I don’t need any more gear, but if ASM releases a sampler, that’s an instabuy for me.
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If it is a sampler – it’s going to be a lot more than that. We might not immediately recognize it as such.
( Just me speculating, i don’t know nothing. )
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Is there some indication that ASM might be working on a sampler, or is this just random speculation?
Very very weak signs.
ASM has used the technology and engineering from their parent Medeli, in one particular their ASIC design capability. ( The keyboard of course as well. ) So it is worth looking at the already existing Medeli technology and project what other things might come from that.
https://www.medeli.com.hk/technology
In particular Medeli has a sample based product of their own the AKX-10. Kind of a Yamaha Genos sort of synth but not. video.
So ASM could start with that sort of technology and go more of a synth direction.
Medeli AKX-10
ADDED : Oh and the AKX-10 costs $780 USD !
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Thanks for the background and links.
I wasn’t aware of the connection to Medeli, and I also see from his LinkedIn profile that Glen Darcey was involved in MPC related stuff when he was at Akai.
I’ve really been impressed by the Hydrasynth. Looking forward to seeing where ASM takes things.
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And a heck of a lot else, like with Arturia. So that could take a new product many other directions.
Also keep in mind Daniel Troberg is part of the ASM team, so Octatrack ???
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Dear ASM, pretty please Multiple Tracks, Stereo and Round Robin in your Hydrasampler. Thank you.
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The unofficial Octatrack MkIII 
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In the meantime, some cheery HS microtonality using a Georgian folk tuning:
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Starting to eye this as my next workhorse instrument … been playing with it in the store for a day or so, I really like what I can get out of this.
Standing next to it, there’s also the Waldorf Iridium. Which to my ears produces stuff that kind of sounds better. But also almost too good. Like Hans Zimmer-good. Which is so good, it’s also a bit dull.
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I would blame this perception on the depth of a given sound. When a sound is too deep or too wide (in terms of modulation, tone, and texture), it tends to lose its relatability.
The stock sounds of the Iridium are largely cinematic, which seems to be Waldorf’s calling card. And when you combine that with the exhausting breadth of synthesis available in the Iridium, it starts to lack an identity of its own.
Vector synths, for instance, can be equally overwhelming and aesthetically boring: i.e. when a single key press seems to trigger an entire song’s worth of sound.
In this regard, I tend to digest synths like this in smaller bites; by looking to the individual synth engines, or components thereof, and aspiring to smaller, more focused sounds.
To that end, if the Hydrasynth feels more accessible, I think that comes down to the workflow being slightly more linear; rather than layer upon layer of sounds being generated from a host of wildly different synth engines.
Cheers!
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Nanobox size is almost perfect for HS Explorer’s corner.
Lemondrop seems to be an excellent companion.
Or Fireball for user wavetables + extra fx and recording ?
Or Tangerine ?
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A few weeks ago a friend of mine had the opportunity to buy a Hydra desktop. He didn’t buy it, though, telling me it sounded “too nice” and more like an “ambient machine”.
This week we stumbled over your Hydrasynth-Videos and he was like “Woooow… Do you see what she’s doing with it?” Very impressive. 
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Talk to me about this thing.
Really considering getting a desktop. Seems like an affordable, compact sound design dream machine.
Of course it’s all subjective depending on the person, but I’ve heard some people aren’t crazy about the sound? Too “hi-fi”, and hard to fit into mixes?
Tell me about your experience with it. Do you find yourself using it in a lot tracks? Does it make sounds you couldn’t make on anything else?
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Whatever you do wait at least a week, ASM will be exhibiting at NAMM, and then Syntheast - Norwich a month later.
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I just bought the desktop version for the same reasons a few months ago and I really like it so far. Sounddesign choices are plenty, I love how you can make everything interact with everything (especially the mutants) and you can shape the sound into very different territories using the different filter types and/or warm-mode. All in all I used in two finished songs as mainsynth and think the sound is more than fine in the mix, quite dynamic but also not too pushy, but I guess that‘s all very objective. Hope this helps
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I think this is good advice. Let’s see what they have to announce!
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Whenever i think about new stuff from ASM my mind zooms off in all different directions. As for instance :
- Hydrasynth Eurorack Module
- Hydrasynrh Sequencer Desktop
And that’s not anything non-Hydrasynth, where it could get really crazy.
But most likely It’s going to be nothing this NAMM.
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I have the Keyboard, and would encourage you to consider it. I don’t think of myself as a keys player - I took piano lessons for a year or two over 30 years ago and would probably dislocate a finger if I tried to play Bach or Mozart today. The aftertouch is extremely playable even if you are just hitting a random cluster of notes. The 44-key-wide touch strip is nice too.
However, if I need a traveling studio, I’d immediately buy an Explorer. I could see adding the desktop to my home studio, but I feel like the Hydra really benefits from keys.
The sound is amazing. I sent a short video of myself badly playing the Balderunner opening notes to a friend, and now he thinks I’m a synth god. It isn’t a CS-80, but it stands on its own two feet and delivers a rich sonic universe.
I’m mostly just jamming on it, it is that much fun. I have a lot of synths that don’t necessarily play nicely with others, but that’s what EQs and compressors and other mixdown FX are for.
The Virus still wins on polyphony and multitimbrality as well as FX. The Hydra has a richer synth engine that is even easier to use and it is loaded with modulation sources.
Ultimately, I think the Hydrasynths do exactly what they advertise. The UX is fantastic, the synth engine is rich and powerful. Build quality is solid and functional. It isn’t multitimbral, it has an adequate but not extensive FX section. It doesn’t take the VA concept quite as far as the OPSIX, but it is a slightly easer and more pleasant synth to work with.
Listen to demos with your own ears. When I put my hands on one at B&H the hydrasynth immediately moved from my “I’d like one someday” to “next synth purchase” list.
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A sequencer would be pretty amazing I think. As well as maybe a percussion device.