Novation announces Peak polyphonic synthesiser

Novation has chosen the Superbooth exhibition as the best place to launch Peak, a polyphonic synthesiser that is destined to be the brand’s leading synth. Peak’s design consultant was Chris Huggett, the man behind Bass Station, Supernova, OSCar and many more synths, and Peak has its origin in the Bass Station II analogue monosynth.

Peak is an eight-voice desktop polyphonic synthesiser with three New Oxford Oscillators for each voice. The oscillators sound completely analogue by being high-quality NCOs (Numerically-Controlled Oscillators), but gain the flexibility of the digital domain with 17 digital wavetables. They can also become a linear FM source using either the analogue-sounding NCOs or digital wavetables – so are able to cross-modulate in a recursive loop.

The synth has a resonant multi-mode analogue filter for each voice, and three distortion points for each voice – pre-filter, post-filter and global – in an analogue signal chain. Peak is capable of receiving polyphonic aftertouch, which puts expression right at one’s fingertips. There is also reverb, delay and chorus effects, and an on-board arpeggiator.

The modulation system puts a 16-slot modulation matrix and 16 direct assignments in the main controls, cleverly arranged for intuitive patch design and sound editing. There are three ADSR envelopes and two LFOs for each voice, and more elaborate movements and secondary ‘via’ assignments are made just a few menu button presses away. In addition, two animate buttons give live performers instant one-touch transformation of patches.

Peak connects to modular systems via a CV modulation input, and has MIDI I/O on five-pin DIN ports, so other MIDI gear can be connected. Via USB, Peak can be plugged into Mac or PC, where unlimited patches can be kept using the Components software.

Robert Jenkins, Product Strategy Director, Novation, said:

Peak is a desktop polysynth to rival even the finest polys on the market today – and of years past. Peak is the result of Novation’s obsessive mission over the past decade to create a synthesiser that sounds entirely analogue yet gains the flexibility of the digital domain.