Born from a collaboration with Aphex Twin, this limited-edition synth reimagines the Bass Station II with striking purple accents, the iconic 'A' logo, and firmware that unlocks wild new creative depths right out of the box.
At its core, it's a pure analog powerhouse with two VCOs, a versatile multimode filter offering lowpass, highpass, bandpass at 12dB or 24dB/oct slopes, dual envelopes for amp and filter, and two LFOs with triangle, saw, square, and sample & hold waveforms. AFX Mode is the game-changer—each of the 25 springy, aftertouch-enabled keys triggers a unique patch variation via up to eight editable overlays, turning it into an instant analog drum machine, sound design beast, or bass/lead monster when paired with its arpeggiator and step sequencer. Paraphonic duophony lets the oscillators play separate pitches for chord-like textures via ring mod and filter mod, while extras like oscillator glide diverge, fixed-duration envelopes, microtuning per key, and sub oscillator tuning add thickness to everything from gritty leads to evolving pads. Hands-on knobs cover everything essential, with pitch/mod wheels, mono aftertouch, audio in/out, headphones, MIDI DIN/USB, and sustain pedal jack—all in a compact 63 x 457 x 269 mm frame that's studio-ready and tour-tough.
Players love how the 128 artist patches from Aphex Twin collaborators like Richard Devine and Noyze Lab spark immediate inspiration, and the Components software makes overlay editing a breeze. Common nods go to its endless tweakability and Novation's firmware commitment, though some wish for polyphonic velocity. It's a collector's gem that feels like the future of monosynths today.
