I think you'd be OK with either.

Here in Australia, the Minifreak is hitting the shelves at AU$950.

The Hydrasynth Explorer, best price is AU$869, otherwise AU$900.

They are not like-for-like. Each has a different approach to outlandish sounds.

I own a Hydrasynth Deluxe, but have been looking at smaller form factor synths... I had Korg Modwave in my sights, then the Minifreak came out... which is equally attractive.

I recommend doing a bit of research on both, figure out what floats your boat and pick the one that ticks the most boxes.

FWIW... the Hydrasynths are very capable and great sounding "Standard Subtractive Synths", which is always your main bread-and-butter fall back. Everything beyond that is just gravy... and there is a lot of gravy to be had.

I think the big advantage of the Minifreak is its Poly Sequencer and Motion Sequencer. But if you regularly use a DAW, it's a moot point.

I think the Hydra has less "presented-on-plate" Engines, but more potential end results. Either way, you could spend a life-time of ownership and never use half of what each is offering.

Yes, Virginia.

Jupiter-8 development has plateaued.

Where's my free lunch?

Hopefully not. I’m still waiting for MIDI 2.0 and usb connection on my Jupiter-8. Hook up to computer and a patch manager/designer.

Sorry… please back on topic with this thread. Or has it plateaued as well?

I wonder if there is any future update planned?
I would love more effects like an ensemble effect, better reverb, and some more delay types (like BDD, tape, etc ...).
A tool to draw/import new waveforms would be great too !

-fx

Hi friends!

I've just released a new soundbank for Hydrasynth. 128 patches for fans of Boards of Canada, Tycho, Com Truise etc. You can see the demo video below. See the details: https://synth-patches.com/hydrasynth/



Cheers,
Chris

My dream is a dedicated midi controller mode which would let you assign names and CCs to 8-10 pages of macros. Right now my hydrasynth works pretty well to control VSTs since all of the envelopes and LFOs can be mapped to a VST, but not everything cleanly maps to the Hydrasynth's names for a VST like Pigments. Imagine having like 80 nameable parameters with the macro knobs instead of just 8. It'd make the hydrasynth the perfect midi controller.

Your demo sold me, really nice sounding patches! I just purchased and transferred the bank to my Hydrasynth and I'm looking forward to checking them out tonight.

Sold! Paid $14. Beautiful Work

Browsing through the patches now; I really like how they set a mood

Great collection of presets! In the right hands this synth sounds amazing, who would have thought

From HS users FB site via Elektronauts:

Analog Sound” you ask? Try this:
- INIT INIT (for new patch)
- OSC1, Square or Saw (your choice)
- MUTANT1, Depth 0.0, Dry/Wet 100%, Feedback 100%
Adjust to taste and carry on with the rest of your patch, stacking and seasoning as per normal. But the combination of adding feedback and eliminating the depth setting totally changes the character of the sound without even needing to lean on the filter.

nice, anyone have an audio sample of this?

Yeah, we need more samples of Hydra doing analog warmth 😂
Then we can argue again about the endless interpretations on „warm“ in our holidays till new year.

But actually, good question. Maybe every statement should have an audio attached in the future. Would reduce the amount of posts I think. (Not that I don’t enjoy reading them ;-)

Nice patches! And cool video, kind of reminds me of good old what’shisname? The Polish guy with the crazy synth demo videos with archive footage…

It makes the oscillators much louder. Beefier, if that's an 'ana!og' characteristic. Like the lines on the oscilloscope look a bit thicker.

I could do before and after of these sounds being changed by using those 'analog' tips, this is the after (microtonal content alert):

I`v got a bit of a puzzle I can`t seem to figure out?

On some patches I like to use the PA instead of the mod wheel for vibrato, so I patch...
(as it appears on the screen)

LFO3
All OSC
Pitch
7.0

and

Poly aft
LFO3
Level
128

in the mod matrix, the problem is that it works perfectly fine as intended in one patch, and yet not in another?
in the other the LFO (vibrato) is on all the while!
Why is it working in One but not the other???

I was thinking Boele Gerkes whilst listening to that.

I miss my Hydrasynth, but the desktop was the wrong choice.

Each preset must be individually routed. There's no global AT assignment.

Both of these patches started off as INIT, so why does one work and the other not?

If you mean the Factory init patch, the factory init is pre patched for mod wheel vibration the voice menu not the mod matrix.

yes, I`m fully aware of that and it`s utterly irrelevent too. you Can make your own vibrato you know! and you can re-assign the mod wheel as well as disable the default vibrato.

None of this goes Any way towards explaining why one works and the other doesnt.

Other that that, IDK. Post the presets here for examination.

Have you tried turning the HS off and back on? I only ask because I had a macro assign that stopped responding while I was working on the sound but went back to doing what it should after I power-cycled.

I hadn`t actually but i just tried it and it`s the same, I Have however found the issue (with some help from somewhere else) and it turns out on the working one I`d made 3`rd connection and didn`t realise it, so I was only looking at the 2 that I thought I`d made. in fact one of those connections listed above is kinda redundant when you have the third one (that i never looked for)

Just got mine, enjoying it so far. Gotta get used to the touch strip, coming from the polybrute which just reacts to physical touch, I actually have to think about using some force when trying to use the Hydra's.

Here is a Trouble Shooting Process for what you described:-

1) Save your "non-functioning" Patch
2) Make a Copy. Save and Rename to a different empty location. This will be your troubleshooting copy.
3) Initialise all Macro's (INIT + MACRO ASSIGN). Does the unwanted Modulation go away?
4) If YES, the problem was Macro Related.
5) If NO, Do Not Save. Reload Patch by going Up One Preset, then Back.
6) Initialise all Mod Matrix (INIT + MOD MATRIX). Does the unwanted Modulation go away?
7) If YES, problem was Mod Matrix related.
8) If NO, problem is something else.


Another common mistake is to leave the Mod Wheel in the Up position. This position will remain even when changing/browsing through patches. Make sure it is in fully Down Position.

Another one... an FX is causing the unwanted Modulation.

Hidden, unwanted Harmonisation, with all Oscillators at 0 Semitones? Check the CHORD button is not lit. Check Scale is Chromatic. Check Osc Keyboard Tracking = 100%.

There's lots of little "Hidey Holes" where errant behaviour can be obscured from view. Been there, done that.

Which also has its pluses and minuses. Write down settings you like so you can replicate them quickly per patch.

Better solution...

Use Patch Manager 2.0.

Make a bunch of different custom "User INIT" Templates. For example, with pre-assigned Modulations and Macro's.... e.g. "PAT Vib INIT"

Then you can use Patch Manager to Store all your templates, and pre-populate the Hydrasynth with them.

Example: Bank D
1-32 = PATVib INIT
33-64 = PATCutoff INIT
65-96 = MacroFX INIT
97-128 = LFOs INIT

Credit to Ken Flux Pierce for that useful tip.

Hi All,

I have attached a Hydrasynth Bank File, with 1 Preset in it.

You'll need ASM Patch Manager 2.0 (ASM free download) to copy it into your Hydrasynth.

If it works or doesn't work, please let me know.

I thought this might be helpful for sharing knowledge and peer support.

Patch is Radiohead - Everything In Its Right Place.