Novation/Gforce Bass Station plugin review!

Novation have released a plugin version of their famous Bass Station from 1993. Developed in conjunction with Gforce it obviously isn’t exactly like the original which was a mono synth with limited but hands on controls – no screen or menu diving was present – but the plugin expands that to 16 voices with mono, unison and poly modes to choose from, a step sequencer and an arpeggiator.

https://www.gforcesoftware.com/products/bass-station

Unfortunately, for me, that is where most of the good bits of this plugin end. It is priced at £99.99 for starters, a frankly ludicrous amount when it is available for free with certain Novation products. Even on sale at £49.99 seems excessive. A common theme with quite a few of my recent reviews is how poorly priced many plugins are these days with Gforce having form in that respect. I mean yes, it is a good sounding plugin, but its not groundbreaking in any shape or form, and some of the products that get you a free version aren’t much more than the £100 they think you will pay! If I was desperate I’d buy a qualifying product, get the free version and sell the product and just have a free plugin…. job done. I mean you might lose say £25 but that’s better than £50 whilst on offer or £100 once the initial sale price finishes.

So to sum up this quick review – sounds nice, works well, is stupidly priced really. Not outstanding in any way shape or form – and this is one of the reasons that I think we shall see a shift again with people shunning plugins or just using the free ones available. Most plugins I review seem just overpriced and lacklustre. I hope that 2025 brings more innovation not more poor overpriced lacklustre offerings!

Bass Station Plugin

6.3 out of 10
£99.99£49.99
bass station

Plugin version that expands on the great little 1993 hardware synth that was a lovely little 303 sound-a-like.
Frankly overpriced especially when some Novation products give it to you for free! Whilst it scores 6.3 that score is only realistic if you get it for free…

Stability
9 out of 10
No crashed for me and has a standalone version!
Ease of Use
7 out of 10
Pretty easy to use and has some fx built in. Sounds good, but not especially ground breaking
Look & Feel
7 out of 10
Does what you expect, is resizeable gui wise as well. No problems there
Price
2 out of 10
£100 for this is ludicrous – even on sale at £50 is stupid when it can be got for free with qualifying products. SHameful behaviour if you ask me

Pros

Easy to use

Sounds good, though not groundbreaking in any shape or form

Has extra modes like poly and unison and adds fx, arp and a sequencer.

Cons

The pricing is just absurd

Yet another analogue clone that brings little in the way of new features

Another example of something that is just MEH! in the last year or so

bass station
bass station
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