Novation Supernova II

Uploaded OS 2.0 to my secondhand Supernova 2 Keyboard with no hassle.
The presets are now a little dated in my opinion, but with a bit of a tweak here and there, it starts to show its true colours. The layout of the synth is what really makes it for me, a knob for almost every parameter, which makes it a fantastic synth for learning synthesis!
Ease of use gets an 7, the reason being that the manual was written by
someone that was clearly high on crack at the time! It is honestly the worst written manual I have ever beared witness to...

I really love almost everything on this synth! The reverb is absolutely *****... The distortion is bloody insane! Outperforms my virus distortion by a long way. 8 parts multitimbral is sweet, although I do find my self running out every now and then. Every knob and button transmits midi, which is awesome, the arpeggiator section is awesome!
I use the arp section to control the virus, Although programming my own arp patterns is proving challenging, probably because the manual serves more use as toilet paper than as a reference volume. It is still an extremely easy synth to use overall and would recommend it to novices like myself as its taught me loads!

The keyboard is fab in my opinion! I love the feel and expressiveness of it an use it as my main midi controller. I'm not a fan of the presets, but I do really value the sounds I'm able to create with it. I would say that it has a unique sound, it definitely doesn't have the agressive edge that the virus has, but it sits very nicely in the mix and compliments the virus beautifully. I use this synth for Dance music, and
I would recommend it to any dance producer! Of you don't fancy the sound of it, then it makes the most beautiful control surface for your soft synths. All wonderfully laid out in and easy to manipulate kinda way.

Yes, I've used it at gigs without a backup and have never had a problem with it.

Novation have sucked ********************** at supporting this instrument. If it breaks, I'll have to find a very clever person who can repair it. On the other hand though, I've never met another person that owns one here in SOuth Africa, so it is rather an exclusive instrument for me.

I could not love a human baby as much as I love this synth. And being in Africa, if it is stolen, I would not be able to replace it. I'd replace it with a Virus TI, but if I had the chance, I'd still grab another one
simply because no-one else seems to have one out here, so the sound is unique and different to other stuff out there. The layout of this synth has inspired me, and made it easier to make music for me which makes it a winner for me!

Pretty easy if you already know how to pregram a synth. Would be rather cbewildering for the newbie.
A patch editor would be redundant for this, I feel. Most common functions are knob dedicated, but on a VA of this complexity you're bound to do some menu diving to get a few things done. Thankfully it never stops you from playing - all menus and functions are done in real-time, except programming arpeggio patterns. You can also turn ANY patch (except maybe drums) into a vocoder on the fly-adjust the sibilance level and input gain and your set.

I have the 36-voice version. I use several other synths in my kit so I practically never run out of voices. The keyboard has a luxurious feel to it - nice cushion and playing action. The mod wheel has a good deal of resistance and is weighty, which I like. The knobs are just cheap plastic, though. Not nice like a Moog or anything - at this price what do you expect...they had to keep costs down to sell so many at a certain price point. But they do get a lot done, and having nice big knobs would cut down the knob count somewhat. The sliders are EXCELLENT though, with a snappy, thick feel to them, perfect for adjusting the EGs.
Everything transmits and receives MIDI - very well implemented, there are 3 controller jacks. 8 INDIVIDUAL OUTS - a great feature. Discreet FX on each of 8 TIMBRES - no other synthesizer ever made has more FX power in multimode. Feature-wise, this is one of the best.
I wish it had a dedicated Mixer section for the Oscillators, instead you have to go through the Mod section!

It is VERY expressive to play. Minimoog lines, big chords, funky soling, it's all good for. Route all kinds of stuff to the mod wheel. The modulation on this baby is top-notch for a fixed-architecture synth. It feels like a Roland Jupiter or Juno - sounds and behaves like 'em , too. Add some Matrix12 capabilties and a superb filter.

Sound quality: It could be better, I must say. It does NOT have the wavy, thick character of a classic vintage analog synth, because it isn't and will never truly be (at least sound like) a vintage synth. And I think that's FINE, because the SNII does have it's own grand, glorious character. It's English, and rather polite. It does NOT go out of tune or scramble your speakers with analog ooze.
It's basic oscillator sound is a little bland...but don't rely on the FX...use the filter and EGs!!! that filter is really good - it's actually a dual (try the 'Notch' filter or BPF+LPF under the 'special' key) with some preset configurations. Kick in the 18db LPF + filter overdrive and you're off to acid bass land.
The SNII has snappy envelopes - my favorite VA for 303 lines. LFOs are only 2, but can modulate evrything simultaneously.
This synth sounds excellent in a mix, and that's why everybody in electronic music has one!

No trouble yet. Seems solid and sturdy. I bought it specifically for live use, so I'll have to update this review some years from now.

Bought second hand. I hear Novation no longer supports it, so you'll have to find a service tech if you have a problem with it.
The expansion slots are NOT supported - the s/pdif & ADAT cards never found their way to the stores. Oh well - I guess I can live with 2 d/a conversions while recording :^(

This a GREAT live music synthesizer. Others can do what it does a little better soundwise (Q, Andromeda, Jupiter), but not on-the-fly with so much flexibility. It's applications are vast, and buying a quality hardware poly really does make a difference.
One of the ten best keybord Polysynths ever.

I have the SNII running OS version 2.0

Concerning the area of sound design, though generally speaking use of the SNII is not difficult, it is also not as easy as I would have hoped it to be. Despite all the numerous knobs, buttons, and sliders to be found on the Supernova, often times knobs/slider behaviour are shared. Some aspects of the filter section have dedicated knobs, as does the Amp enevelope, and the effects. Further, though it not a super large amount by any means, there is still a bit of menu digging one must got through on occassion to get access to certain paramaters.
Personally, I would have preferred for the direct access to effects to have been eliminated and more dedicated oscillator/filter/envelope controls to have been added. Of some disappointment, some of the controlls offered on the SNII become pointless at times, as it would seem any time one syncs the speed of some paramater to midi clock (be it a delay, LFO, etc.), any sort of "speed" knob that is offered in regard to that paramater ceases to function.

On the outset, it would first appear that one is also a bit limited by the waveform selection possible for each Osc of the SNII. As square/pulse (variable width possible), saw, and double saw are the only directly selectable waveforms. This is a bit of an illusion however, as Novation's combination of Osc sync/sync skew and Osc "hardness" controlls allow for a good amount of reshaping of the 3 Osc waveforms available. It is quite easy to convert a square/pulse selected Osc into a sine wave for example. Though this makes oscillator wave selection a bit more complicated at times, it also adds a good deal to what can be selected. A bit missed however is a Triangle wave. I'll confess that I'm still experimenting with methods of attempting to shape something into Triangle, but I doubt it is possible to form a true triangle and at this point the closest I've been able to come are close approximations to triangle wave.
Despite the lack of a Triangle wave, the amount of waveforms one can generate through "hardness" shaping and syncing/sync skewing is pretty darn large and serve to give the Supernova's true amount of selectable waveforms for oscillators as one of the largest I've ever seen on any analouge/virtual analouge synth.
The waveforms of the "oscillators" also share a bit of the oscillators wave reshaping ability, making the true amount of waveforms offered up by the LFOs larger than it appears as well. (I'll note here, some controll over how the osc syncing works [sync skew to be specific] is one of those controlls that will have you digging into menues).

In it's "Performance" mode (multi-timbral mode) I found the SNII to be extremely versatile. Due to the fact that appregios can be made to be of such long length (64 steps! I actually have a 32 measure long appregio I established utilizing this), and do to the fact that there is a appregio "latch" feature, one can practically look at the appreggio system as a sort of sequencer. Further, there is a nice "part" section of SNII that would seem that Novation was thinking that people might have this sort of use in mind. In very "Groovebox" like ways, one has a series of 8 buttons correlating to the 8 possible parts of a "performance" which can be used to select which part is being effected by any of surface tweaks on the SNII and further, which parts area muted or not.
Adding on to this, program change midi messages can be received by each part and it is also possible to change to entirely new "performance" mode settings via midi program change messages!
Really nice work here.

I'm running with the PRO X version, which boast 48 voices of polyphony which is considerably more than I will probably ever use. Expansion boards were created for the non PRO-X versions that allow for the amount of voices to be increased to 48 however.

The keyboard action is absolutely superb and I can't say I've ever touched a set of keys that I like more.

The effects are nice, though I'll confess it has one of the most unique sounding reverbs I've ever heard. I won't say that it's bad, simply different. I've heard numerous people say they find it to sound "metallic", and I suppose this is as good a description as any of it's nature. The only aspect to the effects, is as I noted earlier, for things dealing with speed/time, any knob offered becomes useless if that particular effect is synced to midi clock.

Though I covered it in the "Ease Of Use" section of this review, I will rehighlight the fact that the amount of waveforms possible for each oscillator is extremely impressive (though takes a bit of work). Further the LFO section suffers this same GREAT fate.

There are a number of filter types offered, which include LPF, BPF, and HPF of the 12db, 18db, and 24db variety. There is also a set of combined filter types available, and arguably, there is a comb filter available as well (the comb filter relates more to the effects section than synth section of the board, but can be utilized none the less).

The modulation routing possibilities are a bit more limited than I would hope for them to be, but none the less, I think most routing schemes one would generally want to establish can be.

The drum maps are a priceless feature, and though limited in regard to how effects work on them, serve as a great means of getting the most out of the SNII's multi-timbrality (one could argue that in some respects it makes it as if it were a 16 part multi-timbral machine).

Finally, as once again noted in the "Ease Of Use" section, the appregiator may in many ways be considered a sort of sequencer. Much to Novations credit, despite the deep amount of complexity that can be attached to appregios, they are extremely easy to develop. Hands down, I would definately put the SNII's appregio system as one of the best (perhaps even the best) ever featured on a synth.

First off, for those of you that may be looking to emulate a 303, though I haven't tried it, in theory I would think the SNII could nail a 303 down to a TB.
The oscillator wave shaping abilities would allow for the odd 303 pulse wave to be made (or VERY close to), the 18db filter would be on hand, and proper programming could even be done to accomadate a bit of accent action.

That issue aside, the sound of the SNII is well.....clean. Really really really clean. Even when this thing sounds dirty....it somehow still sounds clean. This isn't to say it's sounds aren't phat, or that it can't sound aggresive....it's hard to explain other than that it seems to always come off sounding crystal clear.
Though this synth is more than capable of pulling of harsh leads and basses, FM type pianos, clangs, bangs, and electryfiying type thangs; what I've found to be it's really strong area has come in the form of pads. This thing is capable of some of the most lush pads I've ever heard issue out of anyhting.

Haven't had an issue with it yet

Havent' had any issues as of yet.

I really like the SNII, and definately think I won't be parting (willingly) with mine for a long time to come.

It would be nice to see Novation dump one more OS upgrade off on the world and provide the SNII with a true Triangle wave and/or to allow for speed related knobs to still function when things are synced to MIDI clock, but unfortuantely, this is doubtfull.

I've heard quite a few people say they felt the SNII sounded "thin" in comparison to the Virus, but I really don't understand what they are talking about here. By no means, does the Supernova have a generally thin quality to it. If there is an oddity to it's sound, it would definately be how crystal clear it always is......I've never heard a (true) analouge synth or hybrid (DCOs with analouge filters) accomplish sounding so darn pristine. Which I'll confess, when it comes to fitting things into the mix, this actually stands as an outstanding quality of the SNIIs nature.

OS 2. In general, ease of use correlates with abundance of knobs, and this synth has a lot of knobs. Best laid out synth I've ever used. Presets are OK, but seem a little limited. Little touches make it easier, too: constant gate button for internal inputs, transpose buttons above the wheels, favourites locations, internal power supply, easy to read display. A real, separate modulation matrix would make parts of programming easier.

Lots and lots of great features. See reviews below. Keyboard action is FANTASTIC. It's not as fun to play my V-Synth after playing this one, and playing one of those M-Audio toy MIDI controllers is out of the question. Incredible arpeggiator. Great vocoder. ADSR sliders instead of knobs. I don't know if expansions are still available, since as of now (Dec 2005), this synth has been out of production for a few years. Effects are great, even the Leslie simulator!

The sound hasn't aged as well as I'd like. It's beautiful, and extremely fat and warm, but it has a few flaws. First, it's a little polite. The smoothness and beauty that make it great also limit it somewhat. Even its "harsh" FM or distorted sounds are like glossy versions of FM or distortion. That's it--it sounds glossy and polished. Second, it only has two waveforms. Yes, the square can be "rounded" to a sine, and yes, there's doublesaw for some particular purposes, but more versatility would have been great. The result of these shortcomings is that it always sounds like a Supernova. It's easy for me to pick them out of recordings after working with this one for 3 years or so. A synth having its own character is not necessarily a drawback, but you have to really like that character or it gets fatiguing. This one is getting fatiguing to me. It's hard to fault it for sounding like a Supernova, so I bumped my score of 7 up to an 8.

Seems mostly reliable, but I have a few concerns. The plastic upper body does not seem robust. It vibrates in a buzzy way on certain stands when played forcefully, and a knob or two scrape against the plastic when they're turned. When I rest my left hand near the diplay's "soft knobs," and play notes just below the display with my right hand, there's an alarming tapping or knocking sound with every key I press. I think the weight of my left hand pushes the plastic lid down enough to hit part of the keys mechanism. This can't be good, and it doesn't bode well should I ever drop or band the synth on something. Once in a while the synth won't boot up when I turn it on, but it always does on the second try. I have gigged once or twice with no backup--reliability is not so much the problem as durability.

I've never called them.

I still like this synth for particular things, but I'm falling out of love with it. I LOVE LOVE LOVE the keyboard feel, and I use it as a MIDI controller a lot. The only problem there is the rattling/buzzing sound, which is annnoying and distracting. It's like eating dinner on a badly wobbling table. I also own a Roland V-synth and a Waldorf MicroQ, both of which are great synths and neither of which sounds convincingly analog. I test-drove an Alesis Ion recently and loved the sound. If they come out with one with a longer, better keyboard, I'd buy that in a heartbeat. Supernova prices on eBay are falling, which could be seen as a good opportunity, but I'd want to be really sure the chassis were totally intact before I'd buy one of these. If it were stolen, I'd shell out for the Virus TI, I think.

Could not get any easier. Every section has a couple of controls accessible only by menus, but that's OK--Too many more knobs would make the front panel more difficult to use. I'm using OS 2. Many more great presets than bad ones, and the great ones really are great. Editing is a breeze, and a patch editor is totally unnecessary. The display is very easy to read. I have a couple of minor gripes (saving a favorite requires an unintuitive extra step, rear jacks are not labelled along the top edge), but they're really minor. This is an incredibly easy to use synthesizer.

24-voice polyphony, great MIDI controller features, probably the best arpeggiator I've ever used. The keyboard action is fantastic. It's the same keybed as the E-mu E-synth and the Kawaii K-5000. Every non-piano-weighted keyboard should feel like this. There's just the right amount of resistance, the keys bottom out onto something solid but not too hard, you can really lean on them and not worry about breaking anything, they're full-size, and the black keys are textured. Just great. After you play this, you'll have a hard time going back to the cheap, clicky keys on a Triton, Karma, or Motif. The effects are quite good, and programs keep all of them when in multitimbral mode. No rompler can make that claim! There's some expandability, but Novation no longer makes these, so I don't know how hard those items are to find now. It's got favorites memory locations, user-programmable arpeggiators, an internal power supply, a "pass-through" mode for knobs and sliders (no effect until the knob passes through the value stored in the program), on and on. The vocoder is a blast, and it's got a "constant gate" button, so you don't have to hold down a key for vocoding or processing of external signals. Loopable envelopes, FM, ring-mod, hardness waveshaping, variable peak spacing between the two filters, sliders for envelopes, wheels instead of a paddle, a dedicated latch button for the arpeggiator, etc., etc. Just about the perfect virtual analog.

It's missing some features that other synths have: digital waveforms, a third LFO, a true modulation matrix, a random patch generator. I kind of miss the third LFO and the mod matrix. (I'd love to be able to control one LFO's speed from another LFO, for instance.) The digital waveforms would be great, but would take this synth out of the virtual analog realm. The random patch generator would just be icing on this delicious cake. Having made these complaints, I still regret having sold a Jupiter 8 in 1991, and it didn't have any of those features.

This thing really sounds analog. If you listen carefully and know what you're listening for, and there's no other sound playing, you can sometimes tell it's virtual. Play it in a mix with other instruments, though, and you can't tell. I do occasionally hear a little aliasing in the top few keys, but only occasionally. That said, there's no zipper noise anywhere, and the bottom end will shake the paint off the ceiling. It's even got some of the things I don't like about analogs faithfully reproduced. Some of the programs sound very Oberheimish, some sound scarily close to my old Jupiter 8. All the modulation, velocity control, dual filters (which make some very cool vocal sounds), though, take this synth far beyond what any Jupiter or Oberheim could do. The silky smoothness that everyone talks about is definitely there, and I personally love it. Some of the sync and FM sounds can get pretty rude, too.

There are no realistic instrument sounds, of course, but some of the organ and electric piano sounds are really quite good. Much better than the DX7 electric piano that got played to death. The TB303 emulations are very good, very playable and expressive, and lush pads abound. This synth would work well in any genre that called for synthesizers, maybe slightly less well for hardcore industrial thrash stuff than other, more digital sounding synths.

I've only had it for a year or so, but the OS seems very stable, and the case and hardware is rock-solid. The pitch wheel scrapes against the case if you put a little sideways force on it (just a little, and easy to do while playing), but the wheel is rubbery and it shouldn't be a problem.

I've never had to deal with them. They no longer make this synth, so I'd be curious to know if I'd be left high and dry if I ever need help.

I'd buy it again if I had to. It's perfect for me. I actually sold a Waldorf Q to get it. If I were limited to one synth only, I might choose the Waldorf instead. But I found the Q harder to program, and I have a Waldorf Microwave XT for wavetable weirdness and digital grunge. The Supernova/XT combination is impossible to beat. Totally worth the price I paid, and them some.

I love how easy it is to use--everything's right there in front of you, right where it should be. I really, really love the feel of the keyboard. Even if I had some radical change of heart about the synth engine, I'd keep this as a MIDI controller just for the keys. I love the smooth, round, umph of the sound, and I love the internal power supply. Just say no to wall warts! I don't hate anything, but I do wish it had a real modulation matrix and a third LFO.

I've been playing for 14 years, and I also own a Waldorf Microwave XT, an E-mu E-synth keyboard and Vintage Pro, and a Roland RD700. The only other thing I'd like to share is that I'm worried that soft synths are taking over, and great hardware synths like this may become a thing of the past. My laptop is only 1 year old, and it's already too slow to run Korg's new Legacy Collection, for instance. And that's without running a sequencer or any other synths. Hardware synths perform better, they're more reliable, you don't have to worry about configurations/drivers/incompatabilities/latencies, and you can still play them after 10 years. In 10 years, who knows what OS my computer will be running, and what synths I'll need to buy to run on it. Any programming expertise I accumulated along the way will be lost. That doesn't work for me. Plus, carrying a laptop and MIDI interface to a bar gig is just not feasible. Are Japanese romplers and finicky, underpowered soft synths the only things keyboard players want anymore?

OS Version 2 (upgraded from version 1). About 1/3 to 1/2 of the factory sounds are quite good. Easy as can be to program for one with knowledge of analog style synthesis. Dedicated knob for almost everything, including each individual effect. PDF manual is good, don't need it for the basics yet it reveals numerous subtle intricacies of the instrument.

24 Voice Standard, expandable to more voices. Optional ADAT card. Built in effects. Countless knobs, switches, and sliders (excellent control panel for internal synth AND external plug in synths/virtual environments). 1024 internal Preset locations. 512 Performance memories. Additional storage for Drum Kits.

Great for any style of modern dance music, electronica, or ambient. Has its own distinctive sound and mixes great with real analog synths like Rev 2 Prophet 5, or original Minimoog, Waldorf Pulse, etc. The SupernovaII is one of the warmest sounding virtual analogs; other virtual analogs can clog the mix. Vocoder is quite useful. Delay effects can be synced to internal clock or external MIDI, delay amount optionally assigned to the mod wheel. Highly expressive sounds, easy to program.

It's been a solid axe in my arsenal for a couple of years. Shipped it overseas once. Gorilla friggin transport personel bashed the shipping container to pieces. A couple of the keys broke in half and the synth kept working perfectly (even the broken keys continued to function, which I super glued back together at a late date). Not a single knob or slider has ever failed (knock on wood).

Web site is great, lots of free sounds. OS is easy to upgrade. Haven't needed any other support. Tip: power the synth with a UPS if/when you upgrade the OS, otherwise you may to send the unit to the factory.

It is worth every penny (how ever many I spent). I own the other synths that are mentioned in the sound section. New Borg librarian for the synth is free (and works better than a couple of libraians you have to pay for). With a computer setup the SupernovaII is one of the best control panels, and offers glitchless realtime editing of the internal sounds. Leave the fragile antique analogs at the palace and take this one on the road with you.

I use OS version 2.0 It was already installed when I bought it.
The presets is bloody usefull. Very trance related.
As soon, you understand analogue synthesis, it will take short amount of time to learn this thing. The best patch editor is the front panel.

24 voice. If you keep UNISON mode out, It will be enaugh. You can expand it to 36 or 48 voices.
7 built in effects. One knob for each effekt, and a menu button for each effekt, wich makes it very easy.
MIDI in out thru. Knobs and buttons transmitt midi. You can even record that you change performance, to use more sounds in your work.
You can program your own arpeggiator rythm, you can make your own drum set and you can overwrite every singel patch.

I created a Grand Piano!!!!!!! (just like the real thing!!!)
(it will be available on www.novationmusic.com soon)
This synth works greate for Classical, dance, trance Techno and electronica. The effects is the most wonderfull thing, and you can do so much with them.

There is a catch here. If you play a long PAD, it will proseed even if you switch to another patch. But you can safely store the data on the supernova II rack. It never hangs. No worries.

I've only used support by mail. Even so, they respond and they give you a good answer. They are nice. I've solved all my problems.
Long conversations gets automatically shortert though.

If it's still for sale I would buy it. I would have looked for used if not. It was worth the prise. I got 45% of the price. I own a Novation KS5 I've been playing since may 2002. I bougt a Roland XP-30 at that time. I love my Supernova II rack. It's suits perfectly to my demands. I hope a Supernova III or something will enter the market. I compared it with the Access virus series. And waldorf Q and Nordlead 3. The prise was unbeatable and I do not regret. I wish the supernova had more FM parameters, and USB connection. That is all.

I'm using OS 1. The presets are incredible. This thing sounds enormous, warm, and rich. But not just that--it can also have a clean, smooth, crystaline clarity that was hard to get with real analog synths. There are some great emulations of classic analog celebrities, and plenty of presets that are modern and (I think) more inspiring. Editing patches is a total breeze. More complicated than on original analogs because there are more features, but that's a very good thing.

The manual seems great, although I haven't read it cover-to-cover. Helpful and informative, unlike Roland's and some others! (And not just because of bad translations.) This synth could only be easier to use if it played or programmed itself.

I have the 24-voice version, which is fine for me. I play more than I sequence. The keyboard action is great. It feels light to me, despite Novation's "semi-weighted" claim, but it also feels really good. The keybed is solid, pressure sensitivity feels right, and the keys resist just a little bit. They're full-sized, which I love. The black keys are a little textured and rounded, and the white keys are ever so slightly rounded on the top. I guess this is so you can feel where you are more easily without looking. Fine with me. And sooo much better than the awful and almost unplayable keyboard on the Korg Triton Le. It takes a surprising amount of force to move the pitch wheel, but the mod wheels feels great.

The effects are accessed via menus, unlike most other synth functions, but they're still easy to use. And, wonder of wonders, the rumor is true: every sound keeps its own effects during multitimbral sequencing! A reason to buy the synth right there. Another reason: You can set up 128 "Favorites" (sorry, this is a British synth: "Favourites") that point to patches you use the most, so you don't have to go digging for them or disturb your patch categorization to make the most commonly used ones more accessible. A small but brilliant touch. And another: You have the option of telling the knobs and sliders to only have an effect after they pass through the setting determined in the preset. This way, you can avoid huge jumps in the sound during performance as you "play" the knobs. Ahhh. And yet another: Novation, in their wisdom and compassion, gave the Supernova II an internal power supply. (Cue sound of thousands of keyboard players dropping to their knees in grattitude and devotion.) Thank you, Novation! Because of this, I don't have an extra, tempermental device to carry around, the power cord doesn't get knocked out of its socket, the power supply doesn't get dropped or kicked, and keeping a spare power cord is cheap and easy. With this one design decision, Novation have demonstrated that they care about their customers, and they're not out to grab every available penny at our expense. I'm a customer for life. (Paying attention, Kurzweil et al?) Other specs are probably better gotten from Novation's website, since I've seen incorrect specs in these reviews. I haven't used its controller features yet, so I can't comment on them.

OK, here's the best I could do for a list of complaints. I would have liked more waveforms. Even a set of 16 or so digital waveforms (with interesting overtones, maybe, but not samples, per se) would have added even more to the sonic power of this synth. Maybe in a future OS update? Also, the red LEDs which look so cool in low light situations are a little hard to see in bright lighting, especially if you're not standing directly over the keyboard looking down on it. And I wish the rear jacks were labeled on the back of the top edge, so I don't have to injure myself trying to squeeze back there to see what's what. And I would LOVE a 76-key version.

Oh yeah. Warm and fat or cool and smooth, ugly and rude or pretty and subtle...it's up to you. No realistic simulations of acoustic instruments, of course--that's what romplers are for (snooze). All the analog goodies are here, plus new twists: multiple filter types and slopes, overdrive and "q norm" in the filter section, formant width and sync skew in the oscillator section, FM, plus vocoder, effects, programmable arpeggiator, modulation matrix, etc., etc. This thing is a monster. It would work beautifully in any musical genre or situation where electronic sounds were being used. Everything responds perfectly and sounds fantastic. People would have dumped their Jupiters or Prophets in a second for one of these in 1983.

The software and keyboard seem bulletproof, but I have a slight complaint about the build quality. The chassis is a metal base with a solid plastic top that can be opened like a laptop (another nice touch). Fine so far. However, some of the knobs and sliders scrape against the surface of the chassis as you move them. The paint around these controls is almost certainly not going to last very long. These controls can be pulled up a little, but that's a bad fix. Not a crisis, but not great. Otherwise, the knobs and sliders all feel first rate, with a nice amount of resistance. Also, one corner of the plastic top doesn't connect evenly onto the metal base. This leaves a gap under the mod wheel of about 5 mm. I can push the top down onto the base, but it pops back up. Again, not a crisis, but not great. Neither of these issues is likely to affect the performance or reliability of the synth, though. I would (and do) gig without a backup. Nevertheless, lower marks in this category.

I haven't had to deal with them. Let's hope they're better than the Big Synth Manufacturers. (My guess is that they are.)

If lost or stolen, I'd absolutely get another one right away. I'd worry about whether I could afford it later. This is a synthesizer with a capital S. It doesn't have some of the flashy doohikies of the V-synth or some software synths, but fantastic sounds can be made without those bells and whistles--they have been for decades. Think of the cool sounds from your favorite songs--were they spectrally evolving morph-scapes or just punchy and evocative? This synth's middle name is punchy and evocative. (It can actually do a fair job at the evolving thing, too!) In case it's not clear, I love this synthesizer.

I also own a Kurzweil PC88 (with an evil wall wart), a Kurzweil K2000RS, and a Waldorf Microwave XT, and they all complement each other nicely. I only use the PC88 for its piano sound and keyboard. The K2000 gets used only for its sampling and the occasional vintage keyboard emulation--otherwise, it's too complicated and button-pushy for me. I can program it, but I don't really like doing so anymore because the Supernova and Microwave are so much more fun to work with and have years and years of cool sounds left in them, waiting to be discovered. The Microwave XT is a great complement to the Supernova because its wavetables and filters make it sound more digital. Previous synths I've owned: Roland Jupiter 6, D50, and JX10; Ensoniq ESQ1 and TS12; Korg Triton Le; and a Roland JP8080 which I sold to get the Supernova II. Of all these, the only one I really miss is the ESQ-1. I would miss the Jupiter 6 and the JX10, but I don't since owning the Supernova II.

I'm a hobbyist who composes and plays with friends on occasion. (If I were a jingle producer, I'd probably be more into romplers.) The Supernova II is by far the most satisfying synthesizer I've every played. Tuck it under your arm, and no matter where you go you've got incredible sounds, a great user interface, and a responsive and wonderful-feeling keyboard. Plus it's about the sleekest and best-looking synthesizer ever made. What more could you want?

An infinity of presets, all very very good! Editing patches is REALLY in your hands, the manual is a good tutorial. All very fine!

Good poliphony(24),expandable to 48 - fantastic arpeggiator but no sequencer on board (but who needs?)- all imputs and outputs that you like.

This instrument is not for piano bar, but for dance/trance/atmosphere fanaticals, without real simulation of "classical" instruments. I like Kraut-rock elctronical music (Tangerine Dream, Klaus Sculze, Kraftwerk, Cluster and so on), so this big monster is very good to make this kind of music.

I like this instrument at all.

If stolen, I buy it again, if I have the economical possibility.
I repeat: this is only for electronical fanatics, not for live gigs on bar or similar! The only synth I've heard a little bit more "big" (for the sounds), for my opinion, is only Access Virus, but the interface is very much complex.

Just got my new Supernova 2 and like it a great deal. I had to read the owner's manual to get a grip on how to use the machine. It was not as obvious and self-intuitive to me, as others here say it was to them. I do not like that I cannot search for sounds by name, but rather by a bizaree category Finder. As I get a better understanding on how to tweak this machine, of course it gets easier and more enjoyable.

I have the 24 voice keyboard, and will probably buy the additional 24 voice expansion card. I have owned an Oberheim Matrix-12 (nothing has even been as great as that synth!), and now also own the Kurzweil K2500XS. This Supernova 2 is a real delight and I bought it with some very specific intentions: I needed another keyboard because I run out of geography on my 88-key Kurzweil when playing piano. Also, I love analog subtractive synthesis - it's just a ton of fun to program. Kurzweil covers all my realistic needs, and more, and this Supernova 2 takes me into other dimensions, quickly. Probably, what got my attention more than its other features, is its ability to retain all of a PROGRAM's effects, while in Performance mode. I cannot rave enough about this feature. You veteran keyboardists know what I am talking about - it's terrible to route a half-dozen programs into a Multi, and be forced to choose one master effect for all the programs, thus most of the programs end up losing their original sound. Not so in this Supernova 2! Very cool.
MIDI seems comprehensive and working fine. Out of the box it had OS 1.5 on it, to which I immediately downloaded the OS v. 2.0 from the Novation website, and installed it, without a hiccup. I then loaded in all the new sounds, drum banks, arpegiator data, and everything installed fine, from my Laptop computer using a Roland USB Midi cable. The Arpegiator on this machine is just too much. It has so gosh darn many presets, both in Mono & Poly mode, and of course you can create 100s of your own, both from the keyboard and/or Step sequence method. Because of the EXTREME versatility of the effects, AND the arpegiator, along with the more than basic voice architecture, I am giving this a 10 for features. Actually, there are a couple of things that would be nice to see in this machine, but no machine has absolutely everything.

Ok... I find it does a lot, but maybe also is a bit weak in its basic dry sound (Pre-effects). But I am new to the machine (1 week), and I think I can create better sounds than what are on the presets when I am more adept at digging into it. Some sounds are really neat, but I find many are just repeats of other sounds, and not as Fat and inspiring as I would like. I do find, though, that aside from the basic sounds of the 3 oscillators which can also have FM/Ring Modulation, Noise, and Special DoubleSaw Wave, That I am basically able to manipulate the sound how I like. A week into this, and 70% done reading the owner's manual, I think I'll be able to impact an audience, the way the expert reviewers said this machine can.

I'm a gambler, so I will take this, as well as my Kurzweil, out on gigs. I usually backup the most important stuff (software) onto my computer. Hardware can always be repurchases, but not so of custom software. I love how lightweight this synth is, like 20 lbs., and the beautiful blue machine is a very welcome sitting atop my Kurzweil.

I wrote a few questions in an Email to the USA rep. but have not heard anything back in 2 days. I did get an instant Email response from Novation Corporate when I registered my product online, to one of the questions they had in their online form (in it, I wrote them back a question).

I'm pretty sure I will keep this machine. If it were lost/stolen I would replace it. I was going to lay out the $2,300 for the Alesis Andromeda (always check Ebay!), but Alesis lost my patronage due to their too many problems with their buggy OS, and the fact that their main developer is no longer with the new company who bought out Alesis. Too bad. I was ready for more than a year to buy the Andromeda, and kept waiting for their new OS release and a show of support for the product, but none came.
I'm really looking forward to using my new Supernova 2 in live performance. The Arpegiator is so cool. You can tap a button and get instant rhythm. FUN. I also like challenges, so I will get deeper into this machine and create the patches I'm looking for out of it.

I had Access Virus B, Nord Lead 2, even played with Alesis Andromeda... Nothing, and I mean nothing comes even close to my Supernova. WOOOOW!

Ok, back to topic: I am running to OS2 and presets sound awesome - that's what sold the unit. I turned it on and out of the box I had killer, phat sounds it is amazing of what this thing is capable of doing. I bought Access Virus twice before - once KBD version, didn't like it - sold it. After reading more misleading reviews and opinions I thought maybe I was not really maxing it out due to lack of knowledge of the thing. So I bought AV for the second time and this time I read manual front to back and over again. Plainly put - it sucked a big one. Then, I discovered Supernova and it was a love at first sight/listen. Without even turning a single knob this thing floored my senses - so much for presets.

Editing patches is relatively easy, but I am not a synth expert (yet!). I plan to memorize the manual and read as many forums as it takes.
Haven't tried patch editor, so I can't comment.

Manual is ok. Consistent - starts out with basics and moves on. Virus manual seemed to jump around a lot and started out easy but then skyrocketed into another territory where PHD in engineering was a minimum requirement.

I have a rack unit, so I can't comment on keyboard action. Polyphony is awesome - haven't used up max yet (I have a 24voice version). Can be expanded to 36/48 voices and can take SPDIF/ADAT card (but you knew that already). Midi capabilities are pretty impressive - considering allmost all controllers send midi data - you can do some freaky sh*t with it, this thing is MIDI trick heaven.

I know it's got a sequencer, but I don't use it... No need to.

REalistic instruments... Ummm... NO! I have XP60 for realistic (semi) sounds. This thing has awesome pads, freaky effects, and some crazy patches... We're talking deeeeep deeep freak zone - away from real as possible. This thing is for Dance/Trance/Techno/Industrial maniac - forget your friends, forget going out - you'll be glued to this thing... And your girl??? Well, she'll feel jealous over the attention you'll be paying to this thing's knobs instead of hers. ;)

It reacts to aftertouch sent from MIDI master - just as expected (duh)

It seems like a solid unit. I did have few glitches between my MIDI keyboard and Supernova - after I opened few menus I couldn't change patches from master controller - had to use the supernova's knob, but it could be due to the fact that my XP60 is dated - so problem may be there. Would I use it on a gig??? Yeah, as soon as I get one ;)

Haven't dealt with them yet. Hope I won't have to.

If it was lost - I'd buy it again, thought this time in Keyboard version, just coz' I hate wiring. I think I got a good deal on it, considering the shape it was in - very very good, like new. I've been playing for about 8 years (4 years - academically trained don't laugh.... on Acordeon )))) Buwhwhwhahaha... Sorry. The rest is Piano/guitar self taught. I have Roland XP60, Roland JD-800, and just sold Access Virus (did I say that virus sucks??? -here come the flames)

I love everything about it, as far as hate... There's no hate here, just love baby. I compared it to tons of other stuff. This one won!

I wish it had "For Dummies" book - so that I can be lazy and read all the stuff in easy terminology (not having to look it up on the net all the time)

It helps me make awesome music - I can just chill listening to each patch for days, stuck on a single note.

If you have doubts - get it, you won't regret it! And for all those that say that it sounds flat, lame, etc. I have a great example - when I was starting out I bought a cheapo guitar and thought that I could be the next Joe Satriani or Eddie Van Halen. But, I couldn't even squeeze "Old mcdonnald" from it and it sounded like crap to me. Then, my professional guitar player friend got a hold of it and made it scream with passion and warmth... So, the moral of the story is - if you're flat, inexperienced, or simply don't have any imagination then the fault is within you, not the equipment. A pro can make a bucket of nails sound like an instrument. Don't believe me - see "Stomp".

;)

Version 4.5
I found that this keyboard is extremely easy to use. The layout is in order from oscillators to the efx section so its easy to understand the path the signal takes.

I have the 24 Polyphony version and I haven't maxed it out yet. The good aspect about this keyboard is that there is a polyphony overload indicator. The keyboard action is far better than anything that I have played. Beats all clavia products.
The Effects section is easy to use and I can't complain about them because they don't sound that bad. The vocoder is off the hook!!!!! It sounds very impressive.
The effects can also be routed to 7 different parts. And the best part is that the effects aren't global. You can assign 7 different effects to each part.
The midi is the most impressive part of this keyboard because almost every parameter, knob and button transmit midi data.

I have read a couple of the more recent reviews and some fellas were giving the sound no props. You guys are idiots. This keyboard has a very unique sound of its own. It is uncomparable to any other keyboard.
The trick is to make a sound that pleases you and not to rely on the presets as with any keyboard. (why they put presets in a synth is beyond my comprehension)
If you want presets, buy a triton. If you want to make the presets for the triton, buy the supernova.

I am 100% sure that this item is gigable without a backup. If it isn't, then novation is in trouble.
(for 2 g's, the shit better play by itself)

This keyboards a corvette. When I received the keyboard, there was some loose parts on the inside.
So I called customer support, and they told me its probably broken plastic or something.
So I took the liberty to open it up. The shit opens up like a laptop. Unscrew to screws and lift up, the top part of the keyboard is on a hinge.
I then found two screws in it. So customer support....well you decide.
(sorry I went off on a tangent.)

I chose this keyboard because of the many reviews I read. THen I had a chance to play with it and I fell in love with it.
I would never sell it!!!!!!
It is easy for me to express my thoughts musically with ease.
And it sequences great with the MPC2kXL

Easy to use, as pretty much everything you need to manipulate your sounds is on the face of this machine. Tiny display is annoying for more in depth programming, especially at $2300 price point.

This thing has just about every possible feature you could want on an Virtual Analog board -and then some. Appregiators -even polyphonic ones, up the wazoo , FX aplenty, filters galore, way cool oscilators, FM synthesis, Vocoder !!!. this badboy has it all. The only machine that comes even close to the SuperNova II in features is the Virus B.

If you want emualtions of real instruments buy a sampler. If you want that old Jupiter 8 sound then a Virtual Analog board is for you though probably not this one.
Sound is the one area that I find the SuperNova II vastly dissapointing. In fact I would go so far to say that the new Proteus 2500 does a better job at recreating analog sounds. Once you take the effects out of the the signal path, the SuperNova II sounds rather lean, limp, and lifeless. The Nord Lead 2, Roland JP8000
Waldorf Q and the Access Virus B all sound far more vibrant and alive in my opinion. It is such a shame beacuse the SuperNova II excells in so many areas. The only other Virtual Analog boaard that I heard that was worse sounding than the SuperNova II in this regard was that Oberheim Virtual Analog boaard. Really folks audition the SuperNova II next to even a ROMpler like the Proteus 2500 and I think you will be hard pressed to tell any difference in analog synth sound quality. In fact, with the synth expansion board installed, I'd say the Proteus 2500 sounds a bit more alive and analog than the SuperNova II.

So far so good knobs bit twiddly though

I would easily give this board a 10 if it wasn't for its thin, lifeless sounds. No matter how u tweak em the SuperNova II sounds weak. And folks please listen to the patches w/o effects to see what is really there. Luckily, in the overall mix, the sound quality is satisfactory for my needs. Feature wise this thing is a real beast and you can do a ton of neat stuff with it. If Novatiuon can just figure out how to get the sound quality up to snuff they will have a trully awesome machine on their hands.

If my SuperNova II was stolen I'd live without it. Hopefully soon after an Andromeda would come up for sale on eBay

In it's latest software revision the Supernova II has a few more features and extra waveforms. The presets gives a good impression of what this machine is about and with it's many knobs it's fairly easy to modify them to ones taste (always a good way of getting started on a new machine). A few features are hidden in submenus but mostly everything's is no more than a twist away. The manual is fairly good although it misses out on some features - like digital options and so on.

I have the standard 24 voice model - but that's all I need. I've never been a fan of performance mode as it takes away from the simplicity and overview of any synth (with a few exeptions). MIDI implementation is good, if a little akward (Local mode off also turns off any editing capability)
The built-in effects sound horrible and I would like to be able to turn off the reverb forever. The appegiator is fun but it would be nice if it would sync to MIDI automatically. (Same with the delay).

I'm glad Novation didn't spend time on a sequencer. Would somebody please tell Emu that 90% of all people have a computer and a MIDI program?

Now here comes the bad news: this is a machine that emulates analog synths and it doesn't do a very good job. All the features on this baby doesn't cover up for one simple thing: The sound is thin and uninspiring. I have had the luck of having a wide range of synths in my long career as a dance producer and the Supernova II is a bland replica of a glorius past and all the on-board effects and modulation features can't hide that.
In the same category, the Nordlead has a far more animated sound an the AN-1X is classic at one third of the price. Even the JP-8080 and MS-2000 beats this machine in terms of sound.
The oscillators sound dull and the filter (with or w/o resonance) is making it worse, leaving the effects to do the 911 work, but it doesn't help much.
I wish more of you guys reviewing on Harmony Central would experience the pleasure of having an Oberheim Expander, a Minimoog, or even a Juno-60 in your studio. You'll notice that they have a character and richness that only very few of the modern synths have.
So based on it's price I rate it a 1....

It's sitting in my studio and has turned on every time....

I hope I'll never find out...

This one is going back again. I'm taking offers.....

Novation is easy to learn in its own type. You can start making music on it from the very first day but you will never stop learning its features, because they are unlimited. The menual is pretty easy to understand if you know the basics what are they talking about it but even being not an English speaker, I did not have any problems understanding the menuals.

Novation is very easy to use. The desing is quite nice, althought i would definalty switch some things around. The Part Edit menu is too far which does not make life perfomance so easy. But still its great. the rest is great. Pro sound. Pro Effects, sounds fantastic. If you are interested in making Trance, then its the right tool for you. Dont think, get it.

Everything in it is great. Easy to use and sounds amaizing, probably the best piano out there!!!!

Very stable, does not glitch, does not ruin sound. Good for live perfomance.

Althought custumer support is in England, those guys still can help you right away via e-mail. Very friendly and nice people. Its easy to understand, you wont be needing support anyway

Great tool to make nice Trance. There is not much better then this tool. If you really want to own a great tool for all. This is it. So many functions, live tweaking, buttons, knobs, on board computer. Its a supperior machine to all!!! 10++ good job Novation

Purchased August 01, with latest software (1.5).
I traded in an original Supernova (rack) for this, so i'm sort of familiar with the sound and features. However, i Love the II keyboard. Working with the keyboard version makes everything so much more accessible. I previously didn't do much patch creation, just because of ergonomic issues (reaching for knobs and such), but having everything laid out so beautifully on the keyboard version will certainly encourage me to play with sounds more often.
The presets are great. I debated over choosing the Nord 3, Waldorf Q, and what else(?), maybe a Virus Indigo, but every time i went to a store to try out the newest 'analog' synth, i was disappointed, and still found my way over to the Supernovas. I might have wanted an Andromeda, but the cost, and Alesis' problems put the kabosh on that.

Editing patches is cinchy. Everything's there. Knobs. Not menus. Actually, there are menus, but only to further the depth of the knobs. It's cool the way it's laid out. Logical. I only have looked at the manual to figure out how to use it multitimbrally with Logic.

I got the 24 voice version. I'm now getting into using a lot of softsynth stuff with Logic (the EXS24 sampler is amazing. Sold my maxed out Akai S5000) ? i'm waiting for the emagic ES2, and i'm using Reason, so i didn't think i needed the max number of voices available. But, the beauty of the SNII is that i have the option to upgrade it.

The effects are great. Not necessarily the quality of them, although i have no criticism there, but the fact that i don't lose them in a multitimbral setup. THAT alone, is perhaps the most amazing spec.

There's no sequencer, but then, does anyone really use built-in sequencers anymore? The arpeggiator, however, is excellent. Had it synced to Logic in a minute.

It sounds great. Fatter than my Korg MS2000. To my ears, more
'interestiing' and thick than the Virus kb i tested in the store. Less digital than Roland's stuff. I used to want a Nord, but the 3 sounds less analog than the 2, and they're just too feature-weak.

The effects are great, just from flexibility alone. Synced delays to midi clock in seconds. Oh, yah. This thing has bass and treble knobs. Such simple tools should be included on every synth.

There aren't a lot of 'realistic' sounds. I have a Kurzweil K2500 for piano, strings, etc. This thing just does great synth sounds. I'd give it a ten, except for the fact that it isn't 'really' analog. So, something like an Andromeda might outperform it there. And, it doesn't do realism, so some future instrument might trump it at some point. So, gotta leave some headroom. But, i have zero criticisms of the sound.

Seems built solidly. It's an elegant instrument, but also seems sturdy. It's used only in my studio, however, so i won't bother rating it for roadworthiness. It's nice, though. And, as nicely built as anything else out there. I'd have no qualms with taking it out. Backup? If i had the resources, i wouldn't gig anywhere without a backup for everything. But, this unit gives me no reason to think it would be unreliable.

N/A

If lost or stolen, i'd get another. Of course, that could change based on what comes out later. But, considering what's out there now, there's nothing i'd rather have, save for perhaps an Andromeda. Is it worth what i paid? It's not cheap. But, i'd rather work with what i really want, than with something that i might feel later had compromised the potential quality of my tracks. Of course, money isn't a true indicator of quality, but here it seems to have made a difference. Wish i could have had the 48 voice platinum version at this price, but i wish for a lot of things.

Anything i wish it had? More voices. I don't love the feel of the oval buttons. The knobs are okay, and the LED feedback is great. Other'n that? Can't think of anything. Oh, maybe expansion ports for cards, or card slots for sounds/memory, or something.

It's a well-designed instrument. Beautifully engineered. It sounds great and makes music-making easier. What else could i ask for?

OS-1.5 Absolutely brilliant layout of the controls. Has a "Double Saw" meaning you can have 6 oscillators per key, without losing any voices. 130 Modulation possibilities. The presets are ok, but nothing to fancy. There are 4 pre-programmed banks that are fully over-writeable, and 4 user banks that are empty, and several drum maps (8 i think) it is 8 part multitimbral, hit a button and it becomes a 8 channel controller keyboard.

Polyphony 24-48
The FX are the best I have seen on any Keyboard. I own a Access Virus Indigo, A Korg Prophecy, K2000, etc... and this blows them all away. My only complaint is the distortion could have more types. currently there is only a amount knob.

Not very realistic, it is a synth.
Great for rock, ambient, Drum and Bass, Industrial, Dance, etc....
The Keys feel excellent! has aftertouch etcc....

I have talked to the people at novation several times, before I bought one, to find out more about them. They were very helpfull then, I have and continue to gig without a back up, although I do have a back up OS and the Sounds on Disk (just in case)

If Stolen- I would buy another, after I hunted the person down.
I have been playing for 12 years.

OS version 1.5. This synth is instant! I didn't even have to look at the manual to learn how to use it, although the manual is one of the best written manuals I have ever seen. Many of the presets are very usable, and if you want to edit them, no problem, the panel is completely covered in knobs, but arranged in a very clear and logical order.

I have the standard version which is 24-voice polyphony, 8 part multi-timbral. This is not so impressive for a digital synth, but amazing for a virtual analog. The polyphony can be expanded to an even more amazing 48-voice and an option ADAT board can be fitted.

Keyboard action is the best I have ever played on a synth. Velocity and aftertouch of course, but also nice springy weighted keys. Each knob, even the main volume control, transmits MIDI data and can be controlled by MIDI data, so MIDI capabilities can't get much better.

Sounds - what can I say - very full, authentic, warm, etc etc. I used to think the Yamaha AN1x had big sounds, but not compared to this it hasn't. The arpeggiator suggests the machine is especially geared to dance music, particularly the trance and drum'n'bass genres. I can see it working well in other styles though.

There are about 18 different filters on the machince, extensive manipulation of waveforms, a very poweful modulation matrix to name just a few features. Also this synth also does FM synthesis thus producing all those DX7 bell, hammer, percussive sounds etc. So not just a virtual analog synth.

The onboard effects are nothing special in themselves I must admit, but are as good as any onboard effects I have heard. But get this, each part has 7 effects, and can use those effects irrespective of what effects other parts are using ... so that is 56 effects going all at once.

Reliability will be proved over time. The machine feels solid and is reassuringly heavy. However, there are a couple of niggles:

1. The knobs come off too easily.

2. There have been teething problems with the base plate warping above the expansion slot for the ADAT board. Whilst this does not affect the operation of the machine, it is still very annoying considering the price you pay.

Novation have some improvements to do here in my opinion

I have contacted the company twice. They are friendly by phone, and replied promptly to my Email, so no problems so far them, customer expectations have been met.

I definately made the right choice buying this machine, the only minor regret being the teething problems with the construction of the machine - these should have been sorted out by now.

The main synth I compared it to was a Waldorf Q. The sound quality on the Q may have been slightly better, but the presets on it were far too weird and wacky, the Supernova's were much more usable. The Supernova wins hands down on features as well.

The keyboard makes a great controller keyboard for live use, what with a 5 octave weighted keys, many other virtual analogs are only 4 octave. I believe it's main competitor will be the Nord Lead III when it is released, but someone could do a lot worse than buy one of these I reckon.

While not exactly what I'd call a beginner's synth, the SN II does offer the ability to make basic subtractive synthesis patches. The beauty of this synth, however, lies in its subtle complexity. With the new FM synthesis, and the in-depth filter and oscillator adjustments possible, the sonic realms you can explore are truly phenomenal. The preset sounds do a fair job of illustrating this, but with a little exploration and experimentation on your own, you'll be creating sounds you never knew possible.

I presently have the 24-voice version, which is limiting, but being ble to upgrade to 36 or 48 voices is a great option.
Keyboard action is quite possibly my personal favorite of all synths I've tried. It's semi-weighted, and the keys have a great feeling spring to them. Also, the black keys have an interesting texture to them, which players will probably either love or hate.
Built-in effects are a step above the old SN I. Delays sound quite crisp and delicious. Reverbs are improved, and the chorus and distortion sounds make for some fantastic effects. Being able to use all effects on all sounds is a fantastic touch, also. From what I understand, all editable parameters transmit MIDI info, so that makes for some pretty intense sequencing possibilites.

This is where the SN II truly shines. This synth has a definite 'sound' of its own. TB 303 sounds can be emulated with all but the most die-hard analogue heads not being able to tell the SN from a real 303. Pads can be lush and sweet, basses thick and fat, and other sounds generally associated with analogue synths can be created with a little diligence. The FM and ring mod features allow for some frighteningly realistic bell-type sounds, and organ sounds can be quite convincing also. Overall, a machine with fantastic possibilites if placed in the right hands!

The unit is hefty, and seems solid. This unit will be used in a live scenario, so reliability will be tested. I don't anticipate the need for a backup. If you're the Trent Reznor type and fancy knocking your $2500 Supernova II about on stage, I'd expect you'd run into a problem or two, but for regular human use, the unit seems tough as nails.

I have not yet had the need to deal with Novation, so I can't really say. I get the feeling they stand behind their products with conviction, however.

I've been playing with synths for about 10 years, and this is one of the finest to come along - up there in respectability with the Nord Leads and the Waldorf Q. I have the original Supernova Rack version as well, and this unit fills in whatever gaps I could possibly think of with the first unit. The 4 stereo pairs of outputs are an incredibly useful performance tool, and the vocoder is a built-in feature on every patch, which is also phenomenally powerful. Run the aux output from your sampler or drum synth into the input on the fly, crank the vocoder knob, and have modulated synth pulses matching your beats. If you are considering this synth, you know most of this already. So buy it. now.

Wow this thing sounds amazing, lots of big fat sounds, loads of knobs to easily edit and like 7 parts for each sound!

Easy to change programs/performances and the interface is very user friendly indeed

I have just the standard 24 Voice but the option to upgrade is there if I wish with the choice of two expansion cards, 12 or 24 Voice.

PLus the expansion cards are user installable which is handy considering I normally buy my gear from a mail order dealer. (Sweetwater Sound - check them out for great service)

The keyboard is of a very high quality, with velocity-sensitive action keys that have aftertouch. Honestly just the feel of the keys are incredible. I hear that there is a plan for an ADAT card as another option.

INCREDIBLE
AMAZING
YOU MUST GET ONE!

I have had mine since July, one of the first to arrive here in the US and so far so good. It works well live as master keyboard.

I had a few questions and called the number on the site, which is a free phone (considering Novation are in England thats good) and got my call returned the next day - just like the girl promised. You can also email tech support which is good because of the time difference.

I would definatley buy this but opt for the expanded version (there are two, 36 Voice or 48 Voice). I have been playing for about ten years and have never bought a Novation piece before, I was gonna get the Nord but this synth just looks so cool (blue)and I liked it better than red. The only thing that could be improved is the manual its quite complex and not exactly light reading but who cares with a product like this!

I have used the keyboard pretty extensively, it is easy to use except that when you turn local control off, you really turn it off! You must through map the global channel on your sequencer for any global changes to take effect once the local control is off.

I bought the keyboard for this reason. It has the best features of any VA board out there.

Inspiring.

This is my big problem. I have already taken three of these boards home from my local retailer. The first had a screw rolling around in the case and did not work. The second worked fine but had a horrible buzzing vibration in the keyboard mechanism. The third has the same horrible buzzing, as well as three keys that are rubbing against something internally. The modulation/pitch bend cover plate is also bent. I really think that for $2500.00 you should expect and get a better quality product than this, and after trying three boads from two different shipments I am hesitant to expect anything would be better if I get another. I will most likely end up with an access virus.

I called them once on the phone and have yet to recieve a call back. They are in England, so calling is expensive. They have no real support info on their website, except for os downloads which are easy to deal with...

First i'd like to tell u about the price! 1400$!! Yes !!!! I feel like i'm the luckiest person on earth! There was a friend of mine who bought it brand new about a month ago but he lost all of his money in the stock market so he wanted some fast cash and..... I GRABBED IT!

Anyway !!!!I'm using Version 1.3 which i downloaded yesterday and i don't know yet how can you make the Supernova II an even more perfect instrument! And something for the people that say that the Supernovas don't sound fat... Yes you are right! they don't sound fat! They sound FFFFFFFAT! People go check your ears! 1024 Programs, 512 Programs, and 128 Favourite memories for u! you want more? Editing pitches is a breeze! I don't know if there is anybody on this world that wants more than 43 knobs, 8 sliders and 135 switches in front of you! And there are some menus too!!! People .. This is a beast of a synth! The manual is real good showing you some simple analogue synthesis theory in the beggining so u can understand the nature of the synth and how it all work together! Then it goes on explaining every section of the synth. Not perfect , but good! Anyway with so many knobs , sliders ... You have to let yourself EXPERIMENT!

Mine is The PRO-X 48 VOICE version and i'am really happy about it! it's like having 48 analogue synths of the past! But with 8 parts and 7 (yes 7!!!) fx per part! The fx are basic (you can't compare these fx with an external quality fx unit) but especially the delays and distortion are some of the best i've ever heard! Everything you touch on the synth transmit midi messages so you can unterstand how flexible all becomes! The keyboard is great! It's semiweighted and you get touch sensitivity and a great AFTERTOUCH! Of course there are the classic pitchbend and controller wheels and especially the controller wheel is so great because you can assign almost anything there is on the synth! And of course you can't forget the 8 separate outputs for every part and the perfect audio ins! there are two of them and you can put any external sound into them and manipulate it with the synth's engine (osc,filters,fx,vocoder??) . Oh yes i forgot ! There is the VOCODER too! It's a 42-band vocoder and you can do great things with it! Nuff said!

You are in ANALOG HEAVEN! You can create everything what's called electronic sound! You got to play it to understand! i can't say no more! I'm still playing..... everything is perfect!

It looks and feels real solid! Never had a problem by now! Except it's a little heavy! Buy the supernova ii rack if you want to gig! well that's what i would do!

The people at Novation are real friendly and helpful! I don't know about support here in Greece but everytime i sent an email to Novation UK i had an answer the next day!

i've been playing for 6 years but my hands have touched many old analogue and new virtual analogue synths! There are so many out in the market (WALDORF , ACCESS , CLAVIA , ROLAND , KORG) but no one can beat the feature and clarity of this BEAST! If they stole it from me i would definetely buy a new one again! (maybe first i would wait outside the stock market place for a broke musician hehehe!) This is the best analogue synth you can buy in the year 2k!

The manual goes real into academis stuff, on the other hand, it is very useful for getting an idea what synthesizers are all about for users who are new at it (like me!) Let me tell you folks, with basic music knowledge you'll fly with this instrument.

Mine is 24 Polyphony which is the cheapest in that category. The Pro and Pro X versions can carry more sounds along playing but I can upgrade it if I need to. This keyboard has everything you want. Keyboard action is great.

Sounds are magnificient!! I went into SamAsh in NYC to try this out. Everybody in the store was shocked to see the difference this instrument can make in comparison to all other keyboards and synths!!
If sounds were included in 7 wonders of the world, this would be the first!!!!!!! Incredibly phat, incredibly full and bone pushin'.

It looks very solid and it has the most beautiful looks in comparison to other instruments. I would use it everywhere, although I'm really tidy when it comes to instruments like this, so I would carry it much out my home studio.

I would buy it again if it were stolen. It's worth the double of what I paid! I'm a 27 year old guitar player, who has been playing for 10 years, and I had melodica and piano lessons between 6 and 12, and this is the most enthusiastic instrument ever for also those people who want to get their hands on the keyboard.