ASM Hydrasynth: New ASM Manager App and Firmware Update 2.2
4,6 / 5,0 | 
[15 May 2025] ASM has released a firmware update and the new ASM Manager app for the Hydrasynth family! The new patch manager offers an improved workflow for more intuitive browsing.
ASM Hydrasynth Firmware Update 2.2 and ASM Manager
Ashun Sound Machines (ASM) has released the new and improved ASM Manager app for the Hydrasynth series. The software for macOS and Windows replaces the previous Hydrasynth Manager. ASM says that the new app offers a refreshed GUI and smoother workflow for more efficient and intuitive sound management.
To make it easier for you to find the right sounds, ASM Manager offers a list view that you can sort by patch name, category, and color. You can also color-tag patches directly within the browser, search by patch name, and organize patches by favorites.
Alongside the new ASM Manager, ASM has released the 2.2 firmware update for the Hydrasynth family. Besides ensuring compatibility with the new manager, the new version improves the system stability and performance of the synths, ASM says.
So what made ASM change the name from “Hydrasynth Manager” to “ASM Manager”? Is the manufacturer working on a new synth, after all? In January, ASM was quick to deny the Leviasynth rumors. But with this name change, I can’t help but wonder whether something is in the works.
The firmware update and the new ASM Manager app are now available from the developer’s website. The Hydrasynth family of synths is available at Thomann*.
By the way: Thomann is currently offering big discounts on the Hydrasynth Explorer 888 and Deluxe Silver Edition during the Thomann Synth Days! These deals expire on 18 May 2025.
Hydrasynth V2.0
[16 March 2023 / Robin Vincent] The Hydrasynth has firmly placed itself amongst the best synthesizer on the market at the moment. Teeming with life, pouring over in wavetables, drowning in polyphonic expression, it’s an exciting and engaging sound-making device. It’s been a couple of years since the last update that saw ASM build in some new filter types, new modulators and microtuning. Let’s check out the new features of V2.0.
More memory
This feels like a bit of housekeeping rather than a big new feature. The Hydrasynth Deluxe ships with 8 banks of Single-mode sounds, whereas the other versions did not. Now they all get 8 banks – stunning. However, ASM has also reworked the browsing making the whole experience faster.
New Performance options
More interesting is that there’s a new mode has been added to the Sustain pedal. It now has a Sostenuto mode which, as you are no doubt aware, will sustain the notes you are holding but not anything after that. So you can sustain a chord and then play notes over the top, or hold a bass note and play some chords higher up. It’s what the middle pedal on a piano does.
ASM has also added a “Mod Only” mode where you can use the Sustain pedal as a modulation source without it sustaining notes at the same time.
The Mod Strip/Wheel Vibrato now has a greater resolution by a factor of 10. And Glide has a new Glissando option so that the notes step rather than slide through the pitches.
Arp
The arpeggiator range has been increased to 6 octaves, and you can now offset the Arp forwards or backwards up to 32 steps.
Modulation
Individual voices can be pushed into instability with the new VoiceMod option. It lets you define an offset that can be applied to any destination via the Mod Matrix. For instance, each voice could have slightly different filter settings. This increases the number of available modulation sources.
The One-Shot LFOs get a third option which progress to the next step with each trigger.
Envelopes and LFOs can now be quantised to produce a stepped output with many resolutions to choose from.
Others
There are many other improvements and adjustments in the update, including randomisation and initialisation options to give you a good start for your patch. The oscillator bit depth can be wound down to 2bits for some extra grit. And you can bypass individual effects.
The update is free to all Hydrasynth owners, and there is a specific update for each version of the instruments.
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