Polymode

Cherry Audio's Polymode is a meticulous digital emulation of the Moog Polymoog, one of the first commercially viable polyphonic synthesizers and a cornerstone of 1970s soundtrack work. Unlike straightforward recreations, Polymode addresses the original's operational complexity and reliability issues while expanding its sonic palette considerably.

The instrument's defining characteristic is its paraphonic architecture, which routes multiple oscillator pairs through individual filter channels before summing to a master output. This parallel signal path creates tonal complexity difficult to achieve with conventional subtractive synthesis. Each voice layer can access simultaneous sawtooth and pulse waves, providing tonal flexibility within the paraphonic framework.

Polymode's filter section accurately models the original's resonant multimode designs, complemented by a classic 24dB Moog-style ladder filter. The resonators section includes notch filtering and adjustable slopes, expanding harmonic shaping possibilities beyond the original hardware. Modulation routing is comprehensive - LFOs, envelope generators, velocity, and pressure can modulate nearly every parameter, enabling the animated, evolving textures the original was prized for.

The effects chain includes ensemble, phaser, tempo-synced echo, and reverb, with a dedicated Solina-inspired tri-chorus particularly useful for thickening pad sources. At 32-voice polyphony with full MIDI and DAW automation, Polymode suits producers working with string arrangements, atmospheric pads, and vocal textures where harmonic richness justifies its CPU footprint. The 150+ presets serve as both usable starting points and education in the paraphonic approach. Against modern polyphonic synthesizers, Polymode occupies a specific niche - less flexible than wavetable instruments, but sonically distinct and historically grounded.