Hybrid 3
by AIR Music Technology · Synth · Hybrid analog/digital synth
Not rated yet
Hybrid 3 is AIR's flagship synth, pairing analog-style oscillators and filters with digital wavetable-style manipulation across two layered parts.
It ships with more than 1,200 presets and costs $99.
Best for: Keys & Synths, Bass, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Pop, Ambient & Cinematic.
Keywords: hybrid, sequencer, wavetable, airy, analog, pads, subtractive, arpeggiator, creative, leads, cinematic, clean, CPU-light, modulation matrix, preset-driven, sound design, thick, tight, vintage, warm.
What it does
Hybrid 3 is AIR's dual-part subtractive and wavetable synth, meant to "combine the coveted warmth of analog synths" with digital tricks. Each patch stacks two complete three-oscillator parts, so one preset can layer two full voices.
- Oscillators: per part, two main oscillators with modes such as Multi-Square, Saw Sync, Saw Cross Modulation, Saw Multi, Square Sync, Square Cross Modulation, Square PWM and Wavetable, plus a third oscillator with saw, square, triangle, noise and sub.
- Wavetables: 100 wavetables with up to 64 single-cycle waveforms each, and an Oscillator Restart option for tight, percussive attacks.
- Filters and drive: two multimode filters per part, in series or parallel, with 23 modes and a choice of DCF or vintage VCF models; saturation types are Overdrive, Distort, Hard Clip, Rectify, Bit Crush and Resample.
- Envelopes and LFOs: four envelopes (filter, amp and two for modulation) with velocity and key tracking, and four LFOs per part: two mono, one poly and a Pump LFO, with eight shapes from sine to random.
- Step sequencers: 16-step sequencers with linked steps, nine playback options and MIDI phrase import.
- Modulation and morphing: a matrix with 16 assignable sources and more than 20 destinations each, four Morph Groups, and Doubling controls for thicker sounds.
- Effects: more than 40 insert effect types per part, plus master reverb, delay and chorus.
- Presets: 1,200+ patches: 200+ new for version 3 and 1,000+ refreshed from Hybrid 2.
The current version is 3.1.1 (the 2024 update).
Source: AIR Music Technology product page
When to use it
Hybrid 3 is a classic-style two-part synth with a very large preset library, closer in spirit to Sylenth1 than to modern sound-design tools. Compared with Serum 2 and Vital, which are wavetable-first, it has far less visual wavetable editing and modulation feedback, and it has fewer engine types and a less modern modulation workflow than Pigments 7. Hybrid 3's strengths are its layered A/B structure, its built-in step sequencers and morphing, and patches that sound finished out of the box. It is a good value pick for producers who mostly browse and tweak presets for pads, leads and sequences.
- Best for: big layered pads, leads, chords and arpeggiated or step-sequenced patterns straight from presets.
- Genres: EDM, trance, techno, pop, ambient and cinematic music.
- Look elsewhere if: you want deep wavetable editing or modern drag-and-drop modulation (Serum 2 or Vital), or a resizable interface for a high-resolution screen.
- Tip: the Morph controls can't be modulated inside the synth, but automating them from your DAW lets one lane sweep many parameters at once.
What producers say
Reviewers and users like the presets and the layering, and complain mostly about the small, fixed-size interface.
- Bedroom Producers Blog (2015) rated it 8.6 out of 10, calling the factory library the "most impressive" the reviewer had heard and praising how it covers several synthesis types without overwhelming you.
- KVR users rate it 4.38 out of 5 from 8 reviews, praising the presets, the clean sound, the chords, arps and pads, and the low CPU use.
- Criticisms: no polyphonic unison, limited links between Parts A and B (Bedroom Producers Blog); a small, non-resizable GUI, and some KVR users find it lacks analog warmth or punch.
Where to buy
- Best Service: $99
- AIR Music Technology: $99 (list price from KVR Audio; airmusictech.com shows prices only in its shop)
- PluginFox: $99
- AudioDeluxe: $99
- Plugin Boutique: $99
Tutorials and reviews
- HYBRID 3 AIR Music Technology - SOUNDTEST
- Tutorial Air Music Tech Hybrid 3 Synthesizer
- Hybrid 3 Synth
- Air Music Technology Hybrid 3 Vst All Arpeggios Presets Must have synth
- AIR Music Technology Hybrid 3 Presets
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