Erica Synths' generously sized drum machinePérkons HD-01 combines digital sound generation with ease of use and analog purism. Pérkons translates to "thunder", and the hybrid sound generation, along with the analog effects and their interlinking within the instrument, more than lives up to this natural phenomenon. A big beat, a firework of other sounds in between; peppered with coincidences and waits, something like that must have been in Erica Synths 's mind when developing the Pérkons HD-01. If you prefer the Four-to-the-Floor scheme, you'll get your money's worth here as well. This versatile drum synthesizer covers gaudy electronic sounds, a cross-section of industrial sounds and a lot between "plok" and "booooom".
Sound generation and effects
Each of the four voices has three modes that cover a different repertoire. Common to all of them is the structure of the channel, which consists of digital sound generation and analog post-processing by a multimode filter (LP, BP HP), overdrive and its own FX insert. In total you'll find an analog, very charismatic BBD delay with its own modulation LFO, a master overdrive and an optical compressor. Unless the FX inserts are assigned, both the corresponding channel and the sum are routed through the BBD-Delay. A synchronizable master LFO with seven waveforms can be applied to one of eight destinations per channel, adding a lot of liveliness to the drum patterns. Sound settings can be stored in 64 memory locations.
Sequencer
The clever sequencer has more tricks in store than you might think at first. For each track you can set the step length (up to 64 steps/4 bars), the playback direction and the divider/multiplier ratio. In addition, ratcheting (multiple trigger) and probability can be programmed for each step. Shuffle can be activated on all tracks for more funk and "Chicago feeling". The created patterns can be saved and recalled on a total of 64 memory locations. If that's not enough, additional patterns can be stored on a separately available SD card.
Connections
The unusually full back panel of this drum machine offers a single output per channel, send/return connections for external effects devices and a velocity-sensitive trigger input, making the corresponding channel or all four dynamically playable via an e-drum pad. The main output is mono and also has send/return connections. Via MIDI Pérkons can be connected to other sequencers and controllers.