ASM Hydrasynth Keyboard

I'm relatively new to sound synthesis. I've had a Roland SE-02 and a Behringer Poly D before, both copies of Moog Minimoog and I sold them. I also own a Yamaha MODX6 which is a FM and sample-based synth that sounds fantastic but is really hard to program. I also use a lot of software synths and am kind of familiar with synth basics and how to program a synth. All that being said, I found that with the two Minimoog copies I couldn't achieve a huge variety of sounds. The MODX is much better but is pretty unintuitive and I'm still struggling remembering where is what and how to achieve this and that. I haven't managed to create new sounds with it that I like, although the factory ones are very good and cover almost anything, so it's not such a problem.

With that background in mind, Hydrasynth comes as a huge surprise to me! I was able to start programming it right away, all is laid out in front of you, you have direct buttons for every module and function. It can sound very warm and analog due to analog emulation parameters. I could recreate Moog type of patches easily and they sound equally warm and analog, despite the synth being entirely digital. But then, it also offers multiple filter emulations that change the sound drastically, there are 5 LFO-s and 5 envelopes, the mod matrix can connect almost anything, the mutators are an intuitive, yet powerful way to change the sound. The possibilities are endless and just going through the factory patches one can see how vast is the sonic palette of the synth: from harsh, metallic, industrial style of patches to classic analog warm sounds. The effects are also very good.

But the best thing about it is the polyphonic aftertouch. It's the first synth with poly AT I have and I am in absolute awe! As a pianist I realize poly AT was the missing ingredient I've had with other synths. It really makes it sound like a real thing, like an instrument, not like a machine. And then the ribbon which is also a wonderful way to add expression!

I would be very hard-pressed to find any faults with the Hydra. It's almost perfect. One thing though, that I'd like to see improved is to be able to see more easily the effective values of parameters when using macros. The macros are a way to introduce offsets to multiple values of certain parameters, however when editing the corresponding destination parameters, it's not obvious that the currently audible sound is a result of an offset applied to the parameter and not the value you see on the screen and that can be confusing. I guess that can be easily improved with a future firmware update.

Another feature I miss is having audio transmitted through USB. On the MODX I can record straight into the DAW using only USB cable for both MIDI and audio, without a need for redundant external audio interface introducing noise and distortions.

Ultimately, for the price it's one of the best synths on the market.

This thing is capable of the most demanding sounddesign in digital synth synthesis.
This is a great sum of all things in digital synthesis throughout history. There is some Waldorf Wave architecture imbedded, there is Yamaha DX7 style of FM synthesis with slightly different agents, I hear even the Korg Prophecy lurking around. And, oh, the Prophet VS with it’s wave-morphing abilities are here reused in very smart wavescanning modalities.

However, my personal experience teaches me the lack of sonic warmth. It can sound lush, yes, there is a mixer and effects you can adjust your sound in a proper stereofield, but I can’t feel the sound in a way to respond to it properly in a performance. Everything seems to sound very determined and thight, almost calculated.
It sounds like a sonic laboratory. A sonic lab experiment done right here. Despite the wonderful poly aftertouch and all mod fx to make it organic, it feels like you are in a virtual reality. It’s there but it’s not really there.

Conclusion: For those seeking in extended sound design the Hydrasynth can cover a lot of your needs, if not all of them. A beast. For a bang in the bucket, really. There is no other synth with such capabilities for this price class.

The Hydrasynth (normal 49 keys version) is a banger. Really well built, sturdy, clear to navigate and with satisfying key action.
Being a digital synth, it has a lot of multi stage, loopable Envelopes and complex LFOs (5 of each) that can aldo be used as 5 difefent step sequencers for your hearts content.
VA, Wavetable (sort of) and Linear FM are on offer. But the point of interest is the attention to detail on the quality of sounds you can work with. In fact, you can go from extremely convincing Analog sounding to absolute digital mayhem and everything in between. Both clean and hifi to grungy and lofi is possible, and the tools to achieve this are readily available by a push of a button.
The "button to specific module" is a breeze to navigate. Creating modulation sources and destinarions require no more than pushing a button for source and another for destination. There are other functions to be chosen, obviously, but you get familiar with them quicly and logicaly.
The FX section is very transparent. And by this I mean that the fx on offer are neutral sounding, which is great for recording purposes. The only effect that I dare say is very sub-par is the rotary. Then again, outside of some Organs and one or two Workstations, the inbuilt Rotary effect is usually pretty bad. if Rotary is a must for you, either get a dedicated fx pedal or VST.
Beside this, the only negative I can point a finger at is the quality of the various wave forms as you go down the octaves. You do get into the "clicks", but unlike most analogue and various digital synths alike, on the Hydra they sound muffled and artificially pitched down; almost sample like (that is, if they're not samples to begin with). This is to be expected on the Wavetable waveforms, but it also occurs on the (analogue) ones as well.
Playing with the Poly Aftertouch and the Strip is glorious. Lots of expression and fun to be had with both.

As a final observation there is only one wish I'd like to have seen as a reality, and that is the ability to load your own waveforms. Maybe ASM will consider such on a next product.

Everything about this synth is brilliant, but I found the sound a bit 'icy', 'glassy' and 'flangy', for lack of a better description - no matter what mutator I selected.

Within a week I found myself reaching for my good ol' Minilogue, to work out a sound I was looking for (and I succeeded), which was a sign the Hydra might not be the right synth for me.

Surely I've only scratched the surface of this synth, but I think I'm sticking to analogue, from now on. (If only there was a Minilogue with the modmatrix of the Hydra...)