Novation Summit 61-Key Polyphonic Synthesizer

Summit’s digital New Oxford Oscillators offer subtractive, FM and wavetable synthesis, and feed into genuine analog dual filters, distortion and VCAs. The multitimbral engine enables merging and combining of two complete and independent patches, while up to 16 simultaneous voices deliver enough harmonic depth for even the richest of pads.

The best sounding synthesizer Novation has ever made

Summit doubles the power of Peak’s digital New Oxford Oscillators up to 16 voices and two parts, and adds a wealth of new features and a premium-quality five-octave keyboard. A synth much greater than the sum of its parts, it gives serious producers and performers everything they need to design and play stunning basses, leads, arps, pads, effects and beyond.

Totally tactile sound design

Summit takes Peak’s architecture and workflow to new heights, with a swathe of extra front-panel controls for hands-on wrangling of FM, effects, LFOs and more. It includes dual filters with six LP/HP/BP combinations, audio input for processing external sources with onboard effects, and auxiliary audio outputs.

Analogue where it matters

The true stereo analog signal path comprises dual analog multimode filters, analog VCAs, and three stages of analog distortion pre- and post-filter, and post-VCA. With roots in the legendary OSCar and Bass Station II, Summit’s analog credentials are truly impressive.

Wavetable Editor

The Wavetable Editor unleashes the power of the wavetable oscillators. It features drawing tools and a Live Edit mode, so you can draw your own oscillator shapes and preview them in real time. Audio import lets you load your own audio to be used as oscillator waveforms. Included is a curated selection of space-themed audio from the NASA sound library, plus exclusive content from production giants Noisia.

Enjoy three years of warranty

Wherever you happen to be in the world, you can rely on a three-year warranty if any Novation hardware needs repairing or replacing due to a manufacturing fault.

Key Features

• Two Peaks in one synth - and then some: The 16-voice, multitimbral engine combines two simultaneous patches. Split or stack them for layered or divided sounds, or switch between two independently controlled setups.
• Peak patch compatibility: Summit can load and use all your existing Peak patches.
• Our best keyboard ever: Five-octave, semi-weighted, velocity-sensitive keybed with aftertouch, as used in the SL MkIII controller keyboard.
• New Oxford educated: Digital New Oxford Oscillators capable of subtractive, FM, and wavetable synthesis. Waveforms generated on the FPGA chip at 24MHz with adjustable drift and divergence for analog-style instability.
• True analog filters and distortion: Classic OSCar-inspired filters and three stages of analog distortion for warmth and saturation.
• Dual filters: Switchable between six paired combinations of LP, HP, and BP modes at 12dB/octave, or single-mode 24dB/octave operation.
• Hands-on sound design: Extended front-panel controls for FM, envelopes, looping, and additional LFOs moved from menus to hardware.
• Audio in and auxiliary out: Process external instruments with onboard effects while using Summit as a synth simultaneously.
• Powerful effects: FPGA-hosted reverb, chorus, and delay effects, controllable from the front panel and assignable via the FX Mod Matrix.

Technical Specifications

Synth Engine

• 16-note polyphony (dependent on voices per note)
• 2-part multitimbral engine
• Layered, Split, Dual Bi-Timbral modes
• 5 Voice Modes: Mono, MonoLG, Mono2, Poly, Poly2

Per Voice

• 3 oscillators
• 1 noise generator with high-pass filter control
• 1 ring modulator
• 2 LFOs
• 1 amp envelope and 2 mod envelopes (ADHSR + looping)
• 1 state-variable OTA filter per voice

Waveforms

• Sine, triangle, sawtooth, square/pulse
• 43 wavetables of 5 waveforms per row

Filter

• 12/24dB slope
• Low-pass, band-pass, high-pass, dual filter modes
• 9 dual filter pairings: LP>HP, LP>BP, HP>BP, LP+HP, LP+BP, HP+BP, LP+LP, BP+BP, HP+HP
• Pre-filter overdrive and post-filter distortion

Modulation

• 16 modulation slots per patch (2 sources per destination)
• Extensive mod sources including LFOs, envelopes, aftertouch, velocity, pedals, CV input, and Animate buttons
• Mod destinations include oscillator frequency, shape, filter drive, cutoff, distortion, LFO rate, and more

Effects

• FX per part: analog distortion, 3 chorus types, delay with 16 sync modes, stereo and damping control
• FX Mod Matrix with assignable modulation of all effect parameters

Miscellaneous

• FM controls on front panel
• Global LFO 3 & 4
• Arpeggiator with 33 patterns and key latch
• Patch storage: up to 512 (256 factory patches)
• Full MIDI CC transmit/receive for knobs, sliders, and buttons
• Microtuning with Scala table import and tuning creation
• Manual mode and multi-pot control modes (Relative, Pot Pick-up, Snap)

Product Hardware Specifications

• 50 control knobs
• 8 x 45mm sliders
• 1 volume knob
• 1 data encoder knob
• Rubberized knob caps with spun metal discs
• 55 function buttons
• 2 Animate buttons plus hold button
• OLED display
• Kensington lock
• IEC power connector
• USB (MIDI comms only, no bus power)
• MIDI In / Out / Thru
• 2 x 1/4" jack inputs for pedals
• 3.5mm CV input
• 2 x 1/4" main outputs (L/R)
• 2 x 1/4" auxiliary outputs (L/R)
• 2 x 1/4" audio inputs (L/R)
• 1/4" headphone output
• Metal chassis with American walnut wooden end cheeks

Software Compatibility

• Ableton Live Lite included
• USB-MIDI class compliant

Power Requirements

Maximum power consumption: 1A

Firmware v2.0 Update

Novation’s firmware v2.0 for Peak/Summit adds powerful updates across stereo imaging, modulation, unpredictability, and effects, providing deeper control and new sonic possibilities.

Firmware v2.0 Features

Stereo

New spread modes, per-voice panning, and panning via mod matrix for creating wider and more detailed stereo fields.

Modulation and Unpredictability

Additional modulation destinations, noise as a mod source, expanded LFO 3 and 4 options, and Animate Envelope/Arpeggiator Chance parameters for dynamic performances.

Effects

New Chorus Modes, Flanger, and Phlanger effects; Lo-Fi delay mode for vintage tones; additional modulation destinations for experimental sound shaping.

Bug Fixes

Includes various stability and performance improvements. See release notes for full details.

Firmware v2.0 marks the final contribution of Chris Huggett, whose visionary design shaped Novation’s synth legacy, including Bass Station, Supernova, and Peak.