MKII
ENJOY SOME GOOD OLD 8-BIT NOSTALGIA
AY3 is powered by two AY-3 chips, each delivering three fully independent voices for a total of six-voice stereo polyphony.
Both chips can be edited together or separately, opening the door to wide, animated stereo sound or tightly focused mono tones.
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The instrument features an onboard sequencer, arpeggiators, noise and envelope generators,
plus per-voice pitch and volume modulation, giving you deep sound-shaping potential straight from the front panel.
Every parameter stays immediately accessible thanks to the intuitive 5×6 mode matrix and a responsive control surface.
With the new Phoenix V4 firmware, AY3 takes a major leap forward delivering a richer,
wider, more expressive version of the classic AY sound—while keeping everything hands-on, musical, and fun.
FEATURES
SOUND ENGINE
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Dual-chip stereo architecture (3 voices per channel) for wide, spacious sound
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6-voice polyphony
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Ultra-fat 6-voice unison mode with dedicated detune control
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6 built-in chords to instantly split the voices
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Glide mode for smooth portamento
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Supports three clock modes: Atari ST, ZX Spectrum (Rev. B boards), and Legacy
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Note-follow options for noise and envelope generators
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Logarithmic and linear envelope shaping across the full range
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Linked or independent editing of noise and envelope parameters across both chips
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Unique memory system for storing custom sound data
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Comes with 32 Creator sound presets (flashable)
SEQUENCING & MODULATION
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16-step sequencer for sequencing gates, pitch, and noise
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4 pitch-modulation/LFO modes
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4 arpeggiator modes
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Real-time remix functions to transform incoming song data on the fly
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Precise, width-spreading stereo output driven by dual synchronised timers
PERFORMANCE & PLAYABILITY
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Sustain pedal support
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Improved voice-allocation algorithm for smoother playing
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6-voice poly, unison, chords, and glide modes
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AYMID protocol support for receiving and playing AY song data via Ay_Emul
INTERFACE & CONTROLS
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5 high-quality pots + 1 endless encoder with push function
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Intuitive 5×6 mode matrix giving instant access to:
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volume
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pitch
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noise level
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envelope assignments
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arpeggiator modes
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sequencer routing
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and more
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40 subtle white LEDs for clear visual feedback
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Smooth, responsive control of all parameters
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Full MIDI CC control of all knobs and features
MEMORY
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64-preset memory (8 banks × 8 presets)
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32 Creator presets included
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User-editable memory system for custom data
CONNECTIVITY
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MIDI input with channel selection (TRS TypeA)
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AYMID song-data reception
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Full MIDI CC support
HARDWARE
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Black anodized brushed-aluminum case
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Clean, minimal, durable design
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Open Source!