The latest release from Cherry Audio is a software emulation of the Octave Electronics CAT, a duophonic synthesizer released in 1976. Octave Cat has been developed alongside Carmine Bonanno, the instrument’s original designer, and aims to deliver the same aggressive sound and flexible modulation system as the hardware version, whilst also introducing some modern features that extend its versatility.
Original Features
The GUI’s MAIN view provides an authentic reproduction of the original controls and features. VCO1 provides sawtooth and triangle waves along with a pulse with PWM, whilst VCO2 is equipped with square and sawtooth waves; the level of each wave can be set using level sliders in each section, and both VCOs also feature a Sub Octave slider. Fine Tune parameters are provided for both oscillators, whilst VCO1 also has a Coarse Tune option, and dedicated modulation depth controls are present in each section.
The instrument features an authentic recreation of the CAT’s 24dB/octave low-pass filter, and is said to precisely replicate the original hardware version’s unique resonance. The Transient Generator section then offers both ADSR and AR envelopes — again, meticulously replicating the behaviour of the original unit — along with a Sample + Hold function that can use VCO1, VCO2 or Noise as its source, as well as offering an adjustable Glide parameter to allow for smoother transitions.
New & Improved
As with many of Cherry Audio’s recreations, Octave Cat introduces a range of modern features that extend its functionality beyond that of the original hardware. Clicking the FX/SEQ tab at the top of the GUI reveals a second page of controls dedicated to new features, including a selection of effects, a built-in step sequencer, and additional voicing options.
An FX/SEQ tab in Octave Cat's GUI reveals a whole page dedicated to new features and enhancements that were not present in the original instrument.
Two different types of distortion are available, along with a switchable two, four, eight or 12-stage phaser, a flanger and chorus section, three types of tempo-syncable delays, and five different reverbs. Each of the effects are contained within five separate sections, and offer a comprehensive set of dedicated parameters.
The sequencer is of a classic dual-channel eight-step design, with each channel capable of being assigned independently to parameters such as oscillator pitch, filter cutoff frequency and VCA amplitude. It is possible to synchronise the sequencer to the host DAW’s tempo, and quantisation and keyboard transpose functions are also provided.
In addition to monophonic and duophonic mode (which benefit from a Unison mode with a Detune control), Octave Cat can also be set to operate as a polyphonic instrument with up to 16 voices available. Every parameter can be controlled via MIDI or DAW automation, and the instrument also supports MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) for Pitch, Channel Pressure and Timbre.
Compatibility
Octave Cat is supported on PCs running Windows 7 or above, and Macs running macOS 10.13 and higher. It is available in VST, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in formats. An internet connection is required for activation.
Pricing & Availability
Octave Cat is available now, and is currently (13 July 2023) being offered for $49, reduced from its full cost of $69.
