The Knifonium is a 26-tube monophonic synthesizer with two oscillators, a 4th-order ladder filter, and a ring modulator. Handcrafted in small batches by Jonte Knif (Finland). Modelled by Brainworx Audio using TMT (Tolerance Modelling Technology) which introduces per-component variation across voices — slight differences in envelope parameters, pitch, LFO speed, and other characteristics that give it its distinctive organic character. The plugin version adds 8 independent voices, a full effects section, and Ext CV sidechain inputs. Physical control surface project planned.
Overview & Specifications
Architecture
Monophonic (hardware) / 8 voices (plugin)
Oscillators
VCO 1 + VCO 2
Filter
4th-order ladder (Moog style)
Modulation
LFO, 2 Envelopes, S&H, Ext CV, Aftertouch, Mod Wheel
Ring Mod
Yes — VCO1 × VCO2
Noise
White, Pink, Red
Tubes
26 (all modelled via TMT)
Effects
Chorus/Flanger, Phaser, EQ, Compressor, Delay, Reverb, Wavefolder
NKS
Fully compatible
Optimal Sample Rate
48 kHz or 44.1 kHz (reduce if CPU-heavy)
TMT tip: With 8 voices active, each voice has slightly different envelope times, pitch behavior, and filter response due to modelled component tolerances. This creates natural movement and width that grows more complex with polyphonic playing. Use with the Spread control for stereo width per voice.
VCO 1 & 2
VCO Shared Parameters
Octave
Sets VCO octave in organ stop terminology: 16' = 1 octave below native, 8' = native pitch, 4' = 1 octave above.
Type
Oscillator waveform. Pulse is available on VCO 1 only.
Coarse Tune
Tuning in semitones.
Fine Tune
Tuning in cents.
Keyboard (KB)
When Off, keyboard CV is ignored — pitch determined by Tune parameters and modulation only. Gate output is unaffected. Referenced to C3 (hardware behavior). Plugin referenced to A4 = 440Hz at 8', Coarse and Fine at 0.
Mod Amount
General modulation amount applied to VCO pitch. Must be above 0 to enable S&H pitch modulation.
Mod Source Env1
+: positive Env1 raises pitch. −: lowers pitch. Off: no modulation.
Mod Source LFO
+: positive LFO raises pitch. −: lowers pitch. Off: no modulation.
Mod Source Aftertouch
+/−/Off polarity for aftertouch pitch modulation.
Mod Source Ext1
+/−/Off polarity for Ext CV sidechain signal modulation of pitch.
Spread (plugin only)
Adjusts stereo width of each oscillator independently. Adds width without changing pitch or tone.
VCO 1 Only
Pulse Width
Sets pulse width of the pulse oscillator.
PWM Source
Selects modulation source for pulse width modulation.
Oscillator Sync & FM (VCO1/VCO2)
Osc Sync
VCO 2 is master, VCO 1 is slave. Creates classic hard sync timbres when VCO 1 pitch is swept.
Sync Mod Source
Modulation source for sync. AT or MW: a threshold must be exceeded to engage sync.
FM Mod (on/off)
Sine output of VCO 2 modulates pitch of VCO 1. Always uses VCO 2 sine regardless of selected waveform or VCO 2 mixer level.
FM Level
Amount of frequency modulation from VCO 2 to VCO 1. Only active when FM Mod is engaged.
Oscillator Mixer
The mixer stage is tube-based. Depending on overall input levels it can subtly saturate or distort — this is modelled interactive behavior, giving the signal its non-linear character. Dial back all sources and raise Master Vol for a cleaner mix.
Mixer Controls
VCO 1 Level
VCO 1 output level into mixer.
VCO 2 Level
VCO 2 output level into mixer.
VCO 2 Mod Source
Mod Wheel or Aftertouch can modulate VCO 2 level in the mixer. Off to disable.
Noise Level
Noise generator output level. Excellent for percussive sounds and layering.
Noise Mod Source
Mod Wheel, Aftertouch, or Off.
Noise Type
White, Pink, or Red noise.
Ring Mod Level
Ring modulation output level. No output if Drive Vols or Ring Mod Level are at 0.
Ring Mod Source
Mod Wheel, Aftertouch, or Off.
Ext CV — Sidechain Inputs
External CV
Ext 1 / Ext 2
Scales an external sidechain signal. Full scale (−1 to +1 digital) scales to −10V to +10V equivalent. Route an audio-rate or LFO signal from another track and assign it to VCO, VCF, or other destinations via the modulation routing.
Ext CV technique: Load Knifonium on an instrument track. Create a second track with a synth outputting a very low sine (lowest octave, inaudible — watch monitor volume). Route that track as a sidechain to Knifonium. On VCO 1, set Ext 1 to '+' and raise Mod Amount. Slowly raise Ext 1 under the Ext CV section. The external signal will modulate the oscillator pitch. Raising the external synth's frequency produces FM-like timbres. Combine Ext 2 to VCO 2 or VCF for complex cross-modulation.
LFO
LFO Parameters
Type
Triangle, Pulse, or Sine. Modified by Symmetry: Triangle morphs between sawtooth, triangle, and falling ramp.
Speed Coarse
Speed multiplier by approx. 10× per step. In sync mode: 4/1, 2/1, 1/1, 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32.
Speed Fine
Combines with Coarse. Slow: 0.2–3.5 Hz. Medium: 2–35 Hz. Fast: 20–350 Hz.
Filter (VCF)
Filter Controls
Cutoff
Filter cutoff frequency. 4th-order (24 dB/oct) lowpass ladder design.
Resonance
Filter resonance. Can self-oscillate at high settings, producing a sine tone at the cutoff frequency.
Env Amount
Amount of Env 2 applied to cutoff. Positive or negative polarity.
Keytrack
Amount of keyboard CV tracking applied to cutoff frequency.
LFO Amount
Amount of LFO applied to cutoff.
Aftertouch
Aftertouch modulation of cutoff. +/−/Off polarity.
Ext 2 to Filter
External CV sidechain signal applied to filter cutoff.
Envelopes
Two ADSR envelopes. Env 1 is typically assigned to pitch and/or VCA. Env 2 is typically assigned to the filter. Both can be routed via the modulation sources to any compatible destination.
Envelope Parameters (both)
Attack
Envelope attack time.
Decay
Envelope decay time.
Sustain
Sustain level.
Release
Envelope release time.
Effects Section
Modulation Effects
Chorus / Flanger
Rate
Modulation rate.
Depth
Modulation depth.
Feedback
Feedback for flanger character.
Mono Mode
More intense modulation but collapses stereo width. Best for mono lead sounds.
Phaser — SPL Transient Designer
SPL Phaser
Classic SPL Transient Designer-style phaser with selectable pedal modes. Mono mode available but destroys stereo width.
SPL EQ Ranger
Quick frequency treatment for adding SPL character to the synthesis.
Wavefolder
Wavefolder
Folds
Amount of wavefolding. Generated harmonics also depend heavily on input level. Raise oscillator/master levels if signal is too clean at high fold values.
Mode
Two wavefolding processors: fully CCW = sine wavefolding; fully CW = sinc wavefolding. Sinc with low input/low Folds creates a gated signal effect.
Frequency
Cutoff of output filter after wavefolder.
Resonance
Resonance of output filter.
Delay & Reverb
Standard delay and reverb with BPM sync options. Parameters: delay time, feedback, mix; reverb size, decay, mix.
Voice Handling & Polyphony
Voice Parameters
Voice Count
1–8 voices. Each voice has TMT-modelled component variation — reducing voices also reduces CPU usage significantly.
Voice Priority
Highest note always takes priority in single-voice (monophonic) mode. Adding voices shifts priority to subsequent notes.
CPU note: Knifonium's circuit-level tube modelling is CPU-intensive. At 48 kHz the overhead is manageable. At higher sample rates (88/96 kHz) consider reducing voice count or freezing tracks. Lowering to 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz is recommended if running multiple instances.
Preset Management & MIDI
Preset Browser
Preset Menu
Filter by Types, Subtypes, Modes, Authors, Banks. Results column shows matching presets. Thumbs Up for favourites only.
Preset Dropdown
Filter presets by category. Up/Down arrows jump through current category list.
Auto Player
Audition presets automatically: set bar count, select a category, press play. Cycles through presets at set interval. Use a matching loop in DAW for in-context auditioning.
Search
Real-time search across all fields including Types, Author, Bank. Not just preset names.
Parameter Lock
Right-click any parameter to lock it. Locked parameters retain their value during preset changes. Lock a section you like, then browse presets freely — only unlocked sections change.
MIDI Learn
MIDI Learn Mode
Enable via top-right button. Blue overlay = unassigned. Green = assigned. Grey = currently selected. Click a control, move a hardware CC to assign.
Assigning
Select control, move hardware CC. CC number appears with trashcan icon to remove assignment.
Reset
Unassign all MIDI CCs in one click.
Read / Store
Load or save controller assignments as .xml files. Useful for different hardware controllers or focusing on different parameter sets. Mappings also saved within presets.
NKS
Fully NKS compatible. Factory bank available for both papreset and NKS formats. Export/Import NKSF via Preset Browser File menu for user presets.
Workflow Tips
Tube saturation: Use the tube mixer stage deliberately. Lower all oscillator/noise/ring mod levels while raising Master Vol for clean signals. Raise sources for progressive saturation and harmonic distortion. The interaction is non-linear and responds to all sources in combination.
Monophonic leads: Use 1 voice. Maximum TMT uniqueness, most CPU-efficient, most "hardware-like." High Resonance + self-oscillation + FM is the sweet spot for Knifonium's signature sound.
Poly pads: 4–8 voices with Spread at moderate levels. TMT variation across voices creates organic movement without modulation. Subtle Env time variation per voice is audible and adds life to sustained chords.
Physical control surface project: The Knifonium's depth and MIDI Learn system make it ideal for a dedicated hardware controller. Concept in planning — likely a small panel with 16–24 knobs/faders covering filter, both VCOs, and LFO, with LED indicators. Discuss with Sable when ready to develop.