# Hydrasynth has a new 73 key Poly AT version coming



## vitocorleone123 (Sep 9, 2021)

Deluxe has 16 voices and is bitimbral.

https://www.synthanatomy.com/2021/0...-range-with-the-explorer-deluxe-versions.html

I have the feeling many people on VI have just found their new MIDI controller!


EDIT: Also a 37 mid-key sized controller with Poly AT. Both available at Perfect Circuit for pre-oder.

https://www.perfectcircuit.com/asm-hydrasynth-deluxe.html
$1800 USD

https://www.perfectcircuit.com/asm-hydrasynth-explorer.html
$600 USD


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## chimuelo (Sep 10, 2021)

Been wanting a Hydra D.
Always liked the first but wanted more Poly, but got an Extra zone too.
As a layer addict this will work just fine.


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## muddyblue (Jan 23, 2022)

Does anyone have this thing running as a midi master keyboard? How good is the keyboard action? Still looking for a new good replacement controller...


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## THW (Mar 18, 2022)

muddyblue said:


> Does anyone have this thing running as a midi master keyboard? How good is the keyboard action? Still looking for a new good replacement controller...


Bumping because I'm curious about this as well. I'm in the market for a new master keyboard and this one really has my attention. I would like to use it with Presonus Studio One.


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## HammyHavoc (Jun 20, 2022)

Bumping this as I'm curious too. Not expecting it to be fantastic though, just curious. Not sure I could use it as my master controller without 88 keys.


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## vitocorleone123 (Jun 20, 2022)

*Not first-hand knowledge*: A synth like the Prophet 5 ostensibly is representative of the current best synth (Fatar) keybed. Other good, but not as good, Fatar keybeds include the Modal Cobalt8 or the NI 61+ controllers. A step below those is something like the PolyBrute keybed (not bad, but not good). I've never looked at an 88 key controlled, so haven't done any related research to know what kinds of keybeds get used.

From what I've read, the Hydrasynth keybed is non-Fatar, and is closer to the action of the Cobalt8 etc. than the PolyBrute. In other words, good but not necessarily the best. Trade-offs.


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## pmountford (Jun 20, 2022)

vitocorleone123 said:


> From what I've read, the Hydrasynth keybed is non-Fatar, and is closer to the action of the Cobalt8 etc. than the PolyBrute. In other words, good but not necessarily the best. Trade-offs.


As great a synth as the Polybrute is (and I do think it is), the keybed is pretty poor. One if the worst keybeds I've used on any synth.


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## Wes Antczak (Jun 22, 2022)

I thought that that ASM developed their own keybeds.


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## liquidlino (Jun 22, 2022)

pmountford said:


> As great a synth as the Polybrute is (and I do think it is), the keybed is pretty poor. One if the worst keybeds I've used on any synth.


I tested hydra and polybrute back to back two weeks ago. Hydra Keybed had better key press action, but the real differentiator was the after touch curves. Polybrute aftertouch is very off/on in comparison to hydra progressive aftertouch. I tried all the available settings on both and couldn't find a good setting for polybrute. On the other hand, the touche controller is unique to the polybrute. Big price differential though. Especially explorer vs polybrute, the explorer has the exact same synthesis engine and voices as the regular hydra. Just smaller keys and half the knobs. My big issue with the explorer is the decision to have touch strips for modulation and pitch bend. Useless. If they'd been physical wheels I would have bought an explorer on the spot.


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## pmountford (Jun 23, 2022)

liquidlino said:


> Especially explorer vs polybrute, the explorer has the exact same synthesis engine and voices as the regular hydra. Just smaller keys and half the knobs.


I have Hydra Explorer sitting next to the Polybrute. Totally different beasts imho. Explorer, whilst Ive not yet got to grips with it, is incredible value for money, touchstrips or not.. Mini keys are surprisingly playable considering their size (having recently sold on a Jupiter xm partly because of mini keybed). But you are right, the touché expression pad and the ribbon controller provide other expressive means on the polybrute that are lacking from its keybed.


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## IFM (Jun 23, 2022)

I recently got the delux and it’s beautiful. My only complaint is the weir pitch and mod wheels.


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## liquidlino (Jun 23, 2022)




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## pinki (Jun 28, 2022)

I will never be the same having watched that video….


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## PhilA (Jun 28, 2022)

I’m stunned by that video. How does he cope with the unbearable weight of massive talent 😉

In other news after owning an Explorer for 1 week I sold it and bought the Keyboard version. Ooops.


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## pinki (Jun 28, 2022)

PhilA said:


> I’m stunned by that video. How does he cope with the unbearable weight of massive talent 😉
> 
> In other news after owning an Explorer for 1 week I sold it and bought the Keyboard version. Ooops.


Interesting…the original is the one to get for sure…it has that ‘I am an instrument’ thing.


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