Tasty Chips GR-2 Silver

The Tasty Chips GR-2 is a desktop granular synthesizer and stereo sampler that combines granular, sampling, tape and spectral engines with four multitimbral layers, up to 16 voices per layer, 4,000 simultaneous grains, MPE expression and a 7-inch capacitive touchscreen.

GR-1 Heritage with Expanded Sound Design

The GR-2 develops the GR-1’s approach to visual, hands-on granular synthesis with greater processing capacity, four complementary engines and a touchscreen-led interface. Its system-wide capacity of approximately 4,000 grains offers around three times the GR-1’s grain count, supporting dense textures and layered arrangements within a compact 250 × 190 × 70 mm enclosure.

The instrument transforms field recordings, percussion, vocals, synthesizers and acoustic sources into playable material. Real-time sampling and processing extend that approach to incoming audio, allowing the GR-2 to function as both a sound source and a processor for external instruments.

Four Synthesis and Processing Engines 

The granular engine divides recordings into small grains and recombines them into sustained clouds, fragmented rhythms and evolving soundscapes. Each voice supports up to 128 grains, while chord mode accommodates up to 12 notes. Free rate mode separates grain rate from grain size; Sync-size and Scan & rate modes provide linked alternatives. Bounce, wrap and kill loop modes govern playback at loop boundaries, while direct, gradual and recycle spawn modes offer different approaches to grain generation.

The sampler engine provides conventional sample playback with start, end and loop controls. Tape mode adds scrubbing, reversal and stretching for continuous audio manipulation. The spectral engine uses phase-vocoder processing to reshape frequency content, supporting up to three voices, FFT sizes from 256 to 8,192 and chords of up to 12 notes per voice.

Arpeggiator modes include up, down, random, shuffle and play order, adding structured or unpredictable movement to pitched material.

Four Layers and Flexible Sample Playback

Four independent multitimbral layers combine presets, engines, modulation and effects. The specification lists up to 16 voices per layer, with engine-specific limits and a shared maximum of 4,000 simultaneous grains.

The GR-2 handles mono and stereo samples at 48 kHz and uses 32-bit floating-point mixing. Maximum sample length reaches 60 minutes, while granular playback supports samples up to 5 minutes 50 seconds. Stereo audio inputs capture external sources for sampling and real-time transformation.

Project storage supports 50 projects, each containing 128 presets and 128 multitimbral combinations. This structure keeps individual sounds and layered performance setups together for recall.

Touchscreen and Tactile Control

A 7-inch capacitive touchscreen presents a 1024 × 600 true-colour interface alongside precision endless encoders. High-contrast graphics provide visual feedback during editing, while screen dimming accommodates different studio and stage lighting conditions.

Quick Access pages organise the main functions, with advanced controls no more than one menu level away. Touch X/Y control adds a performance surface for sound manipulation, and gesture recording captures movements for playback and automation.

Modulation, MPE and Performance Expression

The modulation matrix addresses more than 120 destinations through four LFOs per layer, four random generators, an auxiliary envelope, an envelope follower, key and position tracking, MIDI control, touch gestures and two CV inputs.

Bipolar and unipolar modulation, adjustable response curves and polyphonic routing control how each source influences its destination. Macro controls coordinate parameter changes, while recorded X/Y gestures provide repeatable movement for evolving patches.

MPE support accommodates expression across five dimensions. Compatible controllers can articulate individual notes within chords, extending performance control beyond conventional channel-wide modulation.

Filters and Envelopes

Each voice includes low-pass and high-pass filtering with 12 dB-per-octave slopes. These filters shape the tonal balance of individual voices before the instrument combines them into layered textures.

ADSR envelopes control pitch, filter and amplitude, alongside a freely assignable auxiliary envelope. Stage durations range from 0.1 milliseconds to 45 seconds, covering sharp transients and gradual developments. Adjustable curves move between logarithmic, linear and exponential responses to refine each envelope’s behaviour.

Integrated Effects

The effects selection covers spatial processing, dynamics, tonal shaping and modulation. Standard and ping-pong delays create rhythmic repeats and stereo movement, while reverb and large reverb extend sounds into ambient spaces.

Chorus, flanger and vibrato introduce movement through timing and pitch variation. Cubic distortion and tanh saturation add harmonics, while bit reduction introduces digital texture. A compressor controls dynamics, and a five-band parametric EQ adjusts the frequency balance.

A resonator emphasises tuned frequencies, while ring modulation creates additional sum-and-difference frequency content. The specification lists four simultaneous effects, supporting combined processing within a patch.

Audio, MIDI and Modular Connectivity

Balanced quarter-inch TRS stereo inputs and outputs connect the GR-2 to mixers, audio interfaces and external instruments. A 3.5 mm headphone output supports direct monitoring.

DIN MIDI In, Out and Thru, together with USB-C MIDI input and output, connect keyboards, controllers and DAW-based MIDI setups. Two CV inputs accept signals from −5 V to +5 V, and a gate output extends integration with modular equipment.

USB-A 3.0 supports disks and USB sticks, while USB-A 2.0 accommodates a computer keyboard. Internal sample storage complements USB storage, although the supplied specification does not state its capacity. Black and silver finishes provide two enclosure options.

Why Choose the Tasty Chips GR-2?

• Turn familiar recordings into playable instruments, atmospheric textures and rhythmic material.

• Build layered sounds within one compact hardware unit.

• Shape audio directly through touch and tactile controls.

• Add expressive detail to individual notes with a compatible MPE controller.

• Capture external instruments and transform their sound in real time.

• Combine synthesis, modulation and effects in a single sound-design workflow.

• Integrate with studio, MIDI and modular setups through a broad range of connections.

• Desktop granular synthesizer, stereo sampler and real-time audio processor.
• Four engines: granular, sampler, tape and spectral.
• Four independent multitimbral layers.
• Up to 16 voices per layer, subject to engine-specific limits.
• Up to 128 grains per voice and 4,000 simultaneous grains across all layers.
• Granular chord mode with up to 12 notes.
• Free, Sync-size and Scan & rate granular rate modes.
• Bounce, wrap and kill loop modes.
• Direct, gradual and recycle grain spawn modes.
• Arpeggiator modes including up, down, random, shuffle and play order.
• Sample start, end and loop controls.
• Tape-style stretching, scrubbing and reverse playback.
• Spectral phase-vocoder processing with up to three voices.
• FFT sizes from 256 to 8,192.
• Spectral chord mode with up to 12 notes per voice.
• Stereo audio capture and real-time processing.
• Mono and stereo sample support at 48 kHz.
• 32-bit floating-point mixing.
• Maximum sample length of 60 minutes; granular sample limit of 5 minutes 50 seconds.
• Capacity for 50 projects, with 128 presets and 128 multitimbral combinations per project.
• 7-inch capacitive touchscreen with 1024 × 600 true-colour resolution.
• High-contrast interface, screen dimming and Quick Access pages.
• Precision endless encoders.
• Touch X/Y control with gesture recording, playback and automation.
• MPE support across five dimensions.
• Four LFOs per layer, four random generators, an auxiliary envelope and an envelope follower.
• Key tracking, position tracking, MIDI modulation and two CV modulation inputs.
• More than 120 modulation destinations.
• Bipolar, unipolar and polyphonic modulation with adjustable curves and macro controls.
• Low-pass and high-pass filters per voice with 12 dB-per-octave slopes.
• Pitch, filter, amplitude and freely assignable auxiliary ADSR envelopes.
• Envelope stage durations from 0.1 ms to 45 seconds.
• Adjustable logarithmic, linear and exponential envelope curves.
• Four simultaneous effects.
• Chorus, compressor, delay, ping-pong delay, cubic distortion, tanh saturation, flanger, five-band parametric EQ, bit reduction, reverb, large reverb, resonator, ring modulation and vibrato.
• Balanced quarter-inch TRS stereo audio inputs and outputs.
• 3.5 mm headphone output.
• DIN MIDI In, Out and Thru.
• USB-C MIDI input and output for controller and DAW integration.
• Two CV inputs with a −5 V to +5 V range and one gate output.
• USB-A 3.0 disk and USB-stick connectivity.
• USB-A 2.0 computer-keyboard connectivity.
• Internal sample storage.
• Compact 250 × 190 × 70 mm enclosure.
• Black and silver finish options.

This item, like everything we supply, comes with the complete support of our expert team. Our excellent technicians have been specifying, building and supporting studios for over twenty years. If you have any problems with installation, setup or everyday use, they’re never more than a click away, and always happy to help.

You can contact them here.