UDO Super Gemini

20 VOICE DUAL LAYER POLYPHONIC ANALOG-HYBRID SYNTHESIZER

Stacked with up to 20 voices of polyphony, each performance is an entire spectrum of sonic opportunity in which voices and timbral layers can be split, dualled, sequenced all at the touch of a single control. Unique spectrally rich digital hardware oscillators, decorated with expansive tonal features such as wave morphing, cross & ring modulation, bi-directional sync and more, all feed into an all-analog signal path inspired by the classic vintage instruments of our past.

Matching sonic innovation with tactility, the Super Gemini is equipped with a 61-note semi-weighted keybed with polyphonic aftertouch, in addition to a custom engineered ribbon sensor for individual note articulation and a gestural way to explore your sound. With 256 performance and patch slots, 32 interchangeable waveforms and 16 sequences, you can safely store and edit your sounds without concern.

As the second synth in the ‘Super’ series, the Gemini represents a quantum leap in UDO’s technology – building on the acclaimed rich sound pioneered by George Hearn and the Super 6. Adopting a true-stereo Binaural signal path with dual FPGAs and twin effects processors, Gemini will take you on an adventure of spectral dynamics, of glittering frequency and shattering subharmonics, of comfort and discord, expectations and surprises.

UDO SUPER GEMINI technical specifications

DOWNLOAD AS PDF

overview

The UDO Super Gemini is a 20-voice polyphonic, bi-timbral synthesizer based on a hybrid of analog and digital technologies. By combining the aesthetics and sonic character of vintage-era classics with state-of-the-art synthesis technology, it was designed to be flexible, powerful and, above all, immediate – providing you with gorgeous sound times two!
Individual sound shaping controls for each of the two layers allow for simultaneous patch programming in dual and split modes while the performance control section to the left of the keyboard contains performance-related elements such as a bender, transpose and portamento controls as well as a second LFO. To further increase the expressiveness of your performance, the Super Gemini is also equipped with a custom-designed ribbon controller and a 61-note keyboard capable of polyphonic aftertouch.

DDS 1 (OSCILLATOR 1)

FPGA-based super waveform oscillator core featuring a centroid oscillator and six ‘sister’ oscillators using sampled waveforms that can be dynamically de-phased in the stereo field to produce wide and thick single-oscillator sounds in one of two ‘super modes’

Waveshapes: sine, sawtooth, square, triangle, noise and up to 32 alternative waveforms

DDS 2 (OSCILLATOR 2)

FPGA-based oscillator core running at a very high sample rate with an algorithmic core

Waveshapes: sine, sawtooth, square, triangle, variable noise (pink, white, blue), pulse with variable pulse width

Can be hard-synced to DDS 1

LFO mode

Ring modulation mode

Square wave and Sine wave sub-oscillator modes

MIXER

Controls the balance between the audio signals from DDS 1 and DDS 2 or DDS 1 and the sub oscillator

In shift mode, this parameter becomes a pan control, allowing you to position a layer within the stereo field

VOLTAGE CONTROLLED FILTER

4-pole, 24 dB per octave, analog resonant low-pass filter that uses a classic polysynth filter design by Sound Semiconductor (SSI)

1-pole, 6 dB per octave, analog high-pass filter, preceding the low-pass filter

Two overdrive settings

Selectable keyboard tracking modes

Modulation by ENV 1 and/or ENV 2, LFO 1 and DDS 2

VOLTAGE CONTROLLED AMPLIFIER

Analog VCA with selectable velocity sensitivity

Modulation by ENV 2 or one of two fixed envelopes, LFO 1 and DDS 2

envelopes

ENV 1: 6-stage envelope (attack hold, attack, decay hold, decay, sustain, release) featuring inverted and loop modes with selectable key tracking

ENV 2: 5-stage envelope (attack, decay hold, decay, sustain, release)

LFO 1

Freely assignable main LFO with low and high-frequency modes

Can be used as a standard LFO, a third oscillator, as a drone, or for audio rate modulations

Waveforms: triangle, reverse sawtooth, sample & hold and square as well as any waveform DDS 1 is currently set to

Features controls for delay and left-right phase offset for binaural modulations

Free-running, reset and one-shot modes

Can be synced to the arpeggiator and sequencer or an external clock source

DDS MODULATORS

LFO 1 and ENV 1 pitch modulation (DDS 1 and/or DDS 2)

Selectable ‘super modes’ and detune spread control for DDS 1

Wave modulation allows for morphing between two DDS 1 waveforms, modulatable by LFO 1, ENV 1 or manually

Pulse-width control for DDS 2’s pulse waveform, modulatable by LFO 1, ENV 1 or a dedicated PWM LFO

Cross and ring modulation between DDS 1 and DDS 2

EFFECTS

24-bit dual-mode stereo chorus per layer with three settings

Clock-syncable and modulatable 24-bit stereo delay per layer featuring a delay freeze function that enables you to create sound-on-sound loops while you are performing

performance control section

Two-axis bender with LFO 2 trigger and dedicated controls for DDS1/2 pitch and VCF modulation

Variable portamento per layer

Playable spring-lever keyboard octave selector

LFO 2 with rate and delay controls, selectable trigger modes, six selectable waveforms (sine, reverse sawtooth, sample & hold, square, sawtooth, sample & glide) and dedicated controls for rate, pitch, VCF and VCA modulation

expressive controls

61-note, semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive keyboard with polyphonic aftertouch

Custom-designed ribbon controller for expressive modulation control, featuring an adaptive downbend behaviour that allows you to pitch bend notes down several octaves according to the pitch of the note you play

MPE support for external MPE controllers

Overarching Controls & Parameters

Master volume, tempo and lower layer detune controls

Individual hold modes for each layer

Selectable keyboard modes for setting up a performance: Single, Dual and Split

Individual layer select buttons

Modulation Matrix

Intuitive 8x8 modulation matrix with pre-defined sources and destinations

Up to 25 more destinations can be modulated using the direct parameter mapping method

LEDs give clear feedback on mappings and modulation amounts

Voice Assign Modes

Four selectable voice assign modes including two monophonic and two polyphonic modes

Eight delectable unison modes including various stacked voice modes and two variants of filter separation per voice, useful for creating vowel-like sounds

Dynamic voice allocation when unison is enabled in both polyphonic modes

Binaural option allows for choosing between 10 true stereo ‘super voices’ or 20 non-binaural monaural voices in single layer mode

Front panel control to disable Binaural and enter fully true-mono audio output

Arpeggiator & Sequencer

MIDI-syncable multi-mode arpeggiator with smart hold option

MIDI-syncable 64-step sequencer with programmable step, slide, accent, rest and sequence length tracks

Clock parameters feature easy adjustable clock divider settings and swing per layer

Memory & File Management

256 performances (each containing 2 patches), 256 patches, 32 alternative waveforms for DDS 1 and 16 sequences

Files can easily be copied to the internal memory or backed up using the USB port

Quick firmware updates via USB connection

Connections

AC power connector for worldwide use with a standard, grounded IEC power cord (90-250 volts, 50-60 Hz)

USB port

MIDI In, Out and Thru ports on 5-pin DIN sockets

Pedal inputs: volume, expression, sustain per layer and delay freeze per layer

Stereo mix output for summed layer signals (unbalanced 1/4 inch jacks)

Individual upper and lower layer stereo outputs for individual mixing and processing (unbalanced 1/4 inch jacks)

Easy to reach headphone output on the front side with both ¼ inh and 3.5mm stereo jack sockets

size and weight

dimensions (mm): 1040l × 440w × 110h

weight: 14.5KG

the udo SUPER GEMINI