ASM Polytouch HUDRASYNTH Deluxe User manual

Owner’s Manual
EDIT SUSTAIN
MODE
TEMPO
OCTAVE
RATCHET CHANCE
DIVISION SWING
GATE
IN PUTS
MOD 1 MOD 2 PITCH GATE MOD 1 MOD 2 CLOCK
OUTPUTS
MASTER
VOLUME
PHONES
OC TAVE
1 432
5 876
TRIPLET TAP
TEMPO
LATCHON
GLIDE RIBBON
DOWN UP CHORD
HOME
PAGE
EXIT
VOICE
MACRO
ASSIGN
MOD
MATRIX
MIDI INDC USB SUSTAINEXPRESSIONMIDI THRUMIDI OUT L/MONO OUTPUT RPOWER
UP
UP & DN ORDER
RANDOM
CHORD
PHRASE
DOWN
UP / DN
OFF
58 62
66
70
75
52
54
1
2
3
4
1 32
1 16
1 8
1 4
MAX
MIN
FILTER
1
FILTER
2
ENV 1DRIVE / MORPH LFO 1RESONANCECUTOFF
00
-10 +10
PANIC
FAVORITE
RANDOM
BROWSE
SYSTEM
SETUP
SAVE
FILTER CONTROLS
MODULE SELECT
MASTER CONTROLMAIN SYSTEMSCV / GATE
ARPEGGIATOR
SHIFT
INIT
R L/MONO SUSTAIN EXPRESSION THRU OUT
MIDI
IN
OUTPUT PEDAL 12V 1000mA
OSC
2
OSC
1
MUTANT
3
MUTANT
1
MUTANT
4
MUTANT
2
OSC
3
RING-
NOISE
MIXER
LFO
1
FILTER
2
FILTER
1
LFO
2
ENV
1
AMP PRE-FX
ENV
2
LFO
3
LFO
4
REVERB
DELAY
ENV
3
LFO
5
POST-FX
ENV
4
ENV
5

EDIT SUSTAIN
MODE
TEMPO
OCTAVE
RATCHET CHANCE
DIVISION SWING
GATE
IN PUTS
MOD 1 MOD 2 PITCH GATE MOD 1 MOD 2 CLOCK
OUTPUTS
MASTER
VOLUME
PHONES
OC TAVE
1 432
5 876
TRIPLET TAP
TEMPO
LATCHON
GLIDE RIBBON
DOWN UP CHORD
HOME
PAGE
EXIT
VOICE
MACRO
ASSIGN
MOD
MATRIX
MIDI INDC USB SUSTAINEXPRESSIONMIDI THRUMIDI OUT L/MONO OUTPUT RPOWER
UP
UP & DN ORDER
RANDOM
CHORD
PHRASE
DOWN
UP / DN
OFF
58 62
66
70
75
52
54
1
2
3
4
1 32
1 16
1 8
1 4
MAX
MIN
FILTER
1
FILTER
2
ENV 1DRIVE / MORPH LFO 1RESONANCECUTOFF
00
-10 +10
PANIC
FAVORITE
RANDOM
BROWSE
SYSTEM
SETUP
SAVE
FILTER CONTROLS
MODULE SELECT
MASTER CONTROLMAIN SYSTEMSCV / GATE
ARPEGGIATOR
SHIFT
INIT
R L/MONO SUSTAIN EXPRESSION THRU OUT
MIDI
IN
OUTPUT PEDAL 12V 1000mA
OSC
2
OSC
1
MUTANT
3
MUTANT
1
MUTANT
4
MUTANT
2
OSC
3
RING-
NOISE
MIXER
LFO
1
FILTER
2
FILTER
1
LFO
2
ENV
1
AMP PRE-FX
ENV
2
LFO
3
LFO
4
REVERB
DELAY
ENV
3
LFO
5
POST-FX
ENV
4
ENV
5

DESIGN & DIRECTION
• Glen Darcey
PRODUCT MANAGER
• Dominic Au
ENGINEERING
• Chen Jiejun (engine) • Bob Liao (engine)
• Xie Yingchen (software) • Xu Jun (software) • Banner Xu (software)
• Ye Haipeng (electronic) • Chen Si (electronic) • Luo Liangsheng (electronic)
• Long Ping (Mechanics)
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
• Gao Chao • Yang Yue
TESTING
• Zheng Wei Cheng • Ken “Flux” Pierce • Randy Lee • Leng An
SOUND DESIGN
• Drew Anderson
• Dominic Au
• Roger Austli
• Ski Beatz
• Jim Cowgill
• Glen Darcey
• Daniel Fisher
• Mord Fustang
• Boele Gerkes
• Rob Jervons
• Veronica Lee
• Chris Meyer
• Ken “Flux” Pierce
• Matt Pike
• Aquila Rift
• Ben Scheer
• Paul Schilling
• Matia Simovich
MANUAL
• Randy Lee (author) • Nancy Lee (design & layout)
© Ashun Sound Machines – 2021 – All rights reserved.
www.AshunSoundMachines.com
Information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice and does
not represent a commitment on the part of Ashun Sound Machines. The software
described in this manual is provided under the terms of a license agreement or
non-disclosure agreement. The software license agreement species the terms and
conditions for its lawful use. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any purpose other than the purchaser’s personal use, without the
express written permission of Ashun Sound Machines.
All other products, logos or company names quoted in this manual are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective owners.
Special Thanks

4
Important Safety Instructions
Save Your Ears!
The product and its software, when used in combination with an amplier, headphones or
speakers, may be able to produce sound levels that could cause permanent hearing loss. DO
NOT operate for long periods of time at a high level or at a level that is uncomfortable.
If you encounter any hearing loss or ringing in the ears, please consult an audiologist.
Precautions Include, but Are Not Limited to, the Following:
1. Read and understand all the instructions.
2. Always follow the instructions on the
instrument.
3. Before cleaning the device, always
remove the USB and DC cable. When
cleaning, use a soft and dry cloth. Do
not use gasoline, alcohol, acetone,
turpentine or any other organic
solutions; do not use a liquid cleaner,
spray or cloth that’s too wet.
4. Do not use the device near water or
moisture, such as a bathtub, sink,
swimming pool or similar place.
5. Do not place the device in an unstable
position where it might accidentally fall
over.
6. Do not place heavy objects on the
device. Do not block openings or vents
of the device; these locations are used
for air circulation to prevent the device
from overheating. Do not place the
device near a heat vent at any location
with poor air circulation.
7. Do not open or insert anything into the
device that may cause a re or electrical
shock.
8. Do not spill any kind of liquid onto the
device.
9. Always take the device to a qualied
service center. You will invalidate your
warranty if you open and remove the
cover, and improper assembly may cause
electrical shock or other malfunctions.
10. Do not use the device with thunder and
lightning present; it may cause electrical
shock.
11. Do not expose the device to hot
sunlight.
12. Do not use the device when there is a
gas leak nearby.
13. Ashun Sound Machines is not
responsible for any damage or data loss
caused by improper operation of the
device.
Specifications Subject to Change
The information contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the time of printing.
However, Ashun Sound Machines reserves the right to change or modify any of the specica-
tions without notice or obligation to update the hardware that has been purchased.
Before Requesting Service...
Please study this manual carefully and consult your dealer before requesting service. Service
charges incurred due to a lack of knowledge relating to how a function or feature works (when
the product is operating as designed) are not covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, and are
therefore the owner’s responsibility.

5
Contents
Important Safety Instructions . 4
Welcome to Hydrasynth
Deluxe! ....................................9
Main Features .............................9
User interface..............................9
Patch features .............................9
Sound engine.............................10
Eects ....................................10
Hardware .................................10
Quick Start Guide ...................11
Inside the Box ............................11
Save Your Receipt! ........................11
Plug It In...................................11
Power .....................................11
Audio .....................................11
USB .......................................11
MIDI ......................................11
CV/Gate ...................................12
Laptop shelf ..............................12
Make Some Noise! .......................12
Select Patches ............................12
Octave shift...............................12
Arpeggiator basics........................12
Tweaking the sounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Saving ....................................13
Check for Updates .......................14
That’s Enough Reading for Now. .......14
Overview ................................15
Top Panel: Hydrasynth Deluxe..........15
General Concepts ........................15
Access buttons ...........................15
Function buttons .........................15
Mode Select Controls.....................16
Part Select buttons .......................16
Control knobs ............................16
Control buttons...........................16
Module Select buttons ...................16
Knob types ...............................16
The displays ..............................16
Main Systems .............................17
The HOME button ........................17
The SAVE button..........................17
System Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The INIT button...........................18
The RANDOM button.....................18
The SHIFT button.........................19
Master Control Section ..................19
EXIT button ...............................19
VOICE button .............................20
PAGE Up / Down buttons .................20
MACRO ASSIGN button...................20
MOD MATRIX button .....................20
CV/Gate Section ..........................20
Arpeggiator Section .....................21
Filter Controls.............................21
Module Select ............................21
Performance Controls ...................21
Chord mode ..............................22
Ribbon controller .........................22
Front Panel................................22
Headphone jacks .........................22
Phones volume control ...................22
Rear Panel.................................23
Laptop Shelf . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Outputs...................................23
Control Inputs ............................24
MIDI ......................................24
USB .......................................24
Power .....................................24
Kensington lock ..........................24
Multi Mode.............................25
Single / Multi Mode Comparison .......25
Mode independence .....................25
Patch banks: shared resources............25
Color schemes ............................26
Overview of Multi Mode.................26
Parts & Patches: a primer .................26
What’s a Multi patch? .....................26
Patch selection in Multi mode ............26
Display contents ..........................27
Multi mode controls ......................27
Multi Edit mode ..........................27
Browsing in Multi Mode .................29
Bank / patch map.........................29
Patch bank access ........................29
Browse Multi patches.....................30
Browse Upper/Lower patches . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Copy Upper/Lower patch toSinglemode 30
Favorites: From both modes ..............31

6
Save the Multi ............................31
Multi Save page 1.........................31
Multi Save page 2.........................32
Edit Multi Parts ...........................32
Edit Upper or Lower ......................32
Edit Both..................................32
Multi mode & the Arpeggiator..........33
Arp mode: Single .........................33
Arp mode: Separate ......................33
Multis, MIDI, & the Arpeggiator...........34
The Ribbon in Multi mode ..............35
MIDI and Multis...........................35
More about Multi Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Upper / Lower outputs ...................35
Initialize Multi / Upper / Lower ...........35
Randomize Multi / Upper / Lower ........36
Chord mode and Multis ..................36
CVs and Multis ............................36
Understanding the Modules...37
Module Groups...........................37
Oscillator group ..........................37
Mixer module.............................37
Filter group ...............................37
Envelope group...........................37
LFO group ................................37
Amp module .............................38
FX group..................................38
Other Modules ...........................38
Voice module .............................38
Ribbon ...................................38
Module Shortcuts ........................38
Create Mod routes........................38
Select Macro Destinations ................39
Copy / Paste settings .....................39
The Oscillator Group ..............40
Oscillators 1 and 2........................40
Switching modes .........................40
Oscillator mode: Single ...................40
Oscillator mode: WaveScan...............41
Oscillator 3 ................................41
Mutants 1–4 ..............................42
FM-Lin ....................................42
WavStack .................................43
OSC Sync .................................43
About Ratio...............................43
Window...................................43
Pulse Width modulation ..................44
PW-Orig ..................................44
PW-Sqeez .................................44
PW-ASM [Warp]...........................44
Harmonic .................................45
PhazDi...................................46
Ring-Noise Module ......................46
Waveform List ............................47
The Mixer Module ..................48
Setting Levels.............................48
The Solo Function........................48
Set the Pan Positions ....................49
Osc 1-3 Pan ...............................49
Ring + Noise Pan .........................49
Filter Routing of Sources ................49
Osc 1-3 Filter routing .....................49
Ring + Noise Filter routing................49
Filter Configuration ......................49
The Filters and their Controls .50
Filter 1 .....................................50
Filter 1 types..............................50
Compensated vs. Uncompensated filters.50
Filter 1 parameters: page 1 ...............50
Filter 1 parameters: page 2 ...............52
Filter 2 .....................................53
Filter 2 parameters........................53
The Amp Module ....................54
How the Parameters Interact ...........54
LFO 2 Amount ............................54
Velocity ...................................54
Amp Level ................................54
The Envelopes ........................55
What’s an Envelope? .....................55
Envelope features.........................55
Envelopes 1 and 2 ........................55
Envelope parameters: page 1.............56
Envelope parameters: page 2.............57
Envelope parameters: page 3.............58
Envelope Shortcuts ......................59
Copy Env A to Env B ......................59
Create a direct Mod route ................59
The LFOs.................................60
What’s an LFO? ...........................60
LFO features ..............................60
LFOs 1 and 2..............................60
LFO parameters: page 1 ..................60
LFO parameters: page 2 ..................62

7
LFO Shortcuts.............................64
Copy LFO A to LFO B......................64
Create a direct Mod route ................64
The Eects..............................65
Pre- and Post-FX..........................65
Bypass ....................................65
Chorus ....................................65
Flanger ...................................66
Rotary ....................................66
Phaser ....................................66
Lo-Fi ......................................67
Tremolo ...................................67
EQ ........................................67
Compressor...............................68
Distort ....................................68
Delay Types ...............................68
Delay Parameters ........................69
Reverb Types .............................69
Reverb Parameters.......................69
Freeze the Reverb ........................69
Mod Route Shortcut .....................70
The Voice Module ..................71
Voice Parameters: page 1 ...............71
Polyphony settings .......................71
Density & Detune.........................71
Random Phase............................71
How does Analog Feel?...................72
Stereo mode..............................72
Warm mode ..............................72
Voice Parameters: page 2 ...............72
Pitch Bend ................................73
Vibrato settings...........................73
Glide settings .............................73
Voice Parameters: page 3 ...............74
Key Lock ..................................74
Select a Scale .............................74
Custom Scale .............................74
Microtonality .............................75
Snap ......................................75
Ribbon Controller...................76
Theremin Mode ..........................76
Theremin parameters: page 1 ............76
Theremin parameters: page 2 ............76
The Ribbon as a Mod Source............77
The Ribbon as a Trigger Source.........77
The Arpeggiator Section ........78
Arp Edit Mode ............................78
Arp parameters: page 1...................78
Arp parameters: page 2...................79
Additional Arp Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Latch and Sustain.........................80
Initialize the Arp ..........................80
The Arpeggiator & MIDI ..................80
Mastering the Macros.............81
Home Page................................81
Make a Macro.............................81
Assign a Destination......................81
Name the Macro..........................82
Macro Slot Copy ..........................82
Save the Patch: Macro Options .........83
Macro Button Response .................83
Preset Macro Name List .................84
The Mod Matrix ......................85
Creating Mod Routes ....................85
The Whole Process .......................85
The Shortcut .............................85
Direct Assignment .......................86
Notes About Mod Routes.................86
More Shortcuts ...........................86
Copy Mod X to Mod Y ....................86
Clear a Mod Slot ..........................86
Clear the Entire Mod Matrix...............86
Be Random ...............................87
Modulation Sources .....................87
Modulation Destinations................88
The CV / Gate Section .............89
Basic Concepts ...........................89
A Few More... .............................89
CV/Gate Polyphony .......................89
The Ribbon and CVs ......................89
Clocks and Sync ..........................89
Compatibility .............................90
Output Connectors ......................90
Pitch ......................................90
Gate ......................................90
Mod 1 and 2 ..............................90
Clock......................................90
Input Connectors.........................90
Esoteric Uses..............................91
CV Attentuator............................91
CV Inverter................................91
Process Audio.............................91
CVs and Arpeggios .......................91

8
Patch Management ................92
Using the Browser........................92
The Browse page .........................92
Sort Methods ............................92
Compare..................................93
Favorite Assign... ..........................93
Browse Favorites..........................94
Save the Patch ............................94
Patch Protection ..........................94
The Save page ............................94
Name the Patch...........................95
Select a Category.........................95
Macro Options ...........................95
Choose a Color ...........................95
Patch Backup .............................95
The System Setup Pages.........96
Operational Notes .......................96
Navigation ................................96
Access, Action ............................96
Saving the Settings .......................96
Save System State ........................96
Notes About Notes .......................96
Master: Page 1............................96
Master: Page 2............................97
Knob Mode ...............................97
Knob Speed ..............................97
Tempo Lock...............................97
Macro Button .............................97
Lo / Up Color..............................97
Safe Edit ..................................97
Microtuning Menu........................98
Keys: Page 3...............................98
Velocity settings ..........................98
Aftertouch settings .......................99
MIDI: Page 4 ..............................99
Clock Sync ................................99
Local ......................................99
Expression Pedal setup ...................99
MIDI: Page 5 .............................100
MIDI RX examples .......................100
MIDI: Page 6 .............................100
Aftertouch Transmit .....................101
What is MPE? ............................101
MIDI: Page 7 .............................101
Parameter send/receive options.........101
What’s a NRPN? ..........................102
Send Patch / All Patches .................102
Overow.................................102
Arp TX ...................................102
Pgm Chg TX / RX ........................102
CV – Pitch Gate: Page 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
CV Source: Keyboard, Theremin .........103
CV – Clock: Page 9 ......................103
Clock Division ...........................103
CV – Mods: Page 10 .....................103
Calibration: Page 11.....................104
Calibrate Ribbon.........................104
Calibrate Wheels.........................104
System: Page 12 .........................104
OS: Page 13 ..............................104
Control Combinations ...........105
[INIT] + Button X ........................105
[INIT] + Control Button X ...............105
[RANDOM] + Button X . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
[SHIFT] + Button X ......................106
[SHIFT] + Control Knob X...............107
[SHIFT] + Control Button X .............107
Scales ....................................108
Preset Standard Scales .................108
Preset Microtuning Scales..............109
MIDI CC Charts.......................110
Sorted by Module .......................110
Sorted by CC Number...................112
Deluxe Specifications ............114
Physical...................................114
Connections: Rear Panel................114
Connections: Top Panel ................114
CV inputs: Two (1/8” TS)..................114
CV/Gate/Clock outputs: Five (1/8” TS)....114
Control Voltages .........................114
Gate Output .............................114
Clock Output ............................114
Connections: Front Panel...............114
Declaration of Conformity .....115
USA .......................................115
CANADA..................................115
EUROPE...................................115

9
Welcome to Hydrasynth Deluxe!
Everyone at Ashun Sound Machines would like to thank you for choosing one of our
Hydrasynth instruments. We’re very proud of what we have created, and are condent they will
take you into musical realms that have never been explored.
Every aspect of these ground-breaking devices has been carefully considered, from the way
the sounds are generated and processed, to the intuitive layout of the controls and displays.
Everything from impulse to performance has been optimized to unleash the creative potential
of these instruments in your hands.
Main Features
This chapter will only list the main features of the Hydrasynth Deluxe. But there are many more,
and each feature and its related parameters will be described in the pages ahead. Advanced
users might nd quick answers to important questions in Deluxe Specications (p. 114).
User interface
• Intuitive workow, perceived at a glance
• Front-panel controls for instant access to
important features
• Easy shortcuts for patch / mod route
construction (connect / copy / paste)
• Two independent OLED displays
• 8 Control knobs and 8 Control buttons
around the Right display
• LED rings around the Control knobs
indicate parameter values
• 8 assignable Macros per patch, accessible
on Home page
• Arpeggiator: 8 modes with direction,
octave, chord, and phrase options
• Browse Multi or Single patches by Name,
Category, or Number
• Memorize / instantly recall up to 128
Favorites (shared by Multis and Singles)
• Overow mode can link two units for up to
32-voice polyphony (Single mode only)
• Switch instantly between Single / Multi
modes with dedicated buttons
Patch features
• 8 banks of 128 patches each (Single mode)
• Mono and Unison voice modes, with
unison detune
• Glide with programmable time, curve,
trigger mode
• Mod Matrix with 32 routes per patch
• Programmable Analog Feel emulates the
behavior of analog circuits
• Randomize function for individual
modules, a single patch, or an entire Multi
• Use Single mode patches in a Multi, then
edit / store them without changing the
original patch
• 5 banks of 128 Multis
• Each Multi holds two independent patches
(i.e., parts) for an additional 1,280 patches
• Edit Upper/Lower part parameters
together or independently
• Dual or KeySplit modes
• Independent Octave Ranges for Upper
and Lower parts
• Sustain pedal, wheels, and ribbon can
control Upper, Lower, or Both
• Dual arpeggiators can be synced or
shared by Upper/Lower parts
• Macros can control Upper, Lower, or
Both; access up to 16 Macros per Multi
• Dual mode: Denable velocity switch
point with adjustable crossfade
• KeySplit mode: Denable keyboard split
point with adjustable crossfade
• Dedicated Multi section, with Upper/Lower
selection buttons and Balance control

10
Sound engine
• 16 voices, with three oscillators per voice
• Dual/KeySplit modes: layer or split two
independent 8-voice patches
• Single mode: One 16-voice patch
• Analog modeling (Osc 1-3) and WaveScan
synthesis (Osc 1+2)
• Select from hundreds of waveforms and
then morph / mutate / warp them at will
• Preset scales with microtonal options and
the ability to import custom scales
• Filter 1: 16 lter types, including vocal
formant lters
• Filter 2: classic state-variable 12dB / octave
with two modes
• Filters can be placed in series or parallel
• Loopable ADSR envelopes with Delay and
Hold stages
• Curve and BPM value for each segment
• Each envelope can have up to 4 trigger
sources
Eects
• Delay: ve types, including Left-Right-
Center and reverse
• All delays can sync to tempo
• Reverb: four types, with pre-delay and
damping parameters
• Reverb lengths to 90 seconds, plus
“Freeze”
• Independent Pre/Post FX: Chorus,
Flanger, Rotary, Phaser, Lo-Fi, Tremolo, EQ,
Compressor, Distortion
• Eects can be independent or shared
between Upper/Lower parts in Multi Layer
mode
Hardware
• 73-key Polytouch® keyboard with
polyphonic aftertouch and velocity
sensitivity (note on/o)
• Ribbon controller with Pitch bend,
Theremin, and Modulation modes
• Backlit pitch bend and modulation wheels
• Octave Down / Up buttons
• Chord mode with dedicated button
• Glide button
• Additional Filter controls (Envelope
amount, LFO amount)
• Additional Arpeggiator controls (Tempo,
Ratchet, Chance, Gate)
• MIDI In/Out/Thru
• USB type B port, class-compliant
• CV/Gate inputs and outputs for integration
with modular synthesizers
• Four 1/4” outputs (balanced): Main/Upper
L/R, Lower L/R (automatic routing)
• Two headphone jacks share a dedicated
Volume control
• Sustain pedal input (polarity-sensing)
• Assignable Expression pedal input
(reversible)
• LED Dim feature for darkened rooms
• Kensington lock port
• Detachable laptop shelf

11
Quick Start Guide
Inside the Box
Your Hydrasynth Deluxe was carefully packed at the factory with the following items:
• The Hydrasynth Deluxe
• This manual
• The power supply (12VDC / ≥2A)
• Laptop shelf
Save Your Receipt!
Ashun Sound Machines designed and constructed your Hydrasynth Deluxe with extreme
attention to detail. Our quality assurance personnel test each unit thoroughly before it goes out.
But in the unlikely event of a hardware problem, you will need to present your original receipt
in order to obtain warranty service. This will help the service center to conrm your warranty
coverage. So please be sure to save your receipt in a safe location!
Plug It In
Power
Use only the DC power supply that was in the
box with your Hydrasynth Deluxe (12 Volts DC,
≥2 Amp). Make sure the power switch is in the
OFF position before making this connection.
Before switching the unit on, please lower the
volume of your speakers or mute the input
channels on your mixer. This will help prevent
any damage to your speakers or ears.
Audio
Using a mixer
After muting the channel inputs or lowering
the volume of your speakers, connect a pair of
1/4” cables from the Main L/R output jacks on
the rear panel of the Hydrasynth Deluxe to the
inputs of your mixer. Then set the Hydrasynth
Deluxe power switch to the ON position.
Using headphones
If you plan to connect headphones to the
Phone jack on the Hydrasynth Deluxe,
turn the unit on rst and then connect the
headphones. The Hydrasynth Deluxe has an
independent level control for the headphones
next to the connection jacks.
Master Volume control
The Master Volume knob controls all four
Hydrasynth Deluxe outputs (Main/Upper and
Lower). It’s an analog control, which means
it does not communicate its position or
movements digitally via USB or MIDI.
But Master Volume does respond to MIDI
CC #7 via USB and MIDI. So if you are using
the Hydrasynth Deluxe with a computer, for
example, remember that you’ll need to adjust
its level using a MIDI track in your DAW.
The Balance control also aects the Upper/
Lower part levels in Multi mode when all four
outputs are connected. More about all of this
later!
USB
Hydrasynth Deluxe is a USB class-compliant
device, so there are no drivers to install. Just
plug it into your computer and it will be
available immediately as a MIDI input/output
device.
MIDI
The Hydrasynth Deluxe has three 5-pin MIDI
connectors to allow you to interface with
other MIDI devices. MIDI Out sends data from
the Hydrasynth Deluxe, MIDI In receives data,
and MIDI Thru passes data from the MIDI In
without data from the Hydrasynth Deluxe.

12
CV/Gate
Your Hydrasynth Deluxe has a row of
connectors that are used to interface with
modular synthesizers. Each one can be
congured to match the voltages and signal
types of the most popular formats. For details,
see The CV / Gate Section (p. 89).
Laptop shelf
The included laptop shelf is designed for easy
installation and immediate use. See Rear Panel
(p. 23) in the Overview chapter for installa-
tion instructions.
Make Some Noise!
By now you’ve already played the instrument and tweaked the controls. Now let’s take a quick
tour of some of the main features.
To get started, press the [SINGLE] button (under the Master Volume knob). This will exit any
page and take the Hydrasynth Deluxe to the top level of the current Single mode patch. We’ll
explore Multi mode later.
You can always use the Home button to jump to the top level of the current mode
(Single or Multi).
Select Patches
There are several ways to explore the patch
banks in Single mode. The simplest way is
to turn the Patch knob (the big one in the
middle), or use the left and right arrow buttons
above the Home button. This will move you
through the bank one patch at a time. You’ll
see the patch name, bank, and number in the
Left display.
You can also hold [SHIFT] and turn the Patch
knob to jump between the banks. This can
save a lot of scrolling if you know the location
of the patch you’re looking for.
The Browse button opens the patch browser
in the Right display. You’ll want to read the
section Using the Browser (p. 92) to learn
about things like Categories, Favorites, and
other search techniques.
Octave shift
If you want to hear a sound in a higher or
lower range than the keys currently reach, you
can shift the range quickly by one or more
octaves. The Hydrasynth Deluxe has dedicated
buttons above the wheels that ash faster
as the range moves further from center; at
maximum shift the buttons are lit solid. To
reset the range, press both buttons.
Arpeggiator basics
Arpeggiators can turn a great sound into a whole performance! So when you’re ready, press the
Arpeggiator [ON] button to activate the arpeggiator. Then hold down two or more keys while
experimenting with the other controls in the Arpeggiator section. Here’s a quick description of
each.

13
Control Function
Tempo Turn this to adjust the tempo, or use the Tap Tempo button.
Ratchet Sets how many subdivisions of an arpeggiator step are possible (1, 2, 4, or 8).
Chance Determines the likelihood of a Ratchet event happening on a given
arpeggiator step.
Gate Adjusts the relative duration of the arpeggiator notes.
Mode Determines the arpeggiator direction and other behaviors.
Octave Sets the range of the arpeggiator.
Division Selects the basic time division of the arpeggiator relative to the tempo.
Swing Eight settings allow you to add a certain amount of “shue feel” to the arpeggio.
On This toggles the arpeggiator on and o. Use it with [SHIFT] to enter Edit mode.
Latch Lets you to take your ngers o the keys and use both hands to adjust
parameters. It works whether an arpeggio is running or not.
Triplet Subdivides the selected Division setting into triplets.
Tap Tempo Tap several times to set the tempo.
There are words in orange letters under two of the buttons: EDIT and SUSTAIN. These are used
with the [SHIFT] button to access their secondary functions. We’ll describe those and the other
arpeggiator features in The Arpeggiator Section (p. 78).
Tweaking the sounds
The Right display provides information about what is happening and what the options are, no
matter what you’re doing with the Hydrasynth Deluxe. We’ll dig down into every parameter
eventually, but for now let’s start at the top again. If you’re still in Single mode, press [HOME] to
exit to the Home page. If you’ve ventured into Multi mode, please press the [SINGLE] button to
make sure you’re seeing what we’re describing.
The Home page: Macro City
When Hydrasynth Deluxe is on the Home
page the Control knobs and Control buttons
become modulation sources for the Macros.
Each Macro can alter as many as eight
parameters at one time by activating a single
control. Every Single mode patch has eight
Macros available, so a Multi can provide as
many as 16 Macros.
Macros allow you to achieve complex results,
but they’re easy to create. When you’re ready
to try that, see Mastering the Macros (p. 81).
The rest of the Master Control section has
buttons that will be useful in the near future.
They will be covered in Master Control Section
(p. 19).
The Filter section
This section has two buttons and ve knobs.
The buttons select which of the two lters the
knobs will control, after which the knobs can
do their thing.
Knobs 1 and 2 are the same for either lter:
they control Cuto and Resonance, respective-
ly. If Filter 1 is selected the third knob controls
the Drive amount for that lter; if Filter 2 is
selected the third knob allows you to “morph”
the characteristics of that lter.
Those descriptions barely scratch the surface,
though. To delve more deeply into what the
Hydrasynth Deluxe lters can do, read The
Filters and their Controls (p. 50).
Saving
In the process of tweaking a sound you will often create something you’d like to keep. If that
has already happened, jump ahead to the Patch Management chapter and follow the instruc-
tions in Save the Patch (p. 94).

14
Check for Updates
Be sure to visit www.AshunSoundMachines.com soon, and often! It’s your source for important
things such as:
• Firmware updates for your Hydrasynth
Deluxe
• An interactive version of this manual
• Banks of new patches from our top-notch
sound design team
• Tutorial videos to help you master the
intricacies of the Hydrasynth Deluxe
• The original factory banks
• Our free patch librarian, Hydrasynth
Manager
• ...and more!
That’s Enough Reading for Now.
We’ve covered the basics. Now let your creativity go wild!

15
Overview
The Hydrasynth Deluxe represents a perfect balance of instant access, intuitive workow,
powerful features, and great sound, all with a single aim: to make the creation and performance
of mind-blowing music easier and more fun.
Top Panel: Hydrasynth Deluxe
10
9
8
7
5
2
1
34
6
11
Section Name Section Name
1 Master Volume 6 Arpeggiator section
2Single mode button 7 Main Systems section
Multi mode controls 8 Master Control section
3 Wheels, Octave / Chord buttons 9 Filter Controls section
4Keyboard, Ribbon, Ribbon / Glide buttons 10 Module Select section
5 CV / Gate connectors 11 Laptop shelf (installed)
General Concepts
Access buttons
The Access buttons are located in several areas
of the top panel. Their letters can be dierent
colors, depending on the top panel status. All
of the buttons in the Module Select section
and many of those in the Main Systems and
Master Control sections are Access buttons.
Their purpose:
• Press an Access button and the main
parameter page for that feature appears in
the Right display for editing.
• If more pages exist, one or both Page
buttons will point to the other pages.
• Pressing an Access button repeatedly will
also scroll through its pages.
Function buttons
These are the white-lettered buttons, and they
make instant changes (load a patch, switch
lters, toggle something, activate a Macro,
etc.). It might help to remember that
• buttons with colored letters select things
and
• buttons with white letters do things.
For example: To enable the Arpeggiator, press
the [ON] button. To exit any page, press [EXIT]
or [HOME].

16
Mode Select Controls
The Single/Multi buttons select those modes.
In Single mode the Multi controls are inactive.
In Multi mode the Upper/Lower buttons and
the Balance knob are active. The modes are
explained in Multi Mode (p. 25).
Part Select buttons
The Part Select buttons are used in Multi
mode to specify whether the Upper or Lower
part is active on the top panel. Their letters
default to yellow and blue, respectively, and
the color of the top panel changes when they
are pressed. We’ll learn more about these
buttons in Multi Mode (p. 25).
Control knobs
Above and below the Right display are two
sets of four knobs. They are “endless encoders”:
parameters are edited from their current
value, rather than jumping to another value
that was based on the position of the knob.
The Control knobs play dierent roles
depending on the page that has been
accessed:
• On the Home page they become Macro
controls.
• On a parameter page they are used to
adjust parameter values.
• In Multi mode the Control knobs will
edit parameters for the Upper part, the
Lower part, or Both, depending on the top
panel status. The top panel color scheme
indicates which parameters are active.
Control buttons
Each Control knob is paired with a Control
button. Their function also depends on the
page that has been accessed.
• On the Home page they can aect a Macro
in one of four ways (Toggle, Trigger, Switch,
or Reset). This choice is made on System
Setup Master: Page 2 (p. 97).
• On a parameter page they are used to:
• select a parameter value for editing
• toggle a value (Oscillator Solo on/o,
for example), or
• enter a lower-level editing page (i.e.,
Wavelist Edit for a WaveScan oscillator).
Module Select buttons
These buttons access the parameter pages of
the selected Module (Osc 1, Delay, LFO 5, etc.)
The signal path generally moves from left to
right, but vertical lines between two buttons
indicate:
• a pre-wired connection (Env 1 / LFO 1 to
Filters, Env 2 / LFO 2 to Amp), or
• the ability to be routed in Series or Parallel,
as with the Filters, or
• order of operations, such as the output of
the Delay is fed to the input of the Reverb.
The Module Select buttons can be used as a
quick way to set up a Mod Matrix route, too
(hold one, press another). For information
about that, see The Mod Matrix (p. 85).
Knob types
Variable knobs
Two types of variable knobs are used:
• 270° encoders: The range has an upper and
lower limit. Examples: Master Volume, Filter
Cuto
• Endless encoders: These have no range
limits, so an edit always starts from the
current value.
Selection knobs
These are only found on the bottom row of the
Arpeggiator section. A “selection knob” clicks
between positions to select a value. Of these
four, only the Swing parameter can be set to
intermediate values (see Swing (p. 78).
The displays
At the center of it all are two high-resolution
OLED displays, also known as the Left display
and the Right display. They serve dierent
purposes:
• The Left display is for Patch selection and
helpful graphics.
• The Right display is for parameter selection
and adjustment.

17
When an Access button is pressed, the Right
display and its surrounding controls change
functions to allow instant access to the
most-used parameters. The Page up/down
buttons put all other parameters within easy
reach.
Main Systems
7Patch selection
One of the major
functions of this
section is patch
selection. There are
several methods,
and you might use
them all at dierent
times depending on
what you’re doing.
Patch knob
From the Home page
you can select an
adjacent patch by
turning the Patch
knob a single click in either direction. You
can also jump between the banks if you hold
[SHIFT] while turning the knob.
Left / Right arrows
As with the Patch knob, press one of these
buttons to select an adjacent patch. Hold
[SHIFT] rst to make the buttons jump
through the patches 10 at a time.
Browse
This page lets you alter the way the patches
are presented in each bank. There are three
dierent sort orders: By Patch #, by Name, or
by Category.
The Browse page also contains a robust
Compare feature, as well as a sub-menu where
you can designate a Multi or Single patch as a
Favorite. You can stash up to 128 of these in a
Favorites bank for instant access.
For details on each of these functions, see
Using the Browser (p. 92).
Favorites (Shift + Browse)
When you need to nd your best sounds
immediately you can jump straight to your
Favorites bank from any other page.
• Hold [SHIFT] and press [BROWSE] to access
your Favorites
• Use the Page Down/Up arrows to move
between the 16 banks of Favorites
• Press the Control button next to the patch
name to select it.
The HOME button
The Home button is located at the bottom of
the Main Systems section. It provides a quick
way to get back to the top level of Single or
Multi mode, where the Macro controls are. This
is known as the Home page in either mode.
All Notes O
Sometimes MIDI signals are disrupted and
a note becomes stuck. If that happens, hold
[SHIFT] and press [HOME] to transmit an “All
Notes O” command. This will silence any
stuck notes.
The SAVE button
Whenever you’ve made an edit that you’d hate
to lose, press [SAVE] to access the Save page.
You’ll be able to select a new location for the
edited patch, rename it, and assign it to a
category (Bass, Pad, etc.). You can even decide
which color the Patch knob and wheels will be
when the patch is selected.
There’s another feature that determines
whether the positions of the Macro knobs will
be stored as-is, returned to zero, or saved as
edits to the parameters they control.
For details, see Save the Patch (p. 94).
System Setup
This section has 13 pages. It holds all of the
global settings for the keyboard, the knobs,
the pedals, the CV / Gate section, etc.
[SAVE] and [SYSTEM SETUP] are used
together to specify the boot-up patch for the
Hydrasynth Deluxe.
For details about each page, see The System
Setup Pages (p. 96).

18
The INIT button
Reset a parameter
The INIT button will reset any parameter to its
default value: just hold [INIT] and press the
Control button next to that parameter’s value.
The Control button will light up next to any
parameter that has been edited, which helps
you know which one to press.
Initialize a Module
You can reset the parameters for an entire
Module using a similar method:
• Hold [INIT].
• Press the Access button for the desired
module.
• Conrm the decision by pressing [INIT]
again.
• If you decide not the initialize, press [EXIT]
to cancel the procedure.
Initialize a Patch
If you want to build an entire patch from
scratch, press [INIT] twice in a row. This will
erase the contents of the Edit buer, so be
sure to save any edits you don’t want to lose.
The RANDOM button
If you’re the adventurous type, you will love
this button! It can randomize the value of any
parameter, any module, a single patch, or even
an entire Multi.
Randomize a parameter
To randomize a single parameter, hold
[RANDOM] and press the Control button next
to that parameter’s value. The Control button
of every available parameter will light up, so
you’ll know which ones not to press (the dark
ones won’t do anything).
Randomize a Module
You can randomize the parameters for an
entire Module using a similar method:
• Hold [RANDOM].
• Press the Access button for the desired
module.
• Conrm the decision by pressing
[RANDOM] again.
• If you decide not the randomize, press
[EXIT] to cancel the procedure.
Random Patch generation
You can even randomize an entire patch in
Single or Multi mode, including the Eects!
Sometimes the results are strange, but that’s
okay; just try it again. Once you get something
interesting, you can save it like that or tweak it
as needed.
In Single mode there are two ways to
randomize the patch:
• Press [RANDOM] twice. The Left display
shows “GENERATE” after the rst press, and
after the second press a random selection
of values is generated.
• Hold [SHIFT] and press [RANDOM] twice.
The Left display shows “PATCHRND” after
the rst press, and after the second press a
random selection of values is pulled from
other patches.
In Multi mode you can randomize an entire
Multi, randomize only the Upper or Lower part
inside the Multi, or randomize any module
inside one of the parts as you would do in
Single mode.
There are several ways to do this. But to
summarize, you can either
• Select [Upper] or [Lower] and then press
[RANDOM], or
• Hold [RANDOM] and then press [Upper] or
[Lower].
Either way the results are the same: the
selected item will be randomized.
But we left [Multi] out of the examples above,
because those are dierent operations which
provide very dierent results.
• If you select [Multi] and press [RANDOM]
twice:
the parts inside the Multi are randomized,
but the Multi settings are not: Mode,
balance, octave ranges, Arp setting, and
controller settings are untouched.
• If you hold [RANDOM], press [Multi], and
press [RANDOM] again:
the settings of the Multi are randomized

19
but the parts inside the Multi are not. So
the Upper/Lower sounds remain the same,
but the MultiMode, split points, balance,
octave ranges, Arp setting, and controller
settings will be randomized.
Percent of Randomization
The Random feature lets you specify how
much randomization takes place in each
module. Press [RANDOM] to gain access to two
pages, on which you are able to set the ran-
domization limit for the modules listed below.
Page Modules Range
1 OSC 1-3, Mutant 1-4, Mixer,
Filters, Macro, ModMtrx,
ENV, LFO
0-100%
2 Voice, Amp, FX, Arp, Ribbon 0-100%
Random Patch selection
You can let the Hydrasynth Deluxe select a
new patch for you. This works from any page:
• Hold [RANDOM] and press one of the Left/
Right arrows.
• Conrm the procedure by pressing
[RANDOM] again.
• To cancel the random selection procedure,
press [EXIT].
The SHIFT button
The Shift button is used in combination
with various buttons and knobs to access
secondary functions. When these are available
the secondary functions are indicated with a
row of orange text under the control.
In some cases [SHIFT] is used to accelerate
value selection. For example, if you hold
[SHIFT] and turn the Patch knob you can jump
between Patch banks, as opposed to the
standard operation of +/- 1 patch.
You can also use [SHIFT] to help ne-tune
a value that has a large range. For example,
if you want to set a precise value for lter
resonance, hold [SHIFT] and turn the
appropriate Control knob.
For a complete list of the available Shift
functions, see Control Combinations (p. 105).
Master Control Section
8
If you like to make your own patches, you
might enjoy this top-panel section the most.
When a Module is accessed the parameter
values are shown in the Right display, selected
with the Control buttons, and adjusted with
the Control knobs. In Multi mode these edit
the Upper part, the Lower part, or Both,
depending on the top panel status. The Access
button colors tell you which parts are active.
The Page Up/Down buttons provide access to
more parameters whenever a Module oers
more than eight. We’ll describe the parameters
of each Module in Understanding the Modules
(p. 37).
The Master Control section is also a lot of fun
when you’re on the Home page, thanks to the
powerful Macro controls. For live performance
or on-the-spot creativity, the Macros can kick
everything into high gear. See Mastering the
Macros (p. 81).
EXIT button
This button will light as soon as you enter any
page. It will take you back to the previous
page, and it can cancel a process if you decide
not to do something (Initialize, Randomize,
Save, etc.). The Home page is the only page
where [EXIT] is not lit, because that’s the top
level of the patch.

20
VOICE button
This Access button takes you to a set of
features that aect an entire Single mode
patch, or the parts in Multi mode: Pitch bend
range, Vibrato settings, Mono/Poly/Unison
voice modes, and the Glide settings. This is also
where the Scale is dened for each.
Perhaps more subtle but equally important,
the Voice module is also home to the Analog
Feel and Random Phase settings. These can
really bring a patch to life.
See the Modules chapter for specics about
the Voice module (p. 38).
PAGE Up / Down buttons
These two buttons are lit if the selected
module has more than one page. If one of
those buttons is lit that means there are
pages available in that direction. If both are lit
then pages are available in both directions. If
neither is lit, there are no additional pages to
select.
Access buttons can be used to ip between
pages too, which works great if there are only a
few pages. But if the module has a lot of pages
and the parameter you want is more than a few
pages away, hold [SHIFT] and press one of the
lit arrows to jump to the rst or last page. Then
use the Page Up/Down buttons to reach the
desired page.
MACRO ASSIGN button
This Access button opens a page that is
like a hallway with eight doors, and behind
each one is a lab that makes a powerful
performance control called a Macro. You can
dene up to eight modulation routes for each
Macro, and then use the Control knobs and
Control buttons to manipulate the Macros
from the Home page. Each patch has its own
set of 8 Macros, so a Multi controls as many as
16 (2 per Control knob).
To learn more about what’s on the other side
of those doors, see the chapter Mastering the
Macros (p. 81).
MOD MATRIX button
The Mod Matrix button reveals a digital patch
bay that provides up to 32 sets of modulation
routes per patch or layer. These are in
addition to the Macros, although they can be
controlled by them (and vice versa).
• Potential sources for the mod routes
include LFOs, Envelopes, Aftertouch (both
kinds), MPE (three kinds), plus the Ribbon,
Expression pedal, CV inputs, and any MIDI
CC # (Continuous Control number). We
didn’t list them all. Really.
• Destinations can be almost any Hydrasynth
Deluxe parameter, including any Mod
Matrix route. Additional destinations
include the Macros, the Mod 1 and Mod 2
CV outputs, and any MIDI CC #.
There’s a lot to say about this topic, so you’ll
want to read The Mod Matrix (p. 85).
CV/Gate Section
5
These seven connectors allow the Hydrasynth
Deluxe to interface with the wild and
wonderful world of modular synthesizers.
There are ve outputs (Pitch, Gate, Mod 1,
Mod 2, and Clock) and two inputs (Mod 1 and
Mod 2).
The outputs send voltages and signals that
can control external devices, and the inputs
receive voltages that allow external devices
to control parameters inside the Hydrasynth
Deluxe.
The range of each voltage and what type of
sig nals are sent are dened in The System Setup
Pages (p. 96), and information about how to
use them is in The CV / Gate Section (p. 89).