Honestly, I picked up the DFAM to support my local music shop since I knew I wouldn’t be around for a while, but didn’t have particularly high expectations. I’m kind of floored with it. I’ve found myself a few times just turning it on, running it through this signal chain, and letting myself go where it takes me. It’s super limited but also has some great charm to it. And thanks!
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Today I released a new sound bank for the Hydrasynth. This synth is amazing and sooooo versatile! Just a pity that it’s not multitimbral
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Very nice sound bank Astrolab, i’ve listened through several times! I lke the idea of fewer patches that are all better made, and it seems like the macros you have are very versatile as well.
I’ve found the Roger Austli bank are well made with good macro action as well. Hydrasynth users certainly have no dearth of patches – if they’re not making their own.
I’ve been considering the “third” ASM model – the 16 voice bi-timbral one with a keyboard that’s only $2100 in the US, They also have that 16 voice cut down one at $1600 too.
Actually ...
If ASM decided to make their new next-product a bi-timbral one by putting two synths into a one keyboard package; something like the way Novation put two Peaks in a Summit – that would be very nice. Perhaps under two grand. You reading this ASM?
Has anyone put two HSes together? I know you can daisy-chain two together and get 16 voice mono-timbral. I guess it would be best if you could daisy-chain them over USB somehow.
Scratching my head – the next thing to figure out is how to “split the keyboard” to control two HSes bi-timbrally using poly-aftertouch or MPE. I guess you could use local-off and split the midi to be sent back. It would take a little work to do.
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I really want the desktop module but it’s out of stock everywhere…
I know. The Hydramonsters are popular little beasts. Glen said that they’re selling really well, beyond expectations. More are on the way.
I ordered mine day one back in September. I still can feel my 3 months waiting, pestering the sales people at the shop i ordered it from.
And now i remember that first day when it arrived, and i try to make every day like that.
Most shops, – at least the ones i know, – don’t charge your credit card until the product is shipped to you. So at least your wait will be COMPLETELY FREE ! Savor it.
It’s,
time,
to,
pre,
or,
der.
New Firmware Version 1.4.0
New Features:
-
When you change SYSTEM SETUP, we now store the Tuning, Scope mode, LED Dim status and TempoLck parameters.
-
Bank change – Many people wanted a way to move to other patch banks quicker. Now if you press and hold SHIFT and turn the big knob, it will jump to the next or previous bank.
-
We have added a new mutant. The new PhazDiff generates the difference of the incoming wave and a version that is inverted and phase shifted. The DEPTH control controls the phase and the Dry/Wet control mixes the original and this new shifted version.
-
The noise generator now has 7 noise types, with Red, Blue, Violet and Grey noise added.
So the big, big news here is at the bottom – #3 and #4 !!!
- A new mutant Phazdiff ! ( Who is not in The Witcher, yet! )
- New Noise ! Added to White, Pink and Brown – we now also have Red, Blue, Violet and Grey !
#1 is nice, i had posted about this behavior earlier. Having these System Setup parameters persistant makes a lot of sense to me. I’m guessing that not including Local Off with this will be noted by my friend auditorycanvas. But it also says to me that this has been considered and decided against.
A thumbs up from me on this change.
#2 Before holding shift down while turning the Patch Knob would jump 10 patches per click. So you needed to turn the Patch Knob 13 clicks to get to the next bank. I am being strategic with how i arrange patches, and using Favorites too so this hasn’t been a problem. I kinda prefer the jump by ten, but this is fine with me.
There are twenty five bug fixes – i read through them quickly. Not sure if any of these address anything i’ve read about where others are having problems. I’d be interested if anyone here spots something that fixes a problem you’ve experienced.
I haven’t tried any of this yet, haven’t even loaded it, i wanted to write this up first.
I’m really looking forward to trying out Phazdiff and the four new noise types.
I’ll be making Brand New Patches !!!
ADDED: I notice there is a new version of the Midi Implementation Spec. Not sure if that means a change, or a fix to the spec.
ADDED: I see that Flux did a video where he goes through the new noises and Phazdiff.
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Awesome stuff! Top feature request for me would be to start up on the last patch you were on when you turned it off, also keep pad mode and scale as you left it.
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oh man this isn’t helping… 
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Thanks for that fattyparts – i want to watch this, i’ll book some time for it later – it’s a hour and twenty minutes long. So there must be some good stuff. I’m sure they talk about the latest firmware. What else?
I ran across another patch release. There is such an incredible range with the HS – you can make some really strange stuff if you want. But that’s not what this new patch collection is about. Push-Pull has release 32 of the very nice sounding patches, called “The Classic Collection”. It’s $10 for these, and i say it’s worth it. Nice playing in the demo too. (The demo is ten minutes long.)
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I’m a long time listener of BeatPPL, there shows are really great and well worth delving through. there’s a really great one with Simon from Elektron, primarily focused on the Digitone. i only watched half of the AMS one which mainly covered the origin story, going to watch the rest later.
i was just this very morning looking for the Push Pull bank, will listen later!
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i must say, AMS are one of the coolest synth companies, their interviews always want to make me want to support them!
has anyone updated yet? over on GS people have been complaining a bit about certain bugs, need to make sure first before i go through with it.
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On the beatppl interview:
43:45
Glen says … that they are busy working on the next few things planned for ASM over the next four years.
So that’s good they’re doing some long term planning, and perhaps some blue skying too, while still doing development too. Nothing specific is mentioned of course, although elsewhere in the interview Glen does issue a “not confirm nor deny” on something Cory asked in specific.
24:35
They go over the new firmware.
1:07:00
Glen was liking the Osmose, and had an opportunity to play it and experience it.
10:00
Glen talks about the small loop quick turn around development cycle and how Chen helped make that work.
17:40
Flux asked about current delivery, and apparently there is a shipment to the US just about to be taken off a ship.
They also talk about the Classic patch bank from Push-Pull.
As far as loading the new firmware, unless it’s a one way deal, that you can’t return from, my basic philosophy is just do it. (Are your sources fattyparts, saying they bricked the HS?)
I loaded it.
ADDED: Note – There is a new version of the Updater 1.8.1 that you need to put on your computer to do the update. And as always read the notes and instructions!
The phazdiff is really great, i’m liking it especially running a slow morphing wave table into it and then using slow out-of-sync modulations on the phazdiff parameters. “No One Steps Into The Same River Twice.”
Next planned experiment is to apply poly-aftertouch to phazdiff.
I am using the Violet noise, at the moment but i think my color will change with my mood. (The suggestion in the interview for HS merch with T-Shirts in the seven noise colors is a good one.) There are distinct differences to the separate noises.
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New product: HYDRAMORPH – Morphing control software for the HS that allows you to externally control and morph 366 parameters (maybe more) in a patch. It is currently under development, and is scheduled for release mid-May. This is third party software not developed by ASM. It is done by John Keston of Audio CookBook. The software (at least at the moment) is limited to the Mac only. In addition to control i think it will likely be able to do some editing functions as well. For instance it has a way to set values for the Step LFO that are quantized to note pitch if you are using the Step LFO to control pitch. (I’ve done this manually and worked out the math for this as well, but it is fiddly.)
On sale for pre-order now, at $40 USD, which will go up to $50 when released.
ADDED: There is now a Windows 10 version of this too.
I still expect that ASM will have an editor, but it has not been formally announced.
Does the hydra synth have a drone mode or midi hold? Like on the prophet 6. You play some notes and then press “hold” button and the prophet is holding the notes (as long as you have sustain turned up). Didn´t find it yet on the hydra.
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I’m pretty sure it has a “Sustain” button which you can use to either Sustain a note or hold an Arp if it’s active. It should be a function in the Arpeggiator section
Yep. Hold shift and press Latch.
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What I also find really nice is that you can design OSC1 and when you keep “save” pressed while pressing “osc1”, then “osc2” you can get 2 identical complex oscillators. When panning them hard left and hard right in the mixer section and slightly changing some parameters on them it ends up producing nice stereo effects. It’s a really incredible synth. I wish there was something like that with an Elektron sequencer embedded 
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Which is the same as a latching footswitch like the Hosa FSC-501 or the Boss FS-5L plugged into the Sustain Pedal Input.
It would be easy enough (and cheaper) to make the same sort of thing from parts. I’d like a locking sustain pedal like on some pianos, where you push it down and to the side to lock it.
I always have a sustain and an expression pedal plugged into the HS.
Think I prefer the desktop version, looks absolutely fab. Great video love it 
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