Bass Station IIIn celebration of their 21st birthday, Novation have announced the successor to their well-known Bass Station synthesizer, the Bass Station II.
The Bass Station II is an all-new 25-key monosynth design with a pure analogue signal path, reviving the spirit of the original Bass Station, released in 1993.
The new synth features three analogue oscillators (including a sub oscillator), a noise generator, a step sequencer, arpeggiator, two LFOs and two different filter styles - Classic, which is the same as the original Bass Station and the new Acid filter, which is designed to give a squelchy 303 sound.
Two of the oscillators are independently controlled and can be set to output sine, sawtooth, triangle, square and variable pulse width waveforms. The third oscillator, the sub, can be set one or two octaves below oscillator one, and can output sine, square or narrow pulse width waveforms for rich analogue bass tones.
Bass Station II has two effects: The Distortion effect can add, Novation claim, "gentle warmth, filthy granularity and anything in between". The second effect is Osc Filter Mod which uses Oscillator Two to modulate the filter frequency, creating an "FM-type" sound. We look forward to hearing these sound manipulation tools at Musikmesse this week and will bring you further coverage and a review as soon as we can.
Helpfully, the Bass Station II allows the user to edit patches easily with its traditional analogue synth control panel, and features keyboard aftertouch for more expressive performance options. In addition, the synth ships with 64 factory preset sound and space for 64 user patches, and if you run out of slots, you can use the 'Patch dump' features to archive and move sounds around.
While the Bass Station moniker may suggest the synth is predominantly intended for low-frequency duties, Novation claim it is versatile enough to create "sharp leads and crisp arpeggios".
The Bass Station II will be available in June and will retail for 399.99 including VAT / $499.99 / €469.99
A video from novation called "21 Years of Innovation" and more Bass Station II information follows:
Key Features
Analogue synth: brand new version of the classic BassStation. Bass Station II has a pure analogue audio signal path, reviving the spirit of the original BassStation with an all-new design optimised for bass
Two distinct analogue filters: In addition to the original ‘Classic’ BassStation filter, there’s a brand new ‘Acid’ diode ladder filter for squelchy 303-esque bass sounds
Load and save patches: 64 factory patches on-board with room for 64 more of your own. Save more to your computer via USB
Pattern-based Step Sequencer and Arpeggiator: Bass Station II has an arpeggiator with a programmable step sequencer that enables you to store and call up patterns as well as quickly sketch out ideas
Instant hands-on control: Instant hands-on control of the sound engine via a traditional analogue synth control panel
Two Oscillators plus an additional Sub Oscillator: Bass Station II has two sync-able, tune-able oscillators with four selectable waveforms, plus a third sub-oscillator for generating enormous bass sounds
Analogue effects section: Bass Station II includes fully analogue distortion and filter-modulation effects and a separate filter overdrive to add aggression and crunch
Powerful modulation section featuring two Envelopes and two LFOs: Two ADSR envelopes for amp, filter, pitch and pulse width modulation alongside two LFOs with waveforms including triangle, sawtooth, square and sample & hold
Bass Station II
Twenty years ago, Novation released the groundbreaking BassStation: a compact, analogue synth designed for fat bass sounds and bubbly leads. The original BassStation became a classic; now we present the new Bass Station II: an analogue monophonic synth but with a total re-design that brings it firmly into the 21st century, bigger and bolder than ever. It’s more than a bass synth; it’s versatile enough to kick out sharp leads and crisp arpeggios.
Bass Station II’s signal path is all analogue, including the effects section. It is based on three analogue oscillators (two independent oscillators plus a sub for rich bass sounds) and a noise generator; two discrete filters, Classic and Acid, with built-in overdrive; Distortion and Osc Filter Mod effects; two ADSR envelopes, two LFOs, and an Arpeggiator and programmable Step Sequencer. And that’s just scratching the surface of the synth engine. Bass Station II’s traditional control layout breaks everything into modules with dedicated pots, switches and sliders. Unlike a traditional analogue synth, there’s plenty of storage for your own sounds – there are 64 factory presets plus 64 more slots for your own sounds in the hardware – and you can store more on your computer.
About Bass Station II’s Design
The original BassStation was released in 1993, but its heritage goes back a lot further: to the 1970s, thought of by many as the golden era of synthesis. Synth designer Chris Huggett has remained a constant design force for Novation over the years. Huggett has decades of experience in hardware synth design, having pioneered the development of digitally controlled analogue synths including the OSCar. He also designed such classics as the Wasp, released by Electronic Dream Plant in 1978 – and there is a direct line of descent from the Wasp filter to the awesome ‘Classic’ filter in Bass Station II.
