The Polivoks (also occasionally referred to as the Polyvox; Russian: Поливокс) is a duophonic, analog synthesizer manufactured and marketed in the Soviet Union between 1982 and 1990. It is arguably the most popular and well-known Soviet synthesizer in the West, likely due to the uniqueness of both its appearance and sound.
A short demonstration of sounds created by a Formanta Polivoks synthesiser
The Polivoks was designed at the Urals Vector plant, but actual production was handled at the Formanta Radio Factory in Kachkanar, Russian SFSR.[1] It was intended to appear and sound similar to American and Japanese synthesizers from companies such as Roland, Moog, and Korg. The Polivoks was engineered by circuit designer Vladimir Kuzmin with the appearance of the instrument influenced by his wife Olimpiada,[2] who took inspiration from the design of Soviet military radios. Its retail price upon release was 920 roubles and over its lifetime around 100,000 Polivoks were manufactured - sometimes with a production rate of up to 1,000 units a month.[3] But accordingly to information shared by Vladimir Kuzmin only 200-300 Polvokses were produced per month.[4] It means that total number cannot be more than 32000.
The Polivoks has some features that are either unusual or uncommon on most analog mono synthesizers including a filter that can be switched from low pass to bandpass and two envelopes that can be looped over the AD sections.[5]
Due to its unique history and relative rarity, the Polivoks has become popular as much for its unique sounds as for its aesthetics. It is often used by bands who take inspiration from the Soviet chic movement, as well as the ostalgie phenomenon in the former East Germany.
The Polivoks was used prominently on indie-rock band Franz Ferdinand's 2009 album Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, especially in the songs "Ulysses" and "Lucid Dreams" according to music critic Simon Maes.
The Polivoks was used by the Russian indie-metal band KanZer, in song "Pepel" and "Plat'e"
The Polivoks is also being used in trash-electro project of Kuba Kristo, Crashed Disco Balls, according to Bottomlayer.org
The Polivoks was used to compose music for the 2016 video game Doom.[7]
The Polivoks was also used to compose music for the 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077.[8]
Recreations and imitationsedit
Hardwareedit
Engineers Alexey Taber and Alex Pleninger worked together with original Polivoks designer Vladimir Kuzmin on a limited run of 100 units for a faithful reissue of the original synthesizer in a keyboardless, compact desktop format.[9]
Russian company Elta Music produces another compact desktop version called "Polivoks-M" (or "Polivoks Mini")[10]
Latvia-based Erica Synths provides a range of DIY kits for Polivoks-inspired modules in Eurorack modular synthesizer format. The modules include: VCO, mixer, modulator, VCA, VCF, and ADSR. These designs are available in form of DIY kits (the user receives the PCB, panel and components, and has to solder and assemble them by themselves) as well as prebuilt modules.[11][12]
The Harvestman manufactures Eurorack modules cloning the Polivoks functions, including the oscillator, filter,[13] modulator, VCA and ADSR. These modules were designed in collaboration with the original Polivoks designer Vladimir Kuzmin.
Papareil Synth Labs provides a PCB for a DIY clone of a Polivoks Filter.[14]
Mutable Instruments used to offer a Polivoks filter board for the now discontinued Shruthi synthesizer.[15]
Mutable Instruments type hardware kits including Polivoks type filter are now available via TubeOhm as Phoenix.[16]
In July 2021, Vladimir Kuzmin announced a Partnership with the Company Behringer to rerelease the Polivoks Synthesizer.
Softwareedit
A VSTi plugin has been developed that emulates the design, functionality and sound of the Polivoks, called "Polyvoks Station".
A Rack Extension (RE) has been developed for Propellerhead's Reason software by Red Rock Sound, called "Ivoks Electromusical Synthesizer".
The vintage subtractive VST-Synthesizer "Sawer" attempts to emulate "Polivoks" filters and envelopes (not oscillators) has been developed by Image-Line Software
Formanta Polivoks | hi-res picture, demo and manual
Industrial Music Electronics (formerly The Harvestman) part of the IRON CURTAIN ELECTRONICS system created in collaboration with Vladimir Kuzmin, the designer of the original POLIVOKS synthesizer
April 27, 2024
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The Polivoks also occasionally referred to as the Polyvox Russian Polivoks is a duophonic analog synthesizer manufactured and marketed in the Soviet Union between 1982 and 1990 It is arguably the most popular and well known Soviet synthesizer in the West likely due to the uniqueness of both its appearance and sound A working Formanta Polivoks synthesiser PolivoksManufacturerFormanta Radio FactoryDates1982 1990Technical specificationsPolyphony1 2Oscillator2 with triangle saw square and two different pulse settingsLFOTriangle square noise S amp HSynthesis typeAnalog SubtractiveFilterLowpass or bandpassAttenuatorADSR for VCF ADSR for VCAAftertouch expressionNoneVelocity expressionNoneStorage memoryNoneInput outputKeyboard48 keyExternal controlNone source source A short demonstration of sounds created by a Formanta Polivoks synthesiser The Polivoks was designed at the Urals Vector plant but actual production was handled at the Formanta Radio Factory in Kachkanar Russian SFSR 1 It was intended to appear and sound similar to American and Japanese synthesizers from companies such as Roland Moog and Korg The Polivoks was engineered by circuit designer Vladimir Kuzmin with the appearance of the instrument influenced by his wife Olimpiada 2 who took inspiration from the design of Soviet military radios Its retail price upon release was 920 roubles and over its lifetime around 100 000 Polivoks were manufactured sometimes with a production rate of up to 1 000 units a month 3 But accordingly to information shared by Vladimir Kuzmin only 200 300 Polvokses were produced per month 4 It means that total number cannot be more than 32000 The Polivoks has some features that are either unusual or uncommon on most analog mono synthesizers including a filter that can be switched from low pass to bandpass and two envelopes that can be looped over the AD sections 5 Due to its unique history and relative rarity the Polivoks has become popular as much for its unique sounds as for its aesthetics It is often used by bands who take inspiration from the Soviet chic movement as well as the ostalgie phenomenon in the former East Germany Contents 1 Notable uses 2 Recreations and imitations 2 1 Hardware 2 2 Software 3 References 4 External linksNotable uses editThe Polivoks was used prominently on indie rock band Franz Ferdinand s 2009 album Tonight Franz Ferdinand especially in the songs Ulysses and Lucid Dreams according to music critic Simon Maes The Polivoks was used by the Russian indie metal band KanZer in song Pepel and Plat e The Polivoks was used by Goldfrapp on their 2003 album Black Cherry 6 The Polivoks is also being used in trash electro project of Kuba Kristo Crashed Disco Balls according to Bottomlayer org The Polivoks was used to compose music for the 2016 video game Doom 7 The Polivoks was also used to compose music for the 2020 video game Cyberpunk 2077 8 Recreations and imitations editHardware edit Engineers Alexey Taber and Alex Pleninger worked together with original Polivoks designer Vladimir Kuzmin on a limited run of 100 units for a faithful reissue of the original synthesizer in a keyboardless compact desktop format 9 Russian company Elta Music produces another compact desktop version called Polivoks M or Polivoks Mini 10 Latvia based Erica Synths provides a range of DIY kits for Polivoks inspired modules in Eurorack modular synthesizer format The modules include VCO mixer modulator VCA VCF and ADSR These designs are available in form of DIY kits the user receives the PCB panel and components and has to solder and assemble them by themselves as well as prebuilt modules 11 12 The Harvestman manufactures Eurorack modules cloning the Polivoks functions including the oscillator filter 13 modulator VCA and ADSR These modules were designed in collaboration with the original Polivoks designer Vladimir Kuzmin Papareil Synth Labs provides a PCB for a DIY clone of a Polivoks Filter 14 Mutable Instruments used to offer a Polivoks filter board for the now discontinued Shruthi synthesizer 15 Mutable Instruments type hardware kits including Polivoks type filter are now available via TubeOhm as Phoenix 16 In July 2021 Vladimir Kuzmin announced a Partnership with the Company Behringer to rerelease the Polivoks Synthesizer Software edit A VSTi plugin has been developed that emulates the design functionality and sound of the Polivoks called Polyvoks Station A Rack Extension RE has been developed for Propellerhead s Reason software by Red Rock Sound called Ivoks Electromusical Synthesizer The vintage subtractive VST Synthesizer Sawer attempts to emulate Polivoks filters and envelopes not oscillators has been developed by Image Line Software Leonardo Laguna Ruiz developed Vortex module which emulates a Polivoks filter for virtual modular software VCV https modlfo github io VultModules vortex References edit The A Z of Analog Synthesisers Part Two N Z by Peter Forrest page 290 Interview with Vladimir Kuzmin at http analogik com instrument polivoks asp Archived 2006 05 03 at the Wayback Machine The A Z of Analog Synthesisers Part Two N Z Kuzmin Vladimir 2009 Polivoks History of a one synthesizer Zvukirejisser Sound Engineer in Russian 9 Formanta Polivoks Synthesizer Sound On Sound July 2010 Archived from the original on 8 June 2015 Humberstone Nigel Jul 2003 Will Gregory Recording Black Cherry Sound On Sound United Kingdom Retrieved 2023 06 21 DOOM Behind The Music Part 2 Cyberpunk 2077 Official Score amp Soundtrack Behind the Scenes Video Polivoks http polivoks pro www eltamusic com www eltamusic com Retrieved 2019 04 11 Erica Synths DIY projects Erica Synths Archived from the original on 2015 10 11 Retrieved 2015 10 15 Black Polivoks VCF V2 Erica Synths Retrieved 2020 06 05 The harvestman polivoks vcf The harvestman digital audio electronics MODEL R1982 POLIVOKS VCF Archived from the original on 2015 11 07 Retrieved 2015 10 15 Polivoks filter clone by Papareil Synth Labs http m bareille free fr modular1 vcf polivoks vcf polivoks htm Polivoks filter board for Shruthi by Mutable Instruments Shruthi Polivoks filter board Mutable Instruments Archived from the original on 2015 10 16 Retrieved 2015 10 16 Polivoks filter board for Phoenix by TubeOhm TubeOhm Instruments Phoenix www tubeohm com Retrieved 2020 06 16 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Polivoks Polivoks Russian vintage synth Polyvox on Synthmuseum com Polyvox via Museum of Soviet Synthesizers Polyvoks Station VSTi http www esnips com doc 58a13ee1 727d 4c67 87f6 d7c6a7767173 Polivoks synthesizer demo permanent dead link Formanta Polivoks hi res picture demo and manual Industrial Music Electronics formerly The Harvestman part of the IRON CURTAIN ELECTRONICS system created in collaboration with Vladimir Kuzmin the designer of the original POLIVOKS synthesizer Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Polivoks amp oldid 1161294282, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
