NAMM 2020 VIDEO: Hydrasynth gets MPE support, and it can now sound a bit warmer, too
The wave-morphing instrument gets an update
NAMM 2020: It’s only been available for a short while, but Ashun Sound Machines (ASM) has already announced a significant update to its wave-morphing Hydrasynth.
Available in keyboard and desktop versions, which come with polyphonic aftertouch keys and pads respectively, this is an eight-voice, three-oscillator polysynth that enables you to morph between waveforms using multiple modulation sources.
Further tone shaping can be achieved using the four mutators; there are two filters that can be configured in parallel or series; and the effects section comprises four independent modules.
The new version 1.3.0 firmware update adds support for the the MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) format, enabling polyphonic pitchbend and new modulation options.
There’s also the Warm mode; designed to emulate the frequency response of vintage synths, this rounds-out the high end of any patch while giving a gentle boost at the low end to add a little extra - you guessed it - warmth to your sound.
The desktop version of Hydrasynth is available now priced at $799/£799, while the keyboard version costs $999/£1,299. Find out more on the ASM website.
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I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.
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