Baby Audio has announced an update to its analog-modeled synth plugin that delivers the pure and authentic 1980s textures of the Yamaha CS01 synthesizer.
Version 1.5 of BA-1 comes with a companion FX strip plugin, additional features and improvement, and some easter eggs.
BA-1 is inspired by a portable 1980s synth with a toylike appearance and a gritty sound. Despite its small size, it left a big mark on music history, while still flying somewhat under the hype radar. The original has been used as a secret weapon for bubbly synth textures by some of Sweden’s most successful pop producers of the past two decades.
Changes in BA-1 v1.5
- BA-1 FX Strip: Standalone edition of BA-1’s effects chain allows you to run any audio through BA-1’s virtual circuits and add 80s-flavored drive, filtering, delay, reverb, chorus – and even BA-1’s speaker simulator.
- Arpeggiator: Hands-on, hardware-style arpeggiator with 3 modes (up, down, up/down) and a 3 octave range. Allows for un-syncing from the host tempo for more authentic (i.e. slightly out of time!) effects.
- Flexible Chorus parameter: Can now be set anywhere between 0% and 100% for more creative flexibility.
- Easter eggs: Colored dots between BA-1’s segments reveal some new additional synth parameters when clicked. LFO fade adds ramp time to the modulation wave that gradually (or abruptly) fades up to its set frequency for a more unpredictable LFO effect. Chaos introduces nonlinear behavior in the reverb and chorus algorithms for dissonance and unpredictable pitch glides.
- Improved preset browser: Search presets by name, filter by pack, or mark patches with color-coded tags to remember them. You can easily import packs, create your own or browse the available BA-1 Expansions to add more sounds to your synth.
- New UI theme: New black and red UI theme.
The update is free for all owners of BA-1, available for Windows and Mac (VST/VST3, AU and AAX).
New customers can purchase the synth for $49 USD at Baby Audio and Plugin Boutique until March 31st, 2024 (regular $99 USD).
