Rackears IconRackears.io
Novation Ultranova - Image 1

Novation Ultranova

KeyboardDigitalPolyphonic

Back in 2010, this synth packed the legendary Supernova II engine into a compact, gig-ready package that made wavetable synthesis and touch-controlled madness accessible to everyone from bedroom producers to stage performers.

At its heart, three powerful oscillators deliver classic analog waveforms like sine, triangle, saw, and pulse, plus 20 digital waves and 36 wavetables for everything from gritty basses to shimmering pads—up to 18-voice polyphony keeps it lush. Dual filters per patch from 14 types (low-pass 6-24dB, high-pass, bandpass) pair with a deep mod matrix featuring 20 slots, 6 envelopes, 3 LFOs, aftertouch, and velocity for endless sound design. Hands-on control shines with 37 full-size keys, 8 touch-sensitive encoders that trigger envelopes or FX on touch, a huge smooth master encoder, and a 12-band vocoder complete with gooseneck mic. Five simultaneous effects—distortion, chorus/phaser, delay, reverb, EQ, compression, Gator—plus density for supersaw-style thickening and hardness to dial in harmonics make patches huge and versatile; it even includes a 2-in/4-out USB interface.

Players love its intuitive live tweaking and vocal effects, though some note the single-part design limits multilayered work compared to bigger siblings—still, with 256 RAM and 128 ROM patches, it's a creative powerhouse that holds up beautifully today.

Released

2011

Status

Discontinued

Synthesizer
Format
Keyboard
Type
Virtual Analog, Wavetable
Internal Battery
No
Voice
A/D
Digital
Polyphony
Polyphonic
Oscillators
3
Oscillator Type
-
Voices
18
Filter
Yes
Envelopes
6
LFO
3
Effects
Distortion, Compressor, Chorus/Phase, Delay, Reverb, Gator, EQ
Expression
Aftertouch
-
Velocity
Yes
MPE
No
Additional
-
Software
-
I/O
Audio In
2x 1/4" TS, 1x XLR (mic)
Audio Out
4x 1/4" TS, 1x S/PDIF
Headphone
1x 1/4" TRS
MIDI
In, Out, Thru
MIDI Type
DIN (5-pin), USB
Ports
USB, S/PDIF, Expression Pedal, Sustain Pedal
Wi-Fi
No
Workflow
Arpeggiator
Yes
Sequencer
-
Mod Matrix
Yes
Memory
256 patches RAM, 128 Patches ROM
Measurements
Dimensions
374 x 725 x 152 mm
Weight
-
Last updated Mar 17, 2026