street priceThe Radikal Accelerator represents a significant advancement in digital synthesis, developed in the early 2000s by Radikal Technologies to establish a new benchmark in polyphonic digital sound quality. This flagship synthesizer combines cutting-edge DSP technology with an innovative design approach to deliver exceptional sonic capabilities. Featuring a comprehensive synthesis architecture, intuitive performance controls, and unique motion-sensitive technology, the Accelerator is positioned as a centerpiece instrument for professional keyboard setups, equally at home in studio production and live performance environments.
The Radikal Accelerator harnesses recent advances in DSP performance and sophisticated synthesis algorithms to achieve a sound quality previously unattainable from digital synthesizers. Each voice in this polyphonic instrument comprises an extensive array of sound-generating and modifying components, creating a versatile platform for sound design.
At the heart of the Accelerator lies a powerful synthesis engine with three oscillators per voice, offering phase modulation, time linearity modulation, oscillator synchronization, ring modulation, and sweepable waveforms. The sound-shaping capabilities extend through two digital multimode filters per voice, configurable in serial or parallel arrangements, and featuring 12dB or 24dB slopes with lowpass, highpass, bandpass, and notch responses. A notable addition is the specialized string filter, which excels at creating realistic string instrument emulations, plucked string sounds, woodwinds, and other acoustic-like timbres.
The modulation system is particularly impressive, featuring six envelope generators, three voice LFOs, and one section LFO per voice. A unique modulation and audio matrix provides unprecedented flexibility, allowing for 32 modulation slots with 50 sources and 91 destinations per part, plus 6 additional global modulation options. This matrix system enables the creation of complex, evolving sounds with modulation depth from one slot available as a modulation source for another, creating intricate modulation pathways impossible in traditional synthesizers.
The Accelerator includes a dedicated noise source with independent multimode filtering and variable signal routing for additional sonic texture. Each voice also features a three-band fully parametric EQ, allowing precise timbral placement within a mix. The comprehensive effects section includes distortion, modulation delay, phasing, Leslie simulation, chorus, and reverb, with the ability to save effects settings independently for recall when designing other sounds.
Performance-oriented features abound in the Accelerator. The 61-key velocity-sensitive keyboard with aftertouch support is surprisingly lightweight while maintaining quality construction, and includes a keyboard split option for multitimbral performance. Dedicated patch selection buttons provide immediate access to sounds without navigating through menus, while the program chain feature allows for automated patch changes during performances.
Perhaps the most innovative control feature is the built-in acceleration sensor, which converts physical movements of the keyboard into modulation data. This allows performers to control parameters such as pitch, filter frequency, or modulation depth by lifting, tilting, or gently shaking the keyboard—adding a unique expressive dimension to performances.
The sequencing capabilities include a 32-step sequencer per part that allows for adjustable step length, creating dynamic polyrhythmic sequences. Steps can be skipped or muted, and playback direction can be varied, including random options. Users can transpose sequences with the left hand while performing solos on the upper section of a split keyboard, providing intuitive live sequencing capabilities.
For sound browsing, the Accelerator offers a dedicated sound selection panel with group categorization (bass, leads, pads, FX, drums, etc.) and a particularly useful "random" button that generates new patches based on similar sounds within a particular category—often producing unexpected but musically useful results.
The Accelerator's basic configuration provides 8-voice polyphony and 2-part multitimbrality, but this can be expanded with optional DSP modules to achieve up to 32-voice polyphony and 8-part multitimbrality. These expansions not only increase the polyphony but also enable the simultaneous use of up to eight independent synthesizer sounds through the integrated multimode feature.
Tags: digital synthesizer
Country of origin / production: Germany
Recommend product to a friend| Usage Design/ Form Factor | |
|---|---|
| With Keys | |
| Archetype | |
| Digital (D) | |
| Polyphony | |
| Voices | 32 |
| Multi Timbral Capacity | 8 part(s) |
| Split/Layer | Split, dual, single, performance |
| Tone Generator / Sound Synthesis | |
| Synthesis Method | Digital Subtractive |
| Oscillators per voice | 3 |
| Programs/ Voices/ Timbres | |
| Single Voice Preset | 500 |
| Multitimbral Preset | 500 |
| Filter | |
| High-pass Filter (HPF) | |
| Band-pass Filter (BPF) | |
| Band-reject Filter (BRF/ BEF) | |
| 12dB | |
| 24dB | |
| Modulation | |
| LFO: LFO Count | 4 |
| Effects | |
| Reverb | |
| Chorus | |
| Delay | |
| Phaser | |
| Distortion | |
| Rotary Speaker | |
| Equalizer | |
| Bands | 3 |
| Sequencer | |
| Step Sequencer | |
| Max Step Count | 32 |
| Arpegiator/ Portamento | |
| Arpegiator | |
| MIDI in/ out | |
| IN | |
| OUT | |
| THRU | |
| Keys | |
| Type | Semi-weighted |
| Velocity Sensitivity | |
| Aftertouch | |
| Size | 5 |
| Number of Keys | 61 |
| Display | |
| Display type | LCD |
| Color resolution | Monochrome |
| Built-in controllers | |
| Pitch Bend Wheel | |
| Modulation Wheel | |
| External controllers | |
| Expression foot pedal | |
| Foot Controller | 1 |
| Audio out | |
| Analogue: 1/4" (6.35mm) | 4 |
| Analogue: 1/4" (6.35mm) headphones preamplified | 1 |
| Digital: optical | 1 |
| Audio in | |
| Analog 1/4" | 2 |
| Computer Interfaces | |
| USB | USB PC Link |
| USB | MIDI through USB |
| Expandability | |
| Sound Synthesis Slot | 2 |
| Power | |
| Voltage | 100-230(250)V |
| Power Supply | Built-in, internal |
| Dimensions | |
| Height | 115 mm |
| Width | 990 mm |
| Depth | 350 mm |
| Weight | 9 kg |
| Case/ body | |
| Metal&plastic | |
| Color | |
| Black | |
| Production start | 2011 |
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