Polyend’s Tracker has become a contemporary classic. The 1.4 update transforms sequencing, step effects, and how you work with line input, among other features – and hang on, as there is also some news to do with pricing, manufacture, and distribution.
Tracker has been a runaway hit. It’s hard to believe this device has only been out since March 2020, especially given the amount of stuff that has been packed into the gadget since then. (Hmm… there may have been something else going on since March 2020 that warped our sense of time, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it was.)
Tracker 1.4 is a major new update, in terms of how you sequence and play with the instrument, how you work with external gear and signal processing, how you navigate, and how the device itself performs.
Highlights:
- Horizontal Pattern Edit mode, if you want a break from vertical tracker editing apart from turning the unit on its side or tilting your head 90 degrees.
- New step Fx’s – Arp, Slide, Gate Length, and Swing
- The Tune Fx in the Performance Mode now also works for MIDI notes
- Line Input passthrough now supports Delay and Reverb sends
- Mono support for Line Input passthrough
- Performance Mode now plays through the entire song
- You can now switch between Perform screen and Instrument Parameters without breaking the performance
- Updated Title Bar is now also available in the Pattern Screen
- New MIDI output latency compensation (MIDI Instrument Parameters offset utility)
- Overall bugfix and performance update
Now, the bad news – if you didn’t pick up a Tracker already. Yes, they’re increasing the price, although the new price frankly is still pretty ludicrously fantastic compared to the rest of the market – now at 599€/$649.
Am I surprised? No, not really – I don’t understand how they hit the earlier price as an independent company, and all kinds of costs have increased from parts shortages to other logistic issues. Those lie very much outside of the control of manufacturers, so I don’t expect Polyend will even be the only one disrupted.
To me, it’s a good sign – Polyend seem to have a handle on production, and they’re making some good decisions. They’ve opened up new distribution centers with a focus on Australia, France, Japan, Scandinavia (not sure where that one is), and the freshly-not-part-of-the-EU United Kingdom. In fact, given what’s going on with trucks in the UK, I think you folks may have better luck with Polyend then you do at your Tesco – uff.
They also have a new brushed aluminum faceplate.
All in all, I’m excited to go visit Polyend when they’re here at SuperBooth later this month. And the Tracker has to be on everyone’s list by now.
They’ve been sharing some great videos and music, too, so let’s enjoy: