Keyboard Magazine Japan review

Discuss John Bowen Synths - Solaris
John Bowen
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Keyboard Magazine Japan review

Post by John Bowen »

Many of you have seen the scans from Keyboard Magazine Japan that I posted on the Solaris Facebook page...today I received this translation (the only part not included was a section explaining the functions):
The left page : page 38
I have been expecting a lot to play Solaris once for a long time since I saw it for the first time. It is because the front panel looked really impressive with large LCDs. Now finally I got a chance... I was surprised by its sound quality soon after I hit a key!

The most remarkable feature is... Solaris has almost all of methods of synthesis in the world we have known like the Wavetable, common virtual analog, stacked 7 saw waves called Saw Stack, and you can even playback imported audio files, too. Other noteworthy function called "Rotor Processor" can crossfade between waveforms mentioned above smoothly. Using this processor make sound-variation infinite.
You can get desired parameter easily.
You don't get lost in the enormous numbers of parameters because of the six LCDs.
In any event, the best thing is its amazing sound quality!
Solaris stands in a different class among other synthesizers.

For example, you can sequentially crossfade among 4 VCOs. You can put classic analog vintage oscillator or wavetable oscillator here, and sequence it one after another and can add some temporal alteration. I think Solaris offers the the future of sound making of synthesizer.

Solaris has so many types of filters and also they can be routed as parallel or serial as you like. They sound really rich, sounds pleasant from low end to mid range.

Solaris has complex modulation routings, but it is easy to confirm any desired routings. The only thing you have to do is push the Mod-buttons within each section. Solaris has a fully-considered user-interface, and comes near a modular synthesizer by its flexibility.

John Bowen's career as a synthesizer designer started from a operator of Moog synthesizer. Then he worked for SCI, Korg and Creamware as a synthesizer engineer. Finally he established his own company which has his name, and Solaris is the first product. Both functions and sound quality are great and it is a true super synthesizer.

Solaris is a high-end synthesizer. Solaris can produce any sound of vintage synthesizers, the sound never get too Lo-Fi or too noisy. Of course you can make it so if you want.
Also, the presets by John Bowen are really nice with full of attractions of analog, wavetable, vector synthesis, etc. Although I guaranteed its variety of sound and the fatness, the presets contain effects a lot, if you have any chance to play Solaris, try its effect-bypassed sound too. you will find bare sounds without effects are also really great. you can easily access to the bypass button beside master volume knob.
Solaris can play a role of key part in any scene, from poweful sound track, dance music to rock & pops.

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