GR-2/GR-MEGA firmware 1.8.1 release notes

Bugfixes and QoL improvements. GR-2 release firmware.

release date: 06 Oct 2026

new features:

- debug log now has its own scrollable dialog
- #1978 1.8.1-a3 - gr-2 matrix row is instantly mapped to knobs when touched
- 1.8.1-a6 - visualization for compressor effect
- 1.8.1-a5 - OSD feedback on CC120
- 1.8.1-a6 patch save / project save sample compression
  - IO menu - "Patch samples as HLAC"
- 1.8.1-a6 gr-2 touch mode = scrollzoom now actually has scroll.

changes:

- preset/mtpreset/template menus 
  - jumping to main and back into menu will scroll to active (mt)preset
  - after pasting, selected slot is retained
- 1.8.1-a4 tidier housekeeping around usb gadget connections
- 1.8.1-a6 - tile menu - op encoder and left/right arrow keys functions aligned
- 1.8.1-a8 - gr-mega - usb c audio streams now named : "gr-mega capture" and "gr-mega playback"

bugfixes:

- large reverb filter settings in old patches could cause non-normal numbers.
- gr-2 - rate limit file sharing over USB for stability.
- gr-2 - #1983 op encoder was reversed in some dialogs
- gr-2 - #1984 space char was forbidden at the end project names  
- gr-2 - popup messages adapted for gr-2 physical interface
- gr-2 - bipolar knob getting modulated had mod ball bias.
- fixes for online update and diagnostics
- firmware dropbox - wait until zip is totally copied. 
- #1986 - scrolling through long file names was hampered by tooltips
- preset/mtpreset/template menus - white focus rectangle no longer clipped by scroll bar
- #1974 1.8.1-a3 - gr-2 master EQ jittered when turning or dragging cutoff 
- #1975 1.8.1-a3 - gr-2 master EQ - glitchy bypass control fixed
- #1989 1.8.1-a3 - last slice failed to play when direction = -100%
- #1989 1.8.1-a3 - looping slices were turned into one-shots
- #1991 1.8.1-a4 - mismatch between free scan and snapped scan. 
- 1.8.1-a5 - scanning in pingpong mode did not restart at sample position controlled by horizontal fader 
- 1.8.1-a5 - MIDI fixes:
  - CC21 range fix. 
  - MIDI sub osc toggle fix. 
  - time out handling for midi data.
- 1.8.1-a6 - gr-2 tooltip crash
- 1.8.1-a7 - gr-2 reads out master and phones pots at boot to correctly actuate volume.
- 1.8.1-a8 - gr-mega fix interrupt storm in usb c drivers. in the future this will mean USB C MODE will default to MIDI+FILES+AUDIO, without any CPU issues.