Hydrasynth

[TechM3X]

I wanted to get the keyboard version since it has a sick ribbon controller but since I picked up the Novation Summit, I'm not sure if I can justify getting another keyboard-based synth since the following live rig may be a bit overkill:

Yamaha CP 88
Novation Summit
Behringer Deepmind

If I did pick up the Desktop version of the Hydra Synth, would I end up missing the keybed and ribbon controller or could I rock it with using a Native Instruments S61 Midi controller and still vibe minus the ribbon controller?

As you can see, I'm going hard on that ribbon controller.

[e-crooner]

I also can't say enough good things about the build quality. Glen Darcy and Medeli created a hell of a product here and I hope they will have great success with it.

It seems to be a mixed team, why ignore the Chinese developers?

http://www.ashunsoundmachines.com/about

[vvilms]

@evildragon -- I must say, I've always shied away from investing in digital hardware synths due to feeling reasonably proficient with Zebra/ Bazille among u-he's other offerings. I wonder (assuming you've been able to get ahold of a Hydra by now) how (or if) you'd compare the tone of this to Zebra.

(Only asking because I know you're quite familiar with the latter.)

[Stefken]

Marvellous synth. Something I didn't come across are random generators like sample & hold, turing,...?

Did I miss something?

Edit: random functions are part of the lfo shapes.

[EvilDragon]

@evildragon -- I must say, I've always shied away from investing in digital hardware synths due to feeling reasonably proficient with Zebra/ Bazille among u-he's other offerings. I wonder (assuming you've been able to get ahold of a Hydra by now) how (or if) you'd compare the tone of this to Zebra.

(Only asking because I know you're quite familiar with the latter.)

I did have a play with it a few times. It's quite different to Zebra, it's its own thing.

[5Lives]

How's this vs the Peak for folks? Seems like Peak at least has some analog signal flow while this, while powerful, is somewhat more of a VST in a box?

[Stefken]

The Hydrasynth just had a great 1.5 update adding yet more features.
Among them: 6 new filters, a distortion effect, lfo steps go up to 64 steps now, midi implementation optimisation towards daws (cc), ..
Full list here:

[roman.i]

Never understood what's the point of having this in a hardware. It sounds nearly as any modern digital VST synth, thin ,boring, not musical. Instead of building this, would like to see more manufacturers concentrate on building a proper VA/Analog modeling.

[Stefken]

Never understood what's the point of having this in a hardware. It sounds nearly as any modern digital VST synth, thin ,boring, not musical. Instead of building this, would like to see more manufacturers concentrate on building a proper VA/Analog modeling.

Well, you could ask what is überhaupt the point of hardware?
Why buy a Minimoog when you can buy the Legend that can do polyphony and store presets for around 100 euro?

This synth gives the advantages of hardware like DAWless operation, hands on control etc.
But more so, in terms of hardware, it's quite unique as it has poly AT and a ribbon controller which brings it into CS-80 territory of expressivenes. There is literally hardly a hardware synth in existence that can do that. One of the reasons is that it is so hard to develop. As ASM was founded from a mother company that actually builds keyboards they had the necessary resources to do it right at their fingertips.

As for the sound design possibilities, I think it can compete with the most elaborate vst's out there in terms of features which is quite unique for hardware. Some hardware synths have 1 ADSR, 1 filter, 1 lfo, maybe 2 modulation options. This synth has 5 DAHDSR's , 5 lfo's, about 16 filter models, 32 modmatrix slots etc etc.
The whole synth is well developed towards UI and has some unique angles.
For example things like oscillator sync and PWM are rather implemented as effects. That means that e.g. is not a on/off state but more like a wet/dry where you can dial in the amount. Throughout, the synth has quite a lot of these neat tricks up it's sleeve (like the ADSR's are actually DAHDSR's) that give it very interesting possibilities and make it unique imo.

As for the sound. All this would not mean a lot if it sounded cold like e.g. Serum. But there are numerous example patches around that show that this synth can sound quite analog and warm, albeit with some more work than an actual analog synth.
The results depend on your programming skills.
Conclusion for me: this synth has a great potential.

As for VA's: we already have quite a lot of those around no?

[Stefken]

How's this vs the Peak for folks? Seems like Peak at least has some analog signal flow while this, while powerful, is somewhat more of a VST in a box?

Yes, the Hydrasynth is a digital synth but in terms of features I think it can compete with the most elaborate vst's out there which is pretty unique for hardware imo. See also my text above.

Peak vs Hydrasynth? I think Peak is more lush in nature but more limited, while the Hydrasynth needs more work to sound warm but has a lot more sounddesign possibilities and can easily go to a diverse sound territory to even experimental sound territory (some people have even called it a modular rack in box because of the extensive routing possibilities). The Peak does have some analog modules while the Hydrasynth is fully digital (but it does feature a lot more filters as a consequence). The Peak will lend itself more to more 'traditional' patches which it will do very well and is fairly easy to program.

Hydrasynth strikes me as a particulary good synth for ambient but lacks the balls for hard basses (but I have ballsy bass synths for that).


The Peak also has no keyboard at all, while the Hydrasynth is an advanced controller with poly AT and a ribbon controller (the latter only for the keyboard version).

I found this video interesting in comparing the two synths.

[EvilDragon]

It sounds nearly as any modern digital VST synth, thin ,boring, not musical.

LOL, no.

[roman.i]

[Stefken]

You really nailed it with this argument.

[5Lives]

To be fair (and accurate), there are certain hardware synths where you could run the exact synth on a computer WITHOUT emulating anything. Hydrasynth is in that camp, along with the Virus. Now, it isn’t available on the computer so there’s little point in making that argument. Instead, you have to take the synth as it is including the deep hardware integration and compare it to soft synths and see if that workflow / sound / features is something that suits you. That’s why you buy it or not.

[Stefken]

That's a pretty fair and accurate statement.