The feature I'm most grateful for is that it saves me money. Whenever I'm tempted by a new synth I ask myself if I'm able to get a similar sound out my Hydrasynth Explorer and more often than not the answer is yes.
@@LAZ-org hits some kind of nail on the head, as does @lcpumpkin . I purchased a Hydrasynth Explorer back in the spring of 2024. I love being able to synthesize many of the sounds I love generating on an authentic analog synth and to have those (unless I’m mistaken) 640 initialized patch locations to save them to. However, I have yet to purchase a polyphonic synthesizer that’s) got a) VCOs and b) a per-function front panel. (Since 2004, I’ve owned 4 DCO-based polysynths - and parted with one - that have/need assignable encoders.) The TEO-5 has been tempting me since the moment it hit the market for both those reasons, even if I don’t honestly need one.
wow, thank you very much for this video and especially the nice things you said about the team. It means a lot to us all. I am greatly blessed inn that I get to work with a bunch of really great people who all share a passion for music gear.
I love my Hydrasynth Keyboard. This thing makes incredible sounds that are easy and fun to discover thanks to the intuitive interface. Thank you Glen Darcey and ASM team!
This is by far the most informative, uplifting and downright enjoyable review I have ever seen on UA-cam of any instrument. I really enjoyed every minute of this. I am an autistic 52 year old man who has developed a love of making electronic music very recently, and for some reason, the Hydrasynth line-up spoke to me in videos. Now that I own two of their four instruments, they speak to me on so many levels here in my home studio. The interface - the ease of use - the build quality - and the sounds (my god the sounds)... everything about these instruments just seem so intuitive and easy to me. I get so excited about going out and creating with my Explorer and Desktop (I call her Hydra) that I almost can't sleep at night. I haven't been this happy to be making music since I got my first real drumkit over 30 years ago.
another reason to love it is the community. The fact that some of the guys who work for ASM and have designed things on Hydra run a Facebook group where people share patches is so cool. This was a wonderful homage to an otherwordly synth ❤
also how tf did I not know about the option to control what gets randomized now?? Thats so cool cuz I always end up redoing the macros and its a pain in the ass sometimes. This is a game changer. God this synth rules
This is by far the most unique and impressive Hydrasynth video I've seen out there (I did one 4 years ago, and another today - no where near as in-depth and masterfully presented).....really excellent
Dude. I've had this thing for a few months, and I learned more in a half hour from this video than everything else in the whole time I've had it. Thanks so much. Excellent content!
Yup. Got the Deluxe. I have other synths but the Hydra is so flexible, so easy to build new sounds for, so easy to sit into a mix, so easy... so easy. It's a ridiculous piece of kit that is built like a tank AND is a reasonable price. Beyond reasonable, really. It's an industry game-changer and ASM deserves all the credit it gets for bringing this wonder to the market.
i love watching videos of people talking about the hydra. its so flexible, everyone has a unique take about how they use theirs. i have a large modular system, and this is the only hardware synth in the blessed onslaught of options we have today which made me part with my cash. such an amazing creation.
The programmable step LFO is a little gem So useful for creating three oscillator controlled paraphonic sequences. One note can play three completely different osc’s playing their own sequence with its own number of sequence length ie, osc one has LFO playing a sequence of 5 notes , osc 2 play 3 steps etc. Put that through the keyboard scalings and you are in a world of fractal harmonic complexity
This walk through of (some) of Hydrasynths many talents is superb! Exceptional journalist know how and presentation skills. Excellent all round! (Just wish they did a deluxe desktop!!)
Love my Hydrasynth, there's so much to explore. It's definitely not a 'select a sawtooth and filter it and it's instantly magic' kind of thing, but more a "where do you wanna go, me lad?' kind of deal. Also, as a side note, in the recent OS you can even degrade the bit depth of the wavetables, among other things like using keystrokes to advance the pattern LFO. It's bonkers! It is definitely worth a 35 minute love letter! Great video as always! 🔥
It's great. You will not regret it. Except... My one regret is I went with the rack mount shown in most of the video and not the standard model with the sliding CV control thingy. You can substitute one in if you have a standalone controller. And the pads on the rackmount are still pressure sensitive etc. so you do get some expressivity out the box. But it'd be really nice to just have the slider so you can plug the thing and go without needing to fiddle with other stuff. So if it's in the budget, I'd say spring for the standard Hydrasynth. But if cost or size are concerns, you can't go wrong with the rackmount.
I've had my hydrasynth (deluxe) for 12 months now and every day it has surprised me with the stuff it can do. Sometimes I get to teach synthesis to newbies and my go to device is the Hydrasynth because if you are explaining subtractive synthesis to complete newcomers then this device does it. One star not mentioned here too much, is the screen, the fact you have a built in oscillascope makes a huge impact when teaching people about waveforms for the first time. If you came in the night and took my hydra away and then said I could only have a new one for 5k , then I would pay the money without any hesitation. It is that good.
My favorite quick tip, which I saw you do but you didn't explain it in the video: holding INIT and pressing many/most individual parameters, resets that parameter to default without having to get the encoder turned just right. Also, being able to copy/paste parameters from similar sections to each other by holding SAVE, pressing a button in the synth engine diagram, and then pressing another button. For example, copying Mutant1 to Mutant3. This is one synth I doubt I'll ever get rid of. Started with a Keyboard, upgraded to a Deluxe earlier this year.
Thanks much! Great video as usual Alex. You so inspired me I dusted off my Hydrasynth and in 3 minutes created a patch (and saved it!) with a sound I’ve never heard before which will likely make it into my next track!
Great review (as recommended to me by Source Distribution) - looks like you had a lot of fun with this! I have ordered one - can't wait for it to arrive...! Thanks for such an insightful and honest review :)
Outstanding presentation. I am currently contemplating buying the Hydrasynth and have watched hours of videos. Daniel Fisher, Loopop, Red Means Recording, etc… Everybody has their own angles on demoing the machines. But this right here was the most uplifting and entertaining of all. Your angle „why it is successful“ is a really good one. Thanks for this!
Fun and potentially inspiring overview that should push a few units. I've owned my Hydrasynth for a couple of years now, and it's tempered my GAS for other synths umpteen times. Such and expressive instrument (love the poly AT and ribbon), and super deep - never ceases to astound me. If you're teetering on a purchase, jump on it. It can sound surgical and utterly digital, but it can also chew through virtual analog with relative ease. Completely converted me from an analog purist into a full-on fan of digital synths - that's where most of the more exciting and fresh sounds and instruments are coming from today. Even the addition of a digital oscillator can turn a synth from just analog into an exciting hybrid with a vastly-expanded sound palette (the Sequential Pro 3 for example). I'm not so much eager for a V2 than I am a HydraSeq or HydraDrum or whatever wholly-new product they devise to compliment their awesome flagship as they expand their range.
Great video, thanks for that. Nice to hear your personal connection with ASM. I sold a load of gear to buy a Hydrasynth Keyboard - absolutely love it. The interface JUST WORKS!! Consider me a signatory to your Love Letter.
@@Vingul Hi - No, there are other differences. The keyboard has a Ribbon Controller (Theremin/Pitch/Mod controller); Env/Filter Control knobs; 4 additional ARP controllers (Tempo, Ratchet, Swing, Gate). Hope this helps.
I have the Explorer. Hands down best value of any synth I've ever owned. I CANT WAIT to see what this company does next. Sampler? Rompler? Dip into analog? Multi effect pedal/module? Something with a sequencer? Anything they choose, im confident it will be a hit as long as they keep the price reasonable. Hats off to Ashun Sound Machines. You nailed it. Definitely would like a basic sequencer in your next machine, but you still nailed it. 😊
Non vedo cosa abbia veramente senso aggiungere all'Hydra. Direi che questo progetto sia praticamente uno standard, un po' come una chitarra Gibson Les Laul o una Fender strato; certo che anche a loro potresti aggiungere un pick up, o un regolatore di tono o filtri vari, ulteriori combinazioni dei pick up, ma avrebbe senso?
The Hydrasynth can make some of the most achingly beautiful string / pad sounds I have ever come across. I can't even remember how I patched them, I just got completely lost in the sauce when turning knobs. It's a wonderful thing.
Finally we are arriving to the time I was waiting from day one… I cannot be more excited… When ASM was created and dropped the HYDRA, I knew that synth will be “underrated” the first years……. Don’t get me wrong, that synth was greatly appreciated BUT, it is so powerful, I knew from the beginning ASM Hydra will be fully understood only later cause we needed TIME to dig it. Not because Hydra’s are difficult to program, that’s the opposite, but because the level of freedom into programming was just mind boggling. Some guys who worked on it started to show us crazy things (I remember one of them showing us how to make the synth sounds like a DUCATI motorbike…!!!) And now we are here, with this video demonstrating how CRAZY good and capable you can go with this synth. I love that !! This synth is limitless, the limit is ourselves. Best bargain digital synth ever to me. That was the synth who put me back into music after decades of break. I made a credit, bought an HydraSynth with an MPCX and a Deepmind12, later an MinilogueXD and RD-9 and a ARP2600M. The last piece I need is a MOOG MUSE and I will be fully satisfied for the rest of my life. The amount of freedom and possibilities to learn my machines is an endless happiness source !!! And I just finished this month to refund my credit so it’s even better 😅
Great video. I highly enjoyed it. I ended buying the Hydrasynth Desktop because I got a sweet deal on a used one. I have many synths and this by far my favorite synth. So much so, that I plan on buying the Keyboard version very soon to join the Desktop. The Hydrasynth is a chameleon. It can sound like anything and/or even more. I have to agree with someone else in the comments. Just when you think you need a new synth, the Hydrasynth can calm your G.A.S. down a whole lot. I highly recommend the Hydrasynth to be in everyone's setup.
I love how it “forces” me to make my own sounds every time I sit down at it. Sure there are cool presets but I actually love making my own patches. I have barely even scratched the surface.
The best feature is the "Random" button. No joke. As someone who suffers from option paralysis from time to time, slapping out a randomized patch and then working it into something awesome means never having that "Where do I start?" moment. My only regret is not springing for the standard keyboard model. If they put the ribbon slider on the desktop/rackmount model it would be perfection.
Truly awesome pro level presentation! For anyone who says the Hydrasynth is thin and cold, please listen at 9:50 in the video with some really good subs or headphones and tell me this thimg is not fat and deep sounding ❤❤❤!
This affirms my purchase of the Orange Hydrasynth Explorer 888 Units! It is so incredibly deep and I find myself derping out such insane sounds for hours! Time flies by so fast playing with this thing!
A truly excellent machine, they really nailed it, excellent specs and broad sonic range. My only complaint is the deeply recessed sockets and power switch on the module version. It's a great controller for my modular too.
I recently acquired a used Hydrasynth Desktop after years of desiring it. I dig the sonic possibilities and the intuitive interface. Great machine for complex sound design.
I thought I had escaped the magic pull from the Hydrasynth… and then you ruin it all! #%”€!! Amazing sounds and demo. The GAS is real here! Greetings from a cold Stockholm.
Thank you for summing up what I love about this synth. Never played one, never even seen one in real life. I've been saving up for 5 years. Gonna have to dump my two 80's analog polys to afford this synth, but then, I'm still short on cash. The dollar is deflating faster than I can save. Sux. Not only do I want to buy this synth for my own music production, I want to reward ASM for producing a GOOD synth... not just A synth, but a GOOD synth, a well DESIGNED synth, which doesn't mean it LOOKS good, damn gerbils, it means it WORKS well... we've had this interface paradigm realized in technology from the early 80's, even within the music instrument space, but no company was willing to give us a GOOD design, they were content with the cursed alpha dial, and such damnable thwartings of human potential. So, good on ASM, if we don't reward those who know their shiz, who've studied their shiz, and who actually realize goodness in the material world, and more, offer that GOODNESS to all of us, well, we're going to be left where there is no goodness, the outer darkness. If you think that's fine, that you're hard, you're the child of privilege, and you've never been to the outer darkness. I'm trying to get one before the nukes pop off. Don't know if I'm going to make it. Maybe I will get it, for a week, and then they'll pop off. I'll probably be unboxing it as the nukes pop. Note, this doesn't mean the end of the world. It'll just mean the slow collapse of civilization. First to go will be the supply chain, meaning energy deliveries will become rarer and rarer and only the well off will be able to afford that increasingly scarce energy. And right behind it will be the power grid, which will simply go out all together, in some large regions, and where there are still a few good people left, the grid will remain up, though rationed throughout the day, supplying juice for a couple random hours a day to the fortunate. And I won't be able to play my beautiful imaginary synth. Nonetheless, big ups to HydraSynth, a blessing of goodness in an increasingly ungood world, which you're getting into at 33 minutes. You really are summing up ALL of my thoughts and feelings about the HydraSynth, so big ups to you as well... in fact, you may've been one of the people who reported on this synths coming, and arrival, so double big ups to you, as well.
Got the Hydrasynth Explorer, and it is the perfect synth for me, combining portability/battery power, and features/sound quality. It is also the closest thing to playing with my Eurorack gear, with easy ability to patch modulation sources to destinations.
I bought the 49 key when it first came out 5 years ago. It's still my favorite, bar none. Just like your top commenter, whenever I get bad G.A.S. I pop on the Hydra and get lost in the sound. So much fun.
6:12 "ugh". exactly. great video, I bought the desktop half a year ago and due to circumstances didn't have much time with it yet, but that will change very soon!
I have an original keys version and can't imagine ever getting rid of it. I agree about the interface too - I don't recall ever seeing a better one, and most of the competition are way behind in usability. Love this synth! That random button is a great way to quickly generate a whole load of unique sci fi sound effects...
Also for the newcomer, those "wavetables" sets can have "silent" gaps inserted for yours (and my own) rhythmic pleasure. Also "advanced" FM routing can be a little tricky to understand at first but there's good info out there how to navigate it. Also the filters can be serial or parallel and all audio sources in the mixer 3OSC, RM and Noise can have their own filter mix (which can of course be modulated and or macro'd). This is very powerful. Last but not least... 32 separate mod slots so dont be shy. i think ea macro has 8 slots iirc. LFO's go to 150Hz
It’s already a classic synth. I have used in almost every album and it always inspires me to write more music. I might get the deluxe version in the near future.
Yeah boy! I’d add that a brilliant ui design touch is making the buttons for the LFO and Envelopes light up to reflect what they’re doing. So it’s dead easy to grok which envelope is responsible for note length and which LFO is wubbing your basses etc. Also the arpeggiator is badass with its ratchets and chance. Just playing with a held arp and the macros gets you a whole lot of amazing musical exploration with most patches 🥰
Got the Desktop version, great synth and the interface is the best I've probably used on a HW synth. Really in depth as well which I love! It's soo fast to program as well!
You've done it again. I've been looking for polysynth and was eyeing the Polyend Synth, but now I feel like getting a used Hydrasynth for the same price is a much better deal.
Or even getting 2 used ones like that you get an Hydrasynth DELUXE for a cheap price……. (There is a feature on all Hydra who let you link them together to have 16 voices in total, exactly like if you have a DELUXE Hydra…)
@@finctank Clipping is quickly solved by turning the oscillators down a bit. I think the same people complained the Minibrute sounded too harsh and had every sound source cranked to full.
Great vid. I love the Hydrasynth as you can tell from the vids on my UA-cam channel. It's on just about every video I've made since I got it. The only downside is that it is not multi-timbral. I'd love to have 3 or 4 Hydrasynth sounds going but unless I buy more hardware, that's impossible. Seriously, there's no reason ASM couldn't make this multi-timbral. I hardly ever use all 8 voices and I'd readily give some up to play more patches at the same time.
From one Tyke to another, eeh bah gum lad! I was preparing to pull t' trigger on a Digitone 2 but this vid may have just thrown a reet spanner in t’ works. I appreciate they're very different beasts and both would be nice but alas, it's one or t’ other, as I'm also going to buy a Torso T1at some point so I'm drooling at what sonic mischief could be afoot... Hmmm decisions, decisions??? Excellent vid Alex, really enjoyed this, cheers!
This would be perfect for my symphony I’m planning. I’m only going to use power-tool sounds. Like saws and sanders etc. This synth looks like it could do it all.
Always loved the sound of this thing, but this has made me want to actually go and check it out. Am I right in supposing you've had something to do with blind/vision impaired synthheads before? Your explanation of layouts - physical and visual - have been of great help for a while now when ruling in or out pieces of kit, not just what is accessible but what is usable. Much appreciated. Love your work.
@@mylarmelodies A deep digital synth that’s usable eyes off is kind of the holy Grail. The biggest hassle is usually setup. It might take me 10 minutes to dial in a cool patch and until next Wednesday to get the bloody thing to listen on Channel 3.
Great review of a really uplifting synth. Love the enthusiasm and the demo of sonic capability of this piece of gear. Well done I want it. Can I afford it? 31:00 on is bs, why sound like other synths with this amount of sonic power? Mylar, when are you gonna release more of your own music?
The Hydrasynth has been steadily gaining attention on my "must-try" list for several months now. I think there's an opportunity to take on the big players at this price point, like Korg etc. Been searching for a good (nay, "great") polyphonic synth for a long while, ever since I became aware of the possibilities of polyphony with the NDLR MIDI controller. Definitely interested in its capabilities for generating ambient pads primarily, but seeing the versatility being demonstrated, looks like a fantastic mid-range all-round solution. I'm most likely to aim for the Explorer - I think that its features are the most useful for my use-case. I'm also tempted to splash out on a Korg Minilogue XD Module for drone parts too!😄
It’s a simple answer when asked ‘should I buy one’. Obviously Yes, you can’t go wrong. The choice is which to go for. Personally I’d have it with a keyboard rather module as that’s where some of the magic lies, polyAT and ribbon are brilliant add ons
5 years ago I decided between this and the Modal Argon 8x. I thought the argon sounded better on demos but it practice it always got lost in the mix and was quite thin. Kind want to give the Hydrasynth a try
It's interesting, because I wanted to love my hydrasynth but never got on with the interface. I think it's partially because I had the explorer (half the knobs), and partially because the module select interface is good for a very specific type of person. It's much harder to just go in and look at what's on the interface and think, "what options do I have?" when they're all in menus.
I tried an Explorer once at a trade show and did find it quite confusing after having used the larger interface for so long - while I’m sure I could get used to it I would defo recommend trying the full fat interface!!
It would seem to be a sound designers dream come true. I like digitals unlimited potential, I don't want to make analog sounds we have heard thousands of times before. This synth has been first on my list to buy for a long time. The only reason I have not bought yet is the time I suspect I need for it to come alive in my hands. And I have been deep into Kurtzweil's VAST synth which is taking much longer than I suspected to obtain full knowledge. Soon...soon..
Hello, the wave table function was the most interesting feature of the Hydrasynth. I’m a bit torn between this machine vs. Digitone 2 for sound design. I already own an Octatrack. Any pointers would be appreciated, thanks in advance guys.
Would love to see the sound engine/ wavetable stuff available as a eurorack oscillator. There’s loads of great wavetable modules but this one is just so saucy
I got an amazing deal on a desktop. Looking to greatly downsize my synth collection before an upcoming move, so been putting thought into what to keep and the Hydra just had to stay because of the versatility.
I considered getting this tabletop edition when I spent from May 2021 to almost exactly 3 years later meditating on whether or not I wanted a Hydrasynth. As with other commenters, I chose the Explorer as a value and for its portability. I’ve since June 2024 included it on my solo recordings and carried it with me to ban practices. Before, I brought my Korg Odyssey duplicate, and I was thrilled to have the Hydrasynth Explorer’s polyphony and programmable patch memory. One custom patch that I still consider a work in progress as of November 2024 is an attempt I made to emulate the DX tubular Beltone. What I should’ve done was explore all the waveforms, but I instead jumped right to using the mutants. Thoughts?
I love this synth so much that I bought all four models :D. Hint: You can double up the same LFO ontop of itself as well as copy a mod matrix location to get all kinds of randomness, Feedback, and range.
I had the original keyboard version. The keybed was a little cheap feeling but in use it had excellent velocity response and aftertouch response. I didn't like the mod and pitch wheels at all. The ribbon strip was interesting, but I never really used it in any production. There were too many flashing lights (eg. keyboard octave selection, screen saver) which I found horrendous. The UI was easy to use for the most part but macros could be set up to do multiple things and it wasn't easy to see what each was doing. It could make some superb sounds. But I didn't like the aliasing, odd things happening at the start of new notes, nor the weird filter resonance behaviour. If it was my only synth I could still make some great music with it but I would certainly have to get inside and remove some of the flashing LEDs. I would be very keen to try out any future Hydrasynth 2.
@@notsure1135I don't think I have ever been fully satisfied with one synth, but there are many that have been inspiring to use over the years. The little Roland SH-1 was a lovely thing. And the Jupiter-6 was a cracker - I've had three of those over the years, but the six voice limit can be, well, limiting for big pad stuff. The Nord Lead A1 is a terrific synth, a Juno 60 of our time. The Iridium Keyboard is good but could be better with some tweaks (eg. envelope shape and better sounding filters). I regard the Iridium as the natural successor to the wonderful Blofeld. I'm really looking forward to the Behringer Wave. My favourite synth is the original Oberheim TVS-1. Sadly I sold that one many years ago. These days I have a small modular, two keyboards and a choice selection of VSTs.
Been making sounds on the Hydrasynth since about a year before release, still to this day I continually find new tricks and interesting things I can do with it. biggest misconception I find people having is "knob per function is better"... nope 100% false. Hydrasynth has so many parameters that knob per function would be a mess, I actually find it faster creating presets on Hydrasynth than any other synth I own that has more than 1 LFO. Its so easy to use it has spoiled me for patch creation on many other synths that have come out since then but simply don't flow as nicely.
@@mylarmelodies oh dear sir thats on my own youtube channel lol! I will say one though... a real tip is when setting a modulation you are using a lot. in the mod matrix set its value to zero , then in the macro , set a macro up to that mod destination wiht the knob value going a bit beyond where you actually like to program the patch amount to. Then set the button value to be what you like the modulation value to actually be. This gives you essentially a preset value at the touch of a button that sounds great, AND the knob lets you experiment with a more outlandish range. great for live tweaking and performing, and if things get too out of wack, you just hit the macro button and it snaps you into that sweet spot!
I’m surprised they haven’t made a v2. I think they’ve released ever possibly variation of it so it might be due. This synth would really suit 6-8 part multi-timbrality since it's not confusing what the controls are doing with push buttons, screens and encoders.
I love my Hydra, and am saving toward getting the Deluxe, but I'm not that great a keyboardist. I can have shaky hands, which makes the aftertouch get a bit twitchy. If I were to request one feature, it would be an adjustable slew or low-pass filter on the aftertouch.
When I finally got a nice synth, I was either going to get a Hydrasynth or a Pro 3, and the choice came down to which went on a good sale first. It happened to be the Pro 3, and I love it, but I still wonder if I should have gotten a Hydra instead. Maybe someday when I'm back on my feet, I can finally get one. It's so good!
yes i want one! Need to move house and get a bigger room first.... Does the resonance still max out when moving the cutoff? i read something about how the resonance doesn't move fully with the cutoff once you get up to a certain high frequency? sounds sort of like it at 9:50ish. Still this aside, powerhouse!
I never bought one, I might do. I mostly am still chuffed about how Yorkshire is still the UK's centre of caring about synthesizers and doing new things with them. Divkid and yourself are such great resources. 👍 Also the reason I never bought one is because I thought that can't possibly be good UX when I'm used to stuff like the Sub 37 where you've got everything you'd want for performance on the panel. I'm still skeptical about that on this (having still not owned one obvs) based on the limited number of controls on the panel. I also hate the idea of having an endless encoder controlling filter cut-off. That's a weakness however you view the rest of the UI.
Would defo suggest trying one in a shop if you get chance (Gear4music is in gods own country!!) as the interface I think is a masterstroke but you can see for yourself. And as regards endless knob for cutoff, look again, there’s actually a dedicated pot as well!
@mylarmelodies G4M is pretty much walking distance for me, I live in Clifton in York (only half of it would be a picturesque walk). I let my car go in August and I've made no knee-jerk synth purchases from them since then! G4M do also offer a no-quibble one-month returns policy which is very decent of them (I've never used it but it's there) so maybe I'll try one. I definitely need to buy a Digitakt 2 and I haven't done yet so I probably should turn up and put this on the bill too like I'm Mr Big Knackers.
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The feature I'm most grateful for is that it saves me money. Whenever I'm tempted by a new synth I ask myself if I'm able to get a similar sound out my Hydrasynth Explorer and more often than not the answer is yes.
This. Exactly this. Hydrasynth is a GAS killer. Still had to get a TEO-5 but glad I did for that SEM filter.
Would you say that the TEO5 does sounds that are not possible on asm? Was it worth getting the oberheim?. @LAZ-org
@@LAZ-org hits some kind of nail on the head, as does @lcpumpkin . I purchased a Hydrasynth Explorer back in the spring of 2024. I love being able to synthesize many of the sounds I love generating on an authentic analog synth and to have those (unless I’m mistaken) 640 initialized patch locations to save them to. However, I have yet to purchase a polyphonic synthesizer that’s) got a) VCOs and b) a per-function front panel. (Since 2004, I’ve owned 4 DCO-based polysynths - and parted with one - that have/need assignable encoders.) The TEO-5 has been tempting me since the moment it hit the market for both those reasons, even if I don’t honestly need one.
The answer is always yes. Every other synth is so lame after having a hydra 😂
@@LAZ-orgDoes filter 2 have an SEM type notch variable state filter option after revision 1.5 on the Hydrasynth? Does it compare to the OB SEM?
wow, thank you very much for this video and especially the nice things you said about the team. It means a lot to us all. I am greatly blessed inn that I get to work with a bunch of really great people who all share a passion for music gear.
That’s ace, thanks Glen! 🙌
I love my Hydrasynth Keyboard. This thing makes incredible sounds that are easy and fun to discover thanks to the intuitive interface. Thank you Glen Darcey and ASM team!
This is by far the most informative, uplifting and downright enjoyable review I have ever seen on UA-cam of any instrument. I really enjoyed every minute of this. I am an autistic 52 year old man who has developed a love of making electronic music very recently, and for some reason, the Hydrasynth line-up spoke to me in videos. Now that I own two of their four instruments, they speak to me on so many levels here in my home studio. The interface - the ease of use - the build quality - and the sounds (my god the sounds)... everything about these instruments just seem so intuitive and easy to me. I get so excited about going out and creating with my Explorer and Desktop (I call her Hydra) that I almost can't sleep at night. I haven't been this happy to be making music since I got my first real drumkit over 30 years ago.
So great this - thank you and keep enjoying making music 🙌
another reason to love it is the community. The fact that some of the guys who work for ASM and have designed things on Hydra run a Facebook group where people share patches is so cool. This was a wonderful homage to an otherwordly synth ❤
also how tf did I not know about the option to control what gets randomized now?? Thats so cool cuz I always end up redoing the macros and its a pain in the ass sometimes. This is a game changer. God this synth rules
What is the name of the Facebook group?
@@dodgedforgottenn The Official ASM Hydrasynth Group
This is by far the most unique and impressive Hydrasynth video I've seen out there (I did one 4 years ago, and another today - no where near as in-depth and masterfully presented).....really excellent
ahh thanks m8!!
Thank you for sharing this passionately and mentioned about our team! This intrigued me to play with my Hydrasynths for the night 😂
Dude. I've had this thing for a few months, and I learned more in a half hour from this video than everything else in the whole time I've had it. Thanks so much. Excellent content!
Yup. Got the Deluxe. I have other synths but the Hydra is so flexible, so easy to build new sounds for, so easy to sit into a mix, so easy... so easy. It's a ridiculous piece of kit that is built like a tank AND is a reasonable price. Beyond reasonable, really. It's an industry game-changer and ASM deserves all the credit it gets for bringing this wonder to the market.
Ridiculously price for digital synth??? Get ableton live with few arturia vst synths for the third of the price and don't be fulled by metal case😂
Everything is “expensive” compared to a computer but it doesn’t mean hardware is overpriced.
i love watching videos of people talking about the hydra. its so flexible, everyone has a unique take about how they use theirs. i have a large modular system, and this is the only hardware synth in the blessed onslaught of options we have today which made me part with my cash. such an amazing creation.
The programmable step LFO is a little gem So useful for creating three oscillator controlled paraphonic sequences. One note can play three completely different osc’s playing their own sequence with its own number of sequence length ie, osc one has LFO playing a sequence of 5 notes , osc 2 play 3 steps etc. Put that through the keyboard scalings and you are in a world of fractal harmonic complexity
Whoa! You can do what now? Please share the knowledge with a video! Count me in
bruhhhh WHAT
This sounds a bit like the Dreadbox Typhon modulation/LFO situation… amiright?
This walk through of (some) of Hydrasynths many talents is superb!
Exceptional journalist know how and presentation skills.
Excellent all round!
(Just wish they did a deluxe desktop!!)
Love my Hydrasynth, there's so much to explore. It's definitely not a 'select a sawtooth and filter it and it's instantly magic' kind of thing, but more a "where do you wanna go, me lad?' kind of deal.
Also, as a side note, in the recent OS you can even degrade the bit depth of the wavetables, among other things like using keystrokes to advance the pattern LFO. It's bonkers!
It is definitely worth a 35 minute love letter! Great video as always! 🔥
I love your love letter! ;) What a way to explore the Hydrasynth! Thank you!
Holy moly! I've been looking for a new synth for some time and I think you just sold me on this thing. Thanks for the quality producrion!
It's great. You will not regret it. Except...
My one regret is I went with the rack mount shown in most of the video and not the standard model with the sliding CV control thingy. You can substitute one in if you have a standalone controller. And the pads on the rackmount are still pressure sensitive etc. so you do get some expressivity out the box. But it'd be really nice to just have the slider so you can plug the thing and go without needing to fiddle with other stuff.
So if it's in the budget, I'd say spring for the standard Hydrasynth. But if cost or size are concerns, you can't go wrong with the rackmount.
Or the HydraSynth Explorer ❤ I'm saving for that one! Same engine! Programming stuff, mutants! 8 voices ❤
Oh my goodness this is a dream Synth!❤
Such a brilliant share and love letter. A showcase of just a sliver of hydrasynths power. Bravo!
Love it! I'll buy it. The fact that she hugged you convinced me.
I've had my hydrasynth (deluxe) for 12 months now and every day it has surprised me with the stuff it can do. Sometimes I get to teach synthesis to newbies and my go to device is the Hydrasynth because if you are explaining subtractive synthesis to complete newcomers then this device does it. One star not mentioned here too much, is the screen, the fact you have a built in oscillascope makes a huge impact when teaching people about waveforms for the first time. If you came in the night and took my hydra away and then said I could only have a new one for 5k , then I would pay the money without any hesitation. It is that good.
Bloody great video. I’ve learnt more in this tan many tutorials. You have a great way of simplifying. More on the Hydro please
I also thought this was the most amazing interface of a synth ever 🤯
My favorite quick tip, which I saw you do but you didn't explain it in the video: holding INIT and pressing many/most individual parameters, resets that parameter to default without having to get the encoder turned just right.
Also, being able to copy/paste parameters from similar sections to each other by holding SAVE, pressing a button in the synth engine diagram, and then pressing another button. For example, copying Mutant1 to Mutant3.
This is one synth I doubt I'll ever get rid of. Started with a Keyboard, upgraded to a Deluxe earlier this year.
Thanks much! Great video as usual Alex. You so inspired me I dusted off my Hydrasynth and in 3 minutes created a patch (and saved it!) with a sound I’ve never heard before which will likely make it into my next track!
The best GAS is for the gear you already have. My work here is done!!
Great review (as recommended to me by Source Distribution) - looks like you had a lot of fun with this! I have ordered one - can't wait for it to arrive...! Thanks for such an insightful and honest review :)
Outstanding presentation. I am currently contemplating buying the Hydrasynth and have watched hours of videos. Daniel Fisher, Loopop, Red Means Recording, etc… Everybody has their own angles on demoing the machines. But this right here was the most uplifting and entertaining of all. Your angle „why it is successful“ is a really good one. Thanks for this!
Thanks and enjoy it if/when you get it!!
outstanding presentation of a magnificent instrument, thank you alex.
Fun and potentially inspiring overview that should push a few units. I've owned my Hydrasynth for a couple of years now, and it's tempered my GAS for other synths umpteen times. Such and expressive instrument (love the poly AT and ribbon), and super deep - never ceases to astound me. If you're teetering on a purchase, jump on it. It can sound surgical and utterly digital, but it can also chew through virtual analog with relative ease. Completely converted me from an analog purist into a full-on fan of digital synths - that's where most of the more exciting and fresh sounds and instruments are coming from today. Even the addition of a digital oscillator can turn a synth from just analog into an exciting hybrid with a vastly-expanded sound palette (the Sequential Pro 3 for example). I'm not so much eager for a V2 than I am a HydraSeq or HydraDrum or whatever wholly-new product they devise to compliment their awesome flagship as they expand their range.
Great video, thanks for that. Nice to hear your personal connection with ASM. I sold a load of gear to buy a Hydrasynth Keyboard - absolutely love it. The interface JUST WORKS!! Consider me a signatory to your Love Letter.
👍✍️
Is the fact that it has a keyboard embedded the only real difference?
@@Vingul Hi - No, there are other differences. The keyboard has a Ribbon Controller (Theremin/Pitch/Mod controller); Env/Filter Control knobs; 4 additional ARP controllers (Tempo, Ratchet, Swing, Gate). Hope this helps.
@@joninio6542 Cool, thanks very much!
I have the Explorer. Hands down best value of any synth I've ever owned. I CANT WAIT to see what this company does next.
Sampler?
Rompler?
Dip into analog?
Multi effect pedal/module?
Something with a sequencer?
Anything they choose, im confident it will be a hit as long as they keep the price reasonable.
Hats off to Ashun Sound Machines. You nailed it.
Definitely would like a basic sequencer in your next machine, but you still nailed it. 😊
Non vedo cosa abbia veramente senso aggiungere all'Hydra. Direi che questo progetto sia praticamente uno standard, un po' come una chitarra Gibson Les Laul o una Fender strato; certo che anche a loro potresti aggiungere un pick up, o un regolatore di tono o filtri vari, ulteriori combinazioni dei pick up, ma avrebbe senso?
The Hydrasynth can make some of the most achingly beautiful string / pad sounds I have ever come across. I can't even remember how I patched them, I just got completely lost in the sauce when turning knobs. It's a wonderful thing.
Idem!
The Hydrasynth is one of my favourites - a really versatile synth.
Hi there
@@alison_synths Ha - hey man : )
Finally we are arriving to the time I was waiting from day one… I cannot be more excited…
When ASM was created and dropped the HYDRA, I knew that synth will be “underrated” the first years…….
Don’t get me wrong, that synth was greatly appreciated BUT, it is so powerful, I knew from the beginning ASM Hydra will be fully understood only later cause we needed TIME to dig it.
Not because Hydra’s are difficult to program, that’s the opposite, but because the level of freedom into programming was just mind boggling.
Some guys who worked on it started to show us crazy things (I remember one of them showing us how to make the synth sounds like a DUCATI motorbike…!!!)
And now we are here, with this video demonstrating how CRAZY good and capable you can go with this synth.
I love that !!
This synth is limitless, the limit is ourselves.
Best bargain digital synth ever to me. That was the synth who put me back into music after decades of break.
I made a credit, bought an HydraSynth with an MPCX and a Deepmind12, later an MinilogueXD and RD-9 and a ARP2600M.
The last piece I need is a MOOG MUSE and I will be fully satisfied for the rest of my life.
The amount of freedom and possibilities to learn my machines is an endless happiness source !!!
And I just finished this month to refund my credit so it’s even better 😅
the final tutoreview about the hydrasynth we all need! excellent video thank you! 🙏
Hydra was my first synth and still my favorite, just love the workflow, pads, and convenience features.
It's so cool having those touch sensitive pads on the desktop. Most desktops are sound dead without a MIDI cable.
Great video. I highly enjoyed it. I ended buying the Hydrasynth Desktop because I got a sweet deal on a used one. I have many synths and this by far my favorite synth. So much so, that I plan on buying the Keyboard version very soon to join the Desktop. The Hydrasynth is a chameleon. It can sound like anything and/or even more. I have to agree with someone else in the comments. Just when you think you need a new synth, the Hydrasynth can calm your G.A.S. down a whole lot. I highly recommend the Hydrasynth to be in everyone's setup.
I love how it “forces” me to make my own sounds every time I sit down at it. Sure there are cool presets but I actually love making my own patches. I have barely even scratched the surface.
The best feature is the "Random" button. No joke.
As someone who suffers from option paralysis from time to time, slapping out a randomized patch and then working it into something awesome means never having that "Where do I start?" moment.
My only regret is not springing for the standard keyboard model. If they put the ribbon slider on the desktop/rackmount model it would be perfection.
Sounds like Hydramorph would be a perfect fit for you. It's software that's like random on steroids for Hydrasynth.
Truly awesome pro level presentation!
For anyone who says the Hydrasynth is thin and cold, please listen at 9:50 in the video with some really good subs or headphones and tell me this thimg is not fat and deep sounding ❤❤❤!
The deluxe is tempting. Love the dedicated balance control.
What a nice review!
I still haven’t played with one yet, and I really, really want to. Now even more so.
I love my hydra desktop. It is such joy to work with it. So many surprises. Maybe a Virus sounds greater, but a hydra is such a powerfull beast 🎉
Crazy that I’ve been watching Hydrasynth videos for weeks prepping to get one, and you just made one yourself.
I’m here for ya
This affirms my purchase of the Orange Hydrasynth Explorer 888 Units! It is so incredibly deep and I find myself derping out such insane sounds for hours! Time flies by so fast playing with this thing!
A truly excellent machine, they really nailed it, excellent specs and broad sonic range. My only complaint is the deeply recessed sockets and power switch on the module version. It's a great controller for my modular too.
Now this is how you demo a synthesizer!! Bravo Mr Melodies!!
I would love a similar presentation as this one for the HydraSynth Explorer ❤
That would be so awesome! Thank you ❤❤❤
I recently acquired a used Hydrasynth Desktop after years of desiring it. I dig the sonic possibilities and the intuitive interface. Great machine for complex sound design.
I thought I had escaped the magic pull from the Hydrasynth… and then you ruin it all! #%”€!!
Amazing sounds and demo. The GAS is real here! Greetings from a cold Stockholm.
Thank you for summing up what I love about this synth. Never played one, never even seen one in real life. I've been saving up for 5 years. Gonna have to dump my two 80's analog polys to afford this synth, but then, I'm still short on cash. The dollar is deflating faster than I can save. Sux.
Not only do I want to buy this synth for my own music production, I want to reward ASM for producing a GOOD synth... not just A synth, but a GOOD synth, a well DESIGNED synth, which doesn't mean it LOOKS good, damn gerbils, it means it WORKS well... we've had this interface paradigm realized in technology from the early 80's, even within the music instrument space, but no company was willing to give us a GOOD design, they were content with the cursed alpha dial, and such damnable thwartings of human potential.
So, good on ASM, if we don't reward those who know their shiz, who've studied their shiz, and who actually realize goodness in the material world, and more, offer that GOODNESS to all of us, well, we're going to be left where there is no goodness, the outer darkness. If you think that's fine, that you're hard, you're the child of privilege, and you've never been to the outer darkness.
I'm trying to get one before the nukes pop off. Don't know if I'm going to make it. Maybe I will get it, for a week, and then they'll pop off. I'll probably be unboxing it as the nukes pop. Note, this doesn't mean the end of the world. It'll just mean the slow collapse of civilization. First to go will be the supply chain, meaning energy deliveries will become rarer and rarer and only the well off will be able to afford that increasingly scarce energy. And right behind it will be the power grid, which will simply go out all together, in some large regions, and where there are still a few good people left, the grid will remain up, though rationed throughout the day, supplying juice for a couple random hours a day to the fortunate. And I won't be able to play my beautiful imaginary synth.
Nonetheless, big ups to HydraSynth, a blessing of goodness in an increasingly ungood world, which you're getting into at 33 minutes. You really are summing up ALL of my thoughts and feelings about the HydraSynth, so big ups to you as well... in fact, you may've been one of the people who reported on this synths coming, and arrival, so double big ups to you, as well.
That is so dang cool! It sounds rad.
Got the Hydrasynth Explorer, and it is the perfect synth for me, combining portability/battery power, and features/sound quality.
It is also the closest thing to playing with my Eurorack gear, with easy ability to patch modulation sources to destinations.
I bought the 49 key when it first came out 5 years ago. It's still my favorite, bar none. Just like your top commenter, whenever I get bad G.A.S. I pop on the Hydra and get lost in the sound. So much fun.
6:12 "ugh". exactly. great video, I bought the desktop half a year ago and due to circumstances didn't have much time with it yet, but that will change very soon!
I have an original keys version and can't imagine ever getting rid of it. I agree about the interface too - I don't recall ever seeing a better one, and most of the competition are way behind in usability. Love this synth! That random button is a great way to quickly generate a whole load of unique sci fi sound effects...
Also for the newcomer, those "wavetables" sets can have "silent" gaps inserted for yours (and my own) rhythmic pleasure. Also "advanced" FM routing can be a little tricky to understand at first but there's good info out there how to navigate it. Also the filters can be serial or parallel and all audio sources in the mixer 3OSC, RM and Noise can have their own filter mix (which can of course be modulated and or macro'd). This is very powerful. Last but not least... 32 separate mod slots so dont be shy. i think ea macro has 8 slots iirc. LFO's go to 150Hz
Excellent tips those, never thought to put gaps in the wavelist!
You mean selecting no wavetables in some wavetable spots and modulating the wave?
@@a.c.2211nope. if you do that then i reads past the empty waves. you must choose "silence" in the list, which is the first option after "off".
@@mylarmelodieshow could you not consider that? You of all people? Your tweaking is often pretty deep…
Every day should be a school day
It’s already a classic synth. I have used in almost every album and it always inspires me to write more music. I might get the deluxe version in the near future.
Yeah boy! I’d add that a brilliant ui design touch is making the buttons for the LFO and Envelopes light up to reflect what they’re doing. So it’s dead easy to grok which envelope is responsible for note length and which LFO is wubbing your basses etc.
Also the arpeggiator is badass with its ratchets and chance. Just playing with a held arp and the macros gets you a whole lot of amazing musical exploration with most patches 🥰
You make such great videos. Thank you.
I love my Explorer. Absolute value for money. Every day I get something new from it. ❤️
Hydrasynth has the best workflow out of any synth I have seen or used and also amazing people at ASM..huge fan of this synth
On a practical level, I was happy it came with rack ears, but that was only a bonus to the main draw of its sound making versatility
"....I am able to push buttons..." well, you sold me on it.
Got the Desktop version, great synth and the interface is the best I've probably used on a HW synth. Really in depth as well which I love! It's soo fast to program as well!
You've done it again. I've been looking for polysynth and was eyeing the Polyend Synth, but now I feel like getting a used Hydrasynth for the same price is a much better deal.
Or even getting 2 used ones like that you get an Hydrasynth DELUXE for a cheap price…….
(There is a feature on all Hydra who let you link them together to have 16 voices in total, exactly like if you have a DELUXE Hydra…)
I heard the internal clipping and aliasing is an issue that bothers some users
@@finctank you’ve heard it yourself, too…?
@@maikvanrossumnot heard it, just heard reports. However I love the MegaFM which I’m sure is only 16 bit and also clips, and I like it
@@finctank Clipping is quickly solved by turning the oscillators down a bit. I think the same people complained the Minibrute sounded too harsh and had every sound source cranked to full.
Great vid. I love the Hydrasynth as you can tell from the vids on my UA-cam channel. It's on just about every video I've made since I got it. The only downside is that it is not multi-timbral. I'd love to have 3 or 4 Hydrasynth sounds going but unless I buy more hardware, that's impossible. Seriously, there's no reason ASM couldn't make this multi-timbral. I hardly ever use all 8 voices and I'd readily give some up to play more patches at the same time.
From one Tyke to another, eeh bah gum lad! I was preparing to pull t' trigger on a Digitone 2 but this vid may have just thrown a reet spanner in t’ works. I appreciate they're very different beasts and both would be nice but alas, it's one or t’ other, as I'm also going to buy a Torso T1at some point so I'm drooling at what sonic mischief could be afoot... Hmmm decisions, decisions??? Excellent vid Alex, really enjoyed this, cheers!
This would be perfect for my symphony I’m planning. I’m only going to use power-tool sounds. Like saws and sanders etc. This synth looks like it could do it all.
This is indeed impressive. I have to take all that back I previously trashed ASM with..
Masterpiece!
Always loved the sound of this thing, but this has made me want to actually go and check it out. Am I right in supposing you've had something to do with blind/vision impaired synthheads before? Your explanation of layouts - physical and visual - have been of great help for a while now when ruling in or out pieces of kit, not just what is accessible but what is usable. Much appreciated. Love your work.
Nice one! I have indeed and I know some blind folks use Hydrasynths although I can’t imagine it’s for the faint of heart!
@@mylarmelodies A deep digital synth that’s usable eyes off is kind of the holy Grail. The biggest hassle is usually setup. It might take me 10 minutes to dial in a cool patch and until next Wednesday to get the bloody thing to listen on Channel 3.
Great review of a really uplifting synth. Love the enthusiasm and the demo of sonic capability of this piece of gear. Well done I want it. Can I afford it? 31:00 on is bs, why sound like other synths with this amount of sonic power? Mylar, when are you gonna release more of your own music?
It worth every cent.....no doubt !!
really great video, thank you!
The Hydrasynth has been steadily gaining attention on my "must-try" list for several months now. I think there's an opportunity to take on the big players at this price point, like Korg etc. Been searching for a good (nay, "great") polyphonic synth for a long while, ever since I became aware of the possibilities of polyphony with the NDLR MIDI controller. Definitely interested in its capabilities for generating ambient pads primarily, but seeing the versatility being demonstrated, looks like a fantastic mid-range all-round solution. I'm most likely to aim for the Explorer - I think that its features are the most useful for my use-case. I'm also tempted to splash out on a Korg Minilogue XD Module for drone parts too!😄
Really love my desktop Hydrasynth
I love my Peak for similar reasons tbh. How is the Hydrasynth for bass sounds?
Great for bass sounds!
Wonderful demo and sounds. I’m actually more interested in a polyphonic analog synths and classic sounds, but Hydrosynths looks also intriguing.
So only the Deluxe Version is Bi-Timbral?
I ended up combining HS-Deluxe and Deepmind 12D together.
Yep. You need a Deluxe for bi-timbrality (or two standard ones 👀)
but three OCS are also quite capable of making great sounds.
It’s a simple answer when asked ‘should I buy one’. Obviously Yes, you can’t go wrong. The choice is which to go for. Personally I’d have it with a keyboard rather module as that’s where some of the magic lies, polyAT and ribbon are brilliant add ons
5 years ago I decided between this and the Modal Argon 8x. I thought the argon sounded better on demos but it practice it always got lost in the mix and was quite thin. Kind want to give the Hydrasynth a try
Can you have an lfo scroll through the 200+ oscillator types? I mean abruptly, not morphing between 4 waves.. Thanks for the great vid!
It's interesting, because I wanted to love my hydrasynth but never got on with the interface. I think it's partially because I had the explorer (half the knobs), and partially because the module select interface is good for a very specific type of person. It's much harder to just go in and look at what's on the interface and think, "what options do I have?" when they're all in menus.
I tried an Explorer once at a trade show and did find it quite confusing after having used the larger interface for so long - while I’m sure I could get used to it I would defo recommend trying the full fat interface!!
It would seem to be a sound designers dream come true. I like digitals unlimited potential, I don't want to make analog sounds we have heard thousands of times before. This synth has been first on my list to buy for a long time. The only reason I have not bought yet is the time I suspect I need for it to come alive in my hands. And I have been deep into Kurtzweil's VAST synth which is taking much longer than I suspected to obtain full knowledge. Soon...soon..
Hello, the wave table function was the most interesting feature of the Hydrasynth. I’m a bit torn between this machine vs. Digitone 2 for sound design. I already own an Octatrack. Any pointers would be appreciated, thanks in advance guys.
Would love to see the sound engine/ wavetable stuff available as a eurorack oscillator. There’s loads of great wavetable modules but this one is just so saucy
I got an amazing deal on a desktop. Looking to greatly downsize my synth collection before an upcoming move, so been putting thought into what to keep and the Hydra just had to stay because of the versatility.
I considered getting this tabletop edition when I spent from May 2021 to almost exactly 3 years later meditating on whether or not I wanted a Hydrasynth. As with other commenters, I chose the Explorer as a value and for its portability. I’ve since June 2024 included it on my solo recordings and carried it with me to ban practices. Before, I brought my Korg Odyssey duplicate, and I was thrilled to have the Hydrasynth Explorer’s polyphony and programmable patch memory.
One custom patch that I still consider a work in progress as of November 2024 is an attempt I made to emulate the DX tubular Beltone. What I should’ve done was explore all the waveforms, but I instead jumped right to using the mutants. Thoughts?
Like to see a vst companion. Like Arturia have done with the mini freak.
“It sounds like the modern music children are dancing to!”
I love this synth so much that I bought all four models :D.
Hint: You can double up the same LFO ontop of itself as well as copy a mod matrix location to get all kinds of randomness, Feedback, and range.
I had the original keyboard version. The keybed was a little cheap feeling but in use it had excellent velocity response and aftertouch response. I didn't like the mod and pitch wheels at all. The ribbon strip was interesting, but I never really used it in any production. There were too many flashing lights (eg. keyboard octave selection, screen saver) which I found horrendous. The UI was easy to use for the most part but macros could be set up to do multiple things and it wasn't easy to see what each was doing.
It could make some superb sounds. But I didn't like the aliasing, odd things happening at the start of new notes, nor the weird filter resonance behaviour. If it was my only synth I could still make some great music with it but I would certainly have to get inside and remove some of the flashing LEDs.
I would be very keen to try out any future Hydrasynth 2.
Is there any synth you do like?
I bought the microQ twice. Eventually, after many years, sold it twice as well.
@@notsure1135I don't think I have ever been fully satisfied with one synth, but there are many that have been inspiring to use over the years. The little Roland SH-1 was a lovely thing. And the Jupiter-6 was a cracker - I've had three of those over the years, but the six voice limit can be, well, limiting for big pad stuff. The Nord Lead A1 is a terrific synth, a Juno 60 of our time.
The Iridium Keyboard is good but could be better with some tweaks (eg. envelope shape and better sounding filters). I regard the Iridium as the natural successor to the wonderful Blofeld. I'm really looking forward to the Behringer Wave.
My favourite synth is the original Oberheim TVS-1. Sadly I sold that one many years ago. These days I have a small modular, two keyboards and a choice selection of VSTs.
Been making sounds on the Hydrasynth since about a year before release, still to this day I continually find new tricks and interesting things I can do with it. biggest misconception I find people having is "knob per function is better"... nope 100% false. Hydrasynth has so many parameters that knob per function would be a mess, I actually find it faster creating presets on Hydrasynth than any other synth I own that has more than 1 LFO. Its so easy to use it has spoiled me for patch creation on many other synths that have come out since then but simply don't flow as nicely.
Hit us with your top hydrasynth tips n tricks Ken!
@@mylarmelodies oh dear sir thats on my own youtube channel lol! I will say one though... a real tip is when setting a modulation you are using a lot. in the mod matrix set its value to zero , then in the macro , set a macro up to that mod destination wiht the knob value going a bit beyond where you actually like to program the patch amount to. Then set the button value to be what you like the modulation value to actually be. This gives you essentially a preset value at the touch of a button that sounds great, AND the knob lets you experiment with a more outlandish range. great for live tweaking and performing, and if things get too out of wack, you just hit the macro button and it snaps you into that sweet spot!
I’m surprised they haven’t made a v2. I think they’ve released ever possibly variation of it so it might be due. This synth would really suit 6-8 part multi-timbrality since it's not confusing what the controls are doing with push buttons, screens and encoders.
The deluxe is already bi-timbral, going multi timbral would be a challenge since it would kill their explorer, desktop and keyboard lines
I love my Hydra, and am saving toward getting the Deluxe, but I'm not that great a keyboardist. I can have shaky hands, which makes the aftertouch get a bit twitchy. If I were to request one feature, it would be an adjustable slew or low-pass filter on the aftertouch.
When I finally got a nice synth, I was either going to get a Hydrasynth or a Pro 3, and the choice came down to which went on a good sale first. It happened to be the Pro 3, and I love it, but I still wonder if I should have gotten a Hydra instead. Maybe someday when I'm back on my feet, I can finally get one. It's so good!
I've always thought these were like a modern Ensoniq, in terms of the master control panel. Obviously a lot more power in the sound engine!
I actually thought my eyes were going when he faded the video 😂
yes i want one! Need to move house and get a bigger room first.... Does the resonance still max out when moving the cutoff? i read something about how the resonance doesn't move fully with the cutoff once you get up to a certain high frequency? sounds sort of like it at 9:50ish. Still this aside, powerhouse!
It is so true that you can go months without touching the hydrasynth and come back to it without any struggles
the explorer does have cv connectivity. It's in the rear pannel
DOH
Good grief....I want this thing so much more now.!
I never bought one, I might do. I mostly am still chuffed about how Yorkshire is still the UK's centre of caring about synthesizers and doing new things with them. Divkid and yourself are such great resources. 👍
Also the reason I never bought one is because I thought that can't possibly be good UX when I'm used to stuff like the Sub 37 where you've got everything you'd want for performance on the panel. I'm still skeptical about that on this (having still not owned one obvs) based on the limited number of controls on the panel.
I also hate the idea of having an endless encoder controlling filter cut-off. That's a weakness however you view the rest of the UI.
Would defo suggest trying one in a shop if you get chance (Gear4music is in gods own country!!) as the interface I think is a masterstroke but you can see for yourself. And as regards endless knob for cutoff, look again, there’s actually a dedicated pot as well!
@mylarmelodies G4M is pretty much walking distance for me, I live in Clifton in York (only half of it would be a picturesque walk). I let my car go in August and I've made no knee-jerk synth purchases from them since then!
G4M do also offer a no-quibble one-month returns policy which is very decent of them (I've never used it but it's there) so maybe I'll try one. I definitely need to buy a Digitakt 2 and I haven't done yet so I probably should turn up and put this on the bill too like I'm Mr Big Knackers.
@@mylarmelodieswhich can be used to control either filter as well!
The wavetables combining reminds me of a old vst called albino 3