New Novation Bass Station?

[Kenneth]

I played with one today. Pretty cool little synth. It's a lot more feature-laden than the MiniBrute, but I think it sounds less unique than the Brute does. t's kind of a bread and butter mono, kind of the way I feel about the Phatty. Lots of features, not really any distinguishing ones. Overall sound is certainly deserving of the "BassStation" title though. The arpeggiator is really useful, really open ended and tweakable. It's got a nice keyboard too. Used it to control a Moog Minitaur for a while as well and that went over quite smoothly. All the knobs on the BassStation synced up with the parameters on the Minitaur seamlessly and control felt tight overall. I like it.

[blavatsky]

while I REALLY like my minibrute, i'm very tempted by the BS 2. I don't really have money/space for both and since they are both similar monos in many ways, i'm tempted to sell the brute for the BS because of the extra features - mostly patch storage/ 2nd osc / better arp/sequencer. At the same time I'm a little hesitant because from comments and demos, the BS 2 does seem a little more "safe" sounding that the minibrute, partially maybe due to DCO vs. VCO.

Also Guitar Center is doing one of their 15% off promotions, so brand new it would be like ~$425....

Decisions, decisions

[meatballfulton]

Some US online dealers like Sweetwater are showing the BS2 in stock now.

Sept 2013 issue of SoundOnSound has a review.

[Blue Monster 65]

If you're close enough to Sweetwater, they have one in the keyboard demo area.

[Kenneth]

At the same time I'm a little hesitant because from comments and demos, the BS 2 does seem a little more "safe" sounding that the minibrute, partially maybe due to DCO vs. VCO.

I'm almost certain that the BS2 uses VCOs, not VCOs. I know the original used DCOs, but I remember being surprised when I found out the new model was using VCOs instead. I could be wrong but I'm almost sure. That being said, the difference in sound between the Brute and the BS is huge. It's true that the Brute has more character than the BS, and I think it should not be a fact that went unnoticed. The Minibrute has a lot of really cool functionality that cannot be found in other synths in its price range, and it has an amazingly unique filter. The Bass Station II, while being very useful, is something that I would refer to as "milktoast". I also think it's important to note that the Minibrute is built with much higher standards than the Bass Station. BS2 is made out of plastic from head to foot, and the Brute out of metal. Quality counts in the long run!

[Blue Monster 65]

Anybody else besides me and Rob Lee get one of these yet?

I'm diggin' mine, but I've spent more time with other new toys than it. Still, it's laid out well, feels good and sounds great. Hope to dig more into the arp/sequencer tomorrow.

[Aaron2]

Anybody else besides me and Rob Lee get one of these yet?

I have one, too, which I received a couple of weeks ago.

Comparisons to the Minibrute are understandable, given that they're both analog, both have a two-octave keyboard, and both have a street price of $499. But that's probably where the comparison ends, in a lot of ways. IMO, the BS 2 is miles ahead of the MB in terms of features. I like the BS 2's keyboard a lot (it feels better than the MB). It's way better than the original Bass Station, which is super, super cheap feeling. Sonically, it's different than the MB, that's for sure. And it could be the VCO/DCO distinction as some have suggested; I'm not sure.

But if I had to choose one over the other, I'd choose the BS 2 because of the additional features. The arpeggiator is superior to that of the MB, you can store tons of patches (you can't store any on the MB), it has a sequencer (which the MB doesn't have at all). Oh, and it has two oscillators plus a sub, unlike the MB, which features a single oscillator and a sub.

In the MB's column, however, it does have CV/Gate in and out, which makes it possible to use it with older analog gear. That's one feature that the BS 2 had to sacrifice to come to market as a sub-$500 synth. The MB is also heavier and feels much more solidly built, with its metal body and rubberized side panels. The BS 2 feels light and a bit too plastic-y like the original Bass Station.

Still, if I could only own one or the other, I'd choose the BS 2. It's just a more versatile machine all around. To me, if you feel the need to compare the MB to something, then compare it to the Roland SH-101, not the BS 2. It's got a similar feature set and that "old school" feel to it. Either way, the BS 2 is a somewhat tamer, and definitely more refined, beast than the MB. But it's still a beast!

[Stab Frenzy]

While there's no definitive information on whether the BS 2 is DCO or VCO I'm 99% sure it's DCO. Apart from the size, cost and feature set all indicating DCOs, its sound has more of the qualities associated with DCO synths. I find it funny when people argue that something they like must have VCOs because they're less digital so therefore must be better. It sounds like what it sounds like, regardless of what's going on inside. If you thought it was a VCO synth it's not going to suddenly sound worse when you discover it's actually DCOs.

[Alphacode]

Got mine 4 days ago and it is a beautifull synth, nothing like the cheap BS1 . The plastic is a sturdy hard plastic and knobs are the best on any synth on the market , like on a Moog Sub fatty/voyager, very sturdy and have the resistance when turning them . Overall very well built synth.

The sound is amasing and you can overrive it a lot if you wish.

Now listen to that - No stepping whats so ever when turning the Oscillators Scale knob ( -1 to +1 octave, so a 3 octave range) absolutely smooth like on a vintage mono with no patch memory, same for the filter - WELL DONE Novation !

Tons of sonic possibilities.

As for comparing I stayed 4 hours in my local shop to tests all sorts of synths and apologies and choos one , if i will offend anyone here apologies but:

- Minibrute : cheap knobs , only distorted sound even with mixer half way and little reso, extreme clicking on the sub sine wave , Enveloppes unpredictable , Definitely not a 499€ worth toy, would get one for 300 tops.

- MS20 mini : huge dissapointment , noisy as h**l, extremely cheap build again, small keyboard (seriously ?) would rather pay 1000 for a proper full size reissue.

- Mopho : Not impressed again ,way to expensive and plastic sound , lots of stepping on the oscs and filter , and EVERY Dave Smith synth sounds exactely like the others (had the evolver and played the P12 and Mopho x4)

I think Novation is coming back BIG time and we will certainly here more of great stuff from them !

Thanks

[blavatsky]

I know they are different, but i'd love to hear a minibrute vs. BS 2 test from someone.....I like my brute but some of the features of the BS 2 have me really tempted.....at the same time, the brute factor on the MB combined with the wave mixing yields some very good results, but i can't have both; tough time to be poor and already have too many synths

[Purveyor]

I agree with what several others have stated. The sequencer is fabulous, the synth sounds incredible and it is super easy to navigate. The patch storage made it a no brainer to pull the trigger on purchasing—glad I did. Mine will receive only studio use, so the plastic case is not at all an issue--appears very sturdy.

Was also a good time spending hours feeding stuff through the audio input. Especially enjoyed sending the mircrosampler and micropreset through the Bass Station's filter.

[Alphacode]

Forgot to add one more synth i tested alongside Bassstation:

- Moog Sub Fatty : great Built quality , Nice sound overall , knobs work great (no much resistance though) sweet Moog sound but VERY expensive for what it is (in features - less then the Bassstation really) So i think i'll get a second hand Minotaur, looks interesting and sounds nice too... And that's all i would be able to afford