Thoughts on the ASM Hydrasynth

[@perrybarden3318]

The "outro" was a glorious glimpse into your life. Thanks for the review and also your past work on the channel.

[@stuartbennett4301]

Before I bought mine a few months ago I kept looking for Tim’s review. Got one anyway when the price dropped a bit, it’s my first synth (well, second after a very brief period owning a Sub Phatty). I absolutely love it, as an absolute beginner ive learned so much from it and it’s so easy to use and the possibilities are endless. The main neggy comment is that it sounds cold, that was my concern and I’ve never heard it sound great on KZbin, but in person it’s huge. I made a bass sound that shook a picture off the wall yesterday 😁. It’ll do thin and cold AND thick and rich warm sounds, you have to choose that, and it’s easy to set. ASM have struck gold IMO.

[@progwaver]

Yeah, thank you for this demo Tim Yesterday finally arrived my HYDRASYNTH DELUXE, the big one.... and wow, I am really impressed... Its long time ago I feel so exited on a synth to waiting for like for the Hydrasynth... and the waiting was worth on the big one, I dont wanted buy the small hehe... 73 keys polyaftertouch ... omg, and the ribbon as well... I always wanted a ribbon controller... I dont understand why other manufacturers do not have ribbons on their synths, like a quantum... or a Prologue... its missed on many synths. And the problem is, its a thing you not just can buy seperate as a thing, not many exists on the market... The ribbon on the Hydrasynth is quite cool, cause if I get it right as a controller it should be possible to route it on the CV out to control also my ARP 2600, I will try that

[@marillion335]

Another great video mate. I too love my hydrasynth to bits. I have the Iridium and the hydrasynth and they play very well together. Using Poly aftertouch on the Hydrasynth to control the Iridium is awesome.

[@bo-bodad8253]

Great review! I've loved my Hydra since I purchased it in May of 2020. Wish I had room for a deluxe. If you haven't updated the firmware, it's well worth your time. ASM have added a bunch of new features as well as bug fixes.

[@powermix24]

Thanks for your input on the synth! Enjoyed it

[@JohnOShaughnessy]

Thank you, Tim, for this little video. It is just what I wanted to hear and already suspected about this synth; I was on the edge with buying one. The poly aftertouch is really something I like about it.

[@mark35mi]

Brilliant. Love the honest gushing. Mine is on its way. Thank you Tim.

[@proxymerchant]

Every time I play my Hudrasynth it jumps to the top of my studio favorites once again. It's a joy to play, and everything about it communicates power and stability. ⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡

[@paulheskett8358]

Tim: this may seem the most random comment, but seeing the bottle of Purdey’s (43:58) just made you go up an order of magnitude in my estimation 😄 I enjoy the balance between the objective information and your subjective opinion in these videos, and this is a fine example, so well done and thank you 🙏 A year ago I was seriously considering a Hydrasynth vs a Cobalt 8 or a Wavestate (the Wavestate won). However, with the Hydrasynth Explorer coming soon, I could be seriously tempted…

[@davidsherwood8797]

Had a Cobalt 8m since January and don't get on with it. Just seems like hard work. Hydrasynth is twice the price, but so far I like it a lot more. BTW, not a newcomer, so have used most types of synth, just to put the Cobalt comment into perspective.

[@Truthasvictim]

You're totally right about too many waveforms Tim. When you get around to many of the obviously more digital sounding-bell-like-waveforms, so many of them are virtually duplicates, etcetera, of others. Eno made a similar note decades ago regarding too many choices when he said that having fewer features forces you to explore what you do have in greater detail. That's true of so many things in the digital world too. How many people use more than a few things in their phones, let alone having enough time to do so?

[@mikaeljohansson83]

I wish more synth youtubers where more like you Tim. You always look into the real deal of a synthesizer. Always to the point, always looking at it in a musical and understandable way. Always going into the nittygritty details that actually gives us watchers some useful information. I've watched some video reviews of the Hydrasynth and I decided to let this synth pass a closer inspection but after seeing this video I will give it a second thought. Thank(whatever higher power you believe in)that you keep informing us about new and old cool gear. And as always great video👍😁

[@ekoboydj]

I said before that Tim is the Bob Ross of synth reviewing. Such a gentleman

[@kadiummusic]

Just a shame it takes 5 minutes before he actually starts dealing with the synth and even then it's hard going. The one instrument you're probably not going to play on this synth is a bland piano and yet there's lots of it. I think Tim has improved a great deal since this video because his Cherry Audio demos are very good.

[@Pepijn_a.k.a._Akikaze]

Since the two of us own both the Hydrasynth and the Moog One I would like to tell you and your viewers what I did with them. But first a few of my thoughts on this synth. While agreeing it is not perfect, as any instrument, I think it has only a few flaws. Sound generation is digital, but it can sound as organic as any analogue synth. You will have to use the tools though. Its superb user interface was apparently influenced by a synth that has been with me since 1989, the Ensoniq SQ-80. The aftertouch response is far better than that same SQ-80's or any other eighties or nineties synth's, for that matter. The ribbon's theremin mode is brilliant! Unlike its namegiver, this mode allows you to play glides in tune. I do like the extensive mod matrix and the mutant options. It is unprecedented. As for flaws, although I do like the rear panel description on the front, lettering should have been in legible white. Oscillator panning and voice spread are nice features but I would have welcomed amplifier panning as a modulation destination like on my SQ-80. Since envelope times are stated in seconds and frequencies in Hertz, I copied some Blade Runner patches to my Moog One suspecting they would sound better on an analogue synth. In fact, I liked both of them so much that I layered the sounds f both synths and used them on my track Crackdown on the 2020 Akikaze album Deadlock, which I am sure you will find using a search option. Like you, I don't like a synthesizer that gives me too much choice. When you said that I recalled my E-mu UltraProteus with its 256 filter types. By the time I had auditioned type number ten, I had forgotten how the first sounded like. I'd rather divide my attention between more instruments with less features. For example, although my Korg Kronos has a beautiful organ engine, I am more creative making sounds on my new Hammond XK-1c. If I have learnt anything from collecting gear, it is that more possibilities inhibit my creativity. Since I would consider it a waste of money and effort to downsize my studio, I have chosen to limit my posibilities on every new project. Some critics said "Why do you do so little with so much gear" but this approach keeps me sane. Thank you so much for your unique philosophical remarks on synthesizers!

[@laylahassomethingtosay]

What did you end up doing with the Moog One? Judging by your first sentence, I’m guessing your experience with it might’ve gone a bit differently than your experience with the Hydrasynth?

[@Pepijn_a.k.a._Akikaze]

I made an album with it. They are quite different instruments in terms of features and user interface. Consequently, experiences differ. The Hydrasynth gives the musician incredible value for money, the Moog One is the ultimate analogue polysynth with unfinished firmware.

[@laylahassomethingtosay]

@@Pepijn_a.k.a._Akikaze ahh yes the infamous firmware😵 is there anywhere I can find that album of yours?

[@EarlyMist]

Paragraphs man...paragraphs.

[@gizka6816]

crazy how the ensoniq guys were so far ahead of their time

[@nightglyph867]

Great review Tim , don't own this synth yet but hoping to get one very soon , agree with what you say about the perceived brittleness of the waves themselves , you wouldn't buy this synth expecting lush analogue warmth when there's other synths out there that do that much better , this is more a deep programming synth for doing way-out-there types of strangeness.

[@rietheguyschannel]

Definitely seems like they went for the "hey it's kinda like blade runner" thing for the first preset. Korg did the same thing with the prologue but they didn't have poly aftertouch

[@Tyetheberious]

Love your detailed and thoughtful videos, thanks Tim. Subbed up!

[@Garflips]

Love my Hydrasynth. Rivals the Udo Super 6. Yeah... it's hard to peel off the protective plastic. Sigabort has a great editor, BTW.

[@panda-fu]

Your best tune I've heard Tim!

[@thaexception3406]

My first synth and will add the Hydrasynth Explorer by next Summer. Good overview

[@jppagetoo]

Once you get used to the poly-AT that first preset is sooooooo expressive. It is more than "after" touch, it is "during" touch control. Think of it that way. The effect can be added and subtracted from as you play to change the AT effect in real time. Presets can be put in a quick select list, check the manual to find out how.

[@bandersong4650]

I love the desktop version. The pads are really sensitive and the scaler feature is great for me (filthy non keyboard player). Very versatile digital synth.

[@janchlupacek]

I was thinking about getting the desktop version, mainly because I have recently bought Roli Seaboard and was wondering if Hydrasynth would a be a goodmatch for it. Does it have an MPE support, or can it utilize other "gestures"? Since it has apoly aftertouch, I was hopeful, but I have not seen mentioning that anywhere.

[@janchlupacek]

Sorry, I take that back. Just found Venus Theory video mentioning MPE support and demoing that. Hoorey.

[@mooseymoose]

I sold all my hardware synths, zero regrets. If it’s digital, there’s probably something on iOS or a VST. If it’s analog, samples and modeling are stellar these days. I enjoyed the Hydrasynth while I had it, just found myself using Pigments and Animoog(Z) way more than anything else and the hardware gathered much dust.

[@303machine]

You enjoy using mouse and clicking on screen? Some people prefer SW, some HW some in between. You prefer exclusively software, good for you, but you still need HW MIDI keyboard, you don't play on computer keyboard nor making arrangements just with piano roll, right? Anyway, there is no software which could replace real analogue sound, be it Diva, Repro1/5, The Legend, Monark you name it. Of course I can't distinguish sound of VST and real analogue subtractive thing for the most part, but when I hear real analogue phatness, you don't need FX, except maybe chorus, delay, reverb to add space, but it is in your face sound from the start. It feels up space, and there is digitaly synths, very cheap as Korg's NTS-1 with digital FX which could sound big and fill up the room, but still, analogue sound fill the room without FX.

[@mooseymoose]

@@303machine I use touchscreens to set up hardware midi controllers.

[@303machine]

​@@mooseymoose Fine, Kebu don't need to do this, he is full HW. I mean, everything is OK with your approach, but it is not solution for everything. I think, if people had enough money and space, they would have Zimmer like room full of synthesizers, and even him is using Zebra 2 VST for scores. Point is, people make compromises. Nothing is wrong being exclusively SW or HW or hybrid. It depends on money, space, time, knowledge, ambition.

[@mooseymoose]

@@303machine duh?

[@Cericle]

@@mooseymoose different fetishes and money pits

[@johnlawson3014]

I was surprised at the difference in the filter between the analog feel and without. I liked that a lot.

[@stevebriggs6469]

Thanks for a great vid. I have the desktop one and I just lose hours and hours hitting the random (hold random, hit delay, let go of delay, hit random again and ohhh something new etc etc etc) button and playing around. It's such a lovely synth. I know the macro knobs can be bi-polar but I honestly don't remember how :) again... thanks for a great vid.

[@davedeanovic2908]

Good stuff man!!! You have helped a lot in my decision to complete my DAW less / poly side synth to compliment the others. PS I know we’re not getting younger but let your hair grow out again for a spell. You might innovate edgier with a little more grind. Your vid was pleasant to watch and listen. Thanks for your work and reviews.

[@SuchaDoofus]

... Okaaay

[@LangleyNA]

Your "music video" at the end here, I feel, effectively felt like a celebration of your KZbin channel experience. I trust you are enjoying yourself, Tim Shoebridge. Smile! :)

[@TimShoebridge]

Well it's more a song about mortality and making sure you do something with your life. The only video I have of myself is this channel, there's too much of it in that music video, I'd liked to have had more time to improve it but the hydra review was delayed for too long already.... 😒

[@scottmcdiarmid8196]

Love my Hydra, its bonkers creative and unique, just wish for a custom SSW import tools

[@dariuszlis4412]

Thanks for this video. I was planing to buy hydra many times , but always something stoped me. I think Im ready to buy deluxe version. I would to see another and your thoughts about arturia polybrute. Regards

[@steveedwards4495]

Great vid, just going to pick up a 49 key hydra. Can't wait.

[@pyjama9556]

When I was younger I managed to bag an ms2000. I spent months playing notes, tweaking knobs and trying to sound like tangerine dream and vangelis! I haven’t purchased anything since but I must say the hydra synth has got me interested, it seems like it can sound vast and I love that! A unique break down and review of this interesting synth Tim, I love your approach to explaining this synth I’m a complete novice and yet I feel I’m sitting there with you in a lesson understanding the basics!👏

[@REFabbro]

Yessir Been waiting for this one

[@davidsherwood8797]

I think the firmware updates may have changed the soundbanks. Would be useful to know which patch names you are referring to, please Tim. Otherwise great video.

[@TimShoebridge]

Thanks a lot. The preset I have in A001 is called "Sawpressive GD", that's the only factory preset I used in the video.

[@davidsherwood8797]

@@TimShoebridge Thank you Tim. That is the A001 slot in V1.5.4 too. Just got my Hydrasynth, so your video is very useful.

[@larsuk9578]

Great review as always ! How does it compare to your Iridium? (Apart from keyboard and polyphony)?

[@TimShoebridge]

@@larsuk9578 Thanks a lot. Must admit I find the interface more enjoyable, I have never 100% gelled with the Iridium touch screen. But the Iridium does samples and wavetables very well, and most importantly you can import your own. So from that perspective its possibilities are infinite.

[@larsuk9578]

@@TimShoebridge so did you keep the Iridium?

[@TimShoebridge]

@@larsuk9578 I have the Iridium and a Hydrasynth explorer

[@dennispena5496]

Does the Hydrasynth come with a rhythm/drumBeat section or was your sample coming from your PC? I've been looking for my first synth and I'd like one with a drum/rhythm section built in :)

[@Makebelieve123]

Lovely review Tim

[@kadiummusic]

Polybrute or Hydrasynth? Would love a comparison video. 😎

[@michaelgmoser7845]

Hy my one of best !!!! I nought from system one tehr oszilator modul , and after the filtap plus eanvelope 1003 for smol money !would it work ? Nicely

[@robertross7491]

One thing Tim, I'd like to ask is the oscillator keytrack infinitely variable between 0-200% or variable like Roland do it with 0%, 50%,100% etc as choices. The manual doesn't immediately answer. Thank you.

[@TimShoebridge]

It's variable in 1% steps up to 200%

[@caleb4772]

Is that piano sound in the demon songs coming from the hydrasynth???

[@TimShoebridge]

Yes!

[@ap0ria]

I think, more than anyone else on KZbin, I disagree with your synth hot takes more than anyone else. Doubling down on the Hydra being difficult to play in the first 10 of the video. I think the exact opposite is true. That said, I always find myself back here - getting a ton from your content.

[@williamshaneblyth]

its easy just adjust how it is set in the global control

[@orbitfold]

If you play the first preset you have already bought the synth

[@mynameistechno]

pssst Tim is scanning the comments...

[@vertigev]

The Hydra was my first synth (and still my favorite), one thing I'll add is that the manual is excellent, it was easy to read and understand.

[@Windiguana]

It's definitely not a Rolland manual 😂

[@vertigev]

@@Windiguana yea, those are the worst!

[@brunodadivore9606]

@@vertigev depends. I have a digital piano Roland Hp201 I bought 20 years ago and the manual is just perfect

[@brunodadivore9606]

Is there any computer companion with ?

[@ImFigure]

Hydrasynth has been such a staple in my studio ever since it came out. Something about it makes me approach sound design differently than all my other outboard synths. I honestly cannot believe how low the price is for what I have been able to pull out of it. I make very aggressive dubstep/drum and bass music .. and I have been able to make very 'nerdy complex' sounding bass patches on this ... and then turn around and make a patches for leads and drone work in a snap. It's such a creative work horse!!!

[@NSW-ye3xw]

I agree. Top build quality and you get a lot for your money.

[@TheSynthZone]

also enjoying the ASM Hrdyrasynth and it seems to have a lot of things going for it if you like programming and mixing seriously interesting sounds. There is the real danger of forgetting what you are actually trying to do and exploring...it is easy to make a few segments that seem similar but also vastly different. Having the CV ability convinced me that it should be a team player. The designer's talk convinced me that he was really bringing the modular approach to the setup, it is easy to create amazing tweaks. I actually love wave table synths and passed on a Quantum to get this. I already have a couple of their amazing synths and the ASM caught something my ears loved.

[@tambian9130]

The absolute best review of this synth I've seen. Your knowledge, insight and superb delivery of vocal serenity in your explanations are exceptional . You know what Tim, i was holding back from making a purchase of this synth hoping I'd see a review from you at some point. My gut feeling was right, i can wholeheartedly say you've just sold me the synth. Stellar review Tim, absolute star in my eyes. Your song at the end with old and new images of you was a lovely touch. Bravo Tim👏👏🎶❤🎶👏👏

[@tablameister]

One of the main designers for the ASM Hydrasynth is Glen Darcey. He was with Akai and later Arturia. He convinced Arturia to produce real analog synths (Brute series). The design of the Hydrasynth is brilliant. Even seemingly simple things like having 2 headphone jacks in the front shows the thought that went into its design.

[@DreamscapesMusicCinema]

Thanks for that info...that explains why the Polybrute is a beast! Mark Bensette Aux Bois 🇨🇦.

[@brunodadivore9606]

Strange that Brute serie is not in the digital way of Hydrasynth was created. Anyway we ve heard Arturia stopped to produce micro and mini brutes so something new seems on the coming months ?

[@nsjx]

Glen and his various interviews are SUPER-enlightening as far as info about Hydra 👍✨

[@BlackMan614]

Too bad he couldn't convince these guys to put analog filters on the Hydra.

[@lucid484]

@@BlackMan614 Why the filters sounds butter smooth when I pair it up against my matrix brute. But one could also simply run it through external analog filters.

[@rrocktoo]

“Okay, so what’s it really like then?” That’s what I think when you drop your post hype phase videos, and you never disappoint. Loved the Buggles vibe from the end track by the way.

[@cortical1]

Phenomenal video, Tim! I love everything about it. Okay, so firstoff, I was going to be surprised if you weren't engaged in some form of gushing after using the Hydrasynth, so it was good to see that. I fancy myself a pretty staunch vintage analog guy (I have many such synths and have been playing them since the early 80s), so I was pretty blown away by the Hydrasynth as well. I'm not big on virtual analog synths, but this is no such thing; it is its own type of being and proudly so. The sheer power and flexibility make this, in my opinion, just as you said, one of the most important synths to come out in the past decade or so. It's well designed, beautifully built, is really a sound designer's dream, has a character and identity all its own, and it just sounds good across the board. I really enjoyed your original song as well! Here's to hoping the Hydra inspires many more! Sending gratitude from southern California.

[@earlsfield]

I love my Hydrasynth. Obviously guys at ASM did a great job, since they are shipping the same synth in two new form factors. There is a LOTof stuff that makes this synth uniue, and at the same time extremely simple to use while being designers dream. You an do everything, from warm analogue-ish stuff to gritty wavetable scanning. Bu I think that it was presented in a wrong way, by people in synth community. It was first compared to software plugins like Serum and Massive. That is so utterly wrong. What I see is a product that stands on its own and is a great addon to any studio. I prefer analogue gear, but I wanted to add something more versatile in my digital arsenal (JV1080, DX7, Virus TI, Wavestate), and I couldn't be happier. Probably the best synth of its class around. I would just kindly request user waveforms option, which i am sure can be done easily.

[@MichaelRohaly]

One of the things you can do to scroll through waves when you're just assigning them is to use the macros. Set up one slot to oscillator 1 wave and set it to 128. Add another slot the same way but set it to around 90 and your macro encoder will zoom through the waves. Save that as a patch and you have a starting point that works nicely. When you save hit Convert in the macro option and you'll have your wave in place. Anyway, it was pretty entertaining to watch you gush.

[@shadowseal22]

I've had a Hydra for about a year, and I think one of the things that people sleep on is that for a slow synth (i.e. something with a wide range of possibilities that requires more time to dial in since it's not already set in a specific sweet spot) the workflow on the hydra is so incredibly fast. The "main page with a set of encoders" solution to the hot key shuffle, and it's wild how quickly I'm able to have an idea, usually something kind of complicated, and execute a basic version of it so then I can start refining things. It reminds me A LOT of the Elektron workflow, and given that one of the other guys behind this box besides GD is one of the main minds behind the Octatrack it's not surprising. Sure making patches on the Hydra takes a lot of time because there is a lot of fiddling with a lot of stuff to dial things in, but it's shocking how quickly that process can go because the fiddling itself is so unencumbered for being as complex as it is.

[@FaraceChannel]

Love my Hydrasynth Desktop, it can be subtle and it can be insane.

[@IanWaugh]

Hey Tim - I remember music shops 😀 Love your personal take on instruments, Much more interesting and useful than vanilla reviews 😀

[@fernandozaccaro5013]

MUCHAS GRACIAS POR ESTE ESPACIO...TENGO UN HYDRA DESDE HACE UN PAR DE SEMANS, y me siento muy contento y muy entusiasmado por conocer todas las posibilidades que ofrece. gracias gracias. desde buenos aires Argentina

[@BarryWarne]

Polyphonic Aftertouch is Life Re: Store Presets - 1984-1994 Music Store Keyboard Dept Sign: "Playing of Jump Not Allowed"

[@atomaalatonal]

the asmr hydrasynth :D

[@von_Apa]

Thanks! You have again triggered the lust for getting deeper in the knowledge of synthesizers! Prophet 10! Moog One and now this little monster! 🎹🎶🌟🌟

[@paulmapp8306]

Your not helping..... considering hydrasynth or prophet 6. Completely different I know. I have a pro3 and ob6 for vco. I have a deep mind and peak as well. I have a virus and fantom 7 also. I don't know if I should round out the vco trio or add poly at and wavetables... head says hs heart says p6.. Can the hs get greesy, smeary like vco. Does the osc beat .. single osc playing 2 notes and 2 osc playing the same note? What to choose

[@paulmapp8306]

Bought the HS.... Honestly some things I DONT like... The keys feel cheap and sharp - the underside are burred and not even a straight cut - the the front has a sharp join instead of a wrap over. Nothing I can do about that but it will take some getting used to. My "fetish" about the prophet is because I can only fit that or an OB6 in if I went the HS route - and I love both sounds. Honestly between the OB6, Deep mind and Peak (not to mention Fantom 7 that has a profit filter model) I can probably get close enough (and ditto to the OB6 if I swap that for a P6). Focussing on what it DOES do that I havent got ant its great. Im struggling finding a way of having Poly AT from the HS keybed, but mono from an external board when using it as as sound source (playing from the big rig on a set sound)... Without duplicating patches there doenst seem to be a way which is a shame. ive pushed an idea to the Devs for a global "AT Receive" option - where you can tell it if its a poly or mono control - and if its mono then it forces any matrix setting using Poly AT into mono operation. Not sure how they would implement the last bit - but well see if anything comes of it.

[@bassnsax]

Fantastic demonstration and video! The Hydrasynth sounds fantastic, and I'm really excited by the announcement of the Hydrasynth Explorer (I'm a bassist first, then synths & guitar after that), and it could be a bit more affordable way to get into a polyphonic synth (with polyphonic aftertouch!) eventually.

[@sinwithsebastian]

Really nice presentation, if I only had more space for synthesisers. Only one complaint : never excuse yourself for your art, just let it speak for itself

[@cortical1]

Starting this video with anticipation, Tim, since I've had the Hydrasynth myself for a few months, and I really respect your take on things. See you on the other side...

[@Cabong69]

Finally a review the gives this great synth the acclamation that it deserves. It's original and unique, well built, and has that special feel that sets it apart from other synths. Very happy I got it. Thanks for the review.

[@ukiemexican]

Awesome video as always Tim. Not sure if you done one already but could you possibly do a studio tour in the future? The people wanna know! Cheers from the US!

[@galifettetv1238]

Frankly speaking, I did not buy the deepmind12 because of its presets, but because of the review you did of this synth

[@9877joseph]

Thanks for the review! I am still loving my two Hydrasynth models! I am one of the strange birds out here who actually love the tonality of this synth. A lot of emotion inside this thing begging to come out.

[@Frakaphoto]

everything I ear as music made on hydrasynth was a bit disapointing, everything I ear as music made on korg modewave transport me… so sold for the korg… cheap plastic, cheap keyboard, no super cool encoder with oled screen… but the sound ! whaou !

[@Truthasvictim]

I've been touting this synth since the first day I heard about it , probably NAAM 2 years ago. And that is without even having seen one in person yet. I've been using KZbin extensively and luckily, many Hydrasynth users are literate in language, synthesis and musical levels. I'm down with getting their new Deluxe instance, whenever we end up getting it here in Canada, which seems like pulling tetth alas.

[@geebake]

Great overview. I've been dying to hear what you think of it. I've been absolutely loving this synth for a year and a half. Really glad you commented on how great the interface is. I think it's one of the most important features. I can't think of any other instrument with so much 'stuff' so close at hand. This synth could have been mired in menu diving but the interface is designed such that nothing ever seems more than about a click away. ASM has also been great about adding new features synth the release of this synth. I can't wait to see what's still coming.

[@ktreier]

Another KZbinr did a blind comparison with Analog tones. It was impossible to pick which were HD vs. Analog.

[@wernervannuffel2608]

Great review of someone who loves this synthesizer with plenty of explained arguments for this deep love. Very clear and transparent presented and all concentrated around the splendid aftertouch and modulation capacities that makes this synthesizer as an instrument of the classical orchestra for someone he can sounddesign and handle all this programmed articulations. The heart of the Yamaha cs-80 are all emulations of the orchestral musical instruments with the possibility of making articulations of them with subtractive synthesis and all kinds of modulations triggered by aftertouch. The hydradynth does the same with waveforms and wavetables as the heart of this digital synthesizer- system with virtual analog articulations possibilities also triggered by aftertouch. Aftertouch humanize the synthesizer and is a ''must have'' for every synth.

[@christoroppolo8742]

It will not sync perfectly with external clock and the update affected my patches . The factory and my patches aren’t tracking pitch correctly either. It’s doomed in my studio after two years of trying to get it to play nice with all my other hardware and it simply falls short of that expectation. Lots of folks on line in the forums with this issue as well. 🤔✌️👽

[@jeffmallory3907]

Thanks, Tim! I really appreciate your excellent, thoughtful, non-egocentered review. I have a Hydrasynth and pre-ordered the Hydrasynth Deluxe for the almost full keyboard length and the layering.

[@KharmaAndSound]

Hey Tim I was wondering how well and fast the Favorites switching works? I switch presents fairly often within a song using the favorites on my DSI Pro2. Just wondering if the functionality is on point. Cheers!

[@e-conrecords4665]

The macros remind me of the Novation UltraNova. Does pretty much the same thing. A preset can be completely unrecognisable after holding down a few macros.

[@MichaelRohaly]

Macros also control mod slots and mod slots control macros.

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

I don’t think that start-up preset sounds like a “funeral parlor”. If anything, it kills two birds with one stone. It’s the kind of sound Phil Collins got from the Prophet 5 when he wrote “In the Air Tonight” in 1980. It also demonstrates that it is possible for a digital synthesizer to create a pure sine wave sound. That strikes at the core of something I read from Harold Rhodes when he said that digital pianos weren’t as like me to keep a young musicians interest the way to classic electric piano would since it wasn’t doable to digitally duplicate a sine wave. Since just after the lockdown wrapped up in 2021, I’ve been debating whether I would like a model from the Hydrasynth line. It isn’t half as much about the intensive sound shaping that ASM is plugging with this line; it would be about having classic analog sounds at my fingertips with that polyphonic aftertouch (why is it lacking a vocoder?). The other model I would select on my budget (if I wanted another synthesizer) is the Sequential Take 5, the give-and-take being wavetables and Poly aftertouch for VCOs and channel aftertouch. Could you ascertain whether, for instance, the front panel knobs on Take 5 are themselves unipolar like the ones on Hydrasynth or if they’re continual?

[@carlbdfrd]

Thanks Tim. I like you had no time to go deep but I love this synth and Carnot wait to get stuck in. Thanks again

[@Windiguana]

Great review! I have the same Hydra as you do and I've played piano for a few year prior to getting the synth. While it did take me a bit to get used to the aftertouch, it felt very natural after about a week of playing it. What is more of an issue for me now is when I go back to my Yamaha digital piano and I try to press down on they keys after I hit them initially!

[@christoroppolo8742]

But it won’t sync perfectly with external clock period . So it’s a stand alone device at best .👽

[@mchockney3664]

The deluxe probably has the noisiest key-action, I've ever heard on a synth. On top, couple of keys are real sticky, when coming up from an Aftertouch position. Not a key bed I would wanna play piano sounds on. And there I thought this would be "the one and only" for me. Another thing, that surprised me, was how little headroom it has, leading to some nasty clipping.

[@kierenmoore3236]

You seem a lot more taken with the Hydrasynth than you were with the Peak, even. The Hydrasynth is sticking around permanently, for one thing … Just wondering which you think does a ‘better’ (OK, more subjectively satisfying to you …) job of emulating those vintage analog sounds … One might assume the Peak would have the edge with an actual analog filter, but as you have demonstrated the Hydrasynth has a few tricks of its own towards the sound of analog goodness … Do you think the Hydrasynth takes the cake in that particular regard, or was it just a better overall synth for you (or both!)?! Very interested in your thoughts/opinion. Many thanks, Tim. 🙏🏼😎👍🏼

[@thomaskrasemann709]

Have you still got it, Tim? Cause that, after a year, would be an argument: Tim carrying on with the same instrument for a longer time... ;-)

[@russellbutterfield1419]

I use my Desktop HS with my ROLI. It is incredible

[@floyd101954]

FYI, I thought anyone here might want to know this. I just purchased my Hydrasynth Desktop from Sweetwater, have had it only had it 3 days now. I discovered that it now ships with Presets Patches in all 5 Banks (A B C D E). There are not any Empty Banks. Also some seemed to be different than ones I heard and saw on several older tutorials on KZbin. I was curious about this and contacted Ashun Sound Machines Support and they confirmed this. Anyway this Synth is incredible, with 2 more Banks of presets I am just starting to experiment with them all before I start to create my own Presets. Here is their email response: Hello, Yes we have now included 2 more banks and updated the patches as well. Please use the patch manager if you would like to arrange banks differently . You can also refer to our KZbin channel for more videos on this. Kind regards, Support

[@tonyrapa-tonyrapa]

Well said, re: being brittle. These synths can definitely be what you want... put the time in and get a lot of satisfaction out.

[@mrvoigtlander]

Praised be KZbin for bringing me to this Hydrasynth video today. Better late than never, eh? If this video had indexing, it would get a massive amount of views as the Hydrasynth universe evolves along the years. I run a livestream-business and videos I publish are almost always indexed. Nobody who did it ever regretted, I believe. I'm more than glad to help, if you decide to index but lack skill. Thanks a lot for this video. Keep up the good work, Tim.

[@jloiben12]

“Whoever designed this synth understands [the needs of musicians].” True

[@georgelincoln5041]

Really like the soundtrack and the patches you came up with. I bought mine almost a year ago and I think the hydrasynth does push the envelope in synth design and quality.

[@AdamsBrew78]

If you haven’t already, you should try out GForce OB-E softsynth with your hydrasynth. Many of the best factory presets are designed for poly aftertouch, and sound absolutely brilliant.

[@Mchannemann]

Well balanced review Tim, and yes I have an urge to get the big Hydra now to have the polytouch...

[@LezMarwick]

Enjoyed that! Now I'm going to go play on my Hydrasynth.

[@zafod101]

Should work great as a controller keyboard for plugins like the cs80

[@travistouchdown1812]

18:10 if you leave the plastic display skins on for years they get really dirty and scuffed. Take them off and you have a brand new display!

[@Windiguana]

I ended up getting some tablet screen protectors and cutting them down to size to fit each screen.

[@TheyBenefit]

The knobs don't wobble like Sequential synths? Sold!

[@davebellamy4867]

I think the rotary encoder is the part that is going to break. It's fragile compared to the knobs on the synth. Lovely synth!

[@jloiben12]

The only problem I can find with this synth is its relatively restricted voice count

[@digicat247]

I have been on the fence about the Hydrasynth, the Sequential Take 5, and the UDO Super 6. They are all amazing synths in their own right, but to highlight the interface on the Hydrasynth... Anyone can throw oscillators, LFO's, and things in a box; none of it matters if you can't use it fully and enjoy doing it. For all the videos you have done, this was one of the few instruments to get such a great ending video. When I see someone inspired to make something that fun and meaningful from spending time with an instrument... of course it makes you want to feel that same inspiration.

[@nsjx]

Nice review. Thanks for more great Hydrasynth content. Filter 2 variability (and morph via Res knob) is immensely powerful, esp when considering that sources can be independently panned. So via parallel-filtering, thanks very much to F2, one can have two or more elements of a patch morphing. timbre or hiding and resurfacing as keys are held. Experiment! Also, as hinted below,...these macros are not limited to being perform tools. These are immensely powerful programming utilities as well. Question is, how deep do you want to go... Hydra won't hold you back. I love my Hydra DT. I have not come back again and again to program patches on any digi synth I own more than I have the Hydra. Blowfeld was that synth before this. Even though I still Love my Blo 👍

[@mechanicom]

Many happy afternoons spent at Turnkey, Charing Cross in the mid 90s!