UDO Audio Super 8: Between Giants, Into the Sonic Wilds

UDO Audio’s Super 8 arrives as a bridge between the Super 6 and Super Gemini, both in terms of form factor and sonic ambition. Hazel Mills immediately notes the visual and operational similarities to its siblings, pointing out the familiar interface and the presence of dual layers—a nod to the Gemini’s more complex structure. This positioning makes the Super 8 a tempting prospect for those who want more than the Super 6 but don’t need the full heft of the Gemini.

The video hints at cross-compatibility, with Hazel mentioning that Super Gemini patches and performances can be loaded onto the Super 8. This suggests a thoughtful continuity in UDO’s design ethos, making it easier for users to move between instruments. The Super 8’s role is clearly to offer deep sound design and layering, while remaining approachable for hands-on exploration.

Hazel Mills begins her exploration by starting from an initialized patch—a blank canvas that encourages experimentation. She quickly brings in noise and explores the wave morphing capabilities, using the modulation matrix to assign LFOs and subtly animate the sound. The workflow is reminiscent of both the Super 6 and Gemini, with a layout that invites instinctive patching rather than menu-diving.

The Super 8’s flexible oscillator section allows for a variety of waveforms and blends, with Hazel morphing between noise and alternative shapes. Modulation is at the heart of this process, as she demonstrates how easily LFOs can be routed to different parameters for evolving textures. The instrument’s design encourages users to follow their curiosity, layering modulation sources for organic movement.

One of the Super 8’s standout features is its dual-layer functionality, which Hazel puts to immediate use by stacking sounds on the upper and lower layers. She crafts a simple sine-based patch on the upper layer, then adds a sawtooth and square wave on the lower, adjusting registers to create a rich, evolving timbre. This approach allows for complex soundscapes that would be cumbersome on a single-layer synth.

The ability to swap registers and blend layers on the fly gives performers a powerful tool for live expression and studio sound design. Hazel demonstrates how the two layers can interact, with the lower layer creeping in gradually for dramatic effect. The Super 8’s architecture is clearly designed for those who want to merge contrasting textures and timbres in a single patch.

The Super 8’s modulation capabilities and arpeggiator are highlighted as tools for expressive performance. Hazel demonstrates aftertouch modulation, stereo phase manipulation, drift, and key tracking—all easily accessible and assignable via the modulation matrix. These features enable nuanced control over dynamics and timbre, making the instrument highly responsive to touch and gesture.

The arpeggiator adds rhythmic complexity, while modulation sources can be layered for intricate, evolving patterns. Hazel’s patching results in sounds reminiscent of shakers and hi-hats, with movement and brightness shaped by aftertouch and filter modulation. The overall impression is of an instrument designed for exploration, rewarding those who dig into its modulation and performance features with a vast palette of sonic possibilities.