Mayer EMI - MD850 Vibes

Mayer EMI MD850 Vibes — A Premium Digital Desktop Synth and Production Hub, Capable of a Vast Palette of Sounds.

The Austrian-made 'MD850 Vibes' represents a logical continuation of Mayer EMI's design philosophy, shrinking their previous MD900 into a more portable desktop unit without compromising on sound quality or features. It's a 24-voice multi-timbral polyphonic polyphonic true stereophonic digital synthesizer which runs on their extended virtual analog (XVA) sound engine.

This is a desktop synthesizer where stereo isn't an afterthought - it's the foundation of its entire signal path. From the oscillators through the filters to the effects, everything operates in genuine stereo. This instrument is also far far more deep than what might first meet the eye.

Sound design capabilities are extensive, with two oscillators per voice offering three different models each: algorithm oscillator with eight waveforms, wavetable oscillator with more than 50 preset tables (Serum compatible), and a new 64-band resonator based on physical modeling principles. Add a sample/noise oscillator, two multimode stereo filters with over 10 different models, and a comprehensive modulation system featuring four ADSR envelopes, three LFOs, and a 24-slot modulation matrix — a sentence so long that it might put you out of breath, you get it — there's some serious sonic firepower on offer here :)

As if that wasn't enough, the MD850 Vibes has even more on offer — it can also play the role of an entire little production hub. The built-in clip launcher turns it into a nice creative performance tool, offering seven tracks (four synth parts, drums, and two MIDI tracks for external instruments) with up to eight clips per track. Add a polyphonic MIDI sequencer with recording capabilities, a drum pattern editor, and support for external controllers like Launchpad or APC Mini via the USB hosts, and you have a truly independent production environment.

The digital audio mixer with 19 stereo input channels and comprehensive routing options further expands this idea, allowing complex signal flows and real-time processing of external audio. The four synth parts and two live multi-effect stacks handle everything from reverb and delay to compression and chorus.

To tap into all of these features you've got a 5" touchscreen, five encoders, 20 navigation buttons, and color-coded macro controls. Connectivity is generous, including USB, MIDI, audio I/O, expression and sustain pedal inputs, Ethernet, and Wi-Fi. The latter enables access to a web interface for transferring presets, samples, and sequences - making the 14GB of internal storage easily accessible.

All this digital magic is housed in a metal enclosure with some elegant walnut wood front and back panels, the Vibes manages to combine a solid build quality that just got premium written all over it. The instrument's character is surprisingly deep, with bass frequencies that can go as low as 5Hz with significant energy - enough to physically vibrate your studio surroundings or possibly to generate a weak reading on the Richter-scale.

For musicians seeking a standalone, portable loop-based workflow or sound designers looking for a versatile platform with advanced wavetable and sampling capabilities, the Vibes provides a compelling bridge between the immediacy of hardware and the flexibility of software — this is a deeeep synth and it just sounds fantastic!

Features:

• 24 stereo voices powered by the XVA sound engine
• True stereophonic signal path throughout
• 4 synth parts plus 14 percussion instruments
• 2 oscillators per voice with algorithm, wavetable and resonator models
• 64-band resonator with physical modeling capabilities
• Sample/noise oscillator with configurable loop modes
• 2 stereo multimode filters with more than 10 different models
• 4 ADSR envelopes and 3 LFOs per voice
• 24-slot modulation matrix with 25 sources and 40 destinations
• Clip launcher with 7 tracks and up to 8 clips per track
• Digital audio mixer with 19 stereo input channels
• 4 synth and 2 live multi-effect stacks
• 5" color touchscreen with comprehensive control interface
• Extensive connectivity: USB, MIDI, audio I/O, Wi-Fi, Ethernet
• 14GB internal storage for presets, samples and sequences
• Elegant design with metal housing and walnut wood panels
• Compact size: 322 x 174 x 76mm, weight: 2kg
• Compatible with external controllers via USB host ports