Hydrasynth from ASM

[Jukka]

New Polysynth - HYDRASYNTH - From ASM - Sonic LAB First Look

Brand new 8 voice digital wave morphing synth with poly-aftertouch a ribbon controller and arpeggiator. Three oscillators per voice, 2 filters, 5 envelopes, 5 LFOs and three FX. Made by ASM.

Nice user interface with multiple small displays and LED rings on some of the encoders, so you can hop directly to a patch setup.

Nick says the price $1300 for the 49 key version. There will also be a desktop version with pads for $800. Good price if they can really sell it for that.

This sounds fantastic and different. More info on the way.

ADDED:

ASM Ashun Sound Machines

ADDED : A list of patch libraries available for the Hydrasynth.

ADDED: OCTOBER 3, 2021
I am in no way affiliated with ASM, or anyone else for that matter, and post for my own enjoyment!

[Jukka]

Sweetwater has two videos:

The second video shows the desktop unit.

Links at Sweetwater – you can reserve it now.

[fattyparts]

sounds way better than the Peak with lots more exciting functionality. kinda what i’ve been wanting!

[Hawk]

Way better than the Peak… have you used a Peak in real life? Because nothing in these few youtube videos sounded better than a Peak is able to sound.

[mokomo]

Built like a tank.

Desktop version looks about the same footprint as an MPC Live.

[Jukka]

So this is scheduled to start shipping in October! They certainly kept it quiet as they developed it. And they put both a keyboard and desktop version at the same time – that’s a lot of work to do both at once.

I’m very impressed with all the features and how well this has been thought out and engineered. Poly-aftertouch must have taken some work to do. The ribbon controller is a throwback, but they are using it here in unique ways so that’s really cool.

[J0n35y]

This is the sort of thing I would’ve been all over a couple of years ago. Love the look of that desktop. Interested to see and hear more of this one

[Jukka]

Small detail but interesting that they have both CV in and out on both the Keyboard and Desktop versions.

[Geneoart]

I wonder if it has MPE?

[mokomo]

After watching loopop’s review i’ve concluded the price tag is fair compared to what I would have to pay for a mouser cart of components; designing, testing and minting my own pcbs; custom steel case; all that DSP programming, assembly and GUI OS.

GAS-program level 1: tick

[Jukka]

AHA this is Glen Darcey’s (@GDarcey) doing !!! Ding ding ding. (Formerly of Arturia – he piloted the Matrixbrute.)

He had been at Medeli Electronics in Hong Kong most recently. I wonder if this is from them, or is this a separate deal?

Take a tour of the ASM Hydrasynth

Features:

• Polytouch keybed – The new ASM Polytouch keybed allows not only the standard velocity and aftertouch found on other keybeds but also fully polyphonic aftertouch.
• Oscillators – The 3 oscillators allow you to choose from a selection of 219 single cycle waveforms.
  Oscillators 1 & 2 a our WAVELIST mode. This mode allows you to pick and choose 8 waves, arrange them in the order you want, and then morph from one to another.
• Mutators – Oscillators 1 & 2 are routed into MUTATORS. The Mutators allow you to modulate, bend and sculpt the sound. Each MUTANT allows you to choose from the following processes:
  • FM-Linear – for making classic FM sounds. Choose multiple FM sources, including external inputs.
  • Wavestack™ – creates 5 copies of the incoming sound and allows you to set a detune amount.
  • Hard Sync – This gives you those classic hard sync sounds.
  • Pulse Width – This will pulse width modulate ANY input sound.
  • PW – Squeeze – This is a different form of pulse width mod that creates a smoother sound.
  • PW-ASM – this mode divides the incoming wave into 8 slices and allows you to set how much pulse width mod will happen in each section.
  • Harmonic Sweep – this will sweep the harmonics of the incoming sound.?
• Mixer/ filter routing – The 3 Oscillators are fed into a mixer along with the Noise generator and Ring Modulator. The Mixer allows you to mix levels as well as pan the input source. There is a balance control that allows you to choose how much signal of each source is routed to filters 1 and 2.
• Filters – The Hydrasynth has two filters that can be configured in series or parallel. The first filter has 11 different filter models, giving you multiple options for tailoring your sound. The second filter is a 12db per octave has a continuous sweep from Low pass to bandpass to high pass, similar to the way the classic SEM filter worked.
• 5 Low-Frequency Oscillator – The Hydrasynth LFO’s feature a STEP mode that allows you to create patterns with up to 8 steps. Having 5 mini step sequencers gives you an amazing amount of possibilities for further shaping your sound. There are also 10 standard waveforms to choose from. The LFO’s all have delay, fade in, 3 triggering modes, smoothing, start phase, one-shot mode so that they can act as envelopes and BPM sync.
• 5 DAHDSR Envelopes – 6 stage envelopes feature Delay, Attack, Hold, Decay, Sustain and Release stages. The time settings for the stage can be set in seconds or in time divisions, giving you envelopes that play in sync to your song. You can also loop the envelopes to create LFO’s whose shape can be voltage controlled in the modulation matrix.
• Modulation Matrix – With 32 user definable modulation routings, you will have plenty of ways to use the 29 modulation sources and 155 modulation destinations. Almost everything in the synth engine can be a modulation destination including the effects and arpeggiator. The Modulation matrix points themselves can also become modulation destinations. Modulation sources & destinations include the CV Mod In & Out jacks as well as MIDI CC’s
• Arpeggiator – The arpeggiator allows for standard note arpeggiations but also has a phrase arpeggio built-in. Parameters like RATCHET and CHANCE will generate other rhythmic patterns with some randomness to add life and spontaneity to your performance.You can also modulate most of the parameters in the arpeggiator so imagine using LFO’s, Envelopes, Polyphonic Aftertouch or the Ribbon controller to modify your arpeggios in real time.
• CV/GATE – MIDI – USB – Standard MIDI and USB/MIDI interfaces, plus CV/GATE interfaces for connecting to the modular world.
• Main Controls -The Main system controls are where you navigate your patches, configure system settings and see parameters like the envelopes, waveforms, filters in the OLED screen.
• Master controls – The Master Control section is where all parameter editing, patch naming, and Macro performing is done.
• Macros – The patch MACROS are designed to allow the user deep control over the engine in live performance. The 8 assignable encoders and buttons can each be routed to 8 destinations. Complete sound transformations can take place with the press of a button or turn of a knob.
• Patches – The Hydrasynth comes with 5 banks of 128 patches in total. <= EDIT: Correction.
• Effects – Pre-effects and post-effects give you some unique ways to process your sound. The delays and reverbs were modeled on some of the most popular effects on the market.

[Lieder]

I was heavily gassing for a Summit but now I’m getting pulled towards this Hydra.
I’ve often Wondered when someone would deliver a keyboard synth with more than 2-3 lfos and Envs. It may have been done before but the price and excellent macro/mod layout really puts this on a pedestal to me.

[Jukka]

There are two performance videos on the the Ashun Sound Machines page.

[mokomo]

It’s interesting watching each of the various synth-review luminaries in rapid succession and figuring out which one is the creme de la crime of reviewers😇

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a simultaneous release of reviews from online GAS influencers in one Big Bang before

Initial thought is Hydrasynth is a really naf synth name - sort of like what you’d expect from a €5 vstbuzz 85% off promo.

Still not clear whether it actually ultimately sounds good; the reviewers i’ve watched so far oddly don’t seem to address that directly. Definitely can’t really tell from the youtube quality demos, despite the effects.
Seems to have somewhat of a lofi digi timbre with nice effects grit to it. A slightly hollow flatish middle that gave Erebus their analog character with personality.
Definitely not a cold pristine Korgish digital synth. Quite liking its vintage-though-digital warmth now that i’m on reviewer #3.

If someone revealed that this was Behringer in disguise I wouldn’t be surprised.

[Jukka]

Five of 'em. DAHDSR Envelopes.

[Jukka]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a simultaneous release of reviews from online GAS influencers in one Big Bang before

Darcey certainly would have some experience with that sort of coordinated release. The VP of Sales Daniel Troberg might have something to do with it too.

[J0n35y]

Got this one too

[Jukka]

So a couple more things from the features list catches my eye. From the Ashun web page.

One:

MUTATORS

Oscillators 1 & 2 are routed into our MUTATORS. The Mutators allow you to modulate, bend and sculpt the sound in new (and old) ways.

Each MUTANT allows you to choose from the following processes:

• FM-Linear - for making classic FM sounds. Choose multiple FM sources, including external inputs.
• Wavestack™ - creates 5 copies of the incoming sound and allows you to set a detune amount.
• Hard Sync - This gives you those classic hard sync sounds. Try hard syncing a morphing wavetable for some fun.
• Pulse Width - This will pulse width modulate ANY input sound.
• PW - Squeeze - This is a different form of pulse width mod that creates a smoother sound.
• PW-ASM - this mode divides the incoming wave into 8 slices and allows you to set how much pulse width mod will happen in each section.
• Harmonic Sweep - this will sweep the harmonics of the incoming sound.​

The Mutant’s can also generate its own waveforms in both FM and Sync modes so that you do not have use another oscillator…Of course the routing is flexible so you can choose the other oscillators as mod sources if you like.

Two:

MODULATION MATRIX

The modulation capabilities on the Hydrasynth are endless.

​With 32 user definable modulation routings, you will have plenty of ways to use the 29 modulation sources and 155 modulation destinations.

Almost everything in the synth engine can be a modulation destination including the effects and arpeggiator.

The Modulation matrix points themselves can also become modulation destinations.

Modulation sources & destinations include the CV Mod In & Out jacks as well as MIDI CC’s

==========

So there’s really a rich possibility of oscillator options here.
And the modulation matrix sounds like it could rival the Matrixbrutes. You can modulate the modulation matrix itself! Whoa – What does that do?

[Jukka]

I’ve ordered.

[cold_fashioned]

Whoa. Very heavy feature list. I had forgotten about the “top secret” stuff Darcey was working on.