Essential Information About the HYDRASYNTH Desktop/Rack Synthesizer
- Ultra-flexible wavetable synthesis engine with 3 oscillators, 2 wave mutators, and dual filters in series or parallel.
- Expressive playability thanks to 24 pads with polyphonic aftertouch and scale modes, usable without an external keyboard.
- Firmware 2.0: Voice Modulator, LFO/ENV quantizers, bit crusher, arpeggiator up to 6 octaves, global effects bypass, and more.
- Comprehensive MIDI and CV/Gate connectivity, desktop format delivered with rack ears for 19-inch rack mounting.
The HYDRASYNTH Engine in a Compact, Rack-Ready Format
Designed by ASM, the HYDRASYNTH Desktop/Rack features the same sound engine as the HYDRASYNTH keyboard in a compact chassis. A true Swiss Army knife of modern synthesis, it combines the power of a wavetable engine with an interface designed for speed: minimal submenus, efficient shortcuts, and high-resolution encoders to sculpt sound effortlessly.
For Demanding Sound Designers, Producers, and Performers
Ideal for creators seeking a vast and immediate sonic playground, this model suits beginners to experts. It excels in electro, techno, ambient, synthwave, pop, or soundtrack music, both in the studio and live, thanks to its polyphonic aftertouch pads and creative arpeggiator.
Features and Innovations
At the heart of the instrument, a wavetable/subtractive architecture combines 3 oscillators (219 single-cycle waveforms), 2 wave mutators, a mixer with noise generator and ring modulator, followed by a versatile filter duo: a first multimode filter (11 types including 12 and 24 dB scales, vintage ladder, high-pass, low-pass, Vocal) and a second SEM-style 12 dB/octave filter with continuous sweep. Polyphony is 8-voice monotimbral.
Modulation is central to the experience: modulation matrix, 5 DAHDSR envelopes and 5 LFOs (delay, fade in, trigger modes, smoothing, start phase, one-shot). On the performance side, the arpeggiator offers Ratchet, Chance, Gate Time, and Swing, and Pre/Post effects enable unique textures. Firmware 2.0 further enhances the creative flow: new "Voice Modulator" source, LFO/ENV quantizers, LFO step advance, bit crusher on oscillators, glide, arpeggio range extended to 6 octaves, Step Offset, global effects bypass, improved vibrato, new pedal options including Sostenuto, more shortcuts, and Local On/Off memory.
Technical Specifications
Playability, Control, and Interface
- 24 velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads
- Polyphonic aftertouch
- 8 high-resolution encoders with LED rings
- Arpeggiator with Ratchet, Chance, Gate Time, and Swing (8 modes)
Synthesis Engine
- 3 oscillators with 219 single-cycle waveforms
- Waveform morphing
- 2 wave mutators
- WaveScan parameters for wavetable modulation
- Wavelist mode to blend up to 8 wavetables
- 8 user wavelists per oscillator
- Mixer with noise generator and ring modulator
- 2 filters configurable in series or parallel
- Filter 1: 11 models (12 and 24 dB scales, vintage ladder, high-pass, low-pass, Vocal, etc.)
- Filter 2: 12 dB/octave SEM-style filter with continuous high-pass/band-pass/low-pass sweep
- Pre/Post effects for unique sound processing
Modulation
- Modulation matrix
- 5 DAHDSR envelopes
- 5 LFOs with delay, fade in, 3 trigger modes, smoothing, start phase, one-shot mode
Memory and Presets
- 5 banks of 128 patches each, including 256 factory patches
- Memory expansion to 8 banks via Firmware 2.0 (models: 49-key, Desktop, Explorer)
Connectivity
- CV-Gate inputs and outputs
- Support for all standard CV/Gate protocols
- Clock input and output
- USB port (USB MIDI In/Out)
- MIDI In/Out/Thru
Build and Format
- Includes rack ears for 19-inch rack mounting
- Dimensions: 440 x 223 x 70 mm
- Weight: 3.6 kg
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