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.
