At first i wasn't expecting the smaller keys, but It's a good thing.
Quality machine, a steal for the price, it's fun to play on. Good job

This thing sounds better, and is more fun than I was expecting. Quite easy to get rolling with. This would've been a $ synthesizer 40 years ago.

I had been hearing about this new synth for a while and took a chance on it, and i am blown away by what it can do! The menu diving is easier than a lot of other things out there, and not too confusing. The feature to create brand new presets of your own, is the best feature of this item along with the amazing arpeggiator possibilities. Within minutes i used the random button and was making odd sounds like Shortwave radio tones R2-D2 type glitches, and scary sounding drones. It can actually sound quite analog. Cold icy pads and glassy sounds are great on the Hydrasynth.

Nearly 5 years we've had this synth. We'll never sell it unless we are no longer capable of music making. We'll spare you the detail put in by the other reviewers. This is a modern classic synth.

There simply isn't any other synth on the market at this price point that's this powerful. The underlying sound engine is incredible, and with so many ways to shape your sound from complex wavetables, to mutators, to a whole host of filter types and FX, you will never run out of sound design ideas. That said, despite the complexity of features, the Hydrasynth is also very intuitive to use and makes even advanced patch creation pain free and easy. Want to assign an envelope to a parameter? Great! Hold the envelope button and press the parameter...it's that easy, and very hands on with minimal menu diving. And on top of all that, even if you don't take advantage of the amazing patching capabilities, the built in presets are nothing to scoff at, with hundreds on board that feel varied and highly usable and musical, with plenty of extra room for custom ones. Finally, the build quality is super solid and feels durable with big tactile controls. I honestly can't find anything negative to say about this synth other than I should have bought it sooner. 10/10

The Hydrasynth Explorer is more than I hoped it to be. The built in patches are great and if you start looking under the hood the options and control is extraordinary. And the keyboard supports MPE control allowing for expressive playing in a natural way. By far this is one of my best purchases from Sweetwater and I cannot recommend it enough. My only con is that I wish the microtonal tunings could be set globally instead of on a per patch basis. It's the only truly slow part in my workflow since changing a patch defaults it to the patch tuning system requiring a bit of a menu dive. For the price and ability I can gladly live with this.

Nothing else comes close. If I had room for it, I'd be saving for the Keyboard version but the Explorer is fine for my situation. The Mod Matrix is vast and the Macros are SO handy. The features listed couldn't possibly express what this thing is capable of. I've seen where some say it sounds thin... WRONG! That only proves that they're preset junkies. I've tweaked a bunch of presets and they ALL come out sounding way good. If you learn it, you'll love it!

I am now such a huge fan of the ASM Hydrasynth Explorer that I have my sights on the Hydrasynth Deluxe, which would make my first and last synthesizer purchase the Hydrasynth. It is so amazing to work with this synthesizer, and so easy to create new and interesting sounds that will give you goosebumps. The Hydrasynth is a sound designers' dream come true. Best musical purchase ever. Plus, this synthesizer is going to be perfect for live performances.

The Hydrasynth is an amazing synth. Given that it is very reasonably priced, to me it is one of those "just do it" things. It is a stereo synth with 8 voices of polyphony also with poly aftertouch. It has 3 oscillators that can be configured very flexibly. The mod matrix makes it possible to modulate most parameters via the five LFO's and five envelopes.
Out of the box, you can play with an amazing set of 8 banks of 128 presets, and you will be off and running. The companion software that comes with it lets you save and restore your presets, as you modify them. You can cut and paste individual patches from a bank on your pc to the synth and vice versa. And you can backup and restore all patches.
The manual is excellent and is worth digging into and working through. It brings out many subtle features that are amazing. There are many options for the settings and the manual explains them well and gives nice examples. For example, with an LFO, say a sine wave (there are many other choices), you can quantize to 3 levels, or 5, or 17, etc. to get many interesting stepped modulation effects.
The synth has relatively few knobs and controls but the synth is quite deep. There are nice shortcuts, too. For example, hold LFO4 and then press ENV5 to send LFO4 to ENV5 and it will then automatically open the mod matrix so you can make further changes. Once you get into it and explore its depths, the synth is nice and fun to use. (It is also fun to use right out of the box.)
It is well built and the keys have a nice solid feel. I am using the 37 key model. The knobs are smooth and firm and the buttons firm: so it is pleasant to use. It appears to be designed for years of use.
Playing chords with poly after touch is amazing. Apply varying pressure on 6, 7, or 8 fingers as you play, and listen to the amazing sounds! With poly aftertouch on up to 8 keys, the DAW-recorded midi files can get large though. Each voice can also get its own LFO, up to 8.
I don't claim to understand everything here, but the synth is addictive and fun to play. There are lots more features and options, including FX and verbs, than what I have briefly mentioned.
It cost $ during keyboard month for the 37 key model, and that's a "smok'n deal".

The depth of this engine is out-of-control. It pretty much scratches every itch. Even if you're a die-hard analog enthusiast, you'll be surprised how closely this can get to analog-type sounds. I've had the Explorer for months and each time I play it I get wildly different results from it.

Just mind-blowing. Think seriously of getting one for yourself--you won't regret it.

One cavaet here is when it comes to synth hardware i'm pretty much a newbi. I had a DX7 and Juno-106 back in the 80's, but haven't messed with synths since...

I've been doing guitar-based music in Logic for about 5 years now. Used a drum machine for drums, played guitar parts, and use an octo-pedal for bass. Now I wanted to branch out with a synthesizer to try to up the ante on what i'm doing. I'm mostly in need of good Hammond B3, Piano, and 80's synth sounds. I have demo'd a few vst's but the UI was different on all and I really didn't want to invest time to learn a bunch of UI's. So, that led me to wanting a small synth. Btw, I do have a midi controller and was using logic software instruments, but i wasn't impressed and couldn't get the gain I needed to get them to stand out in the mix.

I was looking at the Jupiter XM but in the end was turned-off by the old UI and OS. Enter the Hydrasynth. Amazing sounds, pretty good feel for a small 37-key keyboard, love the O-scope, and tweaking stuff is super easy to understand and do and the sounds have hit the sweet-spot in my mixes. Highly recommend this synth if you want a lot of flexibility and are ok with hybrid analog - great sounds were my one must-have specification and the Hydrasynth was right on target for me.

I was also very impressed with the build quality on the unit. Buttons feel solid - great use of button and encoder lighting to guide the user, and the mini keys feel great and the seem to have enough surface area to not cramp my play.

One minor frustration that might be helpful to share... I downloaded the patch list document from ASM and when I received the synth, none of the documented patches matched what was stored in factory presets on the hydrasynth. It came loaded with the 2.0 firmware but still had the V1.5 patches. Easy fix though, downloaded the 2.0 patch banks from ASM, and using the ASM Patch Manager I was able to easily swap old for new. ASM also had a free bonus bank from SunGod RA (not a synth guy so I had no Idea who that was) but downloaded that to a user bank and for the most part it's not bad - a good number of usable patches... The patch manager is NOT a patch editor btw...

All in all i'm very happy with this purchase!

I bought this as a guitar player who wanted to get into keyboard. It has been my main keyboard for 2 years and I have played it relentlessly. I didn't know much about Synths before I got this, as I had only briefly owned and played a MicroKorg. I want to talk about the pros and cons of this Synth.
The biggest pro is that for the price point, this synth is the biggest bang for the buck out of any hardware synth. Nothing else can come close in terms of quality and flexibility at this price and size. I'd put money down that this synth can not only do more than any other synth at this price and size, but also that the keyboard and knobs feel better.
The layout is fairly intuitive and easy to understand. The ability to save macros is awesome if you want to generate a flexible patch that can be tuned on the fly.
Most cons of the synth are all a result of how flexible the synth is. This synth has little "guardrails", so to speak. For example, you can dial in a lead/bass much faster on a MiniMoog than you can on a init patch Hydra, because the MiniMoog is structured to excel in that category. The patch design work on the Hydra is inherently slower than most synths because the Hydra has much more going on.
That being said, once the Hydra patch is dialed and macros are set up properly, workflow is exetremely fast. You just have to put in the sound design work on the front end. The tradeoff the Hydrasynth makes is slower workflow for endless possibilities.
I personally love the Hydra because I enjoy the exploratory nature of it. I like knowing that I will never be restricted from achieving a sound because my syth simply can't do it.

Amazing capabilities. Endless modulation possibilities. The flowchart with buttons to access each parameter is brilliant.so useful and straightforward. My only regret is not buying the bigger one.
Thank you Sweetwater!

So I went to Sweetwater to try the Modal Electronics synthesizers. Love the sound, HATED the interface. Tried the Hydrosynth and found the interface and workflow to be much more enjoyable. Watched a ton of videos and reviews of the Hyrdosynth and returned to Sweetwater to decide if I wanted to get the Explorer or standard model. Surprisingly, despite my expectations, I found that I actually really liked the ribbon controller for the pitch bend and mod wheel, and the simpler interface of the Explorer model provides all the functions while being simpler to work with. Other than the fewer keys (I really would like a 61 mini key synth) and the lack of the ribbon key controller, I don't find anything on the missing on the Explorer that I need. And of course, the most important thing, it sounds freaking awesome and is FUN to play!

I'll admit I was skeptical of all the praise this synth was getting. The demos don't really do it justice either.

This synth is a sound design playground. Easy to navigate with a plethora of features. Hydra gets out of your way and lets your creativity shine.

The action on the keybed is among the best I've tried on any synth.The build quality feels very sturdy and the polyaftertouch adds new dimensions of expression possible.

The price makes this the best deal on a digital polysynth hands down. This is a must try for synth nerds.

It's amazing just how easy it is to make a super lush pad, punchy bass, or biting lead. Pair that with some rechargeable AA's and you have a compact monster you can take anywhere.

After watching a ton of videos on the hydra, I knew I definitely wanted one. I grabbed an explorer version when they had a great sale here a few months ago. Within 15 minutes of powering on, I had some amazing sounds coming out of it by altering a few of the presets, which are awesome anyway. The only think lacking here is a sequencer, but that is easily rememedied with a multitude of sequencers out there including some very small and amazing ones. It really is a deserted island synth for me and i had to choose one, this would be it. For reference, I have a Fantom 06, an akai mpc one, a Korg Opsix ( very close 2nd place from the Korg ), a behringer model d and neutron, and roughly 240HP worth of Eurorack gear. This thing is the sh$%.

Dont hesitate, just do it.

I bought one july 2022 then another April 2023.I just ordered a desktop model to go with them.connect 2 to increase polyphony to 16 voices.I stack voices & use 8-stereo channel mixer.Use midi to play all togethet 1,keyboard same pedals or each separate.Very flexible,I love the sound.

This little guy is a powerhouse synth. Sounds amazing Aftertouch keyboard is a nice touch. Mod Mattix 5 LFOs 5 Envelopes. Mutant waveforms and nice effects plus arpeggiator this is a loaded keyboard for the price. Just getting familiar with its interface but seems user friendly. The software manager also works well. Overall extremely happy with this purchase nice addition to my setup

I so enjoy my Hydrasynth Explorer. I was originally planning on getting an analog synth, but after significant research I am very happy with my choice. As I am a novice with synths I'm finding it a challenge to understand the depth and specific functions of this amazing device's controls. The manual provides sufficient instruction on how to use all the controls. I would have preferred a "… for Dummies" level instruction given my limited experience. The Patch Manager is somewhat cumbersome but does exactly what it was designed to do. I love the size and battery powered feature of this model. I recommend using a good quality set of rechargeables as the set of eight AA's lasts only 3-4 hours. The supplied AC Charger has a nice long cord.

I do not know music production very much but love just messing around on synthesizers and this synth for the price very much worth every penny

Having been on the market for several years now, the Hydrasynth engine is well known if not fully explored. The smallest version of this is not lacking any of its functionality, just a few physical features of the original 4-octave synth. The poly touch keyboard is there, live tweak knobs are there, and the sound quality is there. I have a few mini synths from other mfgrs and they skimped on the output stage (signal to noise). Here we have good sounds, drones, arpeggios. For me, it was a curiosity buy. So it provides an entry point for those looking for a Hydrasynth. The other versions are still a good value for the features. Amazing tone palette of diversity. You're going to find something you like on this machine.

I think, simply put, if you use the hydrasynth to its full potential, you easily have around $2000 of modular units under the hood. I've been writing chaotic generative patches since it showed up. That's what I wanted this for. This costs about the same as a Make Noise Strega or Moog Mother32 and it does so much more (IE polyhonic).

The best part about the hydrasynth in my opinion is that everything can be patched to pretty much anything else. This feature should be the standard for all digital synths. You can reassign the pitch and modhweel to control any parameter. You can disconnect the keys from activating set pitches, while making the after touch control another parameter, making them non-linear gate controllers.

And having Bladerunner synth pads come as stock presets is pretty sweet.

The hydrasynth is both an ambient beast and a harsh noise beast. Imagine having a modular for live sets that you can switch between drastically different patches with the turn off a knob. That's how I'm using this.

I also used the CV outs to pair the hydrasynth with the ms20 mini to great results.

I think this could also be a great starter synth. The presets sound wonderful and are a joy to play. The menu diving is logical and easy to navigate. Plus the oscilliscope is super useful (and fun!) for seeing what's happening to the waveforms as you manipulate them.

The keyboard is nice, but not amazing. Its a little stiff and the aftertouch doesn't feel as nice as, say, my microbrute's. I also wish all of the CV outs could be reassigned, not only two of the five. Having Gate, Pitch and Clock are definitely useful, but if I wish I could patch all 5 of the LFOs to the CV outs for external modulation. Would make this a great companion for the Make Noise desktops or the new Bastl Minipops.

Very solid. Patches are great for ambient music. Easy to navigate. Love it.

I've enjoyed the brief time I've had with this synth so far although I am still a bit undecided if this one or the Deluxe would have been the better choice. This one certainly has more value per dollar spent however...more keys and dual sound engines but at a higher price. Overall I'm very satisfied with the Explorer and it certainly gets the job done. I use it in a secondary setup with a Digitakt, an MPC One, and sometimes one of my drum machines or one of my Roland Boutiques as a semi mobile solution.

Best synth for the $$ Some patches sounds better than analog synths. Step sequence with lfos check!, stereo filter splits, check! weird wavetable manipulation check, turn it in to a drum machine check !, IF YOU JUST USED AS A MIDI CONTROLER AND NOTHING ELSE, IT WOULD BE WORTH THE MONEY! Battery Power, Check! LOUD as F*(K , CHECK ! The only thing is I wish it had some little speakers built in but I might mod something on to the case idk.

One word….perfect

I purchased the Hydrasynth Explorer to add some digital flavor to my analog semi-modular gig rig. I didn't need full-sized keys since my Moog Matriarch acts as my master MIDI controller. And I passed on the desktop Hydrasynth because I don't like pad controller interfaces. To my surprise the Explorer's keyboard, although mini in size, is very playable and does a fine job with sending velocity and polyphonic aftertouch. I am also enjoying the Explorer's excellent build quality, where switches and knobs feel as good as ones on synths costing 4 times as much. And to top it all off, this synth sounds amazing, including the generous number of excellent presets. Also, the Explorer's controls are laid out so clearly & logically that it is easy to program, even during performances. And it can run on batteries...

I'll keep this short.

Is this a $3000 top of the line synth? No. Would this be a good synth for rock? No.

For EDM, Ambient or Vangelis style music? YES YES YES.

The mini keys are much longer and wider than mini keys (sorry for bad photos of comparison to Akai mini and Novation Mininova) and have poly aftertouch which is cool. I have this on a sliding shelf under an Arturia 61 key and my Elektron Digikey.

I own 42 hardware synths (see photo for an example) and this thing is still a keeper. I only mention this to illustrate how the ASM still has a place in my studio among a diverse collection of synths. There are many sounds that are actually much different than anything else I have. It has 640 editable presets and can also run on batteries. This synth is awesome the only regret I have is that I didn't buy the full size Hydrasynth but I might buy that one as well.

Buy one you wont regret it-worth every penny.

And lastly thanks again to Ian Lemberg my sales Engineer-AWESOME!!!!!

I was a bit worried about the keys being smaller but I was actually blown away by how playable they are. no idea what the other review is talking about, I have no issues with the black keys and am able to control filter expression with the Poly after touch with even my pinky playing a major 7th chord (try doing that on most keybeds). Way better than my other mini key keybeds. anyway the real joy is the Synth engine itself. WOW you can make this thing sound warm, cold, or anywhere in between. I love creating smooth sweeping wavetables on this, the navigation and modulation set up is just so intuitive and easy. So far the battery usage has been really good. I was able to use it at the inlaws the other day and never ran out of battery, so that saved me. the reverse delay is madness when you start modulating it. really enjoying this.

What a little beast!! Super sturdy design and everything has a very premium feel to it. I love the mini keys, and they are much nicer compared the to mini keys on my miniKorg XL or my Keystep Pro. Between the amazing sound and the poly aftertouch that works great with many of my VST plugins, it was a no-brainer to add this to my studio. I can't recommend it enough.

I purchased the regular size ASM Hydra . Very happy with the synth . The keys and aftertouch is nice . Well I was hoping the Explorer would be the same as far as the keyaction and aftertouch . I was wrong . The Explorer Keybed is not a scaled down version of the regular size keys Hydra . It's a cheaper design . I played it for 5 minutes and that was it . The black keys are not playable . Try playing arpeggios just on the black keys and it will be very difficult to get good articulation . The white keys are better , but it shouldn't be that way . The black and white keys should all be playable . The regular size keys Hydra has no issues with this . The main feature on the Explorer was the polyphonic aftertouch . Yes , that works good but, again , the initial articulation problem with the black keys is a physical problem and ruins the enjoyment of all other aspects of the keyboard .

No , I'm sorry , but I was hoping for a better playing keyboard . The Yamaha Reface series has mini keys , and it plays wonderful . All keys , black and white do not have any physical articulation problems . No hand fatigue . ASM missed out on this one . For me , that's the case . It could and should have been better with the keyaction . This is the draw for there promotions . I was expecting the same degree of professionalism as with the regular size Hydra . Try it for yourself . It might be just fine for you? I packed my Explorer up with in 5 minutes and returned it .