Synthesisers

Notes: ***B-STOCK: Slight surface marks ***


Part of Sonicware's brilliant Liven series of affordable, creative groove boxes, the Ambient O packs in layers of drone, textures and noise sources to create engrossing soundscapes. Creative, experimental fun.

*** Firmware version 1.5 update- March 2025 ***

Temperament Settings for Each Track

In addition to the standard 12-tone equal temperament, you can now set 7 different temperaments per pattern, including Pure intonation, Pythagorean tuning, and Solfeggio frequencies.

64 Sound Pattern Palettes

Featuring 32 newly added sounds & patterns, along with 16 Sound Healing Vibes sounds.

Relaxation Playback Mode

Arrange your favourite patterns, set repeats and fade-outs, then let it gently fill your space with ambient sound. (Seamless pattern changes improved: if sound settings remain the same, transitions will now be smooth without audio interruptions.)

Master Tune Now Adjustable in Hz?Master tuning, previously adjustable in cents, can now also be set in Hz increments (410 - 470 Hz).

Line In Selectable on NOISE Layer

The NOISE layer can now be selected to Line In, allowing the application of Filter, LFOs, and other track-level controls to the input signal.

New LFO Waveforms & Assignment

Added three slow LFO waveforms (L.SIN, L.TRI, L.S.RN). Additionally, oscillator level can now be assigned as an LFO destination.

Pitch Bend Range Setting

You can now configure the pitch bend range in the system settings.

Changes in Oscillator Usage

Due to specification changes, the NOISE layer now consumes only one oscillator, while the ATMO 2 structure now consumes three oscillators.

Bug Fixes & Improvements

Fixed MIDI CC issues and addressed other minor bugs.


Supplier's Notes:
Your Personal Soundscape:

Conversations between Oscillating Tones and Your Mind

Immersive Ambient Generator

4 layers of tone and texture-Drone, Pad, Atmos, and Noise-merge to generate deep resonance and continuous transformation.

Ambient O (zero) is incredibly easy to use. Start by playing a tone from one layer using the note hold function. While listening closely, simply tweak the knobs to modify the tone and add other layers to shape a pleasing sound.

Blendwave Modulation Synthesis

Sonicware conducted extensive research into creating undulating and fluctuating tones for Ambient O, resulting in the development of a new wavetable-based synthesis.

Blendwave Modulation Synthesis combines 6 unique structures with 32 WAVEs featuring complex harmonic transitions, making it easy to create powerful low drones, lush pads, and transparent pizzicatos, perfect for Ambient Music.

4 knobs/8 parameters offer a wide range of tone creation.

A WAVE contains 128 harmonic tables, allowing for diverse tonal changes such as moving from basic waveforms to complex harmonics. The WAVE is represented by a yin-yang icon, with the yin representing moves in the reverse direction through the tables during modulation.

6 Structures - Each structure has a different number of oscillators and modulation circuits. ATMOS 1 applies ring modulation, while ATMOS 2 applies FM modulation.

Noise and Space

The Noise layer includes 8 specially selected nature sounds, offering noise blending, pitch adjustment and modulation to infuse unique spatial characteristics.

Additionally, it allows for up to 8 seconds of stereo sampling from the line input, letting you create personalized textures.

Extensive Effects Section

Ambient O is equipped with 9 types of lush reverb, each offering unique spatial dimensions and brightness settings. You can individually adjust the reverb send and shimmer send (for layering octaves) for each layer.

In addition to the reverb, the Ambient O offers an effect unit with Tape Delay, Reverse Delay, and 4 master effects; Overdrive, Bit/Rate Crush, Tilt EQ, and Stereo Chorus.

Sequence up to 64 steps per pattern.
Random playback of sequence phrases.
Probability of notes sounding can be set from 25 - 100%.
Program notes step by step or record them in real time. Additionally, you can also input notes to specific steps while the sequencer is playing to add variation.
Overwrite notes in real-time with one touch while playing back sequence phrases.
The Parameter Lock function allows you to record knob changes into your patterns. This can be recorded live, or programmed in step by step.

Specifications

[Synthesiser]

- Note Hold function
- 128 Sound Pattern Palettes (incl. 16 types of preset palettes)
- Mixing including level/pan for each layer
- Layer (Sound) copy and paste function
- Tune All function changes the pitch of all layers (i1 octave in 20-cent steps, adjustable in 1-cent step)
- Standard polyphony: 10 voices (depending the structure's oscillators x simultaneous voices)

4 Layer Construction
Drone, Pad, Atmos Layers
- New Blendwave Modulation Synthesis for creating undulating and fluctuating tones
- 6 Structures, 32 Waves
Drone 1: 2 oscillators, modulates Detune
Drone 2: 2 oscillators, modulates Harmonics
Pad 1: 3 oscillators, modulates Harmonics
Pad 2: 3 oscillators, modulates Harmonics
Atmos 1: 1 oscillator, ring modulation on output
Atmos 2: 2 oscillators (frequency modulation), modulates Pitch

- Polyphonic mode
- Mono mode (adjustable glide time)
- Legato mode (adjustable glide time)
- Unison mode (adjustable detune)
- Arpeggiator modes (Up, Down, UpDown, DownUp, Up&Down, Down&Up, Up+1, Up+2, Down-1, Down-2, Random, Play Order)

Noise Layer
- 1 Structure, 8 Waves
Noise: 1 oscillator, modulates Pitch
- Loop or One-shot playback, White noise mixing
- 16bit - 32kHz Linear PCM sampling (stereo)
- Up to 8 seconds of sampling per sample (crossfade settings from 1 to 4 seconds)
- Auto start sampling function with the input level (input level can be set)
- Import and export of a slot of samples (via MIDI)
*Import of audio files from PC/Mac is not supported.

- Polyphonic mode
- Mono mode (adjustable glide time)
- Legato mode (adjustable glide time)
- Arpeggiator modes (Up, Down, UpDown, DownUp, Up&Down, Down&Up, Up+1, Up+2, Down-1, Down-2, Random, Play Order)
Each layer has its own envelope, filter and 2LFOs.

- Attack
- Release

- Low Pass Filter
- High Pass Filter
- Band Pass Filter

- 2 LFOs assignable to various parameters (individually adjustable)
- Adjustable LFO Shapes and trigger count

[Effects]
9 types of high-quality reverb (Send amount to reverb and shimmer adjustable per layer)
- Small.L
- Small.M
- Small.H
- Large.L
- Large.M
- Large.H
- Infinity.L
- Infinity.M
- Infinity.H
6 types of diverse master effects
- Tape Delay
- Reverse Delay
- Overdrive
- Bit/Rate Crush
- Tilt EQ
- Stereo Chorus
The above reverb and master effects can also be applied to external sources from the LINE IN.

[Sequencer]
- 4 tracks (1 track on each layer)
- Up to 64 steps per pattern
- Step length can be set from 1/1 to 1/32 or 2/1(Breve) to 8/1(Maxima)
- Real-time recording
- Overwrite REC function for real-time sequence replacement
- Directly enter notes for each step when playback is on or off
- Enter longer notes (Tied notes)
- Metronome and pre-count function
- Step copy and paste function
- Track copy and paste function
- Duplicate to extend a sequence
- Transpose function
- Pattern BPM / Global BPM can be set
- Pattern chain function (Loop playback possible)
- Track level and pan can be set independently
- Parameter Lock function to record parameter settings for each step
- Sound Lock function to record sound settings for each step
- Note playback probability can be set from 25 to 100% for each step
- RANDOM function to play back steps in random order

[MIDI]
- Notes, control changes, clock input/output
- Import and export user data
- Firmware update via Sysex

[Unit]

27 keys (with a hold function)


- 15 physical control knobs
- Optional LATCH function prevents jumps in value when knob position and parameter values do not match.
- One physical encoder for fine adjustments.
- LCD dot indicates when a parameter value matches the saved value, or when the value has been changed.