Co-developed by the late Chris Huggett, the Mantis is PWM's flagship synth, a polyphonic hybrid design with high-performance digital oscillators and state-variable analogue filters. A fitting tribute to a legendary synth designer. This Synthesiser is a collaboration between the late Chris Huggett (Gnat, WASP, OSCar) and PWM (Paul Whittington). The Oscillators are generated at start-up using a combination of complex mathematics and wavetables. They run on a DSP chip that gives ultimate stability and control without compromising the unique sound. This is what makes the synth a hybrid but don't be fooled - everything after that through the mixer, gain staging and the filter is analogue. The shape control can be used with some waveshapes to add harmonics that can also be modulated. All of which gives the Mantis that signature OSCar sound. The Filter is a multi-mode state variable VCA Filter with overdrive. It is built using the SSI2164 chip in special configuration designed by Chris Huggett. There are two filters that can be fed into two analogue signal paths or combined together for extra sonic possibilities. Used in series or parallel with the width control and stereo spread you can create that distinctive sound only heard on the original OSCar. The Mantis has two digital effects: Reverb and Chorus. Reverb has a time and level adjustment but also a high and low pass filter that can be switched in to limit unwanted muddy lows and/or higher twinkles (!) Mantis has 2 ADSR envelopes and 2 LFOs but each envelope has an additional 'Sustain Fall' parameter and negative and positive velocity modulation level hardwired for convenience. 'Sustain Fall' allows you to create a natural decay before release while a key is held for greater sound design possibilities. Each envelope can also be put into repeat mode to act as an additional LFO giving you 4 to play with. Conversely the LFOs can be put into one-shot mode effectively providing 4 envelopes! The gain staging on Mantis is, of course, all analogue and is run through the SSI2164 VCAs - we have a few of them in the design! The signal is actually twice amplified to ensure the overdriven sound is warm and clips naturally. Version v1.25 Upgrade - Key Features: mow with new enhancements: - Quad mode: Full 4 Voice Polyphony with re-engineered dynamic voice allocation/Re-engineered filter envelopes and filter width for a much improved sound - Re-engineered USB device driver: Increased compatibility and stability - Patch design 'Snapshot': Pressing SHIFT + SAVE allows you to continue designing a patch but UNDO to a saved point (10 levels of undo!) - Patch randomiser: Re-designed so that parameters are now generated within ranges making it much easier to create an interesting patch every time - Full Sync for Arpeggiator and LFOs: Enhanced Auto Sync detected from USB or MIDI/Lock in LFOs and use time divisions to create complex polyrhythms - Joystick vibrato depth: Now transmits and receives MIDI according to the Joystick mod