Meant to say "400 milliseconds of decay", not 400 seconds around the 0:30 mark, haha. Not quite Flawless Victory, but not bad for a sleep deprived, improvised video shot with my phone. Lemme know if you want to see one with direct audio, and I'll put it together when I get a chance.
The great thing is that the Hydra can get very close sounding to the Minimoog (and many other classic synths come to that), but the Minimoog can’t get anywhere near a typical Hydra sound!
Thanks for watching! The OG Mini is great but I agree that the Hydra is worlds beyond it in terms of capability and range. It's a better VA than most VAs, even though that is not specifically its purpose.
Hey thanks for taking the time to check out the video. I think you'll love the HS. Most of the factory patches aren't trying to recreate any sort of analog patches, but it's certainly capable of doing so. Since its release, there have been a lot of free libraries made that lean more that way. I still have to finish the bank of Minimoog patches I was working on. Either way, enjoy your Hydrasynth!
This is probably the best comparison demo I've heard/seen for a Model D. I love playing with the envelope curves, warm mode, random phase, and analog feel. Such versatility.
Thanks for watching. I agree; the Hydra is such a powerful, expressive instrument that it's done away with the need for me to seek out older, obscure digital gems like a Microwave XT, Fizmo, etc. Even though it's not a VA synth at all, I think it makes a pretty damned good sounding analog style patch when pushed correctly.
I was listening to this without the video and didn't realize you were alternating playing the 2 synths. Very impressive for $1200, and the Hydra can do FAR more! I LOVE that oscilloscope.
Great comparison. Cracks me up how people nitpick the small differences but in reality I’ve seen two MMs compared with the same differences. You cannot take two MMs especially vintage ones and set the knobs the exact same and have identical results. 😃
Thanks for watching, @darryldouglas6004! I agree; the ASM puts out at LEAST as much bass as the Minimoog and offers loads more. I think it's not bad as a VA, considering that's not even it's primary design mandate. I had an Origin keyboard here for a while, and I think the Hydra sounds better than the dedicated Moog engine the Arturia had.
I've been on the fence about buying the hydrasynth for a year or so. i made the purchase after watching this video. also, i believe most people that are being critical could not tell the difference in a blind test.
Hey @MJamesIII, thanks for watching! Congrats on your Hydrasynth. I love mine and plan to get an Explorer down the road when finances permit. I made this video to prove not that the HS can sound EXACTLY like a Moog but to show that it can definitely get in the ballpark and also put out serious bass if needed. The Hydra got some criticism early on so hopefully this video will continue to show people that it can sound great doing bass in addition to all the other cool stuff.
Nicely done! I like that you kept it simple, so many people skip comparing the core. And, that you're actually a _player_. A proper comparison is about playability, not that you can match a scope trace. ANNNNNNDDD!!! To that, I love that you noticed the volume balancing. Love it or hate it, that's a CORE characteristic of the Mini. Again, many folks skip it, ignore it, don't hear it, think it's broken, etc. The HS doesn't curve the output of the LPF to match, but you can always KeyboardTracking -> Volume = -1%. This video just popped up in a Hydrasynth page on FB... I dropped a comment there, but I wanted to place it here as well. Kudos sir, thank you!
Hey @midiwall, thanks for watching and for the good vibes. It's been a while since I messed with my Minimoog template on the Hydra, but I think I began to employ subtle volume scaling on subsequent patches to better match the response of the Mini across the keyboard.
Great comparison video. I just picked up a Desktop used and I'm amazed at what this machine can do. I'm actually thinking of picking up an Explorer as well to add to the Desktop. I might buy a Deluxe next year. I missed out on a sweet deal for $1000 used just a month ago. I enjoyed your video. Just became a sub. 👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks for the good vibes and for watching. The Hydrasynth is an incredible instrument. The poly AT and the ribbon are wonderful. I might get an Explorer next year.
Thanks for watching! I was motivated to check it out because of talk regarding the apparent lack of bass on the Hydrasynth. I have a collection of Minimoog sounds coming out for it soon so stay tuned for details. :)
@@matthewfrancisbroderick3811 thanks for watching! They're about 2/3 done. I've (thankfully) had a busy year with touring and things finally opening up in Canada this past year so this project has been sidelined for a bit.
it seems like the hydrasynths runs a really clean square, the minimoog has a bit of that sawtooth rawness to it, maybe you can match them even closer by carfully mixing in a saw wave on the hydra.
Thanks for watching, Kaj! I'll try that. The Hydra lets you shape the waves from each oscillator in very detailed ways. I'm working on a Minimoog template from which I'll be designing more patches. 🤘
None of the videos on Hydrasynth that I come across are discouraging me from grabbing a Deluxe as a first hardware synth to get two of these engines all wired up together and ready for all sorts of neat sound design, and as a big MPE capable keyboard controller (rare to see one bigger than 4 octaves and even years since my last piano lesson or practice session my hands crave much more than the 32 keys on my midi controller.)
Coming from a die-hard analog synth nerd. I just got the Hydrasynth desktop and was blown away by it. I am now getting the Deluxe as well, the playability and expressiveness of that thing is insane. These synths are true chameleons, they have so many easily accessible and practical parameters to shape sound in so many ways. I love the Sub 37 and I was able to make a typical Moog patch with the Hydrasynth and I could not tell the Hydra apart from the Sub37. The Hydra's have what is needed to emulate analog and with filters that sound incredible!
Two trains are headed towards each other 100 kilometres apart. There's a keys player on each train and the first to the gig, gets the gig. One is travelling at 80 km/h and the other 95 km/, but has to make two five minute stops. One train has a Hydrasynth on board, whilst the other has a MiniMoog Reissue. Which train will arrive at the halfway point first to the gig and which train would you choose and why? 😄
Hey what's up Jay; thanks for watching man. You can't be laying the algebra on me this early in the day! Besides, if those trains are on the same track that sounds dangerous. :)
@@peterkadarmusic9728 haha. It was my attempt at humour. I'm terrible at math! I just remember these kind of math problems from my youth and thought I'd make it interesting! Happy to watch! Next time put your phone in portrait mode. ;)
Thanks for watching, Jeff! I think I can get it even closer once I do a more detailed study of the Mini's contour envelope shapes. I don't think they're all linear, and the Hydra allows you to control the shape of its curves which is handy for emulating older gear.
Hey Highlander, thanks for watching! Yes, I have a bank of sounds that I've been working on for a while. They're about 75% done and then things kind of opened up after the pandemic so I've been busy gigging and digging myself out of a financial hole like a lot of musicians in Canada, lol. The short answer: yes, I will get these done and they will be getting shared. Please stay tuned!
Please share patch settings. This is brilliant. I have been wondering about the bass cause some people were complaining about it. Perfect bass. Thank you for this.
Hey Bert, thanks for watching! Yeah, they Hydrasynth is a BEAST of a synthesizer for bass and also a beautifully expressive instrument unlike anything else out there.
Hey, thanks for watching! Yes, I plan to make an entire Minimoog patch collection available at some point. I think ASM will be involved in its release and promotion too so please stay tuned!
Please do ! I'll love to buy a bass type moog patches for my deluxe. Thx for sharing the video, awesome content. I was almost buying a minitaur for some deep bass... but I think I'll explore more my deluxe before jumping into any bass synth after watch this video ! Thx for saving some money ! Happy 2024 !@@peterkadarmusic9728
Thanks for watching, Rodney! Yeah the Hydra imo is one of the most capable and expressive digital synths ever made. Even though it's not strictly a VA, it can do that better than many other dedicated instruments. The only thing it can't do is work with user samples but for everything else it's incredible.
I've been working on a whole bank of 32 Moog patches for the Hydrasynth. I keep getting waylaid by gigs and sessions but it's about 3/4 done. Keep an eye on this space and thanks for watching!
Just had a little bit of FM between OSC maybe a tiny of Filter overdrive and you will have same result, the moog got that extrat crispy gritty sound i think is a sound design ajustement you can get the same sound
Hey @INeedTheTruth, thanks for watching. Next time I have a moment to do a deep dive programming the Hydrasynth, I'll try what you described and report back. I tried to keep the functionality between the two instruments the same, so while I DID use filter overdrive, I deliberately avoided FM or any of the additional features of the Hydra, like velocity and aftertouch.
Hey @biggrime, thanks for watching! Considering the Hydra isn't technically even a VA but an unashamedly digital synth, I have to agree. I know many dedicated virtual analog synths, both in hardware and in software, that don't fare as well and certainly are not as playable either.
id love to see more comparisons like this with some classic vintage sounds. i have hydra and some other analog but thinking of selling some and just using hydrasynth. kind of hard to let go though if i cant get close enough sounds. gonna do some tests of my i own too
Hey Simon, thanks for watching! I’m actually working on a bank of 32 Moog-inspired presets for the Hydrasynth. I should have something available soon and I’ll let you know when it drops. Stay tuned!
@@klownaround5464 I certainly will! Things have been busy gig-wise because things just opened back up in Canada a few weeks ago so programming had to take a back seat. That said, the collection is almost done and I hope to have it out soon. Thank you for the kind words re: my playing. I get to work with a lot of wonderful artists so I try to keep my playing and music in good shape.
Great video and comparison! From what you hear in your studio, is it fair to say that the hydrasynth can act as a main bass synth in a home studio? Or do you think its necessary to have a dedicated bass synth such as a Behringer Model D, Roland SE-02, Dreadbox Hades or Typhon. Music genres hiphop, idm, compositions for tv-shows etc. Thanks
Hey @sipsolomusic, thanks for watching; sorry for the late reply. I think if you dig in and know what to look for, the Hydrasynth can absolutely cover any non-sample based synth sound you might need and that definitely includes bass. It can be as basic as a Minimoog Model D, Juno, etc. or go way off into the deep end and challenge any digital synth plug in for more modern textures too. LMK what you end up going with, and good luck with your music.
Hi Adrian, thanks for watching. I've employed a fair bit of drive on the filter and I found that it did get it closer to the Mini. I'm still tweaking this patch and many others like it to get it even closer to the OG. I have a patch set coming soon so stay tuned for details!
Hi Bert, thanks for watching! I have to say that that has not been my experience with the Hydrasynth. I did a basic but satisfying copy of a Prophet 6 synth brass sound on the Hydra that, like with the Moog comparison - got very close. I don't have the P6 anymore so I didn't make a similar comparison video. When you start with an initialized patch, the Amp level is rather low to allow for lots of gain staging within the engine. You may want to experiment with that, filter drive, warm mode, the Phaz Diff mutator, and finally, the EQ to bring some body and girth to your sound. You can also try turning the oscillator phase off so that you get a less predictable note onset.
@@gideon_maze thanks for watching! I’m still working on a preset pack for it to be released soon. Just been busy with gigs and recordings but I promise it IS coming; stay tuned!
Thanks for watching, Shane! I’d say out of the gate the Moog is warmer but that’s because the Hydrasynth has so much more range and from an initialized patch starts from a neutral place. However it can get damned warm with some programming; I would say more so than any digital synthesizer I’ve ever owned, including dedicated VA synths that deliberately try to sound analog. Bear in mind the Hydra isn’t strictly a VA; it’s a great, expressive digital synth which can happen to sound very warm and analog when pushed in that direction.
@@TwinCitiesOxygen Yes! There are several suggestions I would make. 1) There are parameters called Warm Mode and Analog Feel in the Voice parameters section that are great starting points. 2) Experiment with the Drive parameter on Filter 1, and play with the many filter types. This is important. 3) Experiment with using subtle and slow modulation of parameters to create further instability. We have five envelopes and LFOs to play with. By linking their rates and depth to parameters like key tracking, we can get more variation on a note by note basis. This instability is something we value about vintage analog synths. 4) Engage Random Phase in the Voice parameters so that the waveforms don't reset with each key press. That said, if you're trying to emulate a synth with a sub-oscillator design like a Juno-106, having what would normally function like the sub-oscillator phase lock to the primary oscillator might be valuable. 5) Finally, there is a comprehensive EQ section in the Insert FX. I'd use one in the Pre FX slot to customize the sound before it hits the rest of the FX chain. You could go deep with this and A/B the response of a synth you consider warm - in this case, my Minimoog - and then try to match the tone of similar waves on the Hydrasynth across the range of the keyboard. I found my Moog has a bit of cut in the low mids and pronounced highs so I have started emulating that with the Hydra's EQ on some of the patches I've been working on. The results are improved even compared to what was recorded here. If you've done all of the above, you can save it as a preset and then make patches from your newly created template. This saves time. For example, if you tried to emulate a Korg Polysix using a similar approach, you could save a template patch called "Polysix Template" and then revisit that each time you wanted to make sounds with that vibe. Stay tuned for my bank of Moog sounds soon!
@@TwinCitiesOxygen Ahhhh!!! thanks for checking in. It's been a heck of a year... I gotta find a new place to live so that's created a wealth of distractions and challenges. When I get settled, finishing this Moog bank will be the first order of business. I am indeed still digging the Hydra.
Not only that, but it's less than half the price of a Model D Reissue or an original Model D. As far as the hardware goes, it feels like a premium instrument too; discerning players who like good feeling controls and a robust build quality are going to appreciate the Hydra. Thanks for watching!
I put a comment in a little too soon about using warm mode. You did did what i was asking. You almost gotta choose the hydra for a gig: if you find you need to cut through the mix better during a show, the hydra gives you ways to solve that right at the keyboard without resorting to audio console manipulation. The moog is for the studio.
Hey Sean, I've had a project going for a while where I translate a bunch of classic Mini patches to the Hydrasynth. I just need some free time to finish it. Stay tuned, and thanks for watching!
Impressive job. My compliments. It is my opinion since months: why buying a high cost analog reissue (mono, with no effects) when Hydrasynth deluxe with 6 octaves and polyphonic aftertouch has a huge set of features that make possible incredible sounds? I am planning to buy a deluxe, of course.
Hey Polar XTA, thanks for watching! The Hydra has the best envelopes I've ever encountered in a synthesizer. This is because you can change the curves in very specific ways which can help mimic the response of other instruments.
@@peterkadarmusic9728 I bought a Deluxe for a very good price in Australia and just have not had time to spend with it.. I am constantly encouraged to do so watching other peoples videos - you got that very close indeed, there is still a sort of inherent growl in the minimoog that is going to be hard to dial in, but I do think its possible - thanks for the fun video !
@@polarxta2833 The Deluxe is sweeeeet; congratulations! I'm itching for an Explorer so I can play with something battery powered on the road and in hotel rooms. I think it would be a great partner with my MPC Live.
@@peterkadarmusic9728 I hear you! - I bought the Roland SH-4d for that, as I may be traveling later in the year.. This was supposed to be my long service part time year off lol.
Thanks for watching, Algoritmarte! It's been a while since I did this so I can't remember if I had Warm Mode on or not. Your comment serves as both reminder and encouragement that I need to finish a bank of Moog sounds for the Hydrasynth.
@@Algoritmarte ahhh cool thanks for the reminder. :) Congrats on your Explorer; I want to get one as well. I love the Hydra engine and it's gotten better and better over time with updates.
Thanks for watching, James! I gotta get back to it. I teach at a college in the GTA and with the start of the new semester, it's been a bit relentless. Your post motivates me to get off my butt and get it finished as it's nearly done already.
Hey Frank, sorry I missed this; thank you for watching. Yes, the Hydra can do the HP bass boost thing big time. Even as it was, I was holding back on the bottom end to make it more Moog like which I feel is saying something about the low end potential of the Hydra.
Hi Phil; thanks for watching! Yes, I would agree. I'd be inclined to keep the Mini in the studio but bring the Hydra out to gigs. I'm going to release a bank of Mini sounds for the HS. Stay tuned!
@@zdave6083 thanks for watching! Having the Mini is great when I need that sound and simplified workflow quickly in the studio. The Hydra is way WAY more capable and expressive and can get really close. Not bad for a digital synth that was never aiming to be a VA I say.
Thanks dude! You just made me realize my hydrasynth is the only hardware synth I need . I was contemplating getting a moog…. I can just patch any instrument with the hydrasynth.
Thanks for watching, Mack! The HS is a great synth. Not only does it sound great, but it's the most expressive electronic instrument in my studio. The presets tend to lean towards digital timbres but it can get fat and nasty at least as well as any dedicated virtual analog synth if you dig in. It's also quite easy to get around on. Good luck and congrats on your purchase!
Hydra keys are super nice. Most def equal or better to moog. Really nice feel on the poly aftertouch. You can tell the designer glen d knew what he was doing. Same guy designed the arturia brute series
Well there is that too. :) I deliberately disabled many of the modern features e.g. velocity, aftertouch, etc. to bring the playing experience closer to that of the Moog. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching, progwaver! I've decided to do a whole lot more of this sort of thing. I plan to program and release some Minimoog sounds for the Model D. I will accompany that with a more thoroughly planned video featuring direct audio. Stay tuned. :)
Hey peter, i ended up trying something out, here's what i landed on, set a oscilator to wavescan mode, set the first wave to saw, and the second wave to square. after that set the wavescan parameter to taste, to my ears values from 1.6 to 1.9 work, although i think 1.8 is the sweetspot. then on the first mutator put it on "phasediff" mode with wet on 100%, depth on 0, and feedback at around 125%, on mutator 2 i add a PW-squeez at a wet of 100% and depth on 2.0 to add a particular kind of texture. though i need to say, i don't own a minimoog or anything close to it so you'll probably have to tweak the parameters a little and put the finishing touches on this.
Hey zdave thanks for watching. You definitely cannot go wrong with the OG but I was impressed with the Hydra. Considering it's not a VA in the strict sense, I think it did a good job. There are many facilities on the HS that I could use to make it even bigger but I was trying to limit myself to using similar parameters found on the Mini, to see how close I could get.
Thanks for the video comparison. I can hear a difference between the minimoog and hydrasynth. The hydrasynth has a sharp digital sound to it, while the minimoog has a smooth sound. I like the feature set of the hydrasynth though, but I'm debating whether to keep my unopened explorer or not.
Thanks for watching, vatolegate! I can't tell you what to do, but I plan to add an Explorer to my studio at a later date when I can. I think they are great instruments. If you're looking for quick analog style sounds, the Hydra can do it but it's not it's main focus. The intention of this video was to show that it is certainly not lacking in bass. If you want an extremely capable, expressive and versatile digital synth the Hydra is one of the very best choices, especially for the build quality and price.
I bet I can get it closer, especially if I use the Wavescan function and have wavescan position track the keyboard. When I did this comparison, it wasn't super scientific as much as a proof of concept that the Hydra can indeed put out thick analog style Moog bass. I've got to get around to finishing my bank of sounds I'd started... Thanks for watching!
Hydrasynth sounds kinda dead in direct comparison of bass sounds. For me. It's rather subtle, but relevant. I mean, it is not moving as a whole organic unit during a phrase, as much. Edit: Warm mode on the Hydra certainly helps.
Thanks for watching! I think there are more things I could do to create more of that subtle random analog character we enjoy so much in instruments like the Moog. Warm Mode is definitely helpful but I wanted to get the sound as close as I can before adding that in.
@@mjissowrong thanks for watching and following up! Since things opened back up in Toronto (May 2022) it went from zero to insanity. I will get this pack done by the end of summer for sure. It’s about 75% programmed but I’ve had to prioritize gigs and album work in the interim. I’ll be getting it finished in August. Stay tuned!
Thanks for watching, Mr. E! Responses overall lean in favour of the Moog, however I've been working on a bank of patches for the Hydra, and I think I've been getting it even closer to the Moog. Out the gate, the Hydra is cleaner and more stable, so one has to add in bits of drive and instability (in a musical way) to get it to sound less in the binary zone. All that said, I am loving the sound of the Hydra. I used it for synth bass on a gig last month and it was beastly. Stay tuned for updates, including when my patch bank drops!
@@incaroads001 why what? if you mean why make one sound like the other....I have no idea. use them for what they are not what you want them to be. I don't by a Honda wanting it to perform like a Ferrari. :/
@@TRaddcliff no. I meant more like why should you have to jump through any additional hoops to get it done? Theoretically, a digital oscillator should be able to reproduce the oscillator output of any other synth; a bit like guitar amp modeling. Getting the two raw oscillators to be identical should be a one button or one menu option affair. Kind of like selecting a wave table. After that it's up to the individual synthesist to make whatever other tweaks are necessary to get the sounds to align. If you have to do clever things like eq or compression or filter envelope to produce a reasonable facsimile of the original sound by bullying the waveform, then the full power of the digital platform is not being realized. But then again sound is sound, and different is different. Why stress?
@@incaroads001 stress? why read into what someone is saying. waste of time. the OSC sounds the same. straight sine sounds the same on everything. but there are filters in the chain. therefore there will be differences right? I too have felt the same, any synth should be able to do any of the synth sounds right? but there's more shit in there than just the OSCs. so ya...they will sound kinda different. AN1X....not much sounds like it and it is digital as well. whatever. just use the shit you have and make tunes right.
The sound you’re getting on the Hydra in the first example is that of a perfect square wave shape. As you can hear, “perfect” is boring and fatiguing. The Minimoog square waves seen on an oscilloscope is clearly morphed and not perfectly square. Why not experiment with altering the square wave shape on the Hydra? Just because it’s a default setting doesn’t mean one can say that’s how the Hydra “sounds”.
Hi Dark Horseman, thanks for watching! Yeah I think I can use the vast waveshaping capabilities of the Hydra to get even closer in sound to the Moog. I’m going to keep experimenting. This video was done super quick in the middle of the night. It was pretty spontaneous and certainly not a scientific comparison. I look forward to digging deeper. Stay tuned! 🤘🏼🔥🎹
@@peterkadarmusic9728 All you have to do regarding fatigue factors is use any number of modulators to alter the waves phase. Velocity, or a random lfo with only a slight amount, or both in tandem. Not sure but sometimes random is available as a modulator too. At least a few of my VSTs have that option.
Thanks for watching; it certainly does! I was holding back in terms of its potential; I was more or less limiting myself to the same parameters that both synths have in common with the exception of some shelving EQ on the Hydra.
Hey J Saul Kane, thanks for watching! I didn't specifically mention those things but this was made pretty spontaneously late at night. I can say that they were both rumbling and shaking my place in about the same way so I guess there's that. I plan to make a more detailed version of this later on with direct audio instead of my iPhone. I'll definitely take what you said into consideration when I do that.
There is just that bit more analog crunch on the Moog - for me it just simply sounds better, more alive. Although not much, that hydra synth certainly has my eye. I own a Virus TI and cant yet justify buying another digital synth.
Thanks for watcing, MXV. I look forward to digging more into the Hydrasynth to discover how much more vintage-like I can get the tone. As this was recorded and pretty much unfolding in real time, I didn't get into other functions like the overdrive on the filter, the analog feel parameter, or deeper use of the EQ. I'm going to be exploring this more, so I hope you'll check back soon! :)
Hi Hear Me Now! - thanks for watching. FWIW, the Reissue IS great; it's built up to a quality rather than down to a price. I got this one when it came out in 2016 and at that time there weren't any easily available clones done to such a high quality. I got it because I wanted an authentic Mini with no compromises OR having to pay more for a potentially unstable vintage version. The midi is a nice bonus though I wish it send and received mod wheel data :( After this came out, several other options became available. Some of those are less than 1/10th of what I paid for my Mini. For that reason, I can't recommend that someone go out and spend the money on a Reissue OR vintage unit. The 2022 Reissue is even more money which is ridiculous. If I were to get another Moog, I'd probably go for the Matriarch. I think it's superior in nearly every way and half the price. As far as value for money, even a Novation Bass Station II can give excellent results. The Hydrasynth Explorer is also an incredible value as the Hydra engine makes for one of the best all digital synths of all time, coupled with a great UI and quality hardware build.
@@GoodAfternoonDave It's a hell of a trick though. If I were advising a young person getting into synths, I would tell them to get a Hydrasynth first and learn that before seeking out vintage gear. Not just because of the expanded sound and functionality, but because of cost.
Hey Anthony thanks for watching. I agree it’s an unconventional comparison; I wanted to see close it could get in light of some of the flak the Hydrasynth was getting online due to its alleged lack of bass.
Meant to say "400 milliseconds of decay", not 400 seconds around the 0:30 mark, haha. Not quite Flawless Victory, but not bad for a sleep deprived, improvised video shot with my phone. Lemme know if you want to see one with direct audio, and I'll put it together when I get a chance.
"I've got some dishes in the kitchen that are rattling in the same way" that's how you know it's scientific
Haha exactly; it’s a plate reverb! 🤣🤣🤣
Thanks for watching!
lol
The great thing is that the Hydra can get very close sounding to the Minimoog (and many other classic synths come to that), but the Minimoog can’t get anywhere near a typical Hydra sound!
Thanks for watching! The OG Mini is great but I agree that the Hydra is worlds beyond it in terms of capability and range. It's a better VA than most VAs, even though that is not specifically its purpose.
Hydrasynth has to be the most analog sounding digital synth I have heard. I'm going to purchase the desktop version soon.
Hey thanks for taking the time to check out the video. I think you'll love the HS. Most of the factory patches aren't trying to recreate any sort of analog patches, but it's certainly capable of doing so. Since its release, there have been a lot of free libraries made that lean more that way. I still have to finish the bank of Minimoog patches I was working on. Either way, enjoy your Hydrasynth!
This is probably the best comparison demo I've heard/seen for a Model D.
I love playing with the envelope curves, warm mode, random phase, and analog feel.
Such versatility.
Thanks for watching. I agree; the Hydra is such a powerful, expressive instrument that it's done away with the need for me to seek out older, obscure digital gems like a Microwave XT, Fizmo, etc. Even though it's not a VA synth at all, I think it makes a pretty damned good sounding analog style patch when pushed correctly.
I was listening to this without the video and didn't realize you were alternating playing the 2 synths. Very impressive for $1200, and the Hydra can do FAR more! I LOVE that oscilloscope.
Great comparison. Cracks me up how people nitpick the small differences but in reality I’ve seen two MMs compared with the same differences. You cannot take two MMs especially vintage ones and set the knobs the exact same and have identical results. 😃
Thanks for watching, @darryldouglas6004! I agree; the ASM puts out at LEAST as much bass as the Minimoog and offers loads more. I think it's not bad as a VA, considering that's not even it's primary design mandate. I had an Origin keyboard here for a while, and I think the Hydra sounds better than the dedicated Moog engine the Arturia had.
Cool video! Love this as a comparison between analog and digital synths. I can hear the difference but it's very subtle!
Thanks for watching Sam! I’ll probably do another version with better audio when I get a second.
I've been on the fence about buying the hydrasynth for a year or so. i made the purchase after watching this video. also, i believe most people that are being critical could not tell the difference in a blind test.
Hey @MJamesIII, thanks for watching! Congrats on your Hydrasynth. I love mine and plan to get an Explorer down the road when finances permit.
I made this video to prove not that the HS can sound EXACTLY like a Moog but to show that it can definitely get in the ballpark and also put out serious bass if needed. The Hydra got some criticism early on so hopefully this video will continue to show people that it can sound great doing bass in addition to all the other cool stuff.
Nicely done! I like that you kept it simple, so many people skip comparing the core. And, that you're actually a _player_. A proper comparison is about playability, not that you can match a scope trace. ANNNNNNDDD!!! To that, I love that you noticed the volume balancing. Love it or hate it, that's a CORE characteristic of the Mini. Again, many folks skip it, ignore it, don't hear it, think it's broken, etc. The HS doesn't curve the output of the LPF to match, but you can always KeyboardTracking -> Volume = -1%.
This video just popped up in a Hydrasynth page on FB... I dropped a comment there, but I wanted to place it here as well.
Kudos sir, thank you!
Hey @midiwall, thanks for watching and for the good vibes. It's been a while since I messed with my Minimoog template on the Hydra, but I think I began to employ subtle volume scaling on subsequent patches to better match the response of the Mini across the keyboard.
Fantastic comparison. Thanks!
Hey @peterdekkers, thanks for watching it!
Great comparison video. I just picked up a Desktop used and I'm amazed at what this machine can do. I'm actually thinking of picking up an Explorer as well to add to the Desktop. I might buy a Deluxe next year. I missed out on a sweet deal for $1000 used just a month ago. I enjoyed your video. Just became a sub. 👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks for the good vibes and for watching. The Hydrasynth is an incredible instrument. The poly AT and the ribbon are wonderful. I might get an Explorer next year.
Thank you for this! Was 100% my question as I've been checking out the Hydra (can it sound like a moog?), and you demonstrated it beautifully 👌🏻
@@bass349 thanks for watching and for the good vibes. I’m finally going to get my Moog sound pack for the Hydra done next year so stay tuned for that.
Great Job. I have both synths and it never occurred to me to see how close I could get them.
Thanks for watching! I was motivated to check it out because of talk regarding the apparent lack of bass on the Hydrasynth. I have a collection of Minimoog sounds coming out for it soon so stay tuned for details. :)
@@peterkadarmusic9728did those ever come out? Am def interested 😊
@@matthewfrancisbroderick3811 thanks for watching! They're about 2/3 done. I've (thankfully) had a busy year with touring and things finally opening up in Canada this past year so this project has been sidelined for a bit.
it seems like the hydrasynths runs a really clean square, the minimoog has a bit of that sawtooth rawness to it, maybe you can match them even closer by carfully mixing in a saw wave on the hydra.
Thanks for watching, Kaj! I'll try that. The Hydra lets you shape the waves from each oscillator in very detailed ways. I'm working on a Minimoog template from which I'll be designing more patches. 🤘
the minimoog doesn't have 'perfect' waveforms in general
Got to tune the oscillator filter
None of the videos on Hydrasynth that I come across are discouraging me from grabbing a Deluxe as a first hardware synth to get two of these engines all wired up together and ready for all sorts of neat sound design, and as a big MPE capable keyboard controller (rare to see one bigger than 4 octaves and even years since my last piano lesson or practice session my hands crave much more than the 32 keys on my midi controller.)
Thanks for watching, Matt LR! Yeah I think the Deluxe is going to be incredible. I’m planning on adding an Explorer to my rig for fly out gigs, etc.
Coming from a die-hard analog synth nerd. I just got the Hydrasynth desktop and was blown away by it. I am now getting the Deluxe as well, the playability and expressiveness of that thing is insane. These synths are true chameleons, they have so many easily accessible and practical parameters to shape sound in so many ways. I love the Sub 37 and I was able to make a typical Moog patch with the Hydrasynth and I could not tell the Hydra apart from the Sub37. The Hydra's have what is needed to emulate analog and with filters that sound incredible!
*Very* enlightening video. Thanks for making it and sharing it.
Hey @joquti, thanks for watching it!
Two trains are headed towards each other 100 kilometres apart. There's a keys player on each train and the first to the gig, gets the gig. One is travelling at 80 km/h and the other 95 km/, but has to make two five minute stops.
One train has a Hydrasynth on board, whilst the other has a MiniMoog Reissue. Which train will arrive at the halfway point first to the gig and which train would you choose and why? 😄
Hey what's up Jay; thanks for watching man. You can't be laying the algebra on me this early in the day! Besides, if those trains are on the same track that sounds dangerous. :)
@@peterkadarmusic9728 haha. It was my attempt at humour. I'm terrible at math! I just remember these kind of math problems from my youth and thought I'd make it interesting!
Happy to watch! Next time put your phone in portrait mode. ;)
@@JayKaufman yeah you were giving me math class flashbacks haha. Good call on the portrait mode. 🤘🏼🔥🥂
@@peterkadarmusic9728 hehe. I always had terrible math teachers!
Bit off-topic but I have an itching question: is that a Kawai K5000 under the minimoog?
Thanks for watching, Jolly Joker! Yeah, that’s a K5000s down there. One of my all time favourite digital synths.
Wow, I must say I am surprised that it’s that close!
Thanks for watching, Jeff! I think I can get it even closer once I do a more detailed study of the Mini's contour envelope shapes. I don't think they're all linear, and the Hydra allows you to control the shape of its curves which is handy for emulating older gear.
Why? If you think about how simple the circuit of an anlog is compared to what we are capable to do with microprocessors today
Great demo !! Just pick up. Hs deluxe. Deadly
So true!
Would you please share this patche for Hydrasynth?
Hey Highlander, thanks for watching! Yes, I have a bank of sounds that I've been working on for a while. They're about 75% done and then things kind of opened up after the pandemic so I've been busy gigging and digging myself out of a financial hole like a lot of musicians in Canada, lol.
The short answer: yes, I will get these done and they will be getting shared. Please stay tuned!
@@peterkadarmusic9728
Wow! So you are preparing entire pack of sounds. Awesome!
Please share patch settings. This is brilliant. I have been wondering about the bass cause some people were complaining about it. Perfect bass. Thank you for this.
Hey Bert, thanks for watching! Yeah, they Hydrasynth is a BEAST of a synthesizer for bass and also a beautifully expressive instrument unlike anything else out there.
Any way you can share this patch? Sounds amazing!
Hey, thanks for watching! Yes, I plan to make an entire Minimoog patch collection available at some point. I think ASM will be involved in its release and promotion too so please stay tuned!
Please do ! I'll love to buy a bass type moog patches for my deluxe. Thx for sharing the video, awesome content. I was almost buying a minitaur for some deep bass... but I think I'll explore more my deluxe before jumping into any bass synth after watch this video ! Thx for saving some money ! Happy 2024 !@@peterkadarmusic9728
Thank you Peter! The Hydrasynth will cover a lot of ground for me!
Thanks for watching, Rodney! Yeah the Hydra imo is one of the most capable and expressive digital synths ever made. Even though it's not strictly a VA, it can do that better than many other dedicated instruments. The only thing it can't do is work with user samples but for everything else it's incredible.
Nice comparison. Ladder is obvious on the D but both super close for a live mic sound. Hydra is a fun board for sure. Nice job.
Hey Huston, what's good? Thanks for watching! I'm planning to do another version of this video with more patches and direct audio in the future.
I gotta learn this for my Hydrasynth Explorer!
I've been working on a whole bank of 32 Moog patches for the Hydrasynth. I keep getting waylaid by gigs and sessions but it's about 3/4 done. Keep an eye on this space and thanks for watching!
@@peterkadarmusic9728 dope….looking forward to that
@@peterkadarmusic9728 Do you know how much longer before you release those presets for sale?
Just had a little bit of FM between OSC maybe a tiny of Filter overdrive and you will have same result, the moog got that extrat crispy gritty sound i think is a sound design ajustement you can get the same sound
Hey @INeedTheTruth, thanks for watching. Next time I have a moment to do a deep dive programming the Hydrasynth, I'll try what you described and report back. I tried to keep the functionality between the two instruments the same, so while I DID use filter overdrive, I deliberately avoided FM or any of the additional features of the Hydra, like velocity and aftertouch.
Hydrasynth held up quite nice
Hey @biggrime, thanks for watching! Considering the Hydra isn't technically even a VA but an unashamedly digital synth, I have to agree. I know many dedicated virtual analog synths, both in hardware and in software, that don't fare as well and certainly are not as playable either.
id love to see more comparisons like this with some classic vintage sounds. i have hydra and some other analog but thinking of selling some and just using hydrasynth. kind of hard to let go though if i cant get close enough sounds. gonna do some tests of my i own too
Thanks for watching junglsmor! Stay tuned; there’s more coming. 🙂
Hi! I'd love to get this patch into my Explorer, if you would be so kind to share it.
Hey Simon, thanks for watching! I’m actually working on a bank of 32 Moog-inspired presets for the Hydrasynth. I should have something available soon and I’ll let you know when it drops. Stay tuned!
@@peterkadarmusic9728 please let me know as well your Amazing keyboardist i can tell by the riffs u play here
@@klownaround5464 I certainly will! Things have been busy gig-wise because things just opened back up in Canada a few weeks ago so programming had to take a back seat. That said, the collection is almost done and I hope to have it out soon. Thank you for the kind words re: my playing. I get to work with a lot of wonderful artists so I try to keep my playing and music in good shape.
Great video and comparison! From what you hear in your studio, is it fair to say that the hydrasynth can act as a main bass synth in a home studio? Or do you think its necessary to have a dedicated bass synth such as a Behringer Model D, Roland SE-02, Dreadbox Hades or Typhon. Music genres hiphop, idm, compositions for tv-shows etc. Thanks
Hey @sipsolomusic, thanks for watching; sorry for the late reply. I think if you dig in and know what to look for, the Hydrasynth can absolutely cover any non-sample based synth sound you might need and that definitely includes bass. It can be as basic as a Minimoog Model D, Juno, etc. or go way off into the deep end and challenge any digital synth plug in for more modern textures too. LMK what you end up going with, and good luck with your music.
I think you need to do a pre- drive on the filter to get close to the Minimoog sound.
Hi Adrian, thanks for watching. I've employed a fair bit of drive on the filter and I found that it did get it closer to the Mini. I'm still tweaking this patch and many others like it to get it even closer to the OG. I have a patch set coming soon so stay tuned for details!
Can you share the preset ?@@peterkadarmusic9728
I find my deluxe can't do full sounds. They all sound flat and lack of bass (warmth) would you agree?
Hi Bert, thanks for watching! I have to say that that has not been my experience with the Hydrasynth. I did a basic but satisfying copy of a Prophet 6 synth brass sound on the Hydra that, like with the Moog comparison - got very close. I don't have the P6 anymore so I didn't make a similar comparison video.
When you start with an initialized patch, the Amp level is rather low to allow for lots of gain staging within the engine. You may want to experiment with that, filter drive, warm mode, the Phaz Diff mutator, and finally, the EQ to bring some body and girth to your sound. You can also try turning the oscillator phase off so that you get a less predictable note onset.
Hi Peter, could you share the patch? I don't understand all settings and don't have same result... Thks
Hi Julien, thanks for watching! I'm going to be releasing a bank of 32 patches all like this... so stay tuned!
@@peterkadarmusic9728 also want to dig into this patch, do not understand how to recreate, thanks!
@@gideon_maze thanks for watching! I’m still working on a preset pack for it to be released soon. Just been busy with gigs and recordings but I promise it IS coming; stay tuned!
Great comparison! I wish I could find this sort of breakdown/comparison for the OB6's 007 patch.
Hey JRC, thanks for watching! I have an OB6; shall I try to recreate patch 007 on the Hydrasynth for you? I love doing this stuff.
@@peterkadarmusic9728 That would be amazing! I actually tried last night for a while and couldn't figure it out. I might not be so good at synthing =P
@@R3DC0N1 OK I'll give it a shot this weekend. So factory patch 007? You got it.
And BTW practice and a good monitoring environment goes a long way. Keep synthing on! :)
@@peterkadarmusic9728 Sweet! Thanks for checking it out!! 007 it is.
Great comparison! Now I need to create some real bass patches on my Deluxe.
Thanks for watching and for the good vibes, Rod!
Man, that tone... She's a baaad maaama jama....
Edit: awesome vid, much appreciated!
Thanks for watching! The Hydra is no joke when it comes to bottom end! I have a patch set coming out in August; stay tuned!
@@peterkadarmusic9728 wicked timing... My explorer's being delivered on Tuesday :)
Does Moog sound warmer than the hydra in person
Thanks for watching, Shane! I’d say out of the gate the Moog is warmer but that’s because the Hydrasynth has so much more range and from an initialized patch starts from a neutral place. However it can get damned warm with some programming; I would say more so than any digital synthesizer I’ve ever owned, including dedicated VA synths that deliberately try to sound analog. Bear in mind the Hydra isn’t strictly a VA; it’s a great, expressive digital synth which can happen to sound very warm and analog when pushed in that direction.
@@peterkadarmusic9728 any tips for making it warmer?
@@TwinCitiesOxygen Yes! There are several suggestions I would make.
1) There are parameters called Warm Mode and Analog Feel in the Voice parameters section that are great starting points.
2) Experiment with the Drive parameter on Filter 1, and play with the many filter types. This is important.
3) Experiment with using subtle and slow modulation of parameters to create further instability. We have five envelopes and LFOs to play with. By linking their rates and depth to parameters like key tracking, we can get more variation on a note by note basis. This instability is something we value about vintage analog synths.
4) Engage Random Phase in the Voice parameters so that the waveforms don't reset with each key press. That said, if you're trying to emulate a synth with a sub-oscillator design like a Juno-106, having what would normally function like the sub-oscillator phase lock to the primary oscillator might be valuable.
5) Finally, there is a comprehensive EQ section in the Insert FX. I'd use one in the Pre FX slot to customize the sound before it hits the rest of the FX chain. You could go deep with this and A/B the response of a synth you consider warm - in this case, my Minimoog - and then try to match the tone of similar waves on the Hydrasynth across the range of the keyboard. I found my Moog has a bit of cut in the low mids and pronounced highs so I have started emulating that with the Hydra's EQ on some of the patches I've been working on. The results are improved even compared to what was recorded here.
If you've done all of the above, you can save it as a preset and then make patches from your newly created template. This saves time. For example, if you tried to emulate a Korg Polysix using a similar approach, you could save a template patch called "Polysix Template" and then revisit that each time you wanted to make sounds with that vibe.
Stay tuned for my bank of Moog sounds soon!
@@peterkadarmusic9728where they Moog bank? :)
Still digging the hydra?
@@TwinCitiesOxygen Ahhhh!!! thanks for checking in. It's been a heck of a year... I gotta find a new place to live so that's created a wealth of distractions and challenges. When I get settled, finishing this Moog bank will be the first order of business. I am indeed still digging the Hydra.
and the Hydra is a poly voice with poly aftertouch
Not only that, but it's less than half the price of a Model D Reissue or an original Model D. As far as the hardware goes, it feels like a premium instrument too; discerning players who like good feeling controls and a robust build quality are going to appreciate the Hydra. Thanks for watching!
Wood prices are expected to start dropping soon though.
@@mraduanemc - Sure they are…
I put a comment in a little too soon about using warm mode. You did did what i was asking. You almost gotta choose the hydra for a gig: if you find you need to cut through the mix better during a show, the hydra gives you ways to solve that right at the keyboard without resorting to audio console manipulation. The moog is for the studio.
Amazing video Peter! Any chance those moog patches you were working on are available 😃?
Hey Sean, I've had a project going for a while where I translate a bunch of classic Mini patches to the Hydrasynth. I just need some free time to finish it. Stay tuned, and thanks for watching!
@@peterkadarmusic9728 thanks for replying Peter! No worries, take your time, look forward to when you release them 😃
Impressive job. My compliments.
It is my opinion since months: why buying a high cost analog reissue (mono, with no effects) when Hydrasynth deluxe with 6 octaves and polyphonic aftertouch has a huge set of features that make possible incredible sounds? I am planning to buy a deluxe, of course.
Great comparison - about 7m in their is a env snap missing.. Oh - as I was typing you added it lol..
Hey Polar XTA, thanks for watching! The Hydra has the best envelopes I've ever encountered in a synthesizer. This is because you can change the curves in very specific ways which can help mimic the response of other instruments.
@@peterkadarmusic9728 I bought a Deluxe for a very good price in Australia and just have not had time to spend with it.. I am constantly encouraged to do so watching other peoples videos - you got that very close indeed, there is still a sort of inherent growl in the minimoog that is going to be hard to dial in, but I do think its possible - thanks for the fun video !
@@polarxta2833 The Deluxe is sweeeeet; congratulations! I'm itching for an Explorer so I can play with something battery powered on the road and in hotel rooms. I think it would be a great partner with my MPC Live.
@@peterkadarmusic9728 I hear you! - I bought the Roland SH-4d for that, as I may be traveling later in the year.. This was supposed to be my long service part time year off lol.
@@polarxta2833 The 4d is interesting. Looks like it could be a good partner for a 404mkII. It's not battery powered too is it??
... many comments with the word "close" ... probably 99% of them would fail a blind test with the warm mode on :-)
Thanks for watching, Algoritmarte! It's been a while since I did this so I can't remember if I had Warm Mode on or not. Your comment serves as both reminder and encouragement that I need to finish a bank of Moog sounds for the Hydrasynth.
@@peterkadarmusic9728 At some point of the video you activated it :-) (BTW nice video!!!) (BTW2 just ordered an Explorer :-)
@@Algoritmarte ahhh cool thanks for the reminder. :) Congrats on your Explorer; I want to get one as well. I love the Hydra engine and it's gotten better and better over time with updates.
Love my Hydra even more now🥷
Great comparison Peter. Did you make any progress with the Hydrasynth Patches you intended to put out?
Thanks for watching, James! I gotta get back to it. I teach at a college in the GTA and with the start of the new semester, it's been a bit relentless. Your post motivates me to get off my butt and get it finished as it's nearly done already.
@@peterkadarmusic9728 DO IT :)
You have the filter on lowpass, switch to high pass, and add resonance , secure the cups in the kitchen first..
Hey Frank, sorry I missed this; thank you for watching. Yes, the Hydra can do the HP bass boost thing big time. Even as it was, I was holding back on the bottom end to make it more Moog like which I feel is saying something about the low end potential of the Hydra.
Close enough for all practical purposes I’d say!
Hi Phil; thanks for watching! Yes, I would agree. I'd be inclined to keep the Mini in the studio but bring the Hydra out to gigs. I'm going to release a bank of Mini sounds for the HS. Stay tuned!
Really interesting. I’m thinking of getting the new hydrasynth explorer…nice bass patches…
Practical purposes maybe...but aesthetic purposes require the ideal.
@@mechanicom Thanks for watching! Yeah, I'm really into that Explorer. To have that and my MPC Live I think would be a killer portable combo.
@@zdave6083 thanks for watching! Having the Mini is great when I need that sound and simplified workflow quickly in the studio. The Hydra is way WAY more capable and expressive and can get really close. Not bad for a digital synth that was never aiming to be a VA I say.
Thanks dude! You just made me realize my hydrasynth is the only hardware synth I need . I was contemplating getting a moog…. I can just patch any instrument with the hydrasynth.
Thanks for watching, Mack! The HS is a great synth. Not only does it sound great, but it's the most expressive electronic instrument in my studio. The presets tend to lean towards digital timbres but it can get fat and nasty at least as well as any dedicated virtual analog synth if you dig in. It's also quite easy to get around on. Good luck and congrats on your purchase!
Brilliant
Thanks for watching!
How the keybed feel on Hydra ? Are they made of cheap plastic ? Feel nice when playing? The Moog S keys feel really good.
Hydra keys are super nice. Most def equal or better to moog. Really nice feel on the poly aftertouch. You can tell the designer glen d knew what he was doing. Same guy designed the arturia brute series
@@owizlo i juste ordered it ✌️😬 thanks for the info.
@@Jorge.O85 best synth action keys in the game unless u got ob6 money
how many voices of poly aftertouch does the moog have?... oh yeah
Well there is that too. :)
I deliberately disabled many of the modern features e.g. velocity, aftertouch, etc. to bring the playing experience closer to that of the Moog.
Thanks for watching!
Great comparison! Super keen for those patches if it's something you'll be making available?
Hi Jimantronic, thanks for watching! Yes, there is a collection of 32 patches forthcoming. Stay tuned for details!
@@peterkadarmusic9728 ah brilliant 🙂 Great playing too by the way 👍
impressive, cool
Thanks for watching, progwaver! I've decided to do a whole lot more of this sort of thing. I plan to program and release some Minimoog sounds for the Model D. I will accompany that with a more thoroughly planned video featuring direct audio. Stay tuned. :)
Sounds very consistent between the two to me.
Thanks and thanks for watching, Cloud Run!
Hey peter, i ended up trying something out, here's what i landed on, set a oscilator to wavescan mode, set the first wave to saw, and the second wave to square. after that set the wavescan parameter to taste, to my ears values from 1.6 to 1.9 work, although i think 1.8 is the sweetspot. then on the first mutator put it on "phasediff" mode with wet on 100%, depth on 0, and feedback at around 125%, on mutator 2 i add a PW-squeez at a wet of 100% and depth on 2.0 to add a particular kind of texture.
though i need to say, i don't own a minimoog or anything close to it so you'll probably have to tweak the parameters a little and put the finishing touches on this.
Hey Kaj, that’s a great suggestion! I’m definitely going to try it. Thanks for sharing!
Nice comparison. Moog definitely has ...."more bounce to the ounce...much more bounce . "
Hey zdave thanks for watching. You definitely cannot go wrong with the OG but I was impressed with the Hydra. Considering it's not a VA in the strict sense, I think it did a good job. There are many facilities on the HS that I could use to make it even bigger but I was trying to limit myself to using similar parameters found on the Mini, to see how close I could get.
@@peterkadarmusic9728 well done . Yes, Hydra is impressive . I'm a little too focused on the moog bass sound.
Zapp&Roger Fan? 😀
Nothing wrong with that bass ❤
Thanks for the video comparison. I can hear a difference between the minimoog and hydrasynth. The hydrasynth has a sharp digital sound to it, while the minimoog has a smooth sound. I like the feature set of the hydrasynth though, but I'm debating whether to keep my unopened explorer or not.
Thanks for watching, vatolegate! I can't tell you what to do, but I plan to add an Explorer to my studio at a later date when I can. I think they are great instruments. If you're looking for quick analog style sounds, the Hydra can do it but it's not it's main focus. The intention of this video was to show that it is certainly not lacking in bass. If you want an extremely capable, expressive and versatile digital synth the Hydra is one of the very best choices, especially for the build quality and price.
The saw on hydra sounds more squarish than on the moog, especially in the higher register
I bet I can get it closer, especially if I use the Wavescan function and have wavescan position track the keyboard. When I did this comparison, it wasn't super scientific as much as a proof of concept that the Hydra can indeed put out thick analog style Moog bass. I've got to get around to finishing my bank of sounds I'd started...
Thanks for watching!
Totally different timbre. Hydrasynth sounds amazing but I don't think it mimicks the Minimoog very well.
Thanks for watching, EightySix!
Hydrasynth sounds kinda dead in direct comparison of bass sounds. For me. It's rather subtle, but relevant. I mean, it is not moving as a whole organic unit during a phrase, as much. Edit: Warm mode on the Hydra certainly helps.
Thanks for watching! I think there are more things I could do to create more of that subtle random analog character we enjoy so much in instruments like the Moog. Warm Mode is definitely helpful but I wanted to get the sound as close as I can before adding that in.
Quite odd comparison, but interesting. It definitely changed view off Hydrasynth.
Thanks for watching. I have a bank of Minimoog sounds coming out for the Hydrasynth soon. Stay tuned!
@@peterkadarmusic9728 any word on the moog presets?
@@mjissowrong thanks for watching and following up! Since things opened back up in Toronto (May 2022) it went from zero to insanity. I will get this pack done by the end of summer for sure. It’s about 75% programmed but I’ve had to prioritize gigs and album work in the interim. I’ll be getting it finished in August. Stay tuned!
@@peterkadarmusic9728 great! No problem, keep up the good work
@@peterkadarmusic9728 any further news on release?
Hydrasynth sounds so much better. Wow
Thanks for watching, Mr. E! Responses overall lean in favour of the Moog, however I've been working on a bank of patches for the Hydra, and I think I've been getting it even closer to the Moog. Out the gate, the Hydra is cleaner and more stable, so one has to add in bits of drive and instability (in a musical way) to get it to sound less in the binary zone.
All that said, I am loving the sound of the Hydra. I used it for synth bass on a gig last month and it was beastly.
Stay tuned for updates, including when my patch bank drops!
Any news on the patch bank?
Damn..my wallet is crying but the Hydrasynth is about to be mine !!
Hey Yves, thanks for watching. You won’t regret getting the Hydra.
If you had to choose one midi controller for soft synths, and you wanted a quality controller, what would you pick? Thanks buddy
I would pick the Hydrasynth, yes.
On TH-cam, with ok speakers, I can't tell the difference. When I'm not looking at the screen, I literally can't tell which one you're playing.
depends on what you like. the MOOG bass stuff was cleaner. and Hydrasynth was kinda muddy in comparison. again, up to taste. both sound great
Thanks for watching, TRaddcliff! 🤘🏻🥂
Good ears. I didn't really hear it at first. It can probably be adjusted in the chain; but why?
@@incaroads001 why what? if you mean why make one sound like the other....I have no idea. use them for what they are not what you want them to be. I don't by a Honda wanting it to perform like a Ferrari. :/
@@TRaddcliff no. I meant more like why should you have to jump through any additional hoops to get it done? Theoretically, a digital oscillator should be able to reproduce the oscillator output of any other synth; a bit like guitar amp modeling. Getting the two raw oscillators to be identical should be a one button or one menu option affair. Kind of like selecting a wave table. After that it's up to the individual synthesist to make whatever other tweaks are necessary to get the sounds to align. If you have to do clever things like eq or compression or filter envelope to produce a reasonable facsimile of the original sound by bullying the waveform, then the full power of the digital platform is not being realized. But then again sound is sound, and different is different. Why stress?
@@incaroads001 stress? why read into what someone is saying. waste of time. the OSC sounds the same. straight sine sounds the same on everything. but there are filters in the chain. therefore there will be differences right? I too have felt the same, any synth should be able to do any of the synth sounds right? but there's more shit in there than just the OSCs. so ya...they will sound kinda different. AN1X....not much sounds like it and it is digital as well. whatever. just use the shit you have and make tunes right.
The sound you’re getting on the Hydra in the first example is that of a perfect square wave shape. As you can hear, “perfect” is boring and fatiguing. The Minimoog square waves seen on an oscilloscope is clearly morphed and not perfectly square. Why not experiment with altering the square wave shape on the Hydra? Just because it’s a default setting doesn’t mean one can say that’s how the Hydra “sounds”.
Hi Dark Horseman, thanks for watching! Yeah I think I can use the vast waveshaping capabilities of the Hydra to get even closer in sound to the Moog. I’m going to keep experimenting. This video was done super quick in the middle of the night. It was pretty spontaneous and certainly not a scientific comparison. I look forward to digging deeper. Stay tuned! 🤘🏼🔥🎹
@@peterkadarmusic9728 All you have to do regarding fatigue factors is use any number of modulators to alter the waves phase. Velocity, or a random lfo with only a slight amount, or both in tandem. Not sure but sometimes random is available as a modulator too. At least a few of my VSTs have that option.
😎🍻
Thanks for watching, Ed! Stay tuned; I have a bank of Minimoog patches coming out for the Hydrasynth soon!
more like asmr, am I right?
Indeed! Thanks for watching Ryan! Gonna get back to working on my Minimoog sound pack for the Hydrasynth... stay tuned!
This 0101101101010 synth def has some punch 🤩🤩🤩
Thanks for watching; it certainly does! I was holding back in terms of its potential; I was more or less limiting myself to the same parameters that both synths have in common with the exception of some shelving EQ on the Hydra.
harmonics and density never mentioned...
Hey J Saul Kane, thanks for watching! I didn't specifically mention those things but this was made pretty spontaneously late at night. I can say that they were both rumbling and shaking my place in about the same way so I guess there's that. I plan to make a more detailed version of this later on with direct audio instead of my iPhone. I'll definitely take what you said into consideration when I do that.
Six easy payments.
Moog is better unless you switched the two
In that case: Moog is better 😂
Haha well I hope you liked the video; thanks so much for watching!
Liked and subscribed
Play that funky music white boy 😊
More growl in Moog as usual
lol more growl in the name too eh
There is just that bit more analog crunch on the Moog - for me it just simply sounds better, more alive. Although not much, that hydra synth certainly has my eye. I own a Virus TI and cant yet justify buying another digital synth.
Thanks for watcing, MXV. I look forward to digging more into the Hydrasynth to discover how much more vintage-like I can get the tone. As this was recorded and pretty much unfolding in real time, I didn't get into other functions like the overdrive on the filter, the analog feel parameter, or deeper use of the EQ. I'm going to be exploring this more, so I hope you'll check back soon! :)
Agree with your comments on the Moog …
The Model D is vastly overpriced for what it is.
Hi Hear Me Now! - thanks for watching. FWIW, the Reissue IS great; it's built up to a quality rather than down to a price. I got this one when it came out in 2016 and at that time there weren't any easily available clones done to such a high quality. I got it because I wanted an authentic Mini with no compromises OR having to pay more for a potentially unstable vintage version. The midi is a nice bonus though I wish it send and received mod wheel data :(
After this came out, several other options became available. Some of those are less than 1/10th of what I paid for my Mini. For that reason, I can't recommend that someone go out and spend the money on a Reissue OR vintage unit. The 2022 Reissue is even more money which is ridiculous. If I were to get another Moog, I'd probably go for the Matriarch. I think it's superior in nearly every way and half the price.
As far as value for money, even a Novation Bass Station II can give excellent results. The Hydrasynth Explorer is also an incredible value as the Hydra engine makes for one of the best all digital synths of all time, coupled with a great UI and quality hardware build.
Moog wins
Thanks for watching, Banshee!
wins what tho?...the hydrasynth can sound like whatever you want but the moog is a one trick pony
@@GoodAfternoonDave It's a hell of a trick though. If I were advising a young person getting into synths, I would tell them to get a Hydrasynth first and learn that before seeking out vintage gear. Not just because of the expanded sound and functionality, but because of cost.
Kinda weird comparison.
Hey Anthony thanks for watching. I agree it’s an unconventional comparison; I wanted to see close it could get in light of some of the flak the Hydrasynth was getting online due to its alleged lack of bass.
Plastic vs iron. Hydrasynth sound good but so digital and perfect while Moog sound the real thing. Waldorf Blofeld far best sound quality than ASM...