ASM Hydrasynth

A
shun Sound
Machines may be
a new name to
most of us but
it’s part of Medeli
– a well
established Hong
Kong instrument maker. VP of their
product development team is the
hugely respected Glen Darcey, who
has conceptualised and brought to
market products like Arturia’s ‘Brute’
range, and Akai’s MPC Renaissance
and Studio to name just a few! I was
in no doubt that the Hydrasynth
Roland-esque end cheeks add a
nicely industrial look. The only slight
disappointment here is the lack of
built-in power supply which would
have been more fi tting with the
overall premium feel.
Moving onto the keyboard, it’s a
bespoke 49-note keybed which feels
nicely balanced and positive while
playing. However it also features
something quite special in the current
marketplace: polyphonic aftertouch
(or ‘polytouch’). This is a big moment
as it brings poly aftertouch to the
market at an affordable price point
and I can say this for defi nite; once
you try it, it’s hard to go back to
standard channel aftertouch. For
those who don’t know, poly aftertouch
lets you play a chord but just add
modulation to one (or more) notes in
it. This is great as you can achieve
effects played by one hand that can
sound like a melody and
accompaniment in one (and still have
your other hand free). The poly AT
response is pretty much perfect too
– not too hard to trigger but not too
easy either. An achievement on all
fronts and reason alone to buy it.
would have no detail left unchecked.
But were my (admittedly high)
expectations met?
The Hydrasynth arrived nicely
packed in a sturdy box and – rejoice
– with a full, printed user manual. It
certainly feels extremely sturdy, with
all-metal construction and a unique
front panel. The knobs feel smooth
and weighty when turned and the
clear backlit buttons feel soft under
the fi ngers and glow a nice orange too
(the ASM signature colour, very ’70s)!
While the main panel is all metal and
painted black, the aluminium
THE PROS & CONS
+
Superb build quality
and classy looks
Clear and intuitive
module-driven
interface that
invites tweaking
A unique sonic
personality,
especially with poly
aftertouch onboard
-
Though largely
intuitive, this is a
complex synth;
expect a
learning curve
No audio input to
route things
through the lovely
onboard processing
Would have been
nice if poly/unison
voice modes
were available by
the wheels
ASM Hydrasynth | Reviews
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FMU360.rev_ASM.indd 71 13/07/2020 16:32