Dave Smith Instruments Evolver

Released in 2002, Evolver is the very first instrument to come from Dave Smith Instruments. Dave Smith is considered a legendary figure in the synthesizer world, he founded Sequential Circuits and designed such classics as the Prophet 5 and Prophet VS, and he was a pioneer in bringing MIDI to synthesizers.
After a stint working in Software Synthesis for Seer Systems, Dave collaborated with Roger Linn on the Adrenalinn, and then officially came back to the world of hardware synthesizers. And the world was happy to find him back designing synths for a new generation of players - starting with Evolver!


The Evolver is a hands-on desktop sound module and audio processor, a true analog synthesizer that incorporates many of Dave and Sequential's old secrets, circuits and technologies. Its a monophonic synthesizer that truly packs an amazing amount of power into a compact package. It features two analog oscillators and two digital oscillators utilizing the waves from the legendary Prophet VS. Classic Curtis analog lowpass filters and real analog VCAs round out the analog section. But what really sets the Evolver apart from the rest of the pack is the way in which analog and digital are integrated. The LFOs, step sequencer, and three separate delays can all be synced for massive, rhythmic, time-based effects in stereo.


Dave Smith Instruments Evolver Features :

• Monophonic (one voice) synthesizer
• Four oscillators in total: two analog, two digital
• Analog Oscillator waveshape are Sawtooth, Triangle, Saw-Triangle, and Pulse (with voltage-controlled analog Pulse-Width modulation)
• Digital Oscillators select from 96 wavetables from the Prophet-VS (128 x 12 bits), and 32 user-loadable (via MIDI) Wavetables (128 x 16 bits). The Digital Oscillators get trashy as the frequency gets higher, as with the original VS.
• Hard Sync on the analog oscillators
• FM and Ring Mod on the digital oscillators
• Separate Glide per oscillator, with two glide modes
• Analog Voltage Controlled Amplifiers (VCA), again one for each channel.
• Dual digital 4-pole Highpass filters (one per channel); place before or after analog electronics.
• Stereo audio inputs; Noise generator
• Envelope Follower and Peak Detect from External Input to use as modulation sources
• External Input can be used to gate envelopes and/or step the Sequencer
• Three snappy ADSR envelopes
• Four LFOs (sync with sequencer and MIDI)
• Dual (left and right channel) tunable feedback loops; modulate frequency and amount
• Delay with 3 taps; each with separate time and amount modulation. Syncs to sequencer/MIDI. Normal feedback and additional feedback path through analog filters
• Distortion! Digital, one for each channel, can be placed before or after analog electronics
• 3 Banks of 128 Programs for 384 total Programs - dump to/from MIDI
• 16 x 4 Analog-style sequencer - syncs with MIDI
• Extensive Modulation capabilities, including audio-range modulation. Bipolar (+/-) modulation.
• Easy to program matrix-style front panel with 8 endless-turn rotary encoders
• Full MIDI control capability on all parameters
• The internal computer and DSP chips can be reprogrammed via MIDI, for easy feature additions

Includes power supply for 110V – 240V AC operation (13-15 VDC, 500 mA) and operation manual.


Synth guru Dave Smith of Dave Smith Instruments designed the Evolver Analog Synthesizer to create entirely original sounds from the interaction of analog and digital electronics, especially with the extensive use of tunable feedback. When things get weird, the Evolver Synthesizer's analog circuitry keeps the signal in line just enough to make wild sounds instead of pain. And the feedback is constantly moving differently in each path, providing some very cool stereo ambiance to the sounds.

Dave Smith Instruments Evolver Specifications :

• Oscillators: 2 digitally controlled analog oscillators (DCOs) with selectable sawtooth, triangle, saw/triangle mix, and pulse waves (with pulse-width modulation), and hard sync; 2 digital wavetable oscillators with Prophet VS waves and wave sequencing capability, FM and ring modulation.
• White noise generator.
• 2 Low-pass filters: 1 analog Curtis filter per channel, selectable 2- and 4-pole operation (self-resonating in 4-pole mode).
• 3 Envelope Generators: filter, VCA, and assignable (four-stage ADSR).
• 4 LFOs.
• Glide (portamento): separate rates per oscillator.
• Analog VCAs.
• Digital high-pass filter.
• Digital delays: 3 separate, syncable, stereo delay lines.
• Tuned feedback with "Grunge": use feedback as a pitched sound source.
• Distortion and "Output Hack."
• 16 x 4 step sequencer.
• 512 fully editable programs (four banks of 128).
• 10.75" wide, 6" deep, and 1.5" high (27 x 15 x 4 cm).
• Weight: 5.3 pounds

Ins and Outs :

• MIDI In, Out, and Thru.
• Stereo audio input: 1/4" unbalanced.
• Stereo audio output: 1/4" unbalanced.

Includes power supply for 110V – 240V AC operation (13-15 VDC, 500 mA) and operation manual.