Novation BASS STATION 2 KEYBOARD!!!

[namnibor]

http://us.novationmusic.com/hardware...m-requirements

No prices yet! Returned from the dentist to find this email from Novation announcing their 21st anniversary and this surely will be at Frankfurt next week and I am excited!! The specs are pretty good and only think I do not see is a CV out but:

Specifications


<a class="addthis_counter addthis_pill_style" style="display: inline-block;" href="http://us.novationmusic.com/hardware-synths/bass-station-ii/specifications#">




Synth engine

Oscillators

• Osc 1
• Osc 2
• Sub Osc (3)
• Noise generator

Osc 1 & 2
Select between waveforms:

• sine
• triangle
• sawtooth
• square/variable pulse width

Features

• Sync 1 & 2
• Detune
• Octave range
• Pitch bend
• Pitch modulation to Mod Envelope and LFO 1
• Pulse width modulation to Mod Envelope and LFO 2

Sub Osc (3) which is tracked to Osc 1
Select independently between waveforms:

• Sine
• Square
• Narrow pulse

Features

• All modulation and tuning tracked to Osc 1
• Independent octave select

Mixer

• Osc 1 level
• Osc 2 level
• Sub Osc level
• Noise generator level
• Ring modulation depth
• External signal level

Filter

Two filter types

• Acid type (diode ladder filter design)
• Classic type (derived from original Bass Station)

Features

• Cutoff
• Resonance
• Overdrive
• Filter frequency to Mod Envelope depth
• Filter frequency to LFO 2 depth

Select 'Classic' filter between:

• Low pass
• Band pass
• High pass
• 12dB slope
• 24dB slope

Envelopes

Two ADSR Envelopes (Attack/Decay/Sustain/Release)

• Amp Envelope
• Mod Envelope
• Combined control of both Envelopes

Select triggering mode between:

• Single trigger (holds envelope state when new note is played)
• Multi trigger (re-triggers with every new note played)
• Autoglide (engages portamento)

There is also a VCA limiter
LFO

Two LFOs each selectable between:

• Triangle
• Sawtooth
• Square
• Sample and hold
• Both LFOs independently adjustable between rate and delay time
• Key sync LFO 1 & 2
• LFO slew on LFO 1& 2 (low pass filter on the LFO waveform)

Effects

• Distortion send
• Oscillator filter mod amount (FM effect created by Oscillator 2 modulating filter freq)

Step Sequencer/Arpeggiator

Arpeggiator

• Up to 32 different patterns
• Select between 1-4 octave range
• Swing function
• Select direction:
  • up
  • down
  • up / down 1
  • up / down 2
  • As played
  • Random
• Latch (hold the arpeggiator)

Step Sequencer

• Up to four sequences
• Assign one of 32 preset rhythms or create your own
• insert rests or legato (slide)
• Sequencer re-trigger function

Portamento

• Adjust glide time
• Single trigger or re-trigger modes
• Integrate into step sequencer and arpeggiator

Hardware & controller assignment

• 25 note synth-action keyboard
• Aftertouch can be assigned to modulate:
  • Filter frequency
  • LFO 1to Osc pitch
  • Osc 2 speed
• Pitch wheel
• Modulation wheel can be assigned to:
  • LFO 2 to filter frequency
  • LFO 1 to Osc pitch
  • Osc 2 pitch
• Octave up/ down buttons
• 64 factory presets
• 64 slots for user patches (and patch dump facility for storing more)
• Master volume dial

Inputs and Outputs

• USB MIDI (for connecting & powering Bass Station II via host computer)
• Mono outputs on 1/4" TRS jack
• Headphone output on 1/4" TRS jack
• External input on 1/4" TRS jack
• Sustain pedal input on 1/4" TRS jack
• MIDI IN / MIDI OUT ports on 5 pin din
• AC power input
• Switch between power off / AC powered / bus powered

SWEET~! The analog revolution makes me sh-h-h-iver with antici........pation! (a bit of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" relapse reference there)

[namnibor]

A cool video from Novation!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utKZJ...ce=Emailvision

I still have my Novation Supernova 1 Rack because it simply is a very capable machine and the poly programmable Arp is out of this world!

I happen to be shopping in next few months to decide on a dedicated analog monosynth or otherwise and contenders are: Korg MS-20 Mini, Waldorf Pulse 2 (if and when released and hoping Frankfurt will be launch), and now Novation Bass Station 2.
Already have DSI Mono Evolver Keyboard with two desktop Evolvers poly chained and am not interested in the other DSI analogs because somehow, the two analog osc's on Evolver are way more organic with many artifacts that make it far from "sterile", and can isolate those with push of two buttons on the Mono Evolver keyboard's excellent interface.
Yet, still want a small footprint dedicated analog and the Moog Minotaur Bass Synth is very much a one trick pony IMHO.

[TweakHead]

I think the Mini Brute is also one to consider: specially because of it's flexible multi-mode filter. Still a rare thing on this simple Mono Analogues, to have a resonant (self-oscillating) high-pass filter, like the Korg and the Brute. Still waiting to see how this lader filter (acid filter) will sound on the Novation. They used to sound very good for teebee sounds, the original, for those of you into acid stuff.

This thing being Novation, and if the first Bass Station is a good indication to have in mind, will be priced fairly cheap and sound very good. Interface looks decent!



EDIT

I didn't even consider the Waldorf, since this is like a myth synth. No one's ever heard it!

[MBTC]

I get more attached to the UltraNova the more I use it. Going back to hardware has been interesting, though, sometimes in not so good ways. For example, working with soft synths you don't have to deal with things like clock sync. I have no idea why, but the UN seems to not want to sync exactly with the tempo shown in Cubase (off by 1 or 2 bpm most of the time... rarely noticeable in practice but still, sending a clock value across a wire seems like a simple enough task to do reliably). Also, if browsing patches on the synth itself, it's fast enough, but using patch up/down inside the VST editor introduces a delay as it communicates back and forth with the hardware. No where near the problems I had with Virus Control, but I assume this type of issue is considered "normal" when interfacing hardware with the DAW these days?

[TweakHead]

Yep, but in my case it's better to send midi to a synthesizer from the sound card, instead of the keyboard, which is a novation sl mk2. Don't know why, but the timing is better that way. And some sound cards, like RME, have a rock solid world clock which is very reliable.

Don't know about software integration on synths, since I don't own the TI but the C instead. But it's kind of natural, I guess. What you change on software has to be sent some way or another to the hardware to update the patch, so a little lag feels natural to me.

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by TweakHead

Yep, but in my case it's better to send midi to a synthesizer from the sound card, instead of the keyboard, which is a novation sl mk2. Don't know why, but the timing is better that way. And some sound cards, like RME, have a rock solid world clock which is very reliable.

Don't know about software integration on synths, since I don't own the TI but the C instead. But it's kind of natural, I guess. What you change on software has to be sent some way or another to the hardware to update the patch, so a little lag feels natural to me.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding things (been away from hardware for too long), but I think the host (Cubase) is the source of the timing in my case. Maybe there's a way I could use the clock on the Saffire Pro24?

I can kind of understand a little lag for MIDI messages in general, especially something like bulk sysex data, but updating the tempo seems like such a simple and common task that it should be something like sending X/Y coordinates from the mouse through USB to the motherboard (i.e. instantaneous).

Oddly enough, using the UltraNova editor, I can hover the mouse cursor over the virtual cutoff knob in the VST, then use the CMC-AI knob (Cubase hardware controller) to sweep the cutoff, and it feels just as fast and responsive (maybe even a little more so) than using the dedicated filter knob on the hardware board itself! That's a signal going from a third party controller, through the DAW to the plugin, through the sound card back out the USB port to the Ultranova, and I'm guessing the polling required would be much more frequent than a bpm tempo change.

[TweakHead]

I think it will work fine if you stop and push play again. I don't think (will make this test as soon as possible) Midi would handle something like a tempo automation curve, on the project, and having to go through the Midi notes written before that. I think it just goes nutz (not 100% sure).

And you're right, the tempo is handled first hand in your DAW. But a good clock can handle this messages much better then a simple Midi interface, most specially if you happen to have a complex hardware setup with lots of instruments running (or trying to run) in sync.

But to be honest I'm really no expert on this matters, it's just based on first-hand experience. I just settled with what worked for me, and I did find the sound card handled midi better.

[TweakHead]

Back on topic. What do you guys think about this interface? I think it's one of the best of all this new wave of analogue mono synthesizers that are reaching the market now. It's balanced, seems well laid out, very intuitive, I personally like the adsr envelopes with faders instead of knobs, specially for a synthesizer with this characteristics. Seems to me that the second Bass Station is better competition for their old rival Roland SH 101, then the previous one. And it's also curious that the first was digital and the second analogue. It's like a time loop of some kind. But actually makes sense today, and shows Novation's reading the market - and probably having success with their line of hardware synths. Even though I do think that the Supernova feels more like a beast then UltraNova, even though I'm no fool and I recognize there's a lot of new tools on that, and performance wise, every other brand should be paying attention!

So... What's Roland waiting for? Every player is playing there cards now

[MBTC]

It does re-send the time to the Ultranova when I hit play, it's just that the keyboard time rarely shows the correct BPM, its usually off by 2 or 3 (if 135 in the DAW, maybe 133 on the UN).

Honestly it's usually irrelevant to the sound, because such a small difference would require an arp'ed note to be held down for a long time before the timing felt off, (i.e. it sounds fine), but the "fuzzy value interpretation" surprised me, as did the lag in sending a simple patch up/patch down message from the VST to the board.

I guess it's just a wake up call for someone spoiled by soft-synths. I remember back in my early days of hardware only and the Atari ST, timing issues were almost always present, to the point that it could be a LOT of work just to get the overall mix sounding tight. But that was almost 25 years ago, seems like technology would have brought things further, but as they say "MIDI hasn't changed much since it was invented".. lol

[MBTC]

Originally Posted by TweakHead

Back on topic. What do you guys think about this interface? I think it's one of the best of all this new wave of analogue mono synthesizers that are reaching the market now. It's balanced, seems well laid out, very intuitive, I personally like the adsr envelopes with faders instead of knobs, specially for a synthesizer with this characteristics. Seems to me that the second Bass Station is better competition for their old rival Roland SH 101, then the previous one. And it's also curious that the first was digital and the second analogue. It's like a time loop of some kind. But actually makes sense today, and shows Novation's reading the market - and probably having success with their line of hardware synths. Even though I do think that the Supernova feels more like a beast then UltraNova, even though I'm no fool and I recognize there's a lot of new tools on that, and performance wise, every other brand should be paying attention!

So... What's Roland waiting for? Every player is playing there cards now

Yeah I sort of veered off-topic a bit.

Anyway I suspect Novation's success with this will depend on the price point of the synth. I think they've given me a free copy of the Bass Station soft synth about three times now, and I've tried it but never could discover why I needed it any more than my other synths which do bass just fine.

I thought it was a bit strange that they are calling it Bass Station II, even if that's what it is, after they've been giving away a plugin called Bass Station free for so long.

I'll look forward to hearing how it actually sounds, the video didn't demo it much. The bearded dude was taking care of all the real business with the MiniNova and UltraNova and barely touching the Bass Station II until the very end.