Polyphenom 2
Key Features
- Three oscillators combining 16-partial additive synthesis with two 200-waveform wavetable oscillators, ring modulation, oscillator sync, and noise
- FM synthesis on the additive harmonics with sine and triangle modes and dynamic modulation of the FM signal itself
- Complex harmonic randomizer that generates unpredictable additive partial configurations for experimental sound design
- Multi-mode filter with low-pass, band-pass, notch, and high-pass options, plus inverse stereo LFO modulation for wide spatial effects
- Analog-style LFOs for every parameter in free-running or tempo-synced modes with additional waveform shapes added in version 2
- User-loadable wavetables in the subtractive oscillators, allowing import of custom single-cycle waveforms and third-party wavetable sets
- Built-in effects suite including panner, bitcrusher, phaser, delay, chorus, and reverb with over 250 factory presets
Description
Polyphenom 2 by Ocean Swift Synthesis is a hybrid polyphonic synthesizer that blends additive, wavetable, subtractive, and FM synthesis into a single instrument. It builds significantly on the original Polyphenom with user-loadable wavetables, new filter modes, expanded LFO shapes, and a dynamic preset system.
At its core are three oscillators: one additive oscillator with 16 individually controllable harmonic partials, plus two wavetable oscillators loaded with over 200 waveforms and the ability to import custom wavetables. Ring modulation, oscillator sync, and a noise generator round out the raw sound sources.
The additive oscillator doubles as an FM engine, applying frequency modulation to the harmonics with sine and triangle carrier modes. A dedicated randomizer in the additive section encourages experimental sound design by generating unpredictable partial configurations with a single click.
Filtering covers low-pass, band-pass, notch, and high-pass modes, each driven by its own envelope and LFO with an inverse stereo modulation option that widens the stereo image. Users have praised the synth for its distinctly metallic yet warm character, calling it especially rewarding for hands-on sound designers who enjoy shaping tones from scratch rather than relying solely on presets.
The built-in effects chain includes a panner, bitcrusher, phaser, delay, chorus, and reverb. Over 250 factory presets by Faxi Nadu and Atom Sessions ship with the plugin, and additional DLC packs add another 200-plus patches.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What types of synthesis does Polyphenom 2 combine?
Polyphenom 2 merges additive, wavetable, subtractive, and FM synthesis in a single interface. The additive oscillator provides 16 individually tunable harmonic partials, while two wavetable oscillators offer over 200 waveforms with the option to load your own custom wavetables.
Can I load my own wavetables into Polyphenom 2?
Yes, version 2 introduced user-loadable wavetables in the subtractive oscillator section. You can import single-cycle waveforms or full wavetable files, and Ocean Swift also released a companion tool called Wavetabler for creating and converting wavetables between different synth formats.
Is Polyphenom 2 CPU-intensive?
Some users report that Polyphenom 2 can be demanding on CPU resources, particularly when stacking multiple instances or using complex additive patches with all 16 partials active. Freezing or bouncing tracks is recommended if you experience performance issues in larger sessions.
How many presets are included?
The synth ships with over 250 factory presets designed by Faxi Nadu and Atom Sessions. Additional DLC preset packs are available that add over 200 more patches, including the Turning the Tables pack which specifically showcases the wavetable oscillator capabilities.
