Super 6 Desktop
What Is the Super 6?
The UDO Super 6 is a 12-voice polyphonic synthesizer combining a digital FPGA-based oscillator section with a true analog stereo signal path. It was designed by George Hearn (Director, UDO Audio) to harmonise vintage-era instrument character with modern synthesis technology — specifically binaural synthesis, which enables spatially dynamic stereo sound that conventional monaural synthesizers can't achieve.
The Super 6 Desktop has no screen. Every parameter is accessed via front panel controls — faders, rotary switches, rotary knobs, and toggle switches — plus a SHIFT button for secondary functions. Understanding the panel layout and the Shift/Manual/Wave modes is the key to navigating the instrument.
DDS & Binaural Synthesis
Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) runs a clock signal orders of magnitude higher than typical audio sample rates, incrementing a waveform counter and generating samples every 20 billionths of a second. Each oscillator has its own DAC running at the same high rate, converting to analog before a preliminary analog low-pass filtering stage. The result: superior phase precision, natural-sounding FM, and frequency content far above human hearing — behaving like analog oscillators without the aliasing of conventional digital methods.
Binaural Synthesis: In binaural mode, the 12 voices are twinned into 6 stereo "Super" voices. Each Super voice has a complete independent synthesizer voice in both the left and right channels. Parameters of both channels can be independently controlled, creating true stereo images with wide spatial movement — not just panning.
Signal Path
DDS 2 L/R → MIXER (blends with DDS 1)
AUDIO IN → DDS 2 channel → MIXER (replaces DDS 2 audio when in LFO mode)
MOD MIXER → CV to ENV, LPF, HPF, VCA
Both channels (L and R) are fully independent through the entire analog path, linked only by the LINK control and the modulation routing. ENV and LFO modulation can be applied in binaural stereo, allowing the two channels to be independently modulated for evolving stereo movement.
Desktop Rear Panel Connections
| # | Connection | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power Switch | Powers the Super 6 on/off |
| 2 | Power Connector | Standard IEC, grounded, 90–240VAC |
| 3 | USB Port | Bidirectional MIDI, patch/waveform/sequence file management, firmware updates. No drivers required. |
| 4 | MIDI In / Out / Thru | Standard 5-pin DIN connectors |
| 5 | Expression Pedal | TRS, 0–5V linear pot. Assignable source in mod matrix. |
| 6 | Sustain Pedal | Footswitch; polarity auto-detected at power-up; state at power-up = 'off' |
| 7 | Audio In | Stereo 1/4" jack. Enters via DDS 2 channel through mixer, filters, chorus and delay. |
| 8 | Output L / R | Unbalanced 1/4". Connecting left only sums to mono. |
| 9 | Headphone Output | 1/4" stereo TRS; volume controlled by MASTER VOLUME |
Patch Management
128 patches are stored in 16 banks (A1–H2), with 8 patches per bank. Banks A1–H1 = lit LED on the lettered button; banks A2–H2 = flashing LED.
Loading a Patch
- Press
PATCHto enter patch mode - Press a lettered button (A–H) once for banks 1, twice for banks 2
- Press a numbered button (1–8) to load the patch
Changing the bank does not load a new patch. A patch is only loaded when you press a numbered button.
Storing a Patch
- Press a lettered button (A–H) once or twice to select the target bank
- Press and hold a numbered button (1–8) for 3 seconds — all LEDs flash once to confirm
Comparing Edited vs. Stored Patch
In edit mode (numbered LED flashing): press the target numbered button once to hear the stored version, press it again to return to your edit.
The Three Navigation Modes
| Mode | How to Enter | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Patch Mode | Press PATCH | Normal playing mode; patches load from banks A1–H2 |
| Shift Mode | Press & release SHIFT (LED flashes) OR hold SHIFT + move a control | Accesses secondary parameter functions (labelled in inverse colours on panel) and global settings |
| Manual Mode | Press MANUAL | "What you see is what you get" — ignores stored patch, synth responds to actual front panel positions. Great for learning and happy accidents. |
| Wave Mode | Press WAVE or move DDS 1 waveform switch to rightmost position | Select one of 32 alternative waveforms for DDS 1 using buttons W1–W16 |
Init Patch
The init patch loads a single sawtooth oscillator with basic settings — a clean starting point for sound design from scratch.
To load: Hold SHIFT + press MANUAL. The init patch also loads automatically when the Super 6 is powered on.
DDS 1 — Primary Oscillator
DDS 1 features an FPGA-based "super waveform" core with one centroid oscillator plus six sister oscillators. When a Super mode is active (see DDS Modulator), the sisters de-phase in the stereo field — giving DDS 1 effectively 7 free-running oscillators and the Super 6 its characteristic rich, wide sound.
| Control | Function | Range / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WAVEFORM | Rotary switch: select waveform | Sine · Sawtooth · Square · Triangle · White Noise · Alt Waveforms (rightmost) |
| RANGE | Coarse frequency / octave | 64′ · 32′ · 16′ · 8′ · 4′ · 2′ |
| PW (Pulse Width) | Pulse width of square/pulse wave | Shift function: DRIFT — adds analog-style pitch drift between voices |
| SYNC | Hard sync DDS 2 to DDS 1 | Toggle: On / Off |
Loading Alternative Waveforms (W1–W32)
32 user-definable alt waveforms in two groups of 16. Press WAVE to enter wave mode, then press buttons W1–W16 (once = waveforms 1–16, twice = waveforms 17–32). Press PATCH to exit. Each patch saves its own waveform choice.
DDS 2 — Secondary Oscillator / LFO
DDS 2 uses an algorithmic core (not sampled like DDS 1). Its phase resets to zero on each note played, enabling binaural pitch and pulse width modulation via LFO 1.
| Control | Function | Range / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WAVEFORM | Rotary switch: select waveform | Sine · Sawtooth · Square · Triangle · White Noise · Pulse |
| RANGE | Coarse frequency | 32′ · 16′ · 8′ · 4′ · 2′ · LFO (leftmost = DDS 2 becomes sub-audio LFO) |
| TUNE | Fine tune DDS 2 relative to DDS 1 | ±10 semitones; use for slight detune or musical intervals (4th, 5th, etc.) |
| Mode toggle | NORM / DDS 1+2 / BOTH | NORM = standard; toggle options affect binaural routing |
Using DDS 2 as an LFO & Sub-Oscillator
Set DDS 2 RANGE to the leftmost position (LFO). DDS 2 now operates at sub-audio frequency as an additional modulation source. In this mode, you can also enable a sub-oscillator by toggling the SUB OSC switch — adds a square wave one octave below DDS 1.
External audio can be routed through DDS 2's channel into the signal path by switching DDS 2 to LFO mode — the audio signal replaces DDS 2. Balance between DDS 1 and external audio using the MIX control in the Mixer section.
Mixer
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| MIX (DDS 1 / DDS 2) | Balance between DDS 1 and DDS 2 (or external audio). Center = 50/50. X-FADE mode allows crossfading. |
| X-FADE / SPLIT POINT | When X-FADE is active: sets keyboard split point (KB L / KB R) for crossfading between oscillators across the keyboard |
| SUB OSC | Adds sub-oscillator (square wave, 1 octave below DDS 1). Requires DDS 2 in LFO range. |
| AUDIO IN (toggle) | Routes external audio through DDS 2's signal path (replaces DDS 2 audio) |
| DRIVE | Adds drive/saturation before the filters |
| PAN | Stereo panning of the mixed signal. Shift function: HPF — sets HPF toggle to FIX mode for independent HPF frequency control. |
VCF — Voltage Controlled Filter
True stereo analog filter section with independent Low-Pass and High-Pass filters per channel. Both channels are linked by default but can be controlled independently in binaural Super modes.
| Control | Function | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| FREQ (LPF) | Low-pass filter cutoff frequency | 20 Hz – 20 kHz. Shift = HPF cutoff (when HPF set to FIX) |
| RES | Filter resonance | Emphasises frequencies around cutoff. Shift = HPF resonance. |
| ENV | ENV 1 modulation amount to LPF cutoff | Positive and negative amounts available |
| LFO 1 | LFO 1 modulation amount to LPF cutoff | |
| DDS 2 | DDS 2 FM modulation amount to LPF cutoff | |
| KEYTRACK | Keyboard tracking amount for LPF | Toggle: Off / 1/2 / On (full tracking) |
| HPF toggle | HPF mode: FIX / OFF | FIX = independent HPF freq via Shift+FREQ. OFF = HPF bypassed. |
| HF TRK | High-frequency key tracking for filter |
VCA — Voltage Controlled Amplifier
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| LEVEL | Base VCA level (before envelope). When set above 0: continuous drone is possible without triggering a note. |
| ENV (toggle) | Routes ENV 1 or ENV 2 to VCA. Toggle: ENV 1 / ENV 2 / both (1+2) |
| DYNAMICS | Shift function: controls velocity sensitivity to VCA level |
ENV 1 — AHDSR Envelope (Loopable)
ENV 1 is the primary envelope. It can be routed to LPF cutoff, VCA, and oscillator modulation destinations. It can also loop for complex periodic modulation shapes.
| Stage | Control | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Attack Hold | A fader (Shift) | 0–10 seconds. At minimum, no hold stage (behaves as ADSR). |
| Attack | A fader | 0.5 ms – 10 s |
| Decay | D fader | 1 ms – 10 s. Shift = Decay Hold time. |
| Sustain | S fader | 0–100% |
| Release | R fader | 1 ms – 10 s |
| Loop toggle | Loop switch | OFF / LOOP / ENV2 (ENV 1 loops using ENV 2's rate) |
ENV 2 — ADSR Envelope
ENV 2 is a standard ADSR envelope. It can be routed to the VCA and oscillator modulation destinations. When ENV 1 is in ENV2 loop mode, ENV 2 controls the loop rate.
| Stage | Range |
|---|---|
| Attack | 1 ms – 10 s |
| Decay | 1 ms – 10 s. Shift = ENV 2 Decay Hold. |
| Sustain | 0–100% |
| Release | 1 ms – 10 s |
LFO 1
LFO 1 is the main modulation LFO. One LFO is shared between two voices. It can modulate LPF cutoff, DDS pitch, DDS pulse width, and more depending on modulation routing.
| Control | Function | Range / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| WAVE | LFO waveform | Triangle · Square · Sawtooth (and variants including Random) |
| RATE | LFO speed | 0.05 Hz – 50 Hz. Fader. Syncs to sequencer/arpeggiator or external MIDI clock when SYNC is active. |
| MODE toggle | Trigger behavior | FREE (free-running) · ONCE (cycles once per note) · 64 (synced to 64-step sequencer) |
| SYNC toggle | Sync mode | NORM · SYNC (locks to tempo) |
| LR PHASE | Phase offset between L and R channels | 0° – 360° (0 = in phase; 90° = π/2; 180° = π; 270° = 3π/2). Creates binaural stereo LFO movement. |
LFO 1 Modulation Destinations (via DDS Modulator section)
LFO 1 routes to: LPF cutoff, DDS 1 pitch (PWM on DDS 1 and DDS 2), Cross Mod, and more via the Mod Matrix destination row.
DDS Modulator — Super Modes & Cross Modulation
The DDS Modulator section is where binaural Super mode and cross-modulation are enabled. This section controls how DDS 1's sister oscillators behave relative to the centroid oscillator.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| SUPER toggle (DDS 1) | Off / SUPER 1 / SUPER 2. Activates binaural de-phasing of the 6 sister oscillators. SUPER 1 and SUPER 2 offer different stereo spread characters. This is the core of the Super 6's wide, lush sound. |
| DETUNE | Amount of detuning between the centroid and sister oscillators. Higher = wider, more chorused. Lower = tight unison. |
| SWM (Sweep Mode) | Modulation of the sister oscillator phases over time for animated stereo movement. |
| CROSS MOD | Cross-modulation: DDS 2 (or LFO 1) modulates DDS 1 frequency. Creates complex FM-like tones. |
| MOD ASSIGN (LFO 1) | Selects which parameter LFO 1 modulates: DDS 2 pitch, DDS 1 PWM, DDS 2 PWM, cross mod, or combinations. |
| MOD AMOUNT | Encoder: amount of LFO 2 (or other assigned source) modulation depth. |
Effects — Chorus
Stereo chorus effect at the end of the signal path. Toggle: 1/2 / ON / OFF
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| RATE | Chorus modulation speed: 0.05 Hz – 50 Hz |
| DELAY (LR Phase) | Phase offset between left and right chorus channels (0 – 2π). Affects width and character of the chorus. |
| MODE toggle | Chorus type/routing options |
Effects — Delay & Delay Freeze
Stereo delay with true ping-pong capability.
| Control | Function | Range |
|---|---|---|
| TIME | Delay time | 1 ms – 1 s |
| FEEDBACK | Number of repeats | 0–10 |
| LEVEL | Wet/dry mix of delay | 0–10 |
| 1/2 toggle | Delay routing: full / half time |
Desktop-Specific Controls — LFO 2
LFO 2 on the desktop model is controlled via the MODE button and the MOD AMOUNT encoder in the lower panel, rather than via dedicated faders as on the keyboard model.
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| LFO 2 MODE button | Cycles through LFO 2 modes: MW (Mod Wheel controls depth) · AT (Aftertouch controls depth) · permanently ON · both LEDs off (MW and AT deselected — allows full mod matrix use) |
| MOD AMOUNT encoder | Sets LFO 2 depth/amount for its currently assigned destination(s) |
| DESTINATION toggle | I (DDS) · II (VCF) · VCA — selects what LFO 2 modulates |
Assigning LFO 2 to Custom Destinations
Press and hold the LFO 2 MODE button to enter panel assign mode (MW LED flashes). Whilst holding, move any front panel fader or rotary — that parameter is now mapped to LFO 2. Turn MOD AMOUNT to set depth. This allows LFO 2 to modulate virtually any panel parameter.
Direct Mod Wheel Assignment (Desktop)
Press and hold LFO 2 MODE to enter panel assign mode (MW LED flashes). Move any fader or rotary to map it to the mod wheel (CC#1) directly — rather than only controlling LFO 2 depth.
Desktop — Pitch Bend Control
The desktop model has a dedicated Pitch Bend rotary encoder rather than a spring-loaded wheel. Push and turn to set pitch bend range. Default: ±2 semitones. Range: ±12 semitones.
Portamento
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| PORTAMENTO toggle | Off / On |
| PORTAMENTO rate | Fader: controls glide speed from 0 (instant) to maximum glide time |
| LEGATO mode | Portamento only applies when playing legato (new note while old note held). Set via Voice Assign section. |
Master Volume & Global Fine Tune
| Control | Function |
|---|---|
| MASTER VOLUME | Overall output level: 0 dB (nominal) to +4 dB boost. Controls headphone and main outputs simultaneously. |
| Global Fine Tune | Shift function on desktop: global pitch offset in cents. Use to tune to other instruments. |
Modulation Matrix
The mod matrix allows any combination of modulation sources to be routed to up to 16 destinations per patch. Mappings are accessed via the MOD ASSIGN row in the front panel combined with the Shift button.
Modulation Sources
| Source | Label |
|---|---|
| LFO 2 | LFO 2 |
| ENV 1 | ENV 1 |
| Velocity | VEL |
| Aftertouch (Mono or Poly) | A.T. |
| Expression Pedal / CV | PED/CV |
| Pitch Bend | BEND |
| Note (keyboard position) | NOTE |
| LFO 1 | LFO 1 |
| Cross Mod | X MOD |
| ENV 1 Decay | ENV-1D |
| ENV 2 Release | ENV-2R |
Modulation Destinations (Matrix)
| Destination | Panel Label |
|---|---|
| LPF Resonance | RES |
| Delay Time | DLY TIME |
| Delay Feedback | DLY FB |
| DDS 1 Pitch | DDS 1 (via DDS Modulator) |
| DDS 2 Pitch | DDS 2 (via DDS Modulator) |
| LPF Cutoff | FREQ (VCF) |
| VCA Level | LEVEL (VCA) |
| Pulse Width (DDS 1/2) | PWM |
| Cross Modulation amount | CROSS MOD |
| DDS 1 Super Detune | DETUNE / SWM |
| Portamento Rate | PORTAMENTO |
Direct Parameter Mappings vs. Matrix Mappings
The Super 6 has two modulation systems. Direct Parameter Mappings use the panel's MOD ASSIGN row to directly link a source to a destination with a fixed amount set by MOD AMOUNT. Matrix Mappings allow more sources and destinations with independent depth amounts, accessed via Shift+select buttons.
Clearing Mod Mappings
In Shift mode: press CLEAR to clear all modulation mappings for the current patch. Desktop shortcut: hold CLEAR and press a specific destination button to clear only that destination's mappings.
Voice Assign
| Mode | Description |
|---|---|
| POLY 1 | Standard polyphonic mode. 12 voices (or 6 binaural Super voices) |
| POLY 2 | Polyphonic with external audio input triggering. Audio In does not trigger gate in POLY 2. |
| UNISON | All voices stacked on single notes. U. SIZE sets how many voices stack. |
| SOLO | Monophonic; last note priority |
| LEGATO | Monophonic; legato playing (portamento only triggers on legato notes) |
Arpeggiator & Sequencer
Clock Parameters
| Control | Function | Range |
|---|---|---|
| TEMPO | Internal clock BPM | 30–300 BPM |
| EXT CLK | Toggle: use external MIDI clock | Super 6 auto-switches to MIDI clock if detected; can be disabled |
| SWING | Rhythmic swing feel | 0–100%; Shift function on TEMPO |
| RESET | Resets arp/seq to start |
Arpeggiator Mode
| Pattern | Description |
|---|---|
| UP | Arpeggiate held notes upward |
| DOWN | Arpeggiate held notes downward |
| U&D | Up and down |
| RANDOM | Random note order |
| ON (Hold) | Toggle: hold arpeggiated notes without holding keys |
Sequencer Mode
Up to 64-step polyphonic sequencer with slide, accent, and rest per step. Steps are entered in real-time (SEQ REC) or step-by-step. Press STEP to advance manually. SLIDE, ACCENT, and REST buttons modify the currently selected step. Use the sequencer for chord memory by recording chords instead of single notes.
Sequences are stored independently from patches, saved to the Super 6's USB drive as .s6q files.
Global Settings (Shift Mode)
Access by pressing and releasing SHIFT — LED flashes. Then use the select buttons which take on global setting functions.
| Button | Global Setting |
|---|---|
| MIDI CH | Set MIDI receive channel (1–16 or All) |
| TX/RX E | MIDI transmit/receive enable for program changes |
| TX/RX P | MIDI transmit/receive enable for patch data |
| DUMP | SysEx dump of all patches to MIDI Out |
| LOCAL | Local control on/off (keyboard triggers internal sound vs. MIDI only) |
| TUNE | Auto-tune all voices |
| MPE | Enable/configure MPE mode |
| TRNSP | Global transpose (semitones) |
MPE Support
The Super 6 supports full MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression). Recommended settings for ROLI and LinnStrument controllers:
- Y-axis: CC#74 in Relative mode
- Z-axis: Channel Pressure or Poly Pressure
- Polyphonic aftertouch threshold: set a starting value to avoid unintentional AT on initial key press
To allow polyphonic aftertouch through the mod matrix only (not LFO 2): set LFO 2 MODE to permanently ON, then set both MW and AT LEDs unlit on the desktop.
Shortcuts Cheat Sheet
| Action | How To |
|---|---|
| Load Init Patch | Hold SHIFT + press MANUAL |
| Enter Shift Mode | Press & release SHIFT (LED flashes) |
| Temporary Shift | Hold SHIFT + move a control |
| Enter Manual Mode | Press MANUAL |
| Exit Manual Mode | Press MANUAL again or press PATCH |
| Enter Wave Mode | Press WAVE or move DDS 1 waveform switch to rightmost |
| Load Waveform Group 2 (W17–W32) | In wave mode: press a W button twice |
| Store Patch | Select bank (A–H) + hold numbered button (1–8) for 3 sec |
| Compare Edit to Stored | In edit mode: press target numbered button once (stored), again (edit) |
| Enter Bootloader (Firmware Update) | Hold SHIFT while powering on; release when LEDs cycle |
| Enter Arpeggiator | Press MODE in Arpeggiator section; select pattern (UP/DOWN/U&D/RANDOM) |
| Enter Sequencer | Press SEQ in Arpeggiator section |
| Record Sequence | Press SEQ REC; play notes in real-time or step-by-step |
| Chord Memory in Sequencer | Play multiple simultaneous notes during sequence recording |
| Clear Sequence | In sequencer mode: Shift + CLEAR |
| Assign LFO 2 Destination (Desktop) | Hold LFO 2 MODE + move any fader/rotary |
| Direct Mod Wheel Assign (Desktop) | Hold LFO 2 MODE (MW LED flashes) + move fader/rotary + set depth with MOD AMOUNT |
| Clear All Mod Mappings | Shift + CLEAR |
| Auto-Tune Voices | Shift + TUNE |
| SysEx Patch Dump | Shift + DUMP |
Secondary Parameter Functions (Shift + Control)
| Primary Control | Shift Function |
|---|---|
| DDS 1 PW fader | DRIFT — analog-style pitch drift amount between voices |
| VCF FREQ fader | HPF cutoff frequency (when HPF toggle set to FIX) |
| VCF RES fader | HPF resonance |
| ENV 1 A fader | Attack Hold time (0–10 sec) |
| ENV 1 D fader | Decay Hold time |
| ENV 2 D fader | ENV 2 Decay Hold time |
| TEMPO knob | SWING amount |
| VCA LEVEL | DYNAMICS — velocity sensitivity |
| MANUAL button | Load Init Patch |
| PATCH/bank/numbered buttons | Global Settings (MIDI CH, TX/RX, DUMP, LOCAL, TUNE, MPE, TRNSP) |
MIDI CC Reference (Key Parameters)
| CC# | Parameter |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mod Wheel (LFO 2 amount or directly mapped parameter) |
| 7 | Volume |
| 11 | Expression Pedal |
| 64 | Sustain Pedal |
| 65 | Portamento On/Off |
| 74 | Filter Cutoff (Y-axis in MPE mode) |
The Super 6 supports an extensive NRPN and CC parameter list covering all patch parameters. Full MIDI CC and NRPN tables are in the official manual at udo-audio.com. Global parameters (MIDI channel, MPE settings, etc.) and all patch-related parameters (oscillators, filters, envelopes, LFOs, effects) are addressable via MIDI.
Firmware Update
- Hold SHIFT while powering on the Super 6. Progress LEDs cycle through 1–8 and A–H while SHIFT LED flashes.
- Release SHIFT.
- Connect USB cable to computer — drive named
SUPER6-BOOTappears. - Delete the existing firmware file
xos_v*.**.binfrom the drive (macOS: empty trash first). - Copy the new firmware file to
SUPER6-BOOT. Do not disconnect or power off during transfer. - Disconnect USB when complete.
- Power cycle — progress LEDs followed by lit lettered buttons indicating the installed firmware version.
Current firmware: v1.6. Download from udo-audio.com/super-6-support