Analogue Solutions unveils Colossus, a purely analogue monster synth

The £25,000 mega-synth will be shipping in 2020

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colossus front shot

If you’re heading to SynthFest in Sheffield next month, you could be in for a treat. Analogue Solutions intend on previewing Colossus to attendees, as well as other products like Impulse Command.

Inspired by the EMS Synthi 100 from the 1970s, Analogue Solutions state firmly that Colossus is not just a synthesiser. “It is also art, architecture and exquisite studio furniture”, they say on their website.

Colossus boasts twelve oscillators, with multi-vernier knobs, twelve VCAs, and eight filters with dedicated envelopes. There are dual 64-step sequencers, spring reverbs and ring modulators, and even a built-in oscilloscope. This is all analogue, of course, with the exception of some digital elements in the sequencer. There’s no USB and no MIDI, which was an intentional move in an effort to steer away from digital altogether. Colossus aims to be a titan in its own right.

Colossus close up

Although it’s very clearly a heavy nod toward the Synthi 100, Colossus is built entirely from circuitry designed by Analogue Solutions. It’s comprised of circuits from some synths in their back catalogue, such as the Polymath, Telemark and Vostok. Unlike the Synthi 100, Colossus is also able to actually fit through a standard doorway.

But that’s not to say Colossus is not a beast, by any measure. With hardwood panels, and cased in solid metal, it sits at 1700m wide, 700m deep, 650mm high and “weighing in too big to fit on the scales”, Analogue Solutions say.

Clearly, Colossus is not for the faint-hearted, and is not aiming to be any kind of studio solution. This is designed for real synth-heads, looking for a machine capable of creating some serious sounds to add to their collection. As Analogue Solutions boldly say, after all, “Synthesisers like this only come around once in a decade, possibly a generation”.

Colossus is set to be unveiled at SynthFest on October 5th. It is now available for pre-order, and more can be found out at

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