In this video, via SweetwaterSound, Ralph Goldheim from Novation demonstrates the sound and capabilities of the new Novation Bass Station II monophonic analog synthesizer.
Based on the classic Novation Bass Station from 20 years ago, the Bass Station II has been updated with two filters, two oscillators plus a sub-oscillator, patch save and a fully-analogue effects section.
Plus. the Bass Station II boasts a step-sequencer, an arpeggiator, a two octave (25-note) velocity-sensitive keyboard with full-sized keys and a powerful modulation section. It offers MIDI I/O and USB connectivity, and has a street price of about $500.
Check out the demo video and let us know what you think of the new Bass Station II!
Novation Bass Station II vs Minibrute i think they would be a good combo
I love Novation but … I would rather put 200$ more and buy a slim phatty. Analog synth powered by USB ? Seems weird to me.
did he say it was usb powered? I missed it if he did. It does say usb connectivity though, just like the slim phatty..
@7.22 he says “powered by USB or from external power supply”
true enough- Why is it important though? low power usage gear is a good thing surely
Slim Phatty does look sweet. This is a lot of synth for the money, though.
enough bass synths already…
It’s not really a “bass” synth, in spite of the name…
“Oh, it does lead sounds too!”
damn, those are some fine sounds, and just examples!! love the filters
Nice demo, not too salesy & lots of sound examples. I like what I hear!
To Techno Viking – you can never have too many great synths!
yawn
Great product, should be $100 cheaper…i like this guy though, its like he’s doing the first synth product demo ever!!! Where do you get this “synthesizer” you mention?
I liked it better the first time. When is was called the DSI Mopho.
man… synthtopia readers are some fickle mfs. 😛
I remember when we were expelling bricks out of a certain bodily cavity over the $500 price of the minibrute and asking for more analog anything on a daily basis. Now, we’re complaining about getting more analog, and $500 is too expensive for an analog synth.
I hate to finger wag, but c’mon….
People don’t know how good they got it.
A kick-ass mono synth for $500? You didn’t used to get shit for that!
And anybody that thinks that this sounds like a MiniBrute or a Mopho needs to get their ears cleaned!
It’s getting close to a golden age of analog. All we need is a few more really great polysynths.
Hopefully we’ll get a 4 octave, 4 voice PolyBrute, that would be a beast of a keyboard.
You are very unlikely to see a 4-Voice PolyBrute for the same reason there is still no new analog MemoryMoog: the unsane expense of trying to turn an apple into an orange. A modular voice is one thing, a polyphonic voice, another. Tracking the notes a person is playing, especially with several modulations rolling in the patch, demands either digital speed or very expensive analog solutions. The great pluses of modulars often turn to mud if played as chords anyway. That’s only occasionally their role, under specific circumstances.
I can build some very Moog-ly patches in Logic which satisfy my occasional needs, but flicking a synth from Poly to Unison isn’t the same as shaping your voice in greater detail. Keep a clear head over the difference between a monophonic voice like the Novation’s and a polyphonic one. You’ll enjoy things more and make fewer missteps in buying gear.
Maybe this’ll be more clear. I think of my rig as if I was a multi-string player like the great Roy Clark. I have a central electric guitar, a couple of acoustics, a ukelele, a cello and a violin. They each have valuable voices, as long as you don’t expect your uke to do power chords, unless tricked out with pedals, heh heh. Likewise, you need at least 5 sound-generating methods in our little arena to “cover it all.” So don’t keep thinking “I wish I had a poly analog synth.” Think “How can I get my mono analog synth, my poly VA and my workstation to work better together?”
Well, Dave Smith did it with the X4 and the Tetra…
excellent non-hipster demo. might finally ditch my old kitten and get one
“The only reason it’s called Acid is because it’s a diode ladder filter.”
Or because it is a clone of the Roland TB-303 filter, used in a style of music called Acid.
Nice keyboard, but would have been sweeter if it came with a compliment of CV’s like the minibrute. Novation does put out excellent gear, so…Novation, you’ve done a good job and hope more Analog stuff is to come.
Have pre-ordered the SB2, cant wait.
Agree the Minbrute is different and can spend hours making it growl, it’ll be sitting right beside the SB2 in Aug.
Now I just want a rack Sub Phatty and i’ll be in heaven!
*BS2
I own several mono synths and the bass station 2 will not be on my wish list. I’d rather have a Dopher or Waldorf Pulse. I just purchased a Vermona Mono Lancet and I love it to death. I was going to get the Minitaur but I already have a Phatty. I thought 2 moog synths would be overlap in my lab. I always try to buy a different brand of gear. However, Dave smith is making that hard for me, lol. I love the raw analog sound without effects. It’s awesome putting raw analog sound through Ableton Live 9 and its sampler. You can make some epic sounding and sppoky stuff.