Jump to content

NOVATION ULTRANOVA !!!

LostTsunami

By LostTsunami
in Keys, Synths & Samplers

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 329
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members
Polarelch Newbie

Polarelch

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I'm absolutely thrilled ever since I took a closer look on this synth yesterday.
I think this will be a big hit, and even a milestone.
Probably not because of the sound, so I won't compare it to earlier Novation synths. Anyway it's the first Novation synth that cought my interest. Why?

It's a revelation to every live performer among us who considers using a laptop for live and rehearsals but didn't do it yet because:
* He would also need to BUY and CARRY a portable audio interface if he dosnt want to always detach it from the studio setup - and then have to place and connect it on stage and rehearsals..... too stressy if band members or even audience has to wait for you on that!
* He doesn't wanna use only a controller keyboard, but also a real poly synth thats not too heavy to carry around on public transport

It's a revelation to everyone who
* misses more poly synths keyboards under 1000 Euros on the market, apart from the Romplers and obvious crap like Gaia, Microkorg XL, SH 201 etc (buggy Blofeld being the only alternative!)

so lets have a look on ups, downs and question marks:

+++ affordable (but not a toy) performance poly synth
+++ integrated audio interface makes it much more attractive to take your laptop to stage
++ pitch and mod WHEELS left to the keyboard :thu:
+ knobs
+ vocoder
+ aftertouch

(-) monotimbral seems to be a matter for some people, but not for me - I never use that anyway
(-) 37 keys only - not too much of a minus though - 49 keys and it would be a no burner for me

? sound and workflow
? keys feel and action
? reliabilty, stability etc.

If these last 3 turn into pluses, this thing will be definitely in my rehearsal and live setup, and my laptop can finally follow.

I haven't been that excited for ages. Can't wait to test it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
CZ101 Newbie

CZ101

Posted
  • Members
Posted

Anyway it's the first Novation synth that cought my interest. Why?


It's a revelation to every live performer among us who considers using a laptop for live and rehearsals but didn't do it yet because:

* He would also need to BUY and CARRY a portable audio interface if he dosnt want to always detach it from the studio setup - and then have to place and connect it on stage and rehearsals..... too stressy if band members or even audience has to wait for you on that!

* He doesn't wanna use only a controller keyboard, but also a real poly synth thats not too heavy to carry around on public transport

 

 

Erm, you're describing the X-Station - a revelation in 2002...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
CZ101 Newbie

CZ101

Posted
  • Members
Posted

X-station doesn't have the wheels, the vocoder, and the audio interface has less outputs.


IMO, ultranova seems to be better than x-station (which I own and love) at the moment.

 

 

I agree.. But my comment was in response to the quote...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • Members
acidduck Newbie

acidduck

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I keep reading negative opinions about this synth. I thought it seemed like an interesting synth. Novation may not be Waldorf or Access, but they have released some decent synths in the past, and to be honest, I like their sound. Well, I downloaded the manual for the Ultranova and had a read. Straight away, I realised most people slagging it off have no idea about this synth. After reading the manual, I am definitely going to get one.

 

The only complaint (besides the toy like appearance... but thats just personal taste I guess :-)) is that it's mono-timbral. It's a performance synth and controller keyboard. But in any case, for the price, the single part synth is still very powerful.

 

Yes, the X-Station is a similar kind of package (audio interface, 1 part synth, midi controller, midi interface), but the Ultranova improves on the X-Station in almost every respect.

 

- Ultranova has 2 in 4 out audio. The audio interface is from my understanding the same as the NIO. This makes it VERY appealing for digital DJs where 4 OUT is a requirement. I use a NIO for my laptop with a Vestax VCI-100 deck. If I get the Ultranova, I'm gonna see how it stacks up as replacing the little NIO (which I have had no issues with I might add)

 

- Ultranova employs Automap technology (in fact it comes with Automap Pro). It's pretty handy for mapping the parameters of any VST instantly. Some people like it, some hate it. But it's included, and very capable.

 

- Ultranova has the cool speed dial like on the Nocturn... hover the mouse above a VST control, and turn the speed dial on the keyboard to adjust it. Not ground breaking, but it's COOL

 

- Touch sensitive knobs. Ok, yeah you can use them for triggering programmed effects etc. But they also mean that you can touch a dial to see it's value. So it's only got 8 dials - but each section of the synth is accessed by pressing one button, and you can custom assign quick access parameters to each patch. Kinda like the soft knobs on the virus. So it looks like you can get to all parameters pretty quickly, and the ones you use most for a particular patch can be made instantly available. We all love as many dials as possible, but this is the next best thing.

 

- One fingered chords. You basically turn on the feature, play a chord, and then you only have to play the base note for each chord. Again, simple feature, but it's really nice.

 

- A vocoder. Ok, it probably sounds like crap, I haven't heard it. At this price range I wouldn't expect something amazing, but it adds some possibilities.

 

- The audio inputs are routed THROUGH THE AMPS, FILTERS AND EFFECTS SECTION. X-Station only routes through the effects section. This offers some really cool stuff. You can do some awesome gating and filter effects on guitars or whatever running through this. Again, I do this on my Virus, but the Virus cost me over $4000. I shouldn't compare!

 

- On the subject of gating, this has the Gator effect. You program a pattern for the gator (this can be done on the hardware, which is cool), and it'll chop up your patch or audio input synced internally, or to an external MIDI clock. I wish the arp patterns were editable too, but from what I have read, it looks like they are not modifiable, which is a shame... surely they could use a similar system to the gator editor for editing arp patterns???

 

- This thing has got 6 envelopes! 2 of them are hardwired (1 to AMP and the other to FILTER - but both accessible as modulation sources)These envelopes are also HIGHLY configurable. You can also loop the damn things. Seriously, thats simple, but really awesome.

 

- 3 LFOs. X-Station had 2 LFOs. Like the X-Station, these can be made "one-shot", so the LFO behaves more like a limited envelope. You can edit LFO slew now as well, which gives added flexibility.

 

- Wavetables. Unfortunately it looks like Ultranova does not have FM synthesis like the X-Station. It does however have Wavetable sythesis. There are 36 waveforms, each with 9 segments. You can set the interpolation from sudden jumps, to smooth. Of course this can be used as a modulation destination. I am just hoping they are quality wavetables! This feature alone offers a LOT more power than the old X-Station.

 

- Modulation matrix. 2 Control sources for each of the 20 slots. X-Station was pretty limited with it's modulation options.

 

- Two filters. These filters are a lot more powerful than that on the KS based synths. I was reading on another forum some dickhead complaining that the Ultranova had no notch filter. Ummm... it's got two filters and various filter routing options. Among other filter modes, it supports high pass and low pass (with various combos of 12, 18 and 24dB slopes). Assign a low pass to one filter. Assign a high pass to another filter. Set the routing to parallel (so both filters receive the exact same unfiltered signal). The filter frequencies can be linked so that the position of filter 2 is in relation to the position of filter 1. Bingo. You now have a notch filter. How can people complain about something when they clearly have no idea what they are talking about???

 

- It has a software editor. Who knows what this will be like. The interface at least looks good. In anycase, it's there, and again, this really separates this from the x-station which only had a template editor for setting up as a midi controller. I am curious if this implementation will be similar in concept to the Virus Control software. We'll have to wait and see.

 

- I really like the feel of Novation keyboards. I am making an assumption, but I imagine the Ultranova will have a similar, if not the same action as the X-Station. For me, and everyone is different, I find it has just the right amount of resistance, and the after touch works well.

 

- Like the X-Station, it can be bus powered from USB. Something that I notice which is different though is that this actually comes with an AC adapter. So you don't have to pay extra for a power supply if you want to use it un-attached to a computer. I heard someone complain that they hate these synths that you can only use if they are plugged into a computer. FYI you don't have to plug it into your damn computer.

 

- In terms of price point, this is still pretty good. I already have an X-Station which I paid about $2000 for in 2004 or whenever it was that it first came out. It was expensive, but that was the going price for them here. I didn't ever feel ripped off. At that time, nothing else offered the same versatility. Now, I can get a Ultranova, for about $1100. If I thought it did not offer much more than my X-Station, then I would not but one. But read the manual. Look at what it offers. It's a pretty good synth. It's just a real shame that it is only 1 part. Even if it had 2 parts, that would be much better. But I am willing to accept that it has one part. That one part is pretty damn powerful, and perfect for an all in one mobile solution. In the studio, the audio can be routed internally to your DAW anyway for recording. Then you can do the next oart, not ideal, but it's an option. Plus, the extra 2 independent audio outs will be very handy to me.

 

I know this is a long rant, and it's my first post, but I wanted to offer something positive about this synth. When you read about it's possibilities, you can see that it really is streets ahead of the X-Station. It's not the same, of course it's based on the Supernova architecture, not the KS. So really, it seems to me like it's not much like the X-Station at all!

 

I'll report back when I finally get one. I just wish they would hurry up and release the damn thing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
Gribs Newbie

Gribs

Posted
  • Members
Posted

I am still on the fence about this one. The synth engine looks pretty cool for the price, the audio interface and processing capabilities are nice, and if the software editor works as advertised it will be very useful, but I am just looking for something a little more. This would be a figurative "looking" though as I am not really looking for something new.

 

If the synth were multi-timbral with any respectable number of voices then the price would double or triple.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
acidduck Newbie

acidduck

Posted
  • Members
Posted

In terms of selling this synth, although I'd love to see multi-timbrality, I think Novation may have done the right thing. If it's price were twice as high to have extra parts (I agree with Gribs... adding multitimbrality would probably double or even triple the price), then I would not buy it.

 

According to my local goodies shop, it should be out by the end of this month... I'm in Sydney, so maybe some of you guys will see it even sooner (damn you! Damn you all! ;))

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Members
zoink Newbie

zoink

Posted
  • Members
Posted

In terms of selling this synth, although I'd love to see multi-timbrality, I think Novation may have done the right thing. If it's price were twice as high to have extra parts (I agree with Gribs... adding multitimbrality would probably double or even triple the price), then I would not buy it.

 

 

 

I wish they had at least made it bi-timbral (like the Korg R3 in split mode), which probably wouldn't have raised the cost of production that much.

 

Granted, with three octaves of keys you're not going to have much range to play bass and lead (or bass and pads) simultaneously. The main reason that I would want multitimbrality would be to make more complex layered sounds. But with three oscillators per voice I suppose there's already plenty of room for complexity in its sound. At least they gave it 18 voices, which is enough to work with.

 

I like the looks of it, though -- visibly and specifications-wise -- and will probably get one. It looks like it would travel well with my MacBook Pro.

 

I'm glad they dropped the X-Y joystick thingy, which was prone to mechanical failure, and went back to dual mod wheels.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...