Most of the guys I know would choose the module, and just control it from whatever their main keyboard is. Me, I’m a guitar player primarily, so I use a LinnStrument. 
Cheers!
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I’m sure it is a lot faster and a ton more fun creating sounds on the Hydra than on any VST. Also tweaking while playing live is fast and easy on this, and it allows for 8 matrix knobs per patch.
Then didn’t even start about the poly aftertouch and ribbon controller
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Nice, me too! Sounds really nice.
Ya see…the Hydra look looks like its from the juno 106 era. I like it. While the sys 8 is an aberration to look at…for me. Green is awful. Looks like a reject from the set of alien 3. BUT…for those that vibe with it, its awesome. I think it sounds great tho.
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To me the most important point when choosing hardware over software is the sound. Usually hardware synths have more character, sonic depth/fullness and realism. Aren’t you hearing this? It is almost like the difference between an analog synth and a VST synth but not quite as much. Still, to me VST synths sound rather flat. Once when I got U-he Hive I went to YouTube to listen to the Virus TI2 just to make sure that Hive was sounding as good as the Virus. I could still clearly hear that the Virus had more character and low end.
Well damn, thanks this has made me pre order. It sounds amazing.
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Hydra doesn’t seem like a synth with a “character of it’s own” to me and more of a sonic pallette machine. I have usually tended to throw a filter or FX on my DXs through the years, so it seems quite familiar.
But I can imagine, like the OT in a way, not everyone will jive with it- lots of mod options also means a lot of tinkering and wandering about in abstract noise-land. Probably will disappoint those that are trying to get comparable deep pretty sounds that other synths offer easily.
Keeping my eye on it, as well as first users actual experience and reviews. My history is inadvertently acquiring classics that stand up through the years and that I get a lot of use from. I am getting that vibe here, but willing to give it time.
I am remembering this is still a synth priced under a grand and… the Argon 8.
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Regarding all the discussion of VSTs and the Hydrasynth.
Plugins were an initial influence in the design. From the MidiFan interview i referenced earlier.
Glen: When I joined, I told Dominic that we should be a synthesizer hardware with the power of many synthesizer plugins. Today’s plugins can do a lot of cool things, but these things can’t be done on inexpensive hardware.
MidiFan: Ah, like WaveScan in Hydrasynth, a lot of plugins can do this, but I haven’t seen hardware before.
Glen: Right.
(If this reads strangely it is because if has been translated.)
Well it sounded pretty big in that demo, I definitely liked the sound. In the lower octave it sounded a little bit hollow and dusty, but that could just be that patch. Interesting info from Jukka about the designers being inspired by VSTs. Will definitely be seeking out more videos. I had forgotten how relatively inexpensive the synth is. I wonder what kind of hardware is inside powering it?
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It’s Medeli/ASMs own custom processor which they program in assembly language.
(Assembly language – it’s probably not what you think. But that is for most here a boring topic.)
Oh cool! I know what assembly language is, but yeah probably a little dry for a synth thread. 
Much! more interesting that it’s custom hardware inside.
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I’d note too that this concept of pulling together a whole bunch of digital technology in one box is also part of a line of synths from the company Glen was recruited from, the Arturia “Freak” line.
Those interested in the idea of the Hydrasynth, but maybe not it’s particular manifestation, can perhaps wait for the Arturia “MiniFreak” (it’s probably not going to be called that, this name is a placeholder.) But who knows.
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I was super keen to get a Hydrasynth as I thought I could click it to my modular clock (rock solid) and send CV (pitch) and gate so I could sequence it from my modular. As far as I can tell from manual the Hydrasynth does not accept incoming analogue clock and their is only a mod destination for osc pitch and no note gate.
Bit of a shame.
From manual pg 77:
… incoming clocks must arrive via USB or MIDI.
It does output Clock CV though.
My perspective on this, it would be a shame to expend one of the two (only) audio rate CV inputs on clock.
A couple more Hydrasynth sound videos.
First Stimming comes back to just have fun with the sound:
And then Polypumpkins doing a more ambient/atmospheric thing that is called Hibernating Hydra in Ocean. I really like this one.
ADDED MONTHS LATER: Polypumpkins is Dominic Au.
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KMR in london has a launch in 12th. Will try to get over.
Its seems really interesting, I like the sound and all the options I just wish it was 4 way or more multi timbral.
Looks great. I really wish it was 4 way or more multi timbral.
I wonder if they intend to do a drum machine at some point?
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