SuperNova

An excellent polyphonic super synth based on the classic Bass Station. Let's start with 16 voices of polyphony (20 with the new OS), add three VCO's using sound modeling to re-create those classic analog sounds with digital clarity and reliability. Amazingly this synth has seven effects per voice! That adds up to 56 effects all programmable and simultaneously available on all voices at all times!!! A macho filter section with hi, low, band pass filtering at 12, 18, 24 dB/oct ranges, resonant and self oscillating, with overdrive and key tracking. There are two extremely flexible LFO sections, two ring modulators, eight audio outputs, complete MIDI parameter control and it is cased in a cool blue 3-space rack unit.

Overall its sounds are awesome! It cleanly and nicely emulates and even transcends many classic synths like the Minimoog, Jupiter 8, Juno 106, and 2600! A 61-note professional keyboard version, seen below, doubles the polyphony to 32 voices and the memory to 1,024 patches.

There is an upgraded model, the SuperNova II which greatly increases the polyphony, sonic possibilities and offers many more new knobs and functions.

SuperNova II

It also comes in a keyboard version which combines elegance, beauty, hands on control and a great 61 note velocity and aftertouch sensitive keyboard.

Added features include new FM synthesis, ring-mod algorithms, two analog inputs and a 42-band vocoder effect. These are available in 24-, 36- or 48-voice models. The SuperNova is already in use by Orbital, ATB, The Faint, Sin, Jean-Michel Jarre and A Guy Called Gerald.

Robert I.

March 25, 2012 @ 10:56 pm

This is a sound designer's dream! *ANY* synth could sound "thin" if you don't know how to FULLY program that synth! The SN hold it's own with my Virus KB, Radias, Ion, & Waldorf MicroQ. A wise set-up will HAVE different beasts from different manufacturers' tweakable synths to produce DEEP layered sounds; naysayers-- learn basic synthesis as I did way back on like a MS20 AND realize "presets" are really ONLY gr8 starting points on ANY synth & learn art/science of mod routing--then if it's thin--well, aspire to learn FACT that gr8 sounds only limited by ability, not the machine--vintage OR new!

Robert

March 23, 2012 @ 5:26 pm

Picket up one today. Sounds AMAZING! Sounds like an Oberheim with the right programming, without even using chorus or the third oscillator.

helman68

February 27, 2012 @ 2:13 pm

Love your quote stairre, you are absolute right.
I sometimes run my supernovas throug some tubestages, too make them even more fat and juicy.
I will never part with mine sn`s, they are forever classics, like my old juno/jx synths. =)

stairre

January 4, 2012 @ 4:04 pm

This thing is a monster... Don't let anyone tell you different! I have an Access TI2 and a few other similar synths, and this thing can hang right with them! The presets in the Supernova are a bit outdated especially compared to the presets in the TI2... But if you're like me, the presets are just good starting points anyway. Killer effects and an AWESOME filter section (especially with the overdrive section).

P.S. One side note is that I took the voice expansion card from my regular Nova II XL and put it in my Supernova. Boo ya... 48 voices. (confirmed with novation first of course!)

garry

January 4, 2012 @ 6:11 am

does not have the powerful feel of a Roland jp8000 or a Yamaha an1x )
the Novation Supernova does sound sort of thin when you compare it with the jp or an1x
so I sold my Novation Supernova)

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