Novation Bass Station Rack

Back in 1995, this rackmount beast helped kick off the analog synth revival, delivering that raw, hands-on bass punch when digital was dominating—perfect for nailing TB-303 squelches or Moog-style growl in a compact 1U form.

Two DCOs crank out saw, square, and pulse waves—Osc 1 spans C-2 to C-7 with master tune, while Osc 2 hits lower ranges down to C-10, octave options from 16' to 2', and detune for thick unison vibes; mix them, sync, and modulate pulse width via LFO or envelope. A punchy low-pass filter offers 5Hz-10kHz cutoff, resonance up to self-oscillation, variable envelope mod depth, and switchable 12/24dB slopes for everything from subtle warmth to screaming leads. One ADSR shapes the filter, another the amp, with velocity sensitivity, glide, and LFO throwing triangle, saw, or random waves at cutoff or PWM; MIDI/CV converter handles 1V/Oct, Hz/V, or S-trig for vintage rig integration, plus 40 presets and 60 user slots. At just 483x100x44mm and 1.5kg with brushed steel build and rubber feet for desktop use, it's a shallow-depth gem with 18 knobs, 14 buttons, switches, and segment display for total tweakability.

Players love its authentic analog bite and MIDI-to-CV magic for hybrid setups—used by Orbital, Massive Attack, and Underworld—though some note the mono limit keeps it firmly in bass/lead territory, no polysynth rival.