On the face of it Luna looks like a simple analogue synth, but don’t be fooled by first impressions. This Reason Rack Extension combines an analogue plan with some great digital layering so there’s much more going on beneath the surface. 

Price £71
Contact Reason Banks or Pink Noise Studio

Luna key features:

• Dual Performance Synth Reason Rack Extension
• Two synth engines each with an oscillator/sound layer from 92 multisamples
• Dedicated insert effect per synth (EQ, distortion, phaser chorus) plus global delay and reverb and compressor/limiter
• Ladder filter per engine with 6 different modes
• Modulation section with 13 sources and 22 destinations
• Two LFOs per synth
• Amp and Mod envelope

First up, Luna is a Dual Performance synth. Effectively, that means you are getting two synths for the price of one and you simply layer them together with a top rotary that mixes between synth A or B.

Pink Noise describes Luna as being ‘powered by the sounds of the legendary Moog Voyager’ and this where the other difference comes in, as its ‘oscillators’ are based around 92 multisamples sets so it might be analogue in nature but there’s a very digital under belly to be explored.

The rest of the feature-set is pretty well endowed. There’s a 6-mode filter per synth engine (with high pass, band pass and four different slopes); a couple of LFOs per synth; a comprehensive Modulation Matrix which is very easy to get your head around; and a decent number of effects. These include a dedicated EQ, distortion, phaser and chorus for each synth layer and a reverb and delay that can be added to the combined output. A fairly simple compressor/limiter concludes the feature-set.   

So does Luna sound out of this world? There are 100 presets in total across six categories, and you get everything from rich atmosphere to in-your-face punch. Some of the leads can be aggressive with a real growl about them. The basses too can be very forthright but also rounded, deep and very full. Our favourites, though, are the evolving pads which perhaps demonstrate where some of that digital layering is contributing. But overall, the sounds have a real analogue filter punch with the throbbing arpeggios often shaking your bass cones.

All the sounds are very malleable and the simplicity of the interface will have you tweaking in no time. And that’s really the beauty of Luna – it features full sonic textures to enjoy, combined with a simplicity you’ll be at home with.