with the ability to play two separate patches simultaneously, in either split or layer mode. It even included an innovative four-track sequencer with real-time recording and transposition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs ELKA's primary market was home organs, they never gained a strong foothold in the professional synthesizer market. Sadly, the whirlwind of excitement generated by the 1983 release of Yamaha's DX digital synthesizers relegated this superb instrument to the sidelines, never to achieve the success it deserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the mid-80s, ELKA made the last Synthex for Stevie Wonder, who used it for the distinctive bass tone on his single \"Skeletons\"\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003efrom the 1987 album \u003cem\u003eCharacters\u003c\/em\u003e. Other notable users of the Synthex included Geoff Downes of the supergroup Asia, Keith Emerson, Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, Peter Howell of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, and Jean-Michel Jarre, who used it extensively on \u003cem\u003eRendezvous\u003c\/em\u003e and for his famed \"laser harp\" sound.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eX-pertly Extended and Enhanced!\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach aspect of Elka-X has been precisely modeled upon Cherry Audio's pristine vintage Synthex. Every effort was taken to emulate the prized tone of the original's DCOs, dynamic filter, and stunning chorus. We've preserved the innovative sound-sculpting and performance features such as layering and keyboard split, and hugely improved the original's clunky step sequencer.\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce again, Cherry Audio has kept the soul of a classic alive while updating its feature set for modern studio environments. We've increased the polyphony, included mono and unison modes, and added velocity response that was absent from the original design. We've expanded the functionality of the filter and the LFOs, greatly extending the modulation options. We not only simplified the operation of the four-track step sequencer but added a complete arpeggiator with independent assignments for both layers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUnique panel controls make it painless to exchange settings between layers, sequencer tracks, and even different presets. In addition to the chorus effect found in the original, Elka-X adds studio-quality echo and reverb stereo effects, with independent settings for both layers. With additional touches such as chord memory, over 600 pro patches, and flexible MIDI mapping, Cherry Audio's Elka-X brings the authentic and expanded Synthex experience roaring into the 21st century.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIntroduction to Elka-X Video Series\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo get users up and running on the fabulous Elka-X, Cherry Audio and Tim Shoebridge have teamed up to create a series of introductory videos that walk through its extraordinary features and sound.\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eElka-X Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo part multitimbral operation: two different patches simultaneously playable, in either a keyboard split or stacked layer mode, with user-specified split point and discrete controls for layer volume and panning\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e16 polyphonic voices which can be layered or split across the keyboard\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePanel Control for selecting layers, with a utility function for exchanging settings between the Lower and Upper sound layers, or even between presets\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo DCO oscillators with triangle, sawtooth, square, and variable pulse waveforms and independent tuning\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eModes for polyphonic, single voice, and unison monophonic with unison detune\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePWM Cross Modulation and Ring Modulation for both oscillators\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhite or Pink Noise Generator\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCEM3320-style multimode filter with 12 or 24 dB\/oct lowpass, 6 or 12 dB\/oct bandpass, or 12 dB\/oct highpass\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo tempo-syncable LFOs\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo independent modulation sections: a fixed LFO 1 section, and performance-oriented LFO 2 section, intended for use with pitch and mod wheel controllers\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLFO 1 has triangle, sawtooth, ramp, bipolar square, unipolar square, and random waveforms; LFO 2 triangle waveform only\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eADSR Filter and Amplifier envelope generators with Velocity control\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMulti Trigger for the ADSR Filter and Amplifier envelope generators (in monophonic modes)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChord Memory and Oscillator 2 sync\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTempo Sync buttons for LFO 1 and 2, Sequencer rate, Arpeggio rate, and Echo rate for easy sync to DAW project tempo\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStep Sequencer consisting of four individual monophonic sequences, each with a user-definable length of up to 128 steps, assignable to either layer, and stored with the preset\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStep Sequencer utility operation for copying, swapping, and moving sequencer data between tracks, or from one presets to another\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGlide (pitch envelope) and Portamento (standard glide), independently enabled for each oscillator\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArpeggiator with tempo sync, independently assignable to both layers\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStudio-quality chorus, echo delay, and reverb effects, including our acclaimed \"Galactic\" reverb algorithm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCherry Audio's popular Focus zoom-in feature, as well as standard UI zoom and resize with drag\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver 600 presets created by a talented and diverse group of sound design veterans\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComplete MIDI control and DAW automation for all controls, with easy-to-use MIDI learn\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePreset and Global level MIDI mapping\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHighly optimized coding for optimal performance with ultra-low CPU load\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUser-adjustable oversampling control\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eElka-X \u003c\/strong\u003eis available in AU, VST, VST3, AAX, and standalone formats.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA free 30-day demo of Elka-X is available. This demo will play white noise periodically, but is otherwise unlimited.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003emacOS Requirements: macOS 10.13 or above. macOS 13 Ventura supported. 64-bit required. Native Apple M1 or greater processor support, including Ultra. 3.4 GHz Quad-Core or M1 CPU with 8GB of RAM recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWindows Requirements: Windows 7 or above (including Windows 11), 64-bit required. Quad-core computer with 8GB of RAM recommended.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNOTE: Internet connection required for product activation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ciframe width=\"584\" height=\"329\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/M0X7vKww6rg\" title=\"Elka-X Synthesizer | Cherry Audio\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e","brand":"CHERRY AUDIO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44903393067181,"sku":null,"price":59.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0606\/3449\/7197\/files\/elka-x-ui-01_imresizer.jpg?v=1761588850","url":"https:\/\/www.detroitmodular.com\/products\/cherry-audio-elka-x","provider":"Detroit Modular","version":"1.0","type":"link"}