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Sound design

The versatility of the synth means that your options for sound design are incredibly varied. Two of the three LFOs can have their speed modulated by a CV signal, while the level knobs also function as pull switches to invert the sawtooth signal or switch between triangle and square waves. The output of the envelope generators can be adjusted or inverted, and there's also a repeat option to make the envelope loop.

In addition to the ring modulator and sample and hold circuits, the glide controls built into each of the oscillators also offer a neat way of creating interesting effects - adding a tiny hint of glide to one of a pair of otherwise identical oscillators creates a momentary detuning each time you trigger a new note.

The joystick controller is also a fun tool, allowing for great control of the filter. On a related note, we were a little disappointed to see that the VU signal meter, located below the joystick on the Vostok, has been omitted from the Tereshkova.

The eight-step sequencer provides a quick method of creating patterns, but whether the sequencer is an efficient use of the front panel space is another matter - we suspect many potential buyers would happily lose it in favour of a more fully featured MIDI-to-CV converter.

For us, the only major question about the Tereshkova is whether the sections which have replaced the Vostok's pin matrix are quite right. The extra features certainly improve the synth's scope but for us, three oscillators, three LFOs and three VCAs with only one filter section and one mixer seems just a little unbalanced.

Summary

Semi-modular synths offer a great deal of flexibility but the balance of features is crucial to their success. Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference; the Tereshkova offers a huge number of options and produces highly useable results despite our reservations about the specification.

The price may initially seem high but it's roughly on a par with building a similar system from modules and there's no doubting the convenience of the very well built suitcase format. With a whopping 96 patch points, it's as flexible as a Soviet gymnast but if you prefer the simplicity of the pin matrix routing system, the Vostok may just have the edge.

For us, though, the Tereshkova's extra LFO and VCAs make it the winner. We could happily spend a very long time tweaking sounds on this ultra-portable beauty.

Listen to what the Tereshkova can do:

Sawtooths

Three oscillators

Sequence

Feedback

Self-oscillate

Madness