Joy of Synths #38 Deals!

Hey, this is a July 4, 2025 buying guide. Items below are either newly released or on sale for a short window.

Pittsburgh Modular (PM) released three new modules on July 2, 25. Visit their site for more info, manuals, and to purchase. In short, Crow 3 ($199) is a filter with gain, Double Helix Wavetable Processor ($299) is a digital wavetable oscillator, and Local Parks 2 ($199) is a reverb-ish delay module. I wound up buying two modules after 2AM this morning so that came up to $498 + $8.50 shipping. More on Safari in a few paragraphs.

Next up is the Moog Labyrinth for $489 from Sweetwater, down from $599. Given that this semi-modular synthesizer was the $9 less than two PM modules, I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing out. Turns out I'm not. Labyrinth has one oscillator with a sine wave and a triangle wave LFO called “Mod VCO” that can be sent into a wave folder for creating Harmonics (Overtones). The big draw is its two sequencers and the ability to alter them and randomize. In terms of wavefolding it did not sound so great in demo videos and comments by owners said it took a while to learn how to produce interesting results. The envelope generator only has a decay control, so the result is similar to a percussive lopass gate rather than the attack of a slow rise to volume offered by an envelope generator. You can use the patch bay to override with an external envelope control voltage, however that’s a bit of a limitation.

If you want a lower cost wave folding semi-modular synthesizer then look to the $249 West Pest by Cre8audio, designed by PM. It also has 1 oscillator, an LFO for frequency modulation, wave folder and dynamics controller (lopass gate). But yeah, like the Labyrinth, its dynamics controller has decay controls only, though it does have a digital envelope generator within the buttons. Unlike its predecessor, the Voltage Research Lab 1, West Pest omits Function Generators and Delay circuits, amongst other details. The Function Generator would allow for controlling attack and decay, given that the Dynamics Controller does not have an attack dial. West Pest has 1 sequencer with random and arpeggiator settings, so like the East Beast’s sequencer it is capable of generative patches.

This builds up to the Instruo Seashell for a non-sale price of $799. Researching the Seashell led to a better understanding of its approach to synthesis and music creation. The next newsletter will share what I gathered about the Seashell from the manual, site, and videos.

Now we return to Pittsburgh Modular. While the Voltage Research Lab 2 has a price drop to around $1640, that is $140 above its Cyber Monday 2024 price drop to $1500. However, Taiga Keyboard is again at a Cyber Monday price drop of $999 from $1299. While the Safari modules are only available directly from Pittsburgh Modular, Taiga Keyboard is available from music stores/sites.

Amazon as seller and shipper has a return policy that may (or not) charge return shipping but no restocking fee. Make sure you select “gift” so Amazon packages the product box in a protective box and hold onto both boxes. Taiga Keyboard is big and a heavy 21 pounds so paying actual shipping costs for a return may be quite expensive. However, 30 days is the longest window for instrument returns without restocking fee for music retailers.

Taiga Keyboard is a much larger synth with a 37 key keyboard. I would recommend this over any other wavefolder synth because it does have an analog Echo, three wavefolding oscillators, a filter and separate low pass gate, 2 Envelope Generators and a keyboard with sequencer and arpeggiator, and a 24 HP Eurorack rack expansion bay built in. So you get a lot for the reduced $999 price. Taiga Keyboard’s oscillators are updated from the Taiga desktop synth and adds an additional LFO.

Is Taiga Keyboard worth two Moog Labyrinths? Yes, absolutely, as Labyrinth has a single double duty headphone/line out and no USB MIDI, proper Envelope Generator, or echo or delay. So two of that isn’t particularly useful.

Taiga Keyboard is a better starter synth than the Taiga desktop unit. A MIDI/CV keyboard like the Swing is now $169, so it’s about breakeven between the two cost wise, but again, Taiga Keyboard allows you to grow with the instrument.

How does Taiga Keyboard rate against the Moog Messenger Monophonic Analog Synthesizer ($899)? The 1/4” audio outputs are similar and both feature USB MIDI as well as MIDI IN and MIDI OUT (thanks to keyboards). However, Messenger only has 3 Control Voltage input patch points for Clock In, CV In (Volt per Octave/pitch), and Gate In (to trigger an envelope generator attached to Voltage Controlled Amplifier.) Take that concern with a grain of salt as Messenger does have a lot of pre-wired modulation as does the Taiga Keyboard. The lack of patch points means you can’t bring in or send out any modulation from the Messenger. HOWEVER, despite not having effects whatsoever (why?!), the Moog Messenger has 32 keys and weighs in at below 11 pounds versus Taiga Keyboard’s 37 keys at 20 pounds. Unlike Taiga Keyboard, Messenger is able to store presets, which gives the appearance that it is practical for folks who need to recall sounds for performance.

It’s all a question of the self contained system of the Moog Messenger versus “breaking apart” sections and sending audio signals and control voltage to other modules and instruments that is possible with the Taiga Keyboard’s patch points. It’s nice to be able to use parts of the Taiga Keyboard with another semi-modular synthesizer, as well as build out the Taiga Keyboard with new Eurorack modules in its Expansion Rack.

If you want the smallest form factor without a built in sequencer or keyboard but more MIDI controls than the Moog Labyrinth plus the ability to store presets, that's where the Instro Seashell seems to shine. However, as the Instruo is $799, one could argue that for $200 more the Taiga Keyboard offers a keyboard controller and two more oscillators. However, if you are a traveling person then the Instruo Seashell can easily fit in a backpack and has an internal modulation Matrix that is set up with its free software controller. Seashell’s Audio over USB removes the need for an audio interface for recording directly into a computer/laptop.

I already own the Taiga Keyboard so adding two Pittsburgh Modular Series 9 Eurorack modules to its Eurorack expansion bay increases Taiga Keyboard’s sonic capability without having to learn an entire semi-modular instrument from zero, given the time I’ve already spent with the Taiga Keyboard.

To flip that around, would it be better to get the Instruo Seashell for $799 vs. $700 for all 3 Safari Series 9 modules? That’s long been my struggle with Eurorack: It’s expensive! If I didn’t own the Taiga Keyboard but had a Eurorack, I’d still get the two that I bought. However, you could buy and East Beast, and West Pest ($500) plus Assembler ($300) and have a few more sonic capabilities than the Instruo Seashell, but again, if you want to travel with a semi-modular synth and laptop then the Instruo Seashell is a great value.

That was what was irking me about looking at additional wavefolding synths - synths were different yet not necessarily more interesting than the Taiga Keyboard or the IMPLEXUS. To that end, I prefer the March 2024 Taiga Keyboard over its predecessor synth the 2019 Voltage Research Lab 1 and successor the May 2024 Voltage Research Lab 2, in comparison. But I can say that mostly because I own two harmonic interpolation flamingo modules, which perform the center clipping that is in the Voltage Research Lab 2. Or rather the harmonic interpolation flamingo may have been an initial iteration of that center clipping circuit that is featured in the Voltage Research Lab 2.

Cre8audio’s Assembler multi-channel analog mixer is available at Alto Music for $299 with free shipping. I was initially looking at that for purchase, however, after seeing the release of the new Pittsburgh Modular Safari Series 9 modules, I determined I already own a few PM Eurorack mixer modules (2+2 attenuator (no gain) and Stereo Okapi). Getting a Digital Wavetable module and a reverb style effect module makes more sense to my interests.

Finally, we finish where we started. Pittsburgh Modular’s modules are produced in short runs. Does it mean that they're actually going to sell out over July 4 weekend? They might, though the Crow 3 has a potential run of 500, Local Florist 2 is 300 and yet to be released, and Double Helix Wavetable Processor is shipping starting Monday 7/7/25 and is said to have a run of 200 units according to PM’s YouTube livestream here from July 2, 2025. For context the first Local Florist seemed to sell out in a few days a few years back. This is why I bought them after 2 AM on July 3, the following morning after their release.

Alright. Have a great holiday. And yeah, I started yesterday excited about a used Moog Subharmonicon for $499 at a local Guitar Center. That used instrument sold same day. If you’re interested, another pre-owned one can be ordered from Guitar Center Atlanta for $399 plus shipping.

The next newsletter will focus on Instruo’s Seashell based on evaluating their site, manual and video. It is not a user review given that I’m short the $500 invested in PM Safari modules.

Have a great Fourth of July weekend! Cheers, Anthony / Joy of Synths.

All Contents Copyright Anthony Torres 2025. All rights reserved.