Novation Peak 8-Voice Desktop Polyphonic Synthesizer with Oxford Oscillators

Novation Peak: The Hybrid Polysynth That Is Analogue Where It Counts

The Novation Peak is an eight-voice desktop polyphonic synthesizer built around three New Oxford Oscillators per voice — FPGA-generated numerically-controlled oscillators that run at over 24 MHz of oversampling. That number matters: it means Peak's waveforms stay pure and free of digital aliasing no matter how aggressively you modulate pitch, while the signal then passes through a genuine analogue path of state-variable filters, analogue VCAs and three stages of analogue distortion per voice. If you have been choosing between the convenience of digital and the warmth of analogue, Peak refuses the trade-off and hands you both in one desktop instrument.

Three Oxford Oscillators and 17 Wavetables for Analogue, Wavetable and FM Sound Design

Each of Peak's eight voices carries three oscillators with full waveform shaping, plus 17 digital wavetables of five waveforms per row. You can sculpt classic analogue-style saws and squares, dial in evolving wavetable timbres, or patch FM between oscillators for metallic and bell-like tones. Peak's design was guided by Chris Huggett — the engineer behind the Bass Station, Supernova and OSCar — and it shares its lineage with the Bass Station II monosynth, so the oscillators feel and sound like the analogue hardware sound designers already trust. The free Wavetable Editor in Novation Components even lets you draw your own oscillator shapes and preview them in real time with Live Edit.

A 16-Slot Modulation Matrix and Two Animate Buttons for Endlessly Expressive Patches

Movement is what separates a flat patch from a living one, and Peak gives you deep control over it. A 16-slot modulation matrix routes two sources to a single destination in every slot, with two LFOs, three envelopes (one amp, two mod), velocity, aftertouch, pedals and the CV input all available as sources. The most-used assignments sit right on the front panel as 16 direct controls, while two dedicated Animate buttons let you punch in spot effects and momentary modulation during a take. With a 33-pattern arpeggiator and dedicated glide control on board, Peak rewards both the patient sound designer and the player who wants to perform.

Onboard Reverb, Delay and Chorus Plus Eurorack and DAW Connectivity

Peak finishes every patch with high-quality digital effects you reach instantly from the effects section: three reverb types, a delay with 16 sync modes and LP/HP damping, and three chorus types — with Flanger, Phlanger and Lo-Fi delay added in the firmware v2.0 update alongside per-voice panning and stereo spread. Connection is just as flexible. Plug into a Mac or PC over class-compliant USB with no drivers, wire up external gear through MIDI In, Out and Thru, or drop Peak into a modular system through its 1/8-inch CV modulation input. Nearly every knob, slider and button sends and receives MIDI CC, so your moves record straight into your DAW.

Who the Novation Peak Is For

If you are buying your first serious hardware synth, Peak gives you 42 knobs, eight sliders and an OLED display for true one-to-one control — no menu diving to make a sound. If you are upgrading from a monosynth or a software instrument, eight-voice polyphony and 512 patch memories (256 factory patches included) open up chords, lush pads and layered performances you could not stack before. And if you are comparing hybrid synths spec for spec, the per-voice oversampling DACs, dual analogue distortion topology and 16-slot matrix are the hard numbers that close the decision. Ableton Live Lite 9 is included, so you can start producing the moment Peak is on your desk.