Melbourne Instruments Nina 12 Voice Analog Polyphonic Desktop Synthesizer

The Synthesizer Revolution begins here
NINA is a 12-voice Analog Polyphonic and Multi-timbral Synthesizer featuring revolutionary motorised controls and patch recall that finally enables real-time control surface display and automation that synth players have dreamt of for decades.

NINA combines the lush thick sound qualities and hands-on tactility of classic analog synths with the versatility, advanced functionality and MIDI compatibility usually only found on modern digital equipment. The result is an intelligent, yet unique sounding analog synth you can seamlessly integrate into your creative workflow and live performance to enjoy modern soft synth functionality from a real, physical instrument.

NINA’s motorised control surface
The introduction of motorised knobs overcomes the mismatch that conventional synthesizers present when changing patches. NINA’s knobs instantly update to pre-defined positions anytime you change patch, and adjust automatically during console operation, patch morphing and modulation to accurately display current settings.

Features

• Motorized, recallable, automatable, assignable, and robust high resolution control panel.
• 2 Analog VCOs & 1 Wavetable Oscillator per voice.
• Fully analog signal path.
• 12-voice polyphony.
• Extensive quick-edit modulation matrix.
• A/B Patch morphing, and ability to modulate Morph
• Classic onboard effects including chorus and delay, as well as high quality algorithmic reverb with shimmer.

NINA’s motorised knobs feel exactly like conventional analog potentiometers, but with the ability to instantly switch between a rotary dial and a multiple position switch to better cater for what you’re controlling and the amount of variance required. NINA’s ‘tune’ controls use this feature to switch between ‘coarse’ step detuning, which works like a rotary switch, and fine detuning, which feels just like a standard potentiometer. NINA’s motors can also change the amount of resistance that you feel, creating a tighter feel, or change positions to add end stops, zero detents and notched effects.

NINA’s controllers are incredibly precise with more than 16,000 steps of stable accuracy across a single rotation. This level of control allows for super-accurate recall and precise tuning adjustments, giving you the ability to finesse the sound exactly as you desire.

Oscillators

• 3 Oscillators per voice.
• 2 Analog VCOs, 1 Digital Wavetable.
• Oscillator 1 & 2 waveforms morphable between triangle, sawtooth and blend with the pulse wave.
• Suboctave mode for VCO 1 square wave.
• Hard Sync Oscillator 2 from VCO 1.
• Fine & Course tune control with up to 8 octave range. 96kHz 24bit wavetable oscillator resolution.
• User loadable wavetables.
• Selectable Fuzz & Noise sources Pink, White,
• Oscillator 1 & 2 XOR (Fuzz) or external input.
• LFO with selectable shapes, modulatable rate & level controls.

VCF

• Classic 4 pole transistor ladder VCF.
• Modulatable resonance, available as a matrix destination.
• Extremely overdrivable, or perfectly smooth low noise modes.

VCA

• Traditional ADSR envelope with ultra-fast slopes possible. Melbourne Instruments designed four-quadrant VCA.
• Stereo: 2 VCAs per voice.
• Infinite panning.

Modulation Matrix

• Extensive modulation matrix. 16 sources to 28 destinations. No bus count limitation.
• Morphable modulation settings, plus ability to modulate Morph. Quick to edit MOD mode. Select a source and dial in amounts instantly on control panel.
• All MOD amounts are through zero (bipolar).

Patch Morphing

• Morph between patches to create unique, evolving timbres. 
• Morph entire patches including both modulation matrices.

ADSR Envelope Generators

• 2 x ADSR envelopes available as mod sources.
• Modulate Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release, and Level using velocity or any other mod source.

Multi-timbral layers

• Up to 4 layers for 4 timbres controllable via MIDI ch. and note ranges.
• User selectable number of assigned voices per layer.
• Assignable keyboard splits.

Onboard computer and powerful OS

• Hackable open source software built on a powerful Raspberry Pi 4 computer running Elk Audio OS.

Effects

• Upgradeable VST3 effects algorithms.
• Parallel or Series mix modes. Parallel mode retains analog sound. 
• 96kHz 24bit resolution.

Audio Out

• 4 assignable line level outputs.
• Stereo main outputs with effects. Aux outputs (3 & 4).
• Headphone output.

Audio In

• 3 TRS Balanced Line or CV Inputs.
• 1 TRS/XLR Combo. Mic for line/CV input.
• CV +/-10V max. Analog gain and offset trim.