Tasty Chips has been producing some of the most interesting and exciting granular synthesis and sampling hardware units in the last couple of years. Now they’ve presented a Kickstarter campaign featuring the GR2. Is this simply an updated GR-1 with a touch screen or does it cross into territory previously dominated by the GR MEGA? What’s the real difference between the Tasty Chips GR MEGA and the GR2?
Enter the GR2
Like so many other interesting Kickstarter projects, the GR2 pledge period has come and gone. At least the initial development. But don’t worry, if you missed these 100 units, they’re only the early bird units and a little (or a lot) of patience is all you’ll need to have a crack at owning one yourself. Look at it as time to save up the money (which at the time of the Kickstarter campaign was 849 Euros).
What is the GR2 and what does it do? Described as the sequel to the GR-1, the GR2 is smaller and also features an impressive touch screen. However, in a dispatch from the mailing list, it is actually the GR MEGA that has been referenced most, not the larger, older GR-1.
GR MEGA, the big boss!
The GR Mega is without a doubt an impressive granular synthesis. Bo Beats calls it the final boss of granular synth and his video is definitely one of the best ones out there if you’re looking to get a sense of the functionality and possibilities of the GR MEGA.
One thing that’s been announced since Bo Beat’s video, is that multi-sampling functionality has been scheduled for a future update. That really continues to build the GR MEGA as not just a great granular synth, but a really impressive and complete instrument for sampling.
So, is the GR2 an updated, touch-screen enabled, more portable GR MEGA for less than half the price?
What’s the difference between Tasty Chips GR MEGA and GR2?
While there aren’t many live demos out there to get a really good sense of how the GR MEGA and GR2 stack up, some obvious differences and considerations can help you distinguish the two.
Let’s talk touchscreen. Not everybody loves a touch screen. In fact, that’s an oft cited downside of some of the MPCs. The GR MEGA does not have a touch screen and seems like the amount of menu diving is less than what may be the case with the GR2.
Tasty Chips goes on to add, “The GR-2 has somewhat lower polyphony, lacks the amount of function-specific knobs and buttons, and lacks luxury interfaces like HDMI and balanced audio.”
While the UI and connectivity are clearly points of departure for the two units, Tasty Chips argues that in the long-run, the shared root functionality will benefit those who have purchased the GR MEGA through improved features, further firmware releases brought on by GR2 feedback, and an expanding patch library.
So which unit feels right to you? Are you a GR MEGA owner? Drop your thoughts in the comments!