Novation Peak Polyphonic Desktop Synthesizer

Novation Peak Polyphonic Desktop Synthesizer

The Novation Peak is an 8-voice polyphonic synthesizer based on the Novation Bass Station II analog mono synth, it is well-suited for musicians, sound designers, and synthesizer enthusiasts. The instrument features analog-sounding NCOs (numerically controlled oscillators), which include 3 new Oxford oscillators per voice, as well as a flexible digital domain with 17 digital wavetables. The instrument also features a multi-mode, analog state-variable OTA filter with high-pass, band-pass, and low-pass selections with 12/24 dB slopes. Peak’s sound engine is rounded out by true analog distortion and digital effects including chorus, delay, and reverb.

At the heart of the synthesizer lies the high-powered processor component called a field programmable gate array (FPGA), which far surpasses traditional DSP chips. Each of Peak’s eight voices has an independent oversampling digital-to-analog converter (DAC). These DACs are oversampling at over 24 MHz (24 million times per second), using a simple RC (resistor-capacitor) filter on their output in the analog domain. Peak’s ability to generate waveforms at the oversampling frequency (up to 512 times the traditional rate) ensures that Peak’s waveforms are pure at all frequencies and free from digital artifacts, no matter how aggressively the pitch is modulated.

The front panel of the synthesizer provides a variety of controllers for 1:1 control over most of its parameters. There are 42 control knobs, 8 sliders, 2 data encoders, 46 total function buttons, 2 Animate buttons, 90 indicator LEDS, and a crisp OLED display. What’s more, most of the control knobs, switches, and sliders transmit continuous controller data for recording and playing back automation from your sequencer of choice.

The rear panel offers a 1/4″ headphone output, stereo (left & right) 1/4″ outputs, two 1/4″ pedal inputs, and a 1/8″ CV modulation input for incorporating modular synthesizers. Additionally, the instrument features MIDI In, Out, and Thru via standard 5-pin DIN connectors. The onboard USB port is class compliant and transmits system and MIDI data. Peak includes a 12 VDC power supply, USB cable, and a download card for Ableton Live Lite 9 and Loopmasters sample content.

Firmware v2.0 Features

Stereo: New spread modes, panning per voice, and panning in the mod matrix give additional control and allow for sound design in the stereo field. Now you can create bigger, wider, and more intricately textured soundscapes.
Modulation and Unpredictability: Create deeper and more experimental sounds with new mod destinations, noise as a mod source, and additional LFO 3 and 4 parameters. Animate Envelopes and Arpeggiator Chance features open more creative performance possibilities.
Effects: New effects, including Chorus Modes, Flanger, and Phlanger add new tonalities. Additional effects modulation destinations open up more experimental sound design. The new Lo-Fi delay mode enables a more vintage-style sound.
Bug Fixes: The firmware update v2.0 includes a number of bug fixes.

Key Features

• FPGA-based numerically controlled oscillators (NCOs) running at 24 MHz generate waveforms indistinguishable from those produced by analog oscillators
• Eight-voice polyphony
• Three multi-waveform oscillators per voice
• Waveform shaping on all waveform types
• Analog signal path (filters, distortions, VCA)
• Traditional, dedicated-function rotary controls
• LP/BP/HP filter with variable slope, resonance, overdrive, and modulation options
• Two independent LFO sections
• Separate Amp and Mod envelope sections with ADSR fader controls
• Ring modulator inputs (Osc 1 and 2)
• Versatile arpeggiator with a wide range of patterns
• Glide (portamento) with a dedicated time control
• Pre-loaded with 256 brand-new patches
• Memory for 256 additional user patches
• Two Animate buttons for adding spot effects in live performance
• Powerful effects including distortion, delay, chorus, and reverb
• Class-compliant USB port (no drivers required), patch dump, and MIDI
• OLED display for patch selection and parameter adjustment
• External DC input (for supplied AC PSU)
• External CV input for integration with other analog equipment
• Headphone output
• Supports any two pedals (sustain or expression)
• Kensington security slot
• Optional stand available

Synth Engine

• Structure
• 8-note polyphony (dependent on voices used per note)
• Mono-timbral
• 5 voice modes (Mono, MonoLG, Mono2, Poly, Poly2)

Per voice

• 3 oscillators
• 1 noise generator
• 1 ring modulator
• 2 LFOs
• 1 Amp envelope and 2 Mod envelopes
• 1 filter

Waveforms include sine, tri, sawtooth, square/pulse, plus 17 wavetables of 5 waveforms per row

• Filter
• 1 x state-variable OTA filter per voice
• 12/24 dB slope
• Low-pass / band-pass / high-pass
• Pre-filter overdrive
• Post-filter distortion

Modulation

• 16 modulation slots per patch
• Each slot has 2 sources to 1 destination

Mod sources

• Direct (depth)
• Modulation wheel
• Aftertouch (polyphonic and channel)
• Expression pedal 1
• Expression pedal 2
• Keyboard velocity
• LFO1 positive
• LFO1 bi-polar
• LFO2 positive
• LFO2 bi-polar
• Amp envelope
• Mod envelope 1
• Mod envelope 2
• Animate 1
• Animate 2
• CV mod input bi-polar

Mod destinations

• Oscillator 1-3 frequency, v-sync level, shape amount, and level
• Noise source level
• Ring modulator output level
• Overall synth output level
• Filter drive, distortion, cut-off frequency, and resonance
• LFO 1 and 2 frequency
• Amp env / Mod env 1 / Mod env 2 attack, decay, and release
• FM osc 1 -> osc 2, osc 2 -> osc 3, osc 3 -> osc 1, and noise -> osc 1
• Osc 3 -> filter cutoff frequency
• Noise -> filter cutoff frequency

Effects

• Analog distortion
• Chorus – 3 types
• Delay with 16 types of delay sync, LP and HP damping, slew, and stereo
• Reverb – 3 types

Miscellaneous

• Arpeggiator w/ key latch – 33 patterns
• Patch storage – up to 512 on hardware (ships with 256 factory patches)
• Glide
• All knobs (excl. volume), sliders and most buttons transmit and receive MIDI cc commands for external control and mapping