Image: Creator:SynthAddict, CC BY-SA 4.0 — via Wikimedia Commons
Alesis Andromeda A6
| Category | Electronic (analog polyphonic synthesizer) |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | USA |
| Classification | analog synthesizer, synthesizer model |
| Wikipedia | en.wikipedia.org |
| Wikidata | Q1768842 |
Overview
The Alesis Andromeda A6 is a sixteen-voice analog polyphonic synthesizer released in 2000. It uses fully analog signal paths with digital control, providing two oscillators per voice, multiple filter modes, and extensive modulation routing. It was the most ambitious modern analog polyphonic synthesizer at the time of its release and is still one of the largest fully-analog polysynths ever produced commercially.
Origin & History
By the late 1990s most synthesizer manufacturers had moved entirely to digital and virtual-analog designs. Alesis, best known for its drum machines and recording products, set out to revive true analog polyphony at a high voice count. The Andromeda A6 was the result, designed around custom analog integrated circuits and a deep MIDI-controllable architecture. Production lasted only a few years; the instrument has since become a sought-after vintage piece.
How It’s Played
The A6 is played from its 61-key keyboard or controlled externally over MIDI. Each of the sixteen voices is independent and fully analog, allowing complex polyphonic patches with no voice-stealing on dense chords. The control surface is dense, with dedicated knobs for many parameters and a colour graphic display. Modulation matrices and per-voice modulation make complex evolving patches straightforward.
Cultural Significance
The Andromeda A6 occupies a particular niche in synthesizer history as the bridge between the lean digital years and the broad analog revival of the 2010s. Its release was a statement that true analog polyphony still had value at a time when the market had largely abandoned it. Today it is a benchmark reference for any modern manufacturer attempting a similar large-voice analog instrument.
Related Instruments
- Sequential Circuits Prophet-5 – a classic polyphonic ancestor
- Oberheim OB-Xa – another classic analog polysynth
- Yamaha CS-80 – an earlier polyphonic flagship
- Korg Kronos – a modern multi-engine workstation contrast
- Doepfer A-100 – a contemporary modular analog system
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Andromeda A6 truly analog?
Yes. The signal path is fully analog, with digital control over patch memory, MIDI, and modulation routing.
How many voices does the A6 have?
Sixteen, each fully independent and fully analog.
Is the Andromeda A6 still in production?
No. Production ended in the mid-2000s and the instrument has not been reissued.
Image: photograph by SynthAddict, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
