Many features packed into a small synth. I'm sure this works for some people, but I found it to be way too limited. Although, I know, it's very cheap.
Here are some limitations that I found annoying. Some of these might be hard to guess before actually using the unit:
- It's not polyphonic, it's paraphonic. There are 3 VCO's but they share the same VCA. In practice it sounds like the held notes would be triggered again when you play a new note.
- Although the Keys receive velocity when played live, the sequencer does not record it. So the velocity of every note is 100%.
- No ability to bypass recording midi (key) notes from an external midi-keyboard.
This means that if you simultaneously play live on a keyboard and record your automations on the Volca itself, the notes you played get recorded on every loop, over and over again. You have to record the automation separately.
- Sequencer has only 16 steps. Although the scale can be adjusted: 1/1, 1/2 and 1/4.
- Peak (resonance) cannot be automated or affected through midi.
- No MIDI out. Although you can relatively easily make your own. Similarly to Arturia BeatStep, I would suggest a 1/8 TRS jack (next to the MIDI IN jack).
- Only headphones out. If you plan not to use headphones, you need (half of) an insert cable or some other special configurations.
- The scope of the sounds that you can produce with this is very limited. Although the automation helps a lot, but still.
