The Synclavier ORK II Keyboard – Raiders of the Lost ORK!
4,7 / 5,0 | 
After the launch of the Regen, Synclavier Digital have revealed a forthcoming keyboard version, the Synclavier ORK II, with added functionality!
After returning to the digital instrument music market with their unique Synclavier Regen unit, it seems that Cameron Jones and his team have heard the call for a more conventional instrument that more closely resembles the original Synclaviers of old.
The Synclavier ORK II
Revealed in a brochure handed out at this weekend’s London Synth & Pedal Expo in the Hackney Wick area of the capital, and distributed by Synclavier’s UK distributor, KMR Audio, The Synclavier ORK II bears a striking resemblance to the original ORK unit from the early 1980s.
However, unlike the original, the ORK II appears to be a completely self-contained unit. And at its heart is the Regen technology with some bells and whistles. With a full-size 61-key keyboard, there’s much more room to put knobs (or buttons) per function.
Additive, FM and More!
ORK II combines additive, FM and subtractive synthesis and the iconic silver ‘knob’. It also incorporates a high-res touchscreen display. Multi-track recording is offered via its onboard sequencer that also sequences audio and external MIDI devices.
There are premium DSP effects and what appears to be two ribbon controllers. On the right of the user interface are what appear to be 16 3.5mm sockets. There is no indication whether these are CV/gate connections, TRS MIDI ports or audio-related, but the overall design of the UI is heavily influenced by the original.
And it wouldn’t be a Synclavier if it didn’t have their distinctive rotary controller. We can speculate that this will be the same design as the standalone controller they recently released.
Price and Availability
There is no price or availability information as yet, but our source was able to glean information that suggested somewhere between £3,000 to $5,000, which would make sense for something boasting this level of functionality.
The article states that the ORK II is “envisioned”, which is an elaborate way of saying that it is still in development, although we’d guess it was pretty advanced for such an article to appear. Might we see a prototype at Superbooth 2025?
Right now, this is all the information we have, but rest assured, we will update this article with more news as we get it. It is certainly an exciting time for Synclavier enthusiasts and fans of digital synthesis! If the Regen is a little out of your reach, you can find the Synclavier V as part of Arturia’s superb V Collection suite, currently on sale until March 30th!
And there’s also a superb iOS version!
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