Novation Peak Polyphonic Synthesiser

Get your hands on some amazing offers when you join Novation's Sound Collective! Every few months the Sound Collective gives its members FREE access to third-party software instruments and creative effects! See below for the latest deals:

For a limited time from 22nd June - 6th October you can download Native Instrument's LO-FI GLOW (worth £44) for FREE! You can also get a three-month trial of KOMPLETE NOW (normally £8.99 per month).

To join the Sound Collective and start making the most of these incredible offers just purchase your Novation Peak as normal then head to www.novationmusic.com to register.

Here we have the Novation Peak Polyphonic Synthesiser; a hybrid that marries Novations analogue and digital heritage that pulls all the best parts from both. It features a number of inputs and outputs that let you hook the device up to your MIDI equipment, your laptop or comupter, and to other modular systems. The Novation Peak is a fully-rounded synthesiser that can be used comfortably in the studio or on the stage and has the usability and luxury-feel of a much bigger synth but at a much more realistic price.

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

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

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

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

Wavetable Editor

The Wavetable Editor is a canvas for Peak/Summit users to create their own totally unique wavetables using drawing tools and audio import functions. We even included a curated sound selection from NASA's historical audio record of human space exploration, so users have inspiring source material make wavetables with - PLUS there are 15+ included wavetables that have been created by legendary producers and wavetable designers, Noisia. Not only this... the wavetable editor now lets Peak/Summit owners import wavetables from the most popular software wavetable synths.

Peak Firmware Update v2.0

In Novation’s biggest update for Peak, firmware update v2.0 brings in essential improvements and a multitude of features across stereo controls, modulation, unpredictability, and effects, that give you powerful tools to shape your sound.

Product Hardware Specifications

• 42 Control knobs
• 8 35mm Sliders
• 1 Volume knob
• 2 Data encoders
• Rubberised knob caps with spun metal discs
• 30 Function buttons (not lit)
• 16 Function buttons (lit)
• 2 Animate buttons plus hold button
• 90 Indicator LEDs
• OLED display
• Kensington Security Slot
• Power switch
• Power supply connector
• USB socket for system / MIDI comms only (no bus-power)
• MIDI In / Out / Thru
• 2 1/4" jack socket for continuous or switched pedals
• 3.5mm jack socket for CV in
• 1/4" jack sockets for left and right outputs
• 1/4" jack socket for headphone output
• Metal chassis with American walnut wooden end cheeks
• Metal magnetic inset end pieces
• Dimensions (H x W x D): 71 x 464 x 233mm / 2.78 x 18.27 x 9.17 in
• Weight (approx.): 5kg

Synth Engine

• 8 voice polyphonic (voice modes available unison etc.)
• Mono-Timbral
• 5 Voice Modes - Mono, MonoLG, Mono2, Poly, Poly2

Per Voice

• 3 Oscillators
• 1 Noise generator
• 1 Ring modulator
• 2 LFOs
• 1 Amp envelope and 2 mod envelopes
• 1 Filter

Waveforms include

• Sine, tri, sawtooth, square / pulse plus 17 wavetables of 5 waveforms per row

Filter

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

Modulation

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

Mod sources (17)

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

Mod destinations (37)

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

Effects

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

Misc

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