Upgrade Announcement: Mantis is hailed as the progression of OSCar, with v2 update introducing authentic wavetables from the iconic synth, Mantis.
The PWM Mantis Synthesizer: A Spiritual Successor to the OSCar and Wasp
The PWM Mantis synthesizer, co-created by Paul Whittington and the late Chris Huggett, has made a significant impact in the world of electronic music. Huggett, a renowned British synth designer, is best known for his work on influential instruments like the EDP Wasp, OSCar, and Novation Bass Station. The Mantis, released in 2021, is considered Huggett's final synthesizer project before his passing in 2020.
In 2025, PWM acquired the Oxford Synthesiser Company (OSC) brand, originally founded by Chris Huggett. Following this acquisition, PWM released a V2 firmware update for the Mantis that incorporates key elements of the OSCar's original sound palette. This update adds nine of the OSCar’s original preset waveforms—such as 'Organ', 'Harpsichord', 'Double Pulse', 'Strong Lead', and the jagged 'High-Density' waveform—to the Mantis.
The V2 update also significantly enhances the Mantis’s polyphony capabilities. Previously duophonic, the synth now offers four polyphonic voices, each with two oscillators, a sub-oscillator, and a detune oscillator, totaling up to 16 oscillators available simultaneously. This upgrade reinforces the Mantis as the "next generation of OSCar," effectively extending OSCar's legacy with modern hardware and expanded sonic flexibility.
The PWM Mantis is a hybrid synthesizer with digital oscillators running through dual multi-mode, state-variable analogue filters. It features 2 envelopes with Sustain Fall and Envelope Repeat, 37 full-size velocity-sensitive keys, and a multifunction joystick. Additionally, it offers 2 LFOs, an OSC Drift, an arpeggiator within 6 octaves, Auto glide mode, a ring modulator, Auto Clock Sync, digital effects (reverb, delay), MIDI In/Out/Thru, sustain and controller pedal connection, USB-C to Host, stereo line output, and stereo headphone output.
The Mantis, with its dimensions of 620x320x110mm, weighs 5.3kg and can store up to 200 sounds, with 100 factory presets and 100 user presets. In recognition of the V2 firmware update, PWM is running a special offer, and any new purchase of Mantis will include a copy of GForce's impOSCar 3 plugin.
The EDP Wasp and OSC OSCar are cult classic monosynths, and the Mantis is a spiritual successor to these iconic instruments. Chris Huggett was an influential British synth designer and engineer, and his legacy is deeply embedded in the Mantis.
Currently, the PWM Mantis is available for purchase at Andertons for £769, which is almost 50% off the original RRP. For those interested in electronic music and the legacy of Chris Huggett, the PWM Mantis is a must-have addition to any studio or stage.
Incorporating elements from the OSCar's original sound palette through the V2 firmware update, the PWM Mantis Synthesizer amplifies its digital oscillators with key gadgets of the analogue era, weaving a tapestry of technology and tradition in the realm of electronic music. Notably, this update adds nine of the OSCar’s original preset waveforms, including 'Organ', 'Harpsichord', 'Double Pulse', 'Strong Lead', and the jagged 'High-Density' waveform, nailingly demonstrating Huggett's pioneering spirit.
