ASMHydrasynth Keyboard

I am a bit of a synthesizer collector. I have over a dozen ranging from Yamaha DX7's, Roland JX-8P, D-50's, Yamaha EX5's, all the way to modern synths like Prophet Rev2, Korg Prologue, Korg Kronos, etc.Out of all of them, the Hydrasynth brings something to the table that is unique, and makes it a superior instrument in many ways. The polyphonic aftertouch. You don't use it like normal aftertouch, where you might use it to add vibrato or change a filter. You use it more like you would an MPE midi keyboard, where you play melodies just by varying the pressure of your individual fingers as you hold a chord.You can press a chord with both hands, not let go, and just by lightly increasing the pressure of your individual fingers, play a melody over the chord, without ever lifting a finger. It's like having 4 hands. The level of expression you can play, will make every performance, every solo, every note you play feel like it has the freedom of singing, or the nuance of a good saxophone solo. It makes a synthesizer less like a piano, and more like a guitar or a woodwind, where you can put so much expression into your playing that it almost speaks.Since I got the hydrasynth my other keyboards sit un-used. I wish it had a larger keyboard available, but it's otherwise nearly perfect.The build quality is all metal, solid as a rock. The user interface took some getting used to but now I'm fast and confident changing parameters in real time.The touch strip is another great touch for expression, You can use it like a pitch wheel, or like a theramin. IE you can use it to drone a note that changes pitch as you move your finger, even with no keys pressed.Sound wise, you would never know this is a digital synth. It sounds more analog than my Prologue. And unlike many of the analog and virtual analog synths out there, it's not trying to replicate vintage instruments (although its' good at that as well), it's actually surpassing them and showing what subtractive and additive synthesis might sound like if we stop living in the past, and try to make a future.

Really quite good!!! Wasn't sure what I would get, but initial response is quite good.

This thing is rad. I’m sitting here next to a Virus TI, Moog One, and a ton of plugins so suffice it to say, I think my opinion is at least moderately well informed.What’s really amazing about this synth as mentioned in another review is the aftertouch. It’s almost as if the that is the really unique part about this instrument. The sounds it comes with are OK, but the playability and modulation capabilities are phenomenal.It’s definitely a nerdy synth. Something that you will need to be ok diving through menus to get where you want to be, but it’s all there and more. Like I said the options are pretty stunning.For the price it’s an absolute no brainer.

Keyboard was pretty beat up inside the package. Caps of knobs were missing and some of the keys creak like they need WD40.Aside from the cosmetics.. most versatile keyboard I’ve ever owned. Sounds great and has an awesome keybed

Amazing synth after upgrading to the latest Ultimate Patches - a MIND-BLOWING synth and VERY flexible features (5 envs / 5 lfos etc). WOW!

I'm a big Korg fan but this keyboard goes above and beyond. The sounds are strong, deep, unique. The after touch feature adds so much more expression.

Too rad for words, beyond impressed.