Baby Audio BA-1 BA-1 Modern Re-Imagination Of Cultish 1982 Analog Synth Plugin.
BA-1: The Retro Powerhouse Reborn
We proudly present BA-1, our meticulously crafted homage to a legendary 1982 analog synth. This unassuming box, often mistaken for a toy, held a monstrous sonic potential that left an undeniable mark on music history. From bubbly pop textures to gritty dancehall grooves, the original "CS-01" was a secret weapon for decades, yet remained elusive in the digital realm. Until now. BA-1 is our love letter to this cult classic.
Beyond Emulation: An Evolution is Born
We started with capturing the essence of the CS-01 with unparalleled accuracy. But BA-1 goes beyond mere emulation. We've infused it with powerful upgrades, respecting its iconic character while expanding its sonic horizons. A second oscillator, FM synthesis, and polyphony unlock a vast new sonic palette, all while preserving the core sound that made the original legendary.
Unlock the Lo-Fi Beast Within
Want that authentic, raw lo-fi vibe? BA-1 lets you push it to the limit. Drain the virtual battery for a subtle warmth, or crank it for maximum vintage grit. Bend circuits and unleash controlled chaos. Even the built-in speaker emulation adds a touch of lo-fi charm, replicating the unique character of hardware synths.
Effects: The Secret Sauce
We're renowned for our effects, and BA-1 isn't an exception. We've equipped it with a dedicated FX section inspired by budget 1980s rack gear. The overdrive snarls like a classic guitar pedal, while the delay, reverb, and chorus capture the magic of those affordable yet amazing digital units. These effects aren't just add-ons; they're integral to the BA-1's sound. Push them, abuse them, and sculpt your sonic masterpiece.
Simple Yet Profound
BA-1 is deceptively simple. Every knob and slider is meticulously tuned for maximum sonic impact. Programming is a joy, with tweaks leading to instant gratification and a constant stream of inspiring patches. Want to go even faster? Hit the "Re-Gen" button, and BA-1 will churn out new, musically-pleasing patches with every click.
BA-1: Capturing the soul of a legend, with the power to forge your own sonic legacy.
Highlights:
- 4 Color Options - After long hours in the studio it can be nice to see something new. BA - 1 lets you switch between gray, blue, purple and orange color modes to keep things fresh. Click right here on the colored squares to preview the options.
- 500+ High Quality Presets - BA - 1 comes with a ton of new musical inspirat ion in the form of 500+ carefully crafted presets. This includes 4 genre - based expansion packs created by some of our favorite sound designers. Whether you’re into synthwave, modern pop, lo - fi hip hop or 80s / 90s nostalgia, we got you covered.
- Oscillator Section - The sound generators are the heart and soul of BA - 1. Meticulously modeled to offer the raw grit and drift that made the original hardware so beloved. The triangle and PWM waveforms are particular highlights if you want a classic 80s dub sound. A s econd oscillator has been added in BA - 1 - compared to the original - for more flexible sound design options
- FM - FM adds complexity and depth to the classic analog subtractive architecture, giving you more sound design options. Dial-in the FM-oscillator either an octave above or below Oscillator 1 to add some plasticky 80s texture.
- Filter Section - Analog-modeled and nicely rounded 24dB low-pass filter. The resonance offers a gritty bite and will start to self-oscillate when pushed towards the 95-100% range – just like the real hardware.
- Envelope Section - The envelope lets you shape the sound with the same quirky side effects as in the original hardware. Additionally, we’ve added the option to host-sync the attack time to your DAW’s BPM. This allows for sweeping sounds that rise in perfect sync with your music.
- Settings - Switch between Mono and Poly mode (the original hardware was mono only). Turn Velocity Sensitivity on or off. Open the Midi Settings. Or reset BA-1 to its initial state.
- LFO Section - A simple LFO that is easy to utilize and hard to mess up – like the original. We’ve added the possibility to sync the LFO to the host BPM for more modern applications. Furthermore, the LFO section hides one of BA-1’s many easter eggs: Click the “Target” label to find it.
- Sidechain - Synths sound better when they ‘move with the mix’. That’s what the Sidechain feature is for. It can work in ‘External’ or ‘Internal’ mode. By default, Sidechain is set to ‘Internal’ and will create an automatic 4/4 ducking pattern synced to your host tempo. This can be dialed-in to taste. Click the ‘Routing’ label to switch to ‘External’ mode and duck BA-1 when a sidechain input is present. Place the sidechain either before or after the FX section by clicking the routing switch.
- Tone + Drive - BA-1’s FX section would be worthy of its own retro-color plugin. It is inspired by cheap 1980s rack effects and guitar pedals. ‘Tone’ offers two shelving filters to easily make BA-1’s character darker or brighter. ‘Drive’ adds gritty analog-modeled distortion and has two modes: ‘Circuit’ models the effect of circuit bending the original hardware, while ‘OD’ models an 80s overdrive pedal.
- Delay + Reverb + Chorus - The grainy digital delay, reverb and chorus combo is THE sound of the 1980s! We’ve recreated this epic FX combo in BA-1 – modeled after budget rack hardware from the era. Engage all three effects at once and you’ll have a hard time programming a dull sounding patch.
- Battery - The original synth could be powered by batteries. But they never lasted long – and weird sonic artifacts were introduced as the power deteriorated. We’ve modeled this behavior and exaggerated it slightly for a better effect. Drain the battery to achieve pitch fluctuations, noise and distortion the further down you go.
- Speaker - The original synth could be powered by batteries. But they never lasted long – and weird sonic artifacts were introduced as the power deteriorated. We’ve modeled this behavior and exaggerated it slightly for a better effect. Drain the battery to achieve pitch fluctuations, noise and distortion the further down you go.
- Re-Gen - Creates new and unique patches with every click. Unlike a regular randomizer, Re-Gen hosts a smart algorithm, calibrated to come up with usable and musical presets on the fly. When you’re stuck for inspiration, click Re-Gen and let it take you in a new direction.
- Resize - BA-1’s plugin window can be fully resized.
Features:
- The first proper analog-modeled emulation of the CS01, a beloved and cultish 1982 monosynth
- Vastly expands the sonic palette of the original – thanks to careful upgrades and new features
- Includes a colorful FX section inspired by budget 1980s hardware
- 500+ high quality presets and a Re-Gen function for instantly generating new patches
- If you want authentic, lofi-leaning, synth textures in a plugin, this is it!
- Fun and easy to program, yet surprisingly versatile
Tech Specs:
MAC
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OS X Mac OS 10.7 and up (including Native M1 Compatibility
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Plugins: VST-2, VST-3, AU, AAX
WINDOWS
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Windows Windows 7 and up
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Plugins: VST-2, VST-3, AAX