The Panoptigon – a modern take on the Optigan and Vako Orchestron optical sample playback instruments of the 1970’s – is now available.

Both vintage instruments use optical sample discs, which have concentric rings that encode the samples for each note of the keyboard. The intent of the design was to accurately reproduce the original sounds, but the 70’s mechanical technology gives the samples a haunting, warbly effect when played.

The Panoptigon updates the original technology in many ways, letting the discs be played back at higher fidelity, while still retaining the strange essence of the original.

The original Optigan program discs, which came in many popular styles, have been re-released, and many new discs, from both vintage and modern recordings, are also available.

Here are some examples of the Panoptigon in action:

Pricing and Availability

The Panoptigon is available now from Quilter Labs and its retail partners for US $3999.

via matrixsynth