Total gaff that (sigh).
I guess I’m left rooting for Novation to come through for us on the MPE front. I have to say though, this is possibly the best open-architecture synth design I’ve seen in hardware. The price point is palatable too. I’m seriously pondering whether or not I can live with just poly-aftertouch. Hmm…
Cheers!
the desktop version seems pretty tasty to me… some great digital wave sounds and that vocal filter also looks great and easy to use. I wish it has a full sequencer built in but pair it up with a digitakt or something of the sort and deep dive into its really interesting arp and I think you have some super interesting potential. I’m tempted although I think I still prefer my Pro2 for a lot of the stuff this would get me into. I think of all the recent announcements this takes the cake, desktop unit is priced quite well also.
I already own a Peak, which i think has the much better more direct UI.
If i wouldnt have the Peak, the Hydra would definitively be Something i would consider. Nice Synth!
I had a Peak. It’s the only box I’ve ever considered re-purchasing, as I have space for one tabletop device. But one thing that drove me crazy was how the state of the knobs becomes incorrect when you change patches–particularly when there are so many frickin knobs. My MicroFreaks have that button that lets you instantly match the patch’s parameters to the state of the knobs, but I still find the usefulness of that feature limited. Maybe the thing I like best about the Hydrasynth are those LED-indicated encoders. Even if they show only 16 coarse gradations, this feature alone makes me want to try a Hydrasynth instead of going with the Peak again. I’ll probably go with that new Easel, though.
What new eadel?!?
Oo, nice! I wanted easel for a long time, this looks nicely done 
Yeah, but it’s quite expensive for what you get.
Maybe a mod will split this into a new topic for the Buchla Easel Command Module and 208C.
Yes it is expensive, but one of a kind also i like the sound of new easel a lot, but hydrasynth is firing my imagination much more than anything right now. If i wil go for a new synth this year, it will be it. Nothing else got me so excited except maybe peak. But hydrasynth is even more interesting to me, ui , sound , the whole thing looks like its made for me 
I’m wondering if the Digitone can create a similar sound… because I’m looking for a new toy around Christmas time
the DT has a sequencer on board
Me too 
Looking forward to more demos since I think more interesting stuff can be done with it.
It is very capable, I can tell!
Sequencer-like (or perhaps it’s sequencer-lite) options on the Hydrasynth, stuff that’s built-in.
Various reviewers have talked about using the step mode on an LFO set to modify pitch to give a sequencer sort of effect. Modifying a filter or the Harmonic Sweep on a Mutator with the LFO in step mode would give interesting and perhaps similar effects. That all works but it’s at most 8 steps with has no rhythmic variations.
Daniel Fisher from Sweetwater, suggested the use of the arpeggiator in ‘order’ mode to make longer sequences; ones that you can create and play on the fly. These could be longer, no repeated notes except with ratchet, and still no rhythmic variations.
ADDED: Actually you can repeat notes in the arpeggiator. See the Darcey interview in the next post. The arpeggiator is additive, so it takes repeated notes. Way cool. Plus you can play the arpeggiator functions through the poly-aftertouch.
In addition there is phrase mode with the arpeggiator. This is getting closer, there is rhythmic variation and repeats, and it responds to what you play. All the reviews i’ve seen show this feature briefly, and relate how there are 64 phrases and they are all preset.
I’ve also seen mention made of the fact that there will be a computer interface made to Hydrasynth, with a patch librarian and editor. i remember somewhere, someone saying that ASM is still working on this, that it’s not done yet.
I’m thinking that it would be very nice if a part of this editor would allow the editing of the LFO steps, the arpeggiator notes, and the arpeggiator phrases, so that you could make your own presets of these three. That would get you some ways along, but will not eliminate the need for some external sequencer options in addition.
Interview w/ Glen Darcey:
He admits Oberheim Xpander and its 5 LFOs and 5 envelopes are an influence. Also explains what is “wavescanning”. Other good stuff in there…
One insight for me from the interview with Darcey.
The CV interface (photo here) goes to Audio rate. With the extensive size of sources and destinations in the mod matrix that allows a ton of neat tricks that you can do with external audio.
Darcey says this (as for example);
One trick you can do is process external audio in the Hydrasynth. Since the Mod ins can take audio range signals, and we have a Ring mod with selectable inputs, you could choose Mod in as Ring Mod source, set the Ringmod depth to 0 and then turn up the Ringmod in the mixer…and you have audio input to the mixer. Additionally, you could route Mod 1 in to the mod matrix, route it out to MOD 1 or 2 out and use the mod matrix as an attenuator…one that can be controlled via another mod matrix source … [snip] the possibilities go on and on.
This is really neat, and it’s got me thinking … there are lots of fun little things you can do with variations on this. Plug in your modular gear, and have at it.
BTW the second trick here is amplitude modulation.
I like the interview with it going over all the various influences and origins for this synth. Veteran designers here.
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Another thing from the interview is filling in a little detail on the other developers on the staff. For instance Chen Jiejun.
Darcey: The interesting thing on the filters is how Chen made them. His background is first in math but then also AI. So we made recordings of the filters we liked, with a bunch of combinations of cutoff and resonance settings and he wrote a machine-learning program that analyzed the audio files and then recreated the profiles of them. So our filters are made via his Neural Network Filter modeling.
This thing is a beast, in terms of synthesis, but also build quality (from observing the available vids.) It’s made of aluminum or steel, or some combination of crazy strong material, which lends itself to durability. However, time will tell if this machine is reliable. Too soon to know. However, I think the fact that it is a newer company with a relatively unknown history of customer service will also play a role in its success. Companies that make great products and then offer ongoing updates and support are the ones that shine in this (or any) industry. I want one please. What can I pawn?
I just wanna know one thing about this synth : WHERE CAN I FINDE IT IN EUROOOOOPPPPP
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Darcey: We could have charged > $2k and most people would have expected that price based on the features and build.
I think this is true. Nick Batt said basically the same thing in the latest Sonic Talk #588.
The flip side of this is the effect for a customer of seeing all the things this synth can do and comparing it with some older synth and their price, and thinking “This is a steal, at this price.” Someone else has called this “The Behringer Effect.”
What did ASM tell you about that? If they heven’t responded PM Glen Darcey directly. Also my rep at Sweetwater says they are permitted to ship to Europe, if there is a customer there that cannot find it there.
Also keep in mind it won’t be in stores until November 1st (All Saints Day!). So it’s still a short time off.
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