Novation Summit or Rev2
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 149 posts since 16 Aug, 2022
For my first synth I am between a Summit for 1200 or a Rev2 16 voice for 1400, not sure which to get. I make mainly synthwave. In some videos I prefer the summit's sound, others the rev2. I also absolutely adore the keybed on the rev2. Any suggestions?
- KVRAF
- 10255 posts since 7 Sep, 2006 from Roseville, CA
Wow, these are both great choices for a first synth and my first reaction is that if you can buy those synths for those prices, buy both of them ASAP!
I have the desktop modules of both of these synths (well, technically the Peak is a little different than the Summit and has half the voice count, but close enough), and I’d honestly have a difficult time choosing between them. The Novation is obviously a hybrid, but those Oxford oscillators and all those different waveforms sound excellent and give you a very wide range of sound design options. The Novation also has a better spec’ed arp (useful for synthwave) and better effects IMO, particularly the reverb, which sounds amazing on the Novation and not so great on the Rev2 IMO. The Summit also has the additional filter options, which my Peak doesn’t have.
The Rev2 is obviously an analog synth and it sounds great. I wouldn’t say that it’s the most vintage sounding synth on the market, but it does nail those vintage 80s synth sounds pretty well. It also has two layers that can be routed to individual outputs, so you can also think of it as having two 8-voice analog synths. Then, there’s the step sequencers, which are great for sequencing parameters. One thing I’m hoping Sequential will do soon is release an OS update for the Rev2 that includes the “Vintage Mode” option for the Slop control. They gave my Prophet 6 this option in the last update and it’s a big improvement over the Slop control.
As for the keybeds, I’ve played the keyboard version of the Rev2 and it’s an excellent Fatar keybed. I haven’t played a Summit, but it seems that I hear nothing but great things about its keybed as well.
Bottom line: very tough decision here but the great news is that you can’t go wrong with either one (especially at those prices!). I think that, if I were you and I wanted it mostly for synthwave, I’d lean slightly toward the Rev2.
I have the desktop modules of both of these synths (well, technically the Peak is a little different than the Summit and has half the voice count, but close enough), and I’d honestly have a difficult time choosing between them. The Novation is obviously a hybrid, but those Oxford oscillators and all those different waveforms sound excellent and give you a very wide range of sound design options. The Novation also has a better spec’ed arp (useful for synthwave) and better effects IMO, particularly the reverb, which sounds amazing on the Novation and not so great on the Rev2 IMO. The Summit also has the additional filter options, which my Peak doesn’t have.
The Rev2 is obviously an analog synth and it sounds great. I wouldn’t say that it’s the most vintage sounding synth on the market, but it does nail those vintage 80s synth sounds pretty well. It also has two layers that can be routed to individual outputs, so you can also think of it as having two 8-voice analog synths. Then, there’s the step sequencers, which are great for sequencing parameters. One thing I’m hoping Sequential will do soon is release an OS update for the Rev2 that includes the “Vintage Mode” option for the Slop control. They gave my Prophet 6 this option in the last update and it’s a big improvement over the Slop control.
As for the keybeds, I’ve played the keyboard version of the Rev2 and it’s an excellent Fatar keybed. I haven’t played a Summit, but it seems that I hear nothing but great things about its keybed as well.
Bottom line: very tough decision here but the great news is that you can’t go wrong with either one (especially at those prices!). I think that, if I were you and I wanted it mostly for synthwave, I’d lean slightly toward the Rev2.
Logic Pro | PolyBrute | MatrixBrute | MiniFreak | Prophet 6 | Trigon 6 | OB-6 | Rev2 | Pro 3 | SE-1X | Polar TI2 | Blofeld | RYTMmk2 | Digitone | Syntakt | Digitakt | Integra-7
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- KVRAF
- 4506 posts since 25 Mar, 2016 from Seattle
Where are you getting those prices?
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 149 posts since 16 Aug, 2022
Thanks for the reply! Yeah I'm leaning towards the rev2 I think, I just LOVE some of the fm sounds from the Summit, but I feel I could get that from a dx7 emulation.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 149 posts since 16 Aug, 2022
Wow, thanks for the in depth reply! Basically sums up my feelings lol.cryophonik wrote: ↑Wed Oct 26, 2022 3:29 am Wow, these are both great choices for a first synth and my first reaction is that if you can buy those synths for those prices, buy both of them ASAP!
I have the desktop modules of both of these synths (well, technically the Peak is a little different than the Summit and has half the voice count, but close enough), and I’d honestly have a difficult time choosing between them. The Novation is obviously a hybrid, but those Oxford oscillators and all those different waveforms sound excellent and give you a very wide range of sound design options. The Novation also has a better spec’ed arp (useful for synthwave) and better effects IMO, particularly the reverb, which sounds amazing on the Novation and not so great on the Rev2 IMO. The Summit also has the additional filter options, which my Peak doesn’t have.
The Rev2 is obviously an analog synth and it sounds great. I wouldn’t say that it’s the most vintage sounding synth on the market, but it does nail those vintage 80s synth sounds pretty well. It also has two layers that can be routed to individual outputs, so you can also think of it as having two 8-voice analog synths. Then, there’s the step sequencers, which are great for sequencing parameters. One thing I’m hoping Sequential will do soon is release an OS update for the Rev2 that includes the “Vintage Mode” option for the Slop control. They gave my Prophet 6 this option in the last update and it’s a big improvement over the Slop control.
As for the keybeds, I’ve played the keyboard version of the Rev2 and it’s an excellent Fatar keybed. I haven’t played a Summit, but it seems that I hear nothing but great things about its keybed as well.
Bottom line: very tough decision here but the great news is that you can’t go wrong with either one (especially at those prices!). I think that, if I were you and I wanted it mostly for synthwave, I’d lean slightly toward the Rev2.
- KVRAF
- 10255 posts since 7 Sep, 2006 from Roseville, CA
Nice! I think you made a solid choice
Logic Pro | PolyBrute | MatrixBrute | MiniFreak | Prophet 6 | Trigon 6 | OB-6 | Rev2 | Pro 3 | SE-1X | Polar TI2 | Blofeld | RYTMmk2 | Digitone | Syntakt | Digitakt | Integra-7
- KVRAF
- 10255 posts since 7 Sep, 2006 from Roseville, CA
The main filter is a switchable 2-pole/4-pole low pass analog filter, but there is a digital high pass filter in the effects section. Still not as versatile as the Summit, but with that modulation capabilities it has a lot of flexibility.
Yes, very much so. The Summit/Peak has dozens of wavetables that the Rev2 doesn't offer and it has 3 oscillators compared the the Rev2's two oscillators.
I think I see what you're getting at and, yes, there are some areas where the Summit's specs beat the Rev2, and vice versa, but specs on paper aren't everything.
Logic Pro | PolyBrute | MatrixBrute | MiniFreak | Prophet 6 | Trigon 6 | OB-6 | Rev2 | Pro 3 | SE-1X | Polar TI2 | Blofeld | RYTMmk2 | Digitone | Syntakt | Digitakt | Integra-7
- KVRAF
- 14991 posts since 26 Jun, 2006 from San Francisco Bay Area
For synthwave, definitely the REV2. I've got a REV2 16 voice module and had a Peak, and the Peak's sound is good, but not what I'd call very "analog" sounding, especially something reminiscent of the 80s or 90s. It's a very modern sounding instrument. There's this Tom Shoebridge video where he talks about it replacing some Moog... maybe a Sub Phatty? Anyway, he then goes on to show me how very far off from that sort of sound it is. To someone who doesn't care that much, sure, it's fine and you can get in the ball park, but if you want something a lot closer, it's the REV2 all day long. Listen to any of Luke Neptune's retro sound packs and you'll hear what I'm saying.
Now, for range of different sound types, the Summit is going to overtake the REV2. Just the ability to use wave shapes beyond the usual analog shapes is going to open things up a lot, plus the FM abilities, per filter distortion, etc. The REV2's effects are decent, but the Summit's are better.
The real answer, of course, is "both," but I'm sure that's not helpful. Good luck.
Zerocrossing Media
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- KVRAF
- 16384 posts since 22 Nov, 2000 from Southern California
Definitely not worth getting a Summit for FM sounds, despite the great price you found. Try to find an old Yamaha TX7 module, it nails the vintage sounds better than plugins and even most other Yamaha's.