K-Station
Virtual Analog synthesizer
The Novation K-Station is a great-sounding, 3-oscillator VA synthesizer. Based on the same technology found in its bigger brother the SuperNova, the K-Station is the keyboard (2 octaves) version of the A-Station VA module.
The sounds are - in short - stellar. Pure (virtual) analog heaven, with deep basses that shake, rattle and roll, creamy strings and pads, ear-splitting leads, great special effects etc. Novation calls it "their famous Liquid Sound".
This synthesizer is obviously a great choice for Trance, but is also perfect for many other Electronica genres.
The immediacy and ease of use of this little big synth make it stand a proud David against the Goliaths of the Virtual Analog world, such as the Access Virus, Waldorf Q, and Novation's own SuperNova II.
The good-quality effects, knobs and sliders, syncable arpeggiator and ultimate portability make this an excellent choice for live performers - just add a laptop with audio and midi devices, a sequencer, and you're ready for a rave.
A pair of long audio files from the Novation website:
a k station demo ; a_k_station_demo_new
Bank 1 - Sounds 100 - 199
|
100 Bass1 A solid Moog bass. |
110 Bass2
|
120 Bass3
Cool Moog bass. |
130 Bass4
Nice and '80s-sounding |
140 Bass5
|
150 Bass6
|
160 Bass7
Rave bass |
170 Bass8
|
180 Bass9
Killer drum 'n' bass / trance sub-bass sound - reminds of the Korg MS-20 |
190 Bass10 Cool '80s bass |
|
101 Hard Lead1
A killer synth line, a TB-303 dropped in acid! |
111 Hard Lead2
Hard-core lead - mod wheel adds creamy distortion |
121 Hard Lead3
|
131 Hard Lead4
The velocity and mod wheel add plenty of expressiveness to this sound |
141 Hard Lead5
|
151 Hard Lead6
Nice and drilling |
161 Hard Lead7
Great whirly disto-pad |
171 Hard Lead8
|
181 Hard Lead9
|
191 Hard Lead10 Nice early '90s techno lead |
|
102 Arpeggio1 Hypnotic sequencer. |
112 Arpeggio2 A wonderful, dreamy arpeggio synth preset |
122 Arpeggio3 |
132 Arpeggio4 Incredibly beautiful, hypnotic arpeggio sound. The modulation wheel detunes the oscillators to create THE PERFECT TRANCE LEAD. |
142 Arpeggio5
|
152 Arpeggio6
|
162 Arpeggio7
|
172 Arpeggio8
Particular, "swishy" type of arpeggio synth sound. |
182 Arpeggio9
|
192 Arpeggio10
|
|
103 Dance1
An aggressive and lush at the same time classic techno lead. |
113 Dance2
|
123 Dance3
A classic Techno Lead |
133 Dance4
|
143 Dance5
|
153 Dance6
Very cool Happy Hardcore type sound. |
163 Dance7
|
173 Dance8
|
183 Dance9
|
193 Dance10
|
|
104 Pad1
Gorgeous super analog mega-pad |
114 Pad2
Gorgeous (!) phased pad, perfect for electronica or Tangerine Dream styles |
124 Pad3
|
134 Pad4
Beautiful resonant pad |
144 Pad5
Beautiful pad, similar to the famous D-50 Soundtrack preset. |
154 Pad6
Outstandingly beautiful, dreamy pad |
164 Pad7
|
174 Pad8
|
184 Pad9
MARVELOUS pad - mysterious and evocative. |
194 Pad10
|
|
105 Keyboard1 great-sounding Fender Rhodes electric piano! |
115 Keyboard2
Analog Clavi type sound |
125 Keyboard3
|
135 Keyboard4 | 145 Keyboard5
|
155 Keyboard6 | 165 Keyboard7
|
175 Keyboard8
|
185 Keyboard9
|
195 Keyboard10 Cool and moody retro electric piano sound - excellent for Trip-Hop |
| 106 Strings1 |
116 Strings2
A great rendition of the famous D-50 Pizzagogo preset |
126 Strings3
Dreamy string setup |
136 Strings4
|
146 Strings5
|
156 Strings6
|
166 Strings7
|
176 Strings8
Beautiful melancholic string pad |
186 Strings9
|
196 Strings10
|
|
107 Brass1 Classic Juno-style analog brass |
117 Brass2
Perfect emulation of the Juno brass presets |
127 Brass3
|
137 Brass4
|
147 Brass5
|
157 Brass6
|
167 Brass7
Thin synth brass |
177 Brass8
|
187 Brass9
|
197 Brass10
|
|
108 Organ1 Great Hammond sound |
118 Organ2
|
128 Organ3
|
138 Organ4
|
148 Organ5
Cute combo organ |
158 Organ6
|
168 Organ7
|
178 Organ8
|
188 Organ9
|
198 Organ10 Psychedelic organ |
|
109 Soft Lead1 Perfect example of Novation's "liquid sound"!!! |
119 Soft Lead2
A raspy, abrasive TB-303 lead sound |
129 Soft Lead3
|
139 Soft Lead4
|
149 Soft Lead5
Awesome ELP-style solo Moog synth |
159 Soft Lead6
|
169 Soft Lead7
|
179 Soft Lead8
|
189 Soft Lead9
|
199 Soft Lead10
|
Bank 2 - Sounds 200 - 299
|
200 Bass11
Woody synth bass |
210 Bass12
Great Moog bass |
220 Bass13
|
230 Bass14
|
240 Bass15
"Solid" FM-type of bass sound, powerful |
250 Bass16
|
260 Bass17
Totally '80s |
270 Bass18
|
280 Bass19
|
290 Bass20
|
| 201 Hard Lead11 | 211 Hard Lead12
|
221 Hard Lead13
|
231 Hard Lead14
Aggressor bass |
241 Hard Lead15
|
251 Hard Lead16
|
261 Hard Lead17
'80s poly |
271 Hard Lead18
|
281 Hard Lead19
|
291 Hard Lead20
|
|
202 Arpeggio11
Hypnotic, fuzzy synth arpeggio |
212 Arpeggio12
|
222 Arpeggio13
|
232 Arpeggio14
|
242 Arpeggio15
|
252 Arpeggio16
Awesome Trance arpeggio |
262 Arpeggio17
Fantastic LFO-filtered synth line |
272 Arpeggio18
|
282 Arpeggio19
|
292 Arpeggio20
|
|
203 Dance11
Spiky and techno synth lead |
213 Dance12
|
223 Dance13
|
233 Dance14
"Mental" type of dance sound - similar to a few presets on the JV/XP line of synths. |
243 Dance15
|
253 Dance16
Crystal synth + arpeggio beauty. |
263 Dance17
|
273 Dance18
|
283 Dance19
|
293 Dance20 Powerful and hypnotic rave sound |
|
204 Pad11
Awesome ambient pad |
214 Pad12
|
224 Pad13
|
234 Pad14
|
244 Pad15
|
254 Pad16
|
264 Pad17
|
274 Pad18
|
284 Pad19
Classy reso pad |
294 Pad20
|
| 205 Keyboard11 | 215 Keyboard12
|
225 Keyboard13
|
235 Keyboard14
|
245 Keyboard15
|
255 Keyboard16
Echoed poly |
265 Keyboard17
|
275 Keyboard18
|
285 Keyboard19
|
295 Keyboard20
|
|
206 Trance1
Quintessential Trance lead synth |
216 Trance2
Another great detuned Trance sound |
226 Trance3
|
236 Trance4
|
246 Trance5
|
256 Trance6
|
266 Trance7
"Intro" type of Trance sound. |
276 Trance8
|
286 Trance9
|
296 Trance10
|
|
207 Brass11
Cutting poly |
217 Brass12
|
227 Brass13
|
237 Brass14
|
247 Brass15
|
257 Brass16
|
267 Brass17
|
277 Brass18
|
287 Brass19
|
297 Brass20 "Reverse" synth ensemble, supremely Techno. |
| 208 Motion1 | 218 Motion2
|
228 Motion3
|
238 Motion4
|
248 Motion5
|
258 SFX1
|
268 SFX2
|
278 SFX3
A dive-bomb type of sound effect |
288 SFX4
|
298 SFX5 Crazy mod effects. |
|
209 FM1
Crystalline FM |
219 FM2
|
229 FM3
|
239 FM4
|
249 FM5
|
259 Vocoder1
|
269 Vocoder2
Just plug a mic in. |
279 Vocoder3
|
289 Ex Aud Trig
|
299 Ex Aud to FX
|
Resources:
| Features at a glance | |
| Year of release: | 200_ |
| Polyphony: | 8 |
| Sound generation method: | VA |
| Preset memories | 200 ROM + 200 RAM |
| MIDI: | in, out, thru |
| Sound expansion capabilities: | no |
| Sequencer | no |
| Arpeggiator | yes |
| Effects | yes |
| Touch sensitivity | yes |
| Aftertouch | no (receives it via MIDI) |
| Multitimbrality | no |
| Sound Layering | no |
| Keyboard Split | no |
| Number of Oscillators | 3 |
| Portamento | yes |
| Unison | |
| Miscellaneous | vocoder |
from the Novation website:
K-Manual-UK.V1.1a.pdf
| SITE | Type of resource | DESCRIPTION |
| Novation | home site | The home page for this British synth manufacturer |