Historically known for their popular effects plugins, Baby Audio has announced the release of their first ever synth plugin – BA-1. We have the details…
BA-1 is a modern re-imagination of a cultish 1982 analog synth that looked like a toy but sounded like a beast. Despite its small size, the original hardware 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. It was also a staple of 1990's digital dancehall and beloved by the indietronica scene for its raw lo-fi quality.
According to the press release, Baby Audio has modeled the hardware with the greatest possible accuracy, before carefully upgrading it with new and useful features. A second analog-modeled oscillator, FM, polyphony, and more help to vastly expand the sonic palette of the original. Additionally, BA-1 lets you drain the battery, bend the circuits, and use the built-in speaker – for an authentic lo-fi aesthetic that could normally only be achieved with hardware. The plugin ships with 500+ presets as well as a smart “Re-Gen” algorithm for creating new patches on the fly.
With their expertise in effects, it’s no surprise that Baby Audio have ensured BA-1 has an impressive FX section. The effects chain is inspired by budget 1980s rack hardware and captures the lo-fi charm of the home studio scene of the era. The overdrive is modeled after a guitar pedal, while the delay, reverb and chorus effects are based on cheap, but amazing, digital rack units.
Pricing & Availability
Baby Audio BA-1 is compatible with all major DAWs for Mac and PC and fully M1 native. An iOS version is underway. For a limited time BA-1 is available for the introductory price of $49 (normally $99).