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Hydra Synth Explorer


ElmerJFudd

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A dual-layer flagship and a budget version with the same engine smells like very smart marketing to me. Think of all the synths that only receive poly AT. This could become a sought-after solution to some of that, especially with the added room on the right-hand panel. That could be a good spot for a Jupiter Xm or a Take 5. Likewise smaller synth modules or a Strymon.

 

BTW, that's a stellar demo. Daniel excels at showing off the full range of whatever he's playing. Even if you're only halfway knowledgeable, there's no arguing with the superior voice on this thing. He makes it very inviting to consider. Its not a case of instant gratification like a ReFace, being structured in a rather modular fashion, but its not so alien that enough work can't get you over the main thresholds after a while. The term 'elegant' comes to mind. He didn't even touch on the CV/Gate jacks, another serious plus if you have a few Eurorack modules to one side that are gathering too much dust.

 

I had my last serious hardware gasp when I jacked a Korg 01Wfd to the max with pedals and a mass of floppy disk libraries. It was a sweet spot on my synth journey. I'm too decrepit to hunch over such a gasp-inducing synth now. I'm too busy being a Logic adherent and sprinkling physical modeling synths lightly over my newer pieces.

 

Don't hand this to a kid of 15, especially if he has an iPad. He'll never have a girlfriend. :rimshot:

I just emptied out my swear jar and bought a CS-80.
Cussing really pays off!

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There's also a Deluxe with bigger keyboard, more polyAT
DAMMIT! I told them I wanted a five octave version!

 

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh::taz:

 

I guess there is a such thing as too many keys, huh?

 

Yup, it's a 2-fer deal - more polyphony, and more keys

The joke is that I had lobbied for a 5-octave keyboard ever since the Hydrasynth came out, and they go and deliver 6 octaves! The C-C range choice is interesting (my GEM S3 is 76 keys E-F), but I am not complaining...
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There's also a Deluxe with bigger keyboard, more polyAT
DAMMIT! I told them I wanted a five octave version!

 

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh::taz:

 

I guess there is a such thing as too many keys, huh?

 

Yup, it's a 2-fer deal - more polyphony, and more keys

The joke is that I had lobbied for a 5-octave keyboard ever since the Hydrasynth came out, and they go and deliver 6 octaves! The C-C range choice is interesting (my GEM S3 is 76 keys E-F), but I am not complaining...

 

I was trying to riff off of your joke by pointing out it has double the polyphony of all the other models, not just more keys.

 

Win win all around for those who have a use for the big one.

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[video:youtube]

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76| Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT, Kurzweil PC4 (88)

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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Looks like the price is $599.

Yamaha: Motif XF8, MODX7, YS200, CVP-305, CLP-130, YPG-235, PSR-295, PSS-470 | Roland: Fantom 7, JV-1000

Kurzweil: PC3-76| Hammond: SK Pro 73 | Korg: Triton LE 76, N1R, X5DR | Emu: Proteus/1 | Casio: CT-370 | Novation: Launchkey 37 MK3 | Technics: WSA1R

Former: Emu Proformance Plus & Mo'Phatt, Korg Krome 61, Roland Fantom XR & JV-1010, Yamaha MX61, Behringer CAT, Kurzweil PC4 (88)

Assorted electric & acoustic guitars and electric basses | Roland TD-17 KVX | Alesis SamplePad Pro | Assorted organs, accordions, other instruments

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I think the Deluxe is bigger just because they wanted to fit the equipment shelf in there and it took another octave of keys to do it?

 

Poly AT on the little one!

 

Hydra is such a great little instrument and for what you get it's really not that expensive. In my studio it suffers from being right next to an OB-6, but it's ridiculous amount modulation capes, poly AT and ribbon keep it in the mix.

You want me to start this song too slow or too fast?

 

Forte7, Nord Stage 3, XK3c, OB-6, Arturia Collection, Mainstage, MotionSound KBR3D. A bunch of MusicMan Guitars, Line6 stuff

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Most of the new digital synths are just softies like my WaveState and they"re just not very inspirational to be creative.

 

But Hydra due to PolyAT, Ribbon and complex routing schemes, most hardware can"t perform make this synth a real treat if you"re looking for a new way to do things.

 

I hacked the keys off of my WaveState, no way would I do that on a Hydra.

 

Even if the action sucks, anyone who ever owned an old hardware spring keybed never lets 'action' get in the way.

Magnus C350 + FMR RNP + Realistic Unisphere Mic
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As the first Hydrasynth was well received, I believe the latest offerings will sell like hotcakes.

 

While my Prophet XL is not in jeopardy :D , ASM has hit a sweet spot in the synth market. :cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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As the first Hydrasynth was well received, I believe the latest offerings will sell like hotcakes.

 

While my Prophet XL is not in jeopardy :D , ASM has hit a sweet spot in the synth market. :cool:

 

I don't ASM added sample import yet to the Hydrasynth anyway.

 

And there's a Prophet XL thread that could use your input. :cool:

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Around 19:36 into the Explorer video, Daniel Fisher uses the octave up button.

 

His right hand solo jumps up an octave. The note he's holding with his left hand, however doesn't seem to change octaves. I don't think the Explorer has keyboard splits so I guess it's just clever patch programming.

The octave buttons don"t affect the notes that have been held prior to pressing the buttons. That"s how it works on most synths.

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The Deluxe Looks promising as a midi controller without even acknowledging its synth engines. I wonder who has designed and built their action and AT mechanism?

 

Maybe I´m wrong, but IIRC, some relationship between ASM and Medelli was mentioned sometime ago already.

 

Up to now, I don´t read any masterkeyboard features in the specs.

 

:)

 

A.C.

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The Deluxe Looks promising as a midi controller without even acknowledging its synth engines. I wonder who has designed and built their action and AT mechanism?

 

Maybe I´m wrong, but IIRC, some relationship between ASM and Medelli was mentioned sometime ago already.

 

Up to now, I don´t read any masterkeyboard features in the specs.

 

:)

 

A.C.

 

Thanks. Medeli has largely been an unthrilling answer for, 'what action are they using' to me. But I"ll hold opinion till I get to play one.

 

With MainStage and other VST hosts - a good quality semi-weight or good feeling synth action with AT and a few controllers is all I desire. Multiple individually addressable 5 pin MIDI isn"t necessary, I can get by with one midi channel and since the setups are in the host, I don"t even need to save/recall internal settings on the keyboard. Not that I don"t love a good old school fully capable midi master controller. But that"s a short list in 2021. Some of the best ones ever are vintage now. I just saw a Kurzweil MIDI Board (30 years old) on the garage sale.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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As the first Hydrasynth was well received, I believe the latest offerings will sell like hotcakes.

 

While my Prophet XL is not in jeopardy :D , ASM has hit a sweet spot in the synth market. :cool:

 

I don't ASM added sample import yet to the Hydrasynth anyway.

 

And there's a Prophet XL thread that could use your input. :cool:

Done. :laugh:

 

Brotha Gov, We'll have to coordinate a Chuck's hang to check out both the Sequential Take Five and ASM Hydrasynth Explorer and Deluxe. :cool:

PD

 

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy"

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As the first Hydrasynth was well received, I believe the latest offerings will sell like hotcakes.

 

While my Prophet XL is not in jeopardy :D , ASM has hit a sweet spot in the synth market. :cool:

 

I don't ASM added sample import yet to the Hydrasynth anyway.

 

And there's a Prophet XL thread that could use your input. :cool:

Done. :laugh:

 

Brotha Gov, We'll have to coordinate a Chuck's hang to check out both the Sequential Take Five and ASM Hydrasynth Explorer and Deluxe. :cool:

 

Agreed! Would definitely be up for that Brotha D!!!!

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The Deluxe Looks promising as a midi controller without even acknowledging its synth engines. I wonder who has designed and built their action and AT mechanism?

 

Maybe I´m wrong, but IIRC, some relationship between ASM and Medelli was mentioned sometime ago already.

 

Up to now, I don´t read any masterkeyboard features in the specs.

 

:)

 

A.C.

 

Thanks. Medeli has largely been an unthrilling answer for, 'what action are they using' to me. But I"ll hold opinion till I get to play one.

 

With MainStage and other VST hosts - a good quality semi-weight or good feeling synth action with AT and a few controllers is all I desire. Multiple individually addressable 5 pin MIDI isn"t necessary, I can get by with one midi channel and since the setups are in the host, I don"t even need to save/recall internal settings on the keyboard. Not that I don"t love a good old school fully capable midi master controller. But that"s a short list in 2021. Some of the best ones ever are vintage now. I just saw a Kurzweil MIDI Board (30 years old) on the garage sale.

 

I'm with you Elmer, I've been on the hunt for a synth weighted controller for vsts that has a high end action like the fatar tp/9s found on DSI synths. But since it seems that you have to buy a nice poly synth or high end workstation like the montage to get a nice synth action, I'm looking for a synth that will add some value sonically to my home studio as well. This might fit the bill nicely depending on the price

Live Rig: CP88, Nord Stage 3 Compact, Moog Sub Phatty
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