Cherry Audio ESQ-1 Presets – Ivory Compass

Key Features:

• 30 synth pad presets for the Cherry Audio ESQ-1.
• Vintage-inspired sound palette featuring nostalgic pads, evolving modulation, and distinctive digital character.
• Suitable for cinematic music, ambient, electronic, progressive rock, soundtrack composition, and retro-inspired productions.
• Focused on atmospheric layers, expressive harmonic textures, and classic 80s synthesizer aesthetics.

Vintage ESQ-1 Pads with Classic Digital Character

Ivory Compass contains 30 synth pad presets for the Cherry Audio ESQ-1, exploring the unmistakable personality of one of the most recognizable hybrid synthesizers of the 1980s. Inspired by the distinctive digital oscillators, expressive modulation, and slightly unpredictable nature of the original instrument, the collection embraces nostalgic atmospheres, evolving harmonic movement, and beautifully aged electronic textures. Rather than aiming for polished modern precision, these presets celebrate the charming imperfections, sonic instability, and warm digital colors that made vintage synthesizers so memorable.

The soundbank is particularly suited for cinematic scoring, ambient music, classic electronica, progressive rock, soundtrack production, synthwave-inspired arrangements, and any project seeking authentic retro synthesizer aesthetics. Many of the presets work beautifully as atmospheric foundations, spacious harmonic layers, evolving backgrounds, or slow-moving textures that enrich arrangements with depth, emotion, and a timeless electronic identity. Gentle modulation, shifting harmonics, airy movement, and subtle digital grain give the sounds a living quality that naturally complements both modern and vintage productions. Some presets reveal additional harmonic grit and pleasant saturation driven with higher output levels, highlighting another characteristic of the ESQ-1 engine.

Highlighted Presets.

Astrolabe recreates the spirit of early progressive rock synthesizers with a primitive yet expressive atmosphere. Its broad harmonic body provides a beautiful backdrop for melodic guitar solos, keyboards, and spacious instrumental passages.

Atlas Veil captures the unmistakable flavor of 1980s digital synthesis through gently unstable modulation and evolving movement, producing nostalgic textures with a rich vintage personality.

Bearings combines harmonic layers with subtle sci-fi character. A carefully shaped resonant transforms the sound, adding motion and expressive tonal evolution throughout sustained performances.

Charted Seas offers an emotional ambient pad with slow internal movement, warm harmonics, and uplifting tonal colors that naturally suit cinematic scenes and reflective electronic compositions.

Compass Rose delivers a brighter vintage pad with raw digital edges, shimmering harmonics, and the slightly gritty character.

Requirements

ESQ-1 v1.0.12 (Build 86) or newer.

{See video at top of page}