Analogue Solutions Treadstone £499

Analogue Solutions return with a new kid on the SynthBlock – the Treadstone synth. Bruce Aisher found out more

- Bruce Aisher

UK synth stalwarts Analogue Solutions are back with the latest instalment in their ‘SynthBlocks’ trilogy, the Tread stone ‘Analogue Synth and Sound Maker’. These are small desktop units that sit somewhere between self-contained sound generator/processors and patchable modular-style building blocks. Tread stone (a Bourne novel reference) is the most knob/switch/ socket-laden of the Synth Blocks so far - a fact reflected in its higher price. I was expecting great things from this diminutive, but rugged, box.

In simple terms, Tread stone is a patchable single oscillator analogue synth with MIDI and CV control. Power is derived from the included 12V DC adapter and all external interfacing (including the MIDI input) is via 3.5mm jack sockets. Analogue Solutions provide adapters that convert the MIDI socket to a standard DIN connector and the Audio Out to a larger 1/4” socket. Plugging a keyboard or DAW MIDI output into the Tread stone gets things going, and after a quick read of the manual (to decipher the front panel graphics) I created some reassuringly analogue-sounding noises. Despite its apparent simplicity, basses, leads, drum hits and weird effects were all within its grasp - especially once you begin using the patchbay to create more complex types of modulation.