Supernova: good or garbage? - Synths & synthesis forums

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Subject: Supernova: good or garbage?

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Original Message 1/27 30-Nov-98 @ 03:36 AM - Supernova: good or garbage?

Joe mama

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What is the deal I been hearing there are a lot of problems with the box..Users please fill me in before i spent my blood money.

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Message 2/27 30-Nov-98 @ 10:20 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Harry

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I've had very few problems with my Supernova since I bought it and in my opinion it is a very solid product. Sure, there is the odd minor quirk here and there, but nothing serious that stops you being creative and I believe most, if not all of the problems/shortfalls are being addressed with the imminent OS3 software update. That's one of the cool things about it - it is *software* upgradeable.

If you want a synth with bugs, try the Yamaha EX5...nice synth, but has a truckload of problems and the OS is stored in EPROM, which means to get updates you have to open it up and install the new chips. However, it will be cool when Yamaha eventually get their act together...

Sorry, I digress. I can honestly say, hand-on-heart, if you're thinking of buying a Supernova then go ahead - you won't be disappointed. It's like having eight polyphonic analog synths, each with their own independent effects and arpeggiator all in the one box....and it's the most tweakable synth I've ever owned. In fact, it's so tempting to edit, it's difficult to switch it on and not create a new sound! ...but perhaps most important of all, it has a wonderful rich, full sound.

Er...as you may have noticed, I rather like it!

Harry

P.S. ...and what other synth out there has such a cool name?!

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Message 3/27 30-Nov-98 @ 10:52 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Phill

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On Friday we attended the FUTURE Music READERS AWARDS presentation. The first category was Best Synth ( And remember the award is nominated and voted for by the readers, not a single reviewers opinion.)

The Supernova was nominated and won BEST Synth by the UK readers.

I think that says something about the SUPERNOVA.

Phill@Novation

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Message 4/27 30-Nov-98 @ 11:36 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Kewa

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Why doesn't that surprise me at all ????

It's the best synth of this century.

waiting for OS3 !!!!!

Cheers,
Steve

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Message 5/27 30-Nov-98 @ 05:25 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

SvanteM

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I really love this synth! My advice is buy it! You wont regret it.

And about the problems i had before... Maybe Phill was right, I havent heard that noise again.

//SwampMan

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Message 6/27 01-Dec-98 @ 05:17 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Joe Dady

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All this hype about Future Music...I lost my faith in that magazine when they gave the quasimidi raveolution an award! I mean come on...Talk about Garbage for the masses! And as far as new synth's having cool names...huh...Almost every synth has a cool name except the ones from Yamaha!
I can't wait to get my hands on a supernova so that I can test out it's strength and durability by slamming it against my studio wall when one of those cheesy little knobs fails to respond to my caress...We'll see...If we ever do because it sure does take novations u.s. dist. a hell of a long time to get these stinky boxes in our stores!...Really. I can't wait.

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Message 7/27 01-Dec-98 @ 10:57 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Harry

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> Almost every synth has a cool name except the ones from Yamaha!

What, you mean like the Roland JP-8080...or maybe the Korg Z1? :-)

The Supernova was VOTED the BEST SYNTH by the READERS of Future Music, not decided by the mag itself. Besides, Sound-on-Sound (which IMHO is the definitive synth mag to read) also gave the Supernova a blinding review.

I've also yet to hear an owner of this awesome synth to say a bad word about it. 'nuff said.

Harry

P.S. Congratulations to all at Novation on winning the best synth award - you well and truly deserve it.

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Message 8/27 02-Dec-98 @ 01:26 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

big bad mama thornton

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Stay out of that cyberporn and read these fickin help pages if you want to hear owners of the supernova complain about it!You shriveled up nutsack..Listen here Mr. Palm The JP8080 is a decendant of the "Jupiter" family!Novation all they are are a bunch of biting queers!Roland started this star,planet,universe thing a long time ago...So get a clue Mr. Balls..or is that Mr. Palm...?

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Message 9/27 02-Dec-98 @ 01:27 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Paul

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Personally, I lost my faith in Future Music when they started using women on the cover but perhaps I'm in a minority here.

I notice once again the the Quasimidi 309 is taking a slagging

>I lost my faith in that magazine when they gave the quasimidi raveolution an award<

Well I've already caught out two people on the net who were slagging this. Their comments clearly showed that they had never used one.

I can understand why the pages on a Novation site may not be over keen to promote the 309 and that many of the people looking at this page may have choosen between the 309/BS/DS. I have a Bassstation and DrumStation too so I feel I can be somewhat impartial.

If your going to critise something why not say why. What don't you like ? The sounds, the sequencer, the fact that you can stick it on your lap with head phones and write a whole track !!.

It's synth sounds don't compete with the TB303 (but then nor does the BS) but if you can't get great synth sounds out of it then I suggest you stick to a machine with lots of presets as, clearly, you don't know what your doing.

The drum sounds are great. They may need some additional external processing (but then so does the DS).

What is really useful on this machine is the drum grid programming. If the DS had come with a decent sequencer I would not have bought a 309. I use the drum sequencer along with Re-Cycle and it's great.

One final useful feature is the ability to stick an external source through it's filters. This just acts like any other effects unit in my set up and works particularly well with the BS for some reason.

If I lost my BS DS and 309 tomorrow which would I replace ? Well hopefully all of them but which one first ?. I'll leave that to you.

Basically if you can't be constructive why bother at all.

Paul

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Message 10/27 02-Dec-98 @ 06:06 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Phill

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Yo Jo Dady...

Please advise where you are in the US and I will tell you where the nearest US Dealer is...

We have dramatically improved distribution in the US since we started Novation USA. The US is a big place though and all territories are not fully covered on it yet, but we are making progress.

Contact Novation USA direct on Free Phone 1 888 782 3166.

Phill@Novation

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Message 11/27 04-Dec-98 @ 10:53 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

ssante

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Simply put, the SN is one of the finest synths I have ever owned. I couldn't imagine being without this tool now. I am using it frequently on my new project which is currently in progress. The sound is warm, rich, and rounded. The SN is well suited for a wide variety of genre's.

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Message 12/27 05-Dec-98 @ 05:49 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Fuck you

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You sound like an add for Novation you queer! Get yourself a set of balls and speak from the heart- Not from your vagina!

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Message 13/27 05-Dec-98 @ 11:07 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Mickey

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Sorry to disturb you, but do you think, this is
an appropriate tone for a public forum ?

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Message 14/27 05-Dec-98 @ 09:37 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Phill

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He probably works for some competition or is just sad...

Phill@Novation

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Message 15/27 07-Dec-98 @ 09:56 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

logiclo

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hello
I had the plesure to have the first supernova in israel.It's realy a BIG!!! machine.
I still have some problems (with a new one),but i'm shure he's gonamake it.

p.s
howe come i have the o/s version 1 ???

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Message 16/27 10-Dec-98 @ 03:42 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

li81pa

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i have got the BS and the DS, which are good synths at a bargain price. But I was a bit disapointed by the Supernova, waiting for something very new and original. It IS a very good gear, but i think there is no real comparison with gears like the ATC1 of Studio Electronics or a Minimoog, and others... I can't explain why, but the ATC1 will astonish me every day, whereas the JP8000 or even the Supernova propose things we already know, we have already heard.
The gears that are now inovating are the FSR1 of Yamaha, or the NordModular. Moreover, i never buy synths with 8 parts, because i use one synth for one sound at time. Maybe a light version of the Supernova could seduce me?

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Message 17/27 14-Dec-98 @ 12:28 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

nick_rice

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Well, To put it bluntly, BUY A SUPERNOVA - it's a huge investment, but well worth it - It certainly made my walorf pulse redundant!

With regards to the buggy OS, I'm sure OS3 will sort everything right out!

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Message 18/27 16-Dec-98 @ 05:54 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

p_lewis

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Yo Phil,
any dealers in Canada yet? and i hope they don't sell with OS1!!

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Message 19/27 16-Dec-98 @ 06:00 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

p_lewis

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to 'logiclo':
exactly my fear: when we finally get some product in Canada, that it has more freight stickers on it than Aunt Zelda's big ass and has been travelling since OS circa 1901.

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Message 20/27 24-Dec-98 @ 07:51 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

pelle

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No PWM and No oscillators sync !!!!!!
A must for a Analogue Sound Modelling.
what gives novation??

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Message 21/27 29-Dec-98 @ 09:16 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

thesignus

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Supernova is, without doubt, the great analog modelling synth with a lot of features and power.

But, there is one question: how will Supernova fight against the Korg Z1, especially with the greatly reduced price of Z1 which is about 2400 DEM with tax (approx. 850 GBP or less) while Supernova price is about 3600 DEM with tax (1300 GBP)?!? It is true that Supernova has 16 voices, 8 multitimbral parts, 8 effect processors, 8 outputs and flash ROM but it is �only� analog modelling synth while Z1 is (and will be) then best physical (not only analog) modelling synth of this time.

Yes, yes - Z1 has 12 voices, 6 multitimbral parts, less powerfull effect processor and not such a cool name like Supernova but these are not essentials. Voices of Z1 are much, much, ..., much more powerfull and expressive with their 13 oscillator types (including both synthesis and imitative models such as standard analog, comb filter, oscillator sync, cross modulation, ring modulation, resonant oscillator, variable phase modulation, plucked string model, bowing string model, reed model, brass model, drawbar - organ model, electric piano model, etc.), up to 2 different oscillators + sub oscillator + noise (with own filter), excellent modulation possibilities with 50 (or so) sources and destinations, 2 wave shapers, 4 LFOs, 6 EGs, 2 mixer paths, 2 filters with 5 types each and 3 combinations - all this per voice and with hundreds of parameters. Additional 6-voice board is available, too - even with this board installed Z1 is cheaper than Supernova. About effects - maybe Z1 hasn�t 8 of them but there are more types and their quality is significantly better then on Supernova. And it has excellent keyboard (velocity + aftertouch) with realtime controllers and big display which is worth to mention. The arpeggiator of Z1 is multitimbral and polyphonic, too.

I wondered why Supernova has 8 effect processors and 8 outputs. Wouldn�t it be better to make two outputs and sold additional 6 output board separately? Or transfer the power of effect processors to more synthesis techniques? And what about 300 or more arpeggiator patterns? I don�t see much use of them, except for fun. Memory on Z1 can be expanded with relatively cheap PCMCIA cards which give us hundreds of patterns and sounds. And ADAT optical digital interface can be installed, too.

Don�t get me wrong - I like Supernova very much and don�t want to promote Korg. If the price will be about 2000 DEM (700 GBP) then I�ll surely buy one (together with the Z1) but with this price I bought only the Z1.

This is not a question whether some synth can emulate everything and everyone - the question is: �Does this synth have a soul?� And bot Supernova and Z1 have one (big one), but the soul of Supernova is slightly expensive. That�s my oppinion, don�t laugh too much.

Hrast

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Message 22/27 29-Dec-98 @ 07:30 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

puff daddy

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Stop writing such long forum letters, they are boring to read

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Message 23/27 30-Dec-98 @ 03:30 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

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Boring?..Don't read

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Message 24/27 05-Jan-99 @ 06:35 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

peterkadar

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I porbably will get a Z1, but not because it's better than the snv, but because it's available in Canada. I really hope the snv will become available here soon, because, I would love to get one regardless of the Z1. I think that the 8 outputs is amazing, and overall the design seems almost flawless. Congrats on all your hard work, and the positive response from the press, I look forward to actually being able to try one out sometime.
P.S. The Z1 and FS1R are very innovative instruments as well, but are also different from the snv. We live in a good time for gear.

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Message 25/27 11-Jan-99 @ 11:53 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Phill

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Interesting statements...

Is it garbage?

It just won "Best Synth" in Future Music's Readers poll.

Is it better than the Z1? Not at solo violins admittedly...but for Analogue synth emulation in my opinion definatley.

Try listening to both...I am confident you WILL hear the difference.

I am sorry about the lack of availablity in Canada...we are dealing with this...

Cheers,
Phill@Novation

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Message 26/27 24-Jan-99 @ 10:27 PM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

peterkadar

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Phil,

I was just scanning through and found the above statement that you are looking into Canadian distribution. That makes me feel a little better. I look forward to playing this synth someday.

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Message 27/27 25-Jan-99 @ 10:25 AM - RE: Supernova: good or garbage?

Phill

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Contact Novation USA about distributionin Canada.

Phone Number is on the USA page of this site.

Phill@Novation

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