When we last saw the Bass Station II, Novation’s affordable analog monosynth celebrating the company’s 21st birthday, Novation still had a prototype. Some stuff on that instrument simply didn’t work – or didn’t sound the way we might expect. But there was still reason to anticipate learning more. Novation had something at the $500 street price in America, (529 € is the official price now for Europe), sporting dual filters, two oscillators with a sub oscillator (the “bass” bit), analog effects, patch save, and sequencing and arpeggiation. Even in an increasingly-crowded monosynth landscape, that’s something to note – and here, with the distinctive Bass Station personality, which, love it or hate it, doesn’t sound like anything else.
Now, Novation is shipping. The price is holding steady. And we look forward to finding out in person what the synth is like.
In the meantime, it seems Novation quietly posted sounds for us earlier this summer – missed that. Unlike our hands-on at Musikmesse, this is pre-production rather than prototype, meaning you can better trust your ears. Have a listen, and see what you think:
At top: our hands-on from Messe.
Previously:
BassStation II, Hands-on: First Direct Sound Samples from Novation’s Analog Synth [Musikmesse]
Novation Bass Station II: All-Analog Sequel to a Classic Instrument, $499 Street [Video, Pics]