Novation Bass Station II (2)

Munro · 2024-07-30T16:54:07.425Z

Brilliant synth, sounds great. Sold mine as the interface was a bit fiddly for me. I prefer knob per function & no presets, so not a criticism of the synth.

ddiamond84 · 2024-07-30T20:21:26.955Z

It really is a modern classic that endures for good reason- it sounds amazing and is super accessible. That said, I’m about to put mine up for sale

chr1sdanger · 2024-07-30T20:55:52.125Z

I parted ways with mine to get an Erica Synths DB-01 but I do miss it from time to time. Mainly anytime I want more than 1 osc or attack on the envelopes haha.

Also really like the BS2 filter.

jemmons · 2024-07-30T21:16:39.585Z

Yeah, both the DB-01 and Mono Station are forever synths for me. Both punch way above their weight and are fantastically creative boxes.

JoyrexJ9 · 2024-07-30T21:17:48.148Z

Having got the BS2 in front of me, I do kinda wish for the same. I’m not much of a keys guy so mini keys would be fine, and even a keyless module would be ok.

Of course now I’ve finally bought one after 10 years, Novation will announce the Bass Station III in desktop format next week, with a load of new features. You can thank me later

Elek4 · 2024-07-31T13:54:48.537Z

If they got rid of the keys and add a nice playful sequencer for the same price I think it will last at least another 10 years being one of the best synths for the buck.

dshipp · 2024-07-31T14:29:12.422Z

This sounds an awful lot like the circuit mono station. Ok you lose on a few features of the BS II but, it’s pretty much the concept you described.

Laser · 2024-07-31T14:53:51.700Z

BS2 and Mono owner here.

Will never sell either.

Absolutely adore them both!

JoyrexJ9 · 2024-07-31T14:56:56.119Z

Wait this now has an independent tuning on the sub-osc?
Essentially making it a 3 osc synth, hell I’m definitely gonna ditch my Model-D now

jemmons · 2024-07-31T15:42:32.887Z

And really, the only thing you lose with the monostation (apart from the keyboard) is an envelope. But in its place, the monostation lets you use the sequencer as a mod source, which is more flexible than an env anyway. Plus motion recording! Plus patch flipping (though I guess AFX mode does some of that for the BS2? It was after my time). Really feels like the mono is the more capable bass station sibling to me.

MellowTron · 2024-07-31T15:58:48.106Z

Yes! Also it now has paraphonic mode…and AFX mode is wild! I highly recommend digging in to those

thermionic · 2024-07-31T17:45:06.003Z

I’ll love to see Sequential and Novation’s cross-pollination as this progresses.

Laser · 2024-07-31T21:38:01.895Z

jemmons:

the only thing you lose with the monostation (apart from the keyboard) is an envelope.

There’s a lot more!

2nd LFO, LFO delay and slew, ring mod, tunable sub (3 waveshapes), osc filter mod, excellent arpeggiator, acid filter option, limiter, mod wheel and Aftertouch destinations, microtuning, more glide options, osc error… there’s probably more I’ve forgotten.

They’re different instruments really. The BS2 is undoubtedly more fully-featured in terms of synthesis, but it’s the synergy between sequencer and synth-engine that makes the MS what it is.

Also the 3rd distortion means the MS can get a bit dirtier!

I think when the MS came out, people kind of assumed that it was a BS2 in another box. It’s not, really, they can sound similar, but each can make sounds or be used in ways that the other cannot.

For me, they’re both stone-cold classics. Almost perfect instruments!

Elek4 · 2024-08-01T08:38:53.668Z

The AFX version was a complete joke imo. With the black caps you can hardly see what the setting are. It looked nice but it practice it’s nothing but a stupid design choice.

Mumdad · 2024-08-01T08:47:59.728Z

I used to have the AFX version, part of me keeps thinking that AFX mode plus a DIrtywave M8 would be an incredible couch setup.

ZiekeFons · 2024-08-01T18:52:32.600Z

Dont forget the update that came with it!

Rich303 · 2024-08-12T02:52:43.243Z

I never cared for the AFX mode. Never bothered to learn it. Probably never will. But all the other added features outside of that have been more useful to me.

One thing I really would like to see in an update is the sequencer responding to MIDI start/stop from an external device. Triggering a note while starting the master device really sucks. I can’t get the BS2 to stop sending control changes to anything that’s connected that can’t filter it out, like my Eventide Dot 9 pedals synced via MIDI. No soft-thru either on the MIDI out sucks too. Just a little bit of MIDI implementation would really do this synth some justice without having to squeeze an external sequencer in my setup and take away the immediacy of having it all work in one piece of gear as it should. Resorting to workarounds gets the job done. But it just complicates things and becomes a clusterfuck, which is less than inspiring.

pdp · 2024-08-12T08:01:20.627Z

Yes, mostly I miss a manual mode knob (Sound as knob etc position). Also the rhythm dial knob is strange to me, and strange midi stuff, would be a great simple synth vst midi controller.
Most important the knobs started melting ( maybe keeping it in the official bag was also not ideal)
Looking for replacement knobs because the sound is so nice. Read somewhere ( maybe yt comments) arturia doesn‘t use the soft touch crap anymore on the minifreak and other stuff.

garf · 2024-08-12T08:07:12.691Z

pdp:

Most important the knobs started melting

I had that too. I asked Novation about it and they were happy to send me a full set of replacement knobs. Their support is very good.

chr1sdanger · 2024-08-12T14:05:16.474Z

Plus one on their support being great. I had a small issue with mine that they couldn’t diagnose remotely and it was out of warranty. They shipped me a part free of charge to try (across an ocean no less). It didn’t fix the issue but cannot complain about that. Your mileage may vary of course but I was surprised.