16 years after the legendary GRP A8, which was built in 2009 in a small edition of 23 units, the Italian company is once again announcing a “monster” studio synthesizer: The GRP A10. The instrument, measuring 120 x 56 cm (width / height), will be manufactured in 2026. It includes two independent synth channels, an R24 step sequencer, an arpeggiator, several analog effects and more.
With its 4 VCOs + 1 sub-oscillator, the A10 doesn’t quite reach the oscillator power of the A8 (which had 6 VCOs and 6 sub-oscillators), but scores with a more flexible oscillator-compartment, an incredible filter section (2×2 VCFs incl. VC resonance, 2x triple resonators), BBD Delay / Phaser / Spring Reverb, a flexible 8-bus audio mixer, dual wavefolder and other extras.
The already very respectable modulation sources of the GRP A8 (and subsequently GRP A4) have been extended even further (now 21-fold instead of 11-fold routing switches), the two filter envelopes are voltage controllable (!), the two VCA sections accommodate 4 (unfiltered) sine waveforms (à la Yamaha CS synthesizer) and the significantly larger range of outputs/inputs (audio as well as CV) will surely make the studio musician’s heart pulsate …
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The tonal and structural possibilities of the GRP A10 at a glance …
In addition to the generous VCO-VCF-VCA architecture of the GRP A10, the performance options include an extended R24 step sequencer and a separate arpeggiator, which is a significant enhancements compared to the GRP A8.
Those VC LFOs 1/2 are familiar from the GRP A8 / GRP A4, but feature extended possibilities in combination with the step sequencer. Eventually, the “global” LFO 3 allows you to set independent mod-intensities for the LOWER and UPPER synth section …
The range of inputs/outputs has also grown significantly (as already indicated). Above all, the extensive audio outputs (which were present on the GRP A8, but have been reduced to a simple stereo out on the GRP A4) are back again: 4x stereo audio out (pre master LOWER + UPPER, main out balanced + unbalanced), not to forget the audio input (external signal processing).
The GRP A10 also has MIDI / USB, of course, to be found on the rear. Definitely new are those inputs and outputs for the analog effects, as well as 2 “assignable” CV inputs …
Some of the new “specialties” in detail: The analog effects are certainly the absolute novelty, never seen on a GRP synthesizer before. BBD Stereo Delay (with various clock divider options for each side, plus ping-pong), for example …
… or the Spring Stereo Reverb (we’d call it Stereo Spring Reverb :o). Sample & Hold is, of course, may be old hat, but it is essential – especially in combination with the LFOs and the sequencer and delay-effect (keyword clock-sync).
Dual phaser and the two triple resonator filter(s) à la Korg PS series – another novelty – round off the GRP A10 sound architecture …
… just like the massive mixer. Up to 8 audio sources can be assigned individually and continuously (!) to the main filter sections, whereby the two VC triple resonator filters are then activated / bypassed separately for each synth section.
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So far for now. The price of the GRP A10 has not yet been announced, but the Italian synthesizer manufacturer plans to provide an update on this soon. We will let you know …
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Picture: The GRP A10 will be approximately the same size as the GRP A8 (2009).
Picture: The GRP synthesizer family (except for GRP A1).
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GRP A10 Synthesizer
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Yes, really another monster synth. Paolo already mentioned some time ago that something BIG is coming, it really is equipped like a big battleship.
In 2013, after receiving the A4, I asked him (a very nice person, by the way, who takes the time to answer all your questions) whether he was planning to build any additional GRP effects in the future and at some point a GRP master keyboard (with several features). I’m pleased to see that half of my wishes have already been fulfilled in the A10 …
… and I also hope that the A10 deserves a complete German manual, perhaps from you, like the A8? Unfortunately, the A4 doesn’t have one …