Free Firmware Update For Medusa Hybrid Synthesizer

Polyend has announced a free update for the Medusa Hybrid Synthesizer.

Here’s what’s new in Medusa firmware v1.1:

  • The Live recording mode is now enabled.
  • Redesigned initial and calibration functions.
  • Edit the step values while the sequencer is running.
  • The Grid MPE functionality is now enabled.
  • The Grid pads are now velocity sensitive (with three different velocity curves to choose from – soft, medium and hard).
  • New MIDI menu (full bilateral MIDI input/output implementation – including transport, clock, CC communicates & MIDI channels).
  • MIDI channel per voice option. Control, play and sequence each of Medusa’s voices on a separate MIDI channel form 1 to 6.
  • You can now transpose your sequences while they’re running by pressing and holding the hold button.
  • Two new Grid layouts including the “guitar” layout.
  • Shortcuts for targeting the ENV to LFO and LFO to LFO rate, wave and amount.
  • Notes and Chords are being transposed in a chosen musical scale.
  • Note sustain mode when the Hold button is lit (great for drones).
  • The separate OSC tunings in P1 and P2 modes are now unlocked.
  • All the beta user reported bugs are now fixed.

The update is available now as a free download.

13 thoughts on “Free Firmware Update For Medusa Hybrid Synthesizer”

  1. the onboard va synth of the mpc 5k sounds ten times better imo. and the mpc sequencer kills polyend´s, of course. conclusion: i´d rather get a mpc 5k on ebay.

    1. Sound quality has always been secondary, since modern VSTs sound way better than most existing hardware VA synths.. and ableton’s sequencer is probably second to none (or did I mention renoise).. this machine is presumably all about workflow and hands on access, just like the mpc. You get what suits you best.

    2. I would see the Medusa and the MPC as a dream team. I like the mpc5000 synth a lot, it’s almost endless multitimbral, linked with the minimalistic sequencer unique. It can do great moog style basses, flutes, moving dark pads, even the famous Blade Runner brass is convincing. The classic MPC analog amp circuit serve a punching sound that VSTs lack of. But due to aliasing almost everything focused on high frequency content sounds very harsh to me, often not pleasent to my ears unless it’s a wanted part.
      On the other side certain Medusa Demos demonstrate very soft vintage tones that I like and the filter seems to be creamy as on my Yamaha vintage polysynth. Beside the analog oscillators Medusas three digital oscillators can do sharper tones as the MPC synth is capable. And finally Medusa features a grid sequencer that I always wanted on my MPC…

      Anyway I find the MPC5K second hand prices ridiculous, such a great machine for creating fast sketches outside DAW based sequencers, which I find laming in the creativity process. And for it undistracting UI I would prefer it over a MPC live. So with these prices a hot recommendation.

    3. Sound quality is subjective of course – but I am 100% certain Dreadbox’s synth with this product’s workflow will take you to very different sonic places than any MPC. It’s not a matter of which is better, it’s a matter of what you are trying to do.

  3. I know, it’s a great update but why all the weirdness, all the features were already there and now they’ve finally enabled and unlocked them … should have been this way in the first place. Now lets see if they can unlock and enable the Famous Dreadbox Sound in this synth….then they can brag about how it’s free

  4. I don’t understand why there is such bitterness here. It’s a free update because it’s a free download. It’s not like having to pay Waldorf another $125 to unlock the sampling storage that is already in the Blofeld. It’s not like we have to send away for a new Rom chip like some older synths back in the day.

    The VA is now available in the new MPCs too, and they do much more besides. It’s a totally different product, but if you’re thinking abut a 5000 don’t sleep on the Live… they’re pretty amazing machines.

    I would like to hear this instrument in person before I make a judgement call based on sound, but it seems pretty cool. I like the wavetables too. I can’t compare it to the older Dreadbox stuff just because most stores don’t carry them in Canada. Whether you like the raw sound of course is a subjective thing but this instrument can do a lot more than a lot of the other Dreadbox stuff so that might be worth considering. I bet it would layer well with other synths; you can get an extra osc. to layer with 6 voice instruments or have one digital and one analog osc in three voice mode, which I think would complement the paraphonic mode in the Matrixbrute rather well.

  5. please, guys, make the grid available to ableton, it would be awesome to switch between medusa and cliplauching, you know it and it would increase the value od this beauty tenfold.

  6. It is a very versatile and deep instrument. You must know something about synthesis, about music and serious sequencing to get good results.

    I am happy to see it being updated.

    I think it is one of the most interesting electronic instruments of the latest years and a future classic.

  7. owning one of these has entered into the realm of possibility… so ima keep an eye on this here scene

    typically in regards to these kind of feelings about some kit, id probly wait for revisions/redesigns/updates in a new device… however the nature of the collaboration here might preclude that

  9. they don’t even need to make an updated model to make money, all they have to do is reverse the orientation of the grid and synth controls and they will sell more synths than they ever have in their lives all put together!

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