audiobriefs
10:33in productionCh. 1 · What it is/ 10:33 · ceiling 15 min
Synths & drum machines

Novation Supernova

Novation

It gives you seven effects per voice — but makes you beg for a sine wave.

The Novation Supernova is a 1998 3U virtual analogue rack synth with 16+ note polyphony and multitimbral operation. It models subtractive synthesis digitally and includes a resonant self-oscillating filter. Its defining strength is a 7-effect-per-part engine retained per part in multitimbral use, with no polyphony loss. It lacks triangle and sine wave oscillators — requiring their derivation via a hardness attenuator. No other details about sound character, interface layout, modulation matrix, LFO count, or physical controls are verified.

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Chapters & takeaways4
  1. 0:46
    What it is

    A 3U rack synth released in 1998, built for multitimbral studio work, not stage performance.

  2. 2:34
    How it synthesises

    It models analogue subtractive synthesis digitally — but omits basic waveforms from the oscillator bank.

  3. 4:29
    Where it dominates

    Seven simultaneous effects per part, preserved in multitimbral mode — no competitor matched this in 1998.

  4. 6:24
    What it sacrifices

    Polyphony stays intact under full effects load — but oscillator options remain deliberately narrow.

Worth your time?

Yes. Use the whole thing.

4/ 5
What works
  • 7 simultaneous effects per part with no polyphony loss
  • retained effects routing per part in multitimbral use
  • accurate digital imitations of analogue subtractive architecture
What does not
  • offer triangle or sine wave oscillators
  • state what people made with it
  • describe filter slope, oscillator count, or component-level detail
  • mention keyboard or controller integration
Use it if
  • studio producers building layered multitimbral arrangements
  • users who prioritise effect depth over oscillator purity
Skip it if
  • performers needing immediate sine/triangle access
  • players seeking hands-on real-time control
The written brief1 min read

What it is and what it was built for

A 1998 virtual analogue synthesizer built for studio-based sound design and multitimbral composition. It was designed as a rack unit for integration into MIDI-controlled setups, prioritising effect depth and voice independence over hands-on playability or oscillator variety.

How it works, in terms a player would use

It is a 3U rack-mounted virtual analogue subtractive synthesizer. It runs digital oscillators, filters and envelopes modelled on analogue architecture. It has no triangle or sine wave oscillators — those must be approximated by softening saw or square waves with a hardness attenuator. Its effects engine applies up to seven simultaneous effects per part, retained independently in multitimbral mode.

What it does better than anything else

It delivers 7 simultaneous effects per part with no polyphony loss — unmatched in its class at release. Its multitimbral operation retains full effects routing per part, enabling dense, independent sonic layers impossible on most contemporaries.

What it does badly

It cannot generate clean triangle or sine waves directly. Players must derive them via the hardness attenuator, which limits timbral precision at the oscillator level. There is no evidence it offers waveform editing, wavetable scanning, FM, granular synthesis or sampling.

What people made with it

The sources do not state what people made with it. No music, artists, genres, albums or tracks are named or implied.

Who should use it, and who should not

Producers building complex, effect-saturated multitimbral arrangements in DAWs or hardware sequencers should use it. Performers needing immediate oscillator access to sine/triangle waves or hands-on real-time control should not.

Is it worth your time

Yes, if you need rich, layered multitimbral textures with full effects per voice and do not require pure sine or triangle waves from the oscillator bank. No, if you rely on those waveforms for foundational pads or basses without processing.

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