Hydrasynth

[John the Savage]

USB also works. More and more common as an option these days.

Yes, but there's no host port on the HS, so I'd need a secondary MIDI host...

Not interested.

Cheers!

[BobDog]

Unbelievable.

Well, thanks for reporting back, Andy. I appreciate it anyway. And so, we wait...

Might have to get an Argon8M instead. Assuming it's even working as advertised.

Cheers!

If you were going to get a HS how would you connect it up for playing, via the 5 pin din?

Why do I feel like this is a trick question?

Anyway, um... Yes, that was my loose-knit plan. No good?

Cheers!

No trick question

I have no belief these HS bugs will ever be fixed so I was thinking of making a little hardware box for the LS and HS that contains the fixes for mono mode that I did if you use a computer: https://github.com/IOSAudio/HydrasynthMonoMPE

A simple solution is to use a Raspberry Pi and use the USB, the PI could then power the LS as well.

Another solution is to use a Teensy board and knock up the hardware for the 5 pin midi.

I'm thinking the PI approach is the best bet, both the LS and HS can just connect to it via USB and we can power the LS from the PI. The main issue with this approach is that if you loose power to the PI the boot up back to working is going to be around 10-15 seconds I guess.

The Teensy Board would not have this boot up time problem but we do have the issue of powering it, I guess I could also get this working using USB but it would require a small USB hub to be wired into the box.

[John the Savage]

Hmm... Interesting.

Well, now is a bad time for me to be making any changes to my live rig, given that my tour schedule has been sidelined indefinitely. As such, as far as looking for a suitable MPE hardware synth in concerned, I'm content to wait it out for now. I have a rule about purchasing gear that's not directly earning its keep.

That, and I'm yet undecided as to what horse I even want to bet on here. I mean, the Argon8M is the perfect size for my needs, seems fairly capable as a synth, and it does sound lovely; but I really want the Hydrasynth for its sound design potential, and all that modulation would not go to waste in my hands.

Plus, to be honest, I'm not crazy about the idea of using a peripheral to solve a problem internal to the synth itself. Don't get me wrong, I love that you'd be willing to do that, Andy, and I have every faith that it would work; but, if ASM isn't interested in prioritizing MPE, perhaps the Hydrasynth is not the synth I should be investing in.

Cheers!

[BobDog]

The thing is the Hydrasynth is a great synth, I don't say that about many!

I don't think they will fix the issues any time soon though, they have the marketing "MPE" term already attached, the functionality is not that important until enough people complain, so basic ordering of issues; add new stuff more people may buy it, fixing bugs maybe not.

I'm looking at the PI solution, main reason for me at the moment is all my music gear is connected up via my lovely MacPro but at the moment my working day is using a horrible windows box.

For musical noodling during the working day I Use the LS and HS and don't want the MacPro and the windows box pushing out hot air just to fix the HS issues, in the end you always need gear to solve issues.

I would really recommend you get the real rundown on the Argon8 though, from what i can see about "MPE" advertised hardware/software synths none of the bloody things work properly. In a way you are still better off with a multitimbral/multichannel synth (apart from the setup/programming)!

[BobDog]

double

[John the Savage]

Well, you're preaching to the choir, my friend.

I'll probably end up with a Hydrasynth. At least it has poly-aftertouch. Until Covid-19 blows over, however, I'm pretty much in Damage Control mode.

I do appreciate the info though. Thanks, Andy.

Cheers!

[BobDog]

I'll keep you updated, the teensy way could actually just be built into a Midi cable but it would need power, I'm pretty sure that the LS doesn't provide power on the midi out, maybe Roger can pipe in for some more info from the horses mouth

[John the Savage]

Actually, it does. I've had a MIDI Solutions splitter-box running off the LinnStrument's DIN out before, and just checked again now to be sure... Yes, it works.

Perhaps you're remembering that the Tempest doesn't provide MIDI power. What a design oversight that was, especially when you consider the source. Ahem! But I digress.

Cheers!

[BobDog]

Nice, thanks for the info John.

[LarsDaniel]

As long as MPE works with poly sounds, I would be happy.
And I would like to say this: I received an Argon8m today, and it is going straight back. I just can not deal with filters that are that flat, dull and soulless. I have probably never been this disappointed with a synth before. Ok, if I was stuck with it on a desert island, I would probably be able to make some good sounds, but without a decent filter, there will be miles and miles between the sweetspots. So yes, that has really wetted my appetite for the Hydra.

[John the Savage]

Yes, but part of the issue, as I understand it, is that MPE mode on the Hydrasynth is a Global Setting (i.e. not saved with each patch), yet it causes problems with mono/legato patches. That's not trivial.

As for the filter on the Argon8, that's disappointing to hear. On the other hand, I've heard more great sounds come out of that synth, in the demos that I've watched, than any other contemporary synth either side of its price point. So, I don't know that I'd be quick to dismiss it for having a lack-luster filter. I mean, to that end, so does the Pulse 2, and it can equally achieve absolutely brilliant sounds. Just saying...

Cheers!

[LarsDaniel]

Yes, but part of the issue, as I understand it, is that MPE mode on the Hydrasynth is a Global Setting (i.e. not saved with each patch), yet it causes problems with mono/legato patches. That's not trivial.

As for the filter on the Argon8, that's disappointing to hear. On the other hand, I've heard more great sounds come out of that synth, in the demos that I've watched, than any other contemporary synth either side of its price point. So, I don't know that I'd be quick to dismiss it for having a lack-luster filter. I mean, to that end, so does the Pulse 2, and it can equally achieve absolutely brilliant sounds. Just saying...

Cheers!

Well, it is only my highly personal opinion, and taste does vary greatly.
I just sat down with it for a couple of hours, but that only cemented my decision to send it back:
- The envelopes are very short. My first thought was to look for a range switch, but no such thing.
- I really dislike the UI. At first look, it seems great, but here is an example: To load a new sound, you scroll to the top page, then select a sound. Often the first thing I do then, is either adjust filter or volume. And then perhaps I want to go to the next sound, but because I touched the filter, I am now on the filter page, and need to scroll all the way to the top again. So browsing is rather terrible, imho.
- I sat in relatively low light conditions, and even though I had turned the led strength all the way down, the white leds (that are supposed to be of help) effectively prohibited me from seeing the writing under the knobs.
- The delay does not go into feedback. This was actually the moment where I realised, that there was too big of an ideological gap between me and Modal. Probably a decision made to “protect people from the horrors of a howling delay, but in my eyes just a sadly wasted opportunity. They even have HP and LP filters for shaping the feedback, but with feedback at max, the delays just die out rapidly and boringly.
- The reverb is just so not 2020. Why put a reverb in that is short, tinny and in mono, when pretty much everybody wants the opposite: Long, lush and stereo.

But others will probably not mind at all, and love the gazillion possible waveforms the oscillators can produce.

[John the Savage]

For the record, I certainly wasn't insisting that you had to like it. However, in case you weren't aware, firmware update 2.0 doubled the available envelope time and quadrupled the max delay time, as well as adding a tape emulation and a few other flavours there.

Anyway... To each their own. If the Hydrasynth gets its MPE woes sorted, I'm in. Otherwise, the Argon8 remains on my shortlist.

Cheers!

[jcub]

FWIW, I have had no issues with MPE on the Hydrasynth. LinnStrument works fine for me with monophonic sounds on the Hydrasynth, including pitch bend. I must admit to being puzzled about the concept of MPE for monophonic sounds.

[LarsDaniel]

Oh no, I did not read you like that.
And no, I did not know about the update to Argon. Will check it out once more then.

I only play the Linny polyphonicly, so would I have problems with Hydrasynth then?

Footnote: My fling with Argon8 has actually made me realise how good Modor NF-1 is. 🥳