Released in 1982 by Octave-Plateau Electronics (later renamed Voyetra and still later merged with Turtle Beach Systems to become Voyetra Turtle Beach, Inc.), it was one of the first analog programmable synthesizers to be rack-mountable and remains one of the most flexible digitally controlled analog synthesizers.
Most units are bowed at the top and so cannot be placed below other rack mounted equipment more than a few inches deep.
Extra "pages" are accessed by hitting certain shift key combinations, after which most of the front-panel controls change function.
This may seem somewhat unusual, but in the day of the Voyetra, MIDI was in its infancy, and SysEx was not yet a proven strategy for transmitting and storing system information.
The specs belie the complexity of the sound architecture, because of the great deal of control the programmer (and the player) has over various aspects of sound production, including key assignment modes, modulation routing, and envelope parameters.
Many of the answers to these questions can be set by the programmer using the key assignment modes and envelope parameters.
For instance, on modulation bank A, one might choose LFO1 one as the source, VCO1 and VCO2 pitch as the destination, and channel aftertouch (pressure) as the controller.
The VPK-5 keyboard has a joystick to the left of the keys where the pitch and mod wheels would commonly be found on other synthesizers.
In New Order's promotional music video for their 1985 single "The Perfect Kiss", the Voyetra-8 appears in the first scenes of the clip used by band member Gillian Gilbert.
New Order used to tour with a rack containing four Voyetra-8s, although two were spares as early units tended to break down regularly.