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-- Fall 2018 Gas
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Originally posted by alanzo Yeah not for $1,200 used. Plus the interface on that is just ugly, all the green led knobs. Blech. The boutiques are great, they're cheap and take up very little space on my desk. I just picked up the JX03 I was gassing over for $230 on Reverb.com.

I have a system1 and I never used the plug out feature button, I know I should read the manual and all, I did last time but I def skipped thru it. Anyway can it turn my system 1 to another synth?

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Originally posted by SynthNinja Here's what a Nick said, over at Sweetwater. In general, you will not be wrong to put a DI after a synth. It may not always be necessary. If you have a line level input on your converters/interface and the keyboard is truly outputting line level, you should be fine. That said, you may want to verify the output levels, as manufacturers sometimes allow more variance to specs than one might assume. If you just want to be safe and KNOW that your levels are always going to be correct, then you could get in the habit of using DIs. So long as the DI is 'worthy', you won't hurt the signal by doing it that way, and you probably will improve things. I hope this clears it up. Your friend is giving you solid advice, but it's not quite as cut and dry as he's presenting it. At a certain point in this field, it's less about 'right or wrong' and more about whether it sounds good. Thank you, Nick Schenkel I just realized there are virtual Pre Amps, ima try those out first on my hardware see if like the color and saturation it brings with demo Anyhow, the Mopho arrived and my next purchase will be UAD PCie Duo or Quad used on Reverb.

Few things. He says "if you have line level inputs on your interface".

Aside from some niche Mic only interfaces, I've never come across an interface that DOESN'T have line level inputs. It's kinda the point.

Secondly, variance in line level outputs can vary between manufacturers but IME, it's minimal and that's why we have gain staging and it's nothing you can't compensate for in either the synth's output or the software for the interface or the DAW.

And thirdly, my argument for not using a DI is that you're adding another link in the signal path and unless use fairly expensive DI's for every single input, they're going to add noise of some form. It would cost several hundred if not thousands to have all pristine DI boxes for all the I/O on an Ensemble.

Now my argument is that adding the noise and/pr spending all this money to compensate for what might be a tiny variance (if there's actually any at all) in line level isn't a good decision or use of money.

Sure if you're using a mix of original 70's vintage synths, some cheap Korg chaos boxes and then current Roland Synths say, you have more possible variance between line levels but using normal digital synths and drum machines, there's really no point introducing an extra signal path step, nor the extra expense of DI boxes.

DI boxes are definitely needed in a live situation or in a studio where you have tons of lines going simultaneously and an endless possibility of combinations of kit from all different eras, manufacturers, etc, but in a home studio where you're using maybe 5-8 synths tops, there's really not much benefit vs the cost and the downside of introducing signal path noise.

As to your question about virtual DIs. I really think Juan, you should go enroll at Audio Engineering school, like Full Sail in Miami. You'll answer so many of your own questions.

For instance, most synths are unbalanced and a DI box balances, and attenuates the level.

How would a virtual DI box balance a physically unbalanced cable connection? Answer: it can't.

So it's basically a gain plugin that adds a bit of distortion and coloration. That's fine if you want that specific effect, but the original question you posted was do I need it to get the best sound quality/signal path and the answer is NO, and a virtual DI box obviously has nothing to do with that original question.

And then whatever you record will have sausage fattener on it, smashed to shit in mastering and sold as mp3's.

You mean streamed at 92kbps VBR on shitty skull candy buds.

But with headphone profiling software those skull candy buds can sound like a professional music studios' speakers.

Stick to VSTis. Don't need to mess with all that cabling/interfacing headaches. Just use a physical controller to capture your MIDI note & knob/fader movements, else all audio stays within the digital realm for the digital realm.

The two analog synths I own, if I am honest to myself, I only purchased due to FOMO. Because of the reverence some synths have (eg. 303, Jupiter 8 & Minimoog), I thought i was missing out on some magical sounds that would take my compositions to the next level.

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Originally posted by DJ RANN So it's basically a gain plugin that adds a bit of distortion and coloration. That's fine if you want that specific effect,

Yeah thats what I wanted since the beginning, color and character with subtle sweet warm saturation.

Preamp plugins have gotten pretty good in the last couple of years. The likes of Kush Audio Omega 458a, Black Rooster Audio VPre-73 or Kazrog True Iron have you covered for subtle colour.

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Originally posted by SynthNinja Yeah thats what I wanted since the beginning, color and character with subtle sweet warm saturation.

'

Then keep your signal path as short and as clean as possible (i.e. A to B without any stop in the middle) and then use FX for the warmth.

If you REALLY know what you're doing, only then introduce it in to the signal path - this is the same conversation as Mixing in to a Compressor; the only point in doing it is if you absolutely know through experience and gross repetition that you are going to add THAT compressor, with THOSE settings after the fact.

Then it makes sense to mix in to the thing you always use so you have it while you're mixing.

Is D16 Group - LuSH-101 a good synth for trance for $39.99

Tempted but damn I have too many synths already that I don't use. But I always have FOMO. What if it has a preset that will be the next Sandstorm?

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Originally posted by Woony Preamp plugins have gotten pretty good in the last couple of years. The likes of Kush Audio Omega 458a, Black Rooster Audio VPre-73 or Kazrog True Iron have you covered for subtle colour.

I tired the Omega, very nice. Atm I'm using SPL Twin Tube, very CPU demanding even on my iMac pro 2017.

You may see video projectors being discounted recently. This is because they are going to be superseded by laser projectors which are getting more affordable. They have their uses for lighting effects for music videos, displaying video & still images, song lyrics, etc.

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Originally posted by Mel David You may see video projectors being discounted recently. This is because they are going to be superseded by laser projectors which are getting more affordable. They have their uses for lighting effects for music videos, displaying video & still images, song lyrics, etc.

It's interdasting in that I went to an Imax over the weeked (First Man if you must know) and they were lauding the fact it was a laser projector.

I will say the picture was fucking insane quality so it doesn't surprise me that they're coming to the consumer level now.

I own a laser cutter/engraver and having followed the laser machine market for about 5 years now, it's amazing to see how fast and cheap laser technology has become. Like 10 years ago, aan at home RF or Co2 laser was easily 5 figures. Now you can build your own for $800 or buy a shitty K40 for like $350 but it'll still work. It's outstripping moore's law by some pace.

There's also something going on with SSD's right now. There's been a sudden drop in the cost per GB. Something to do with companies supplying too much NAND. I think they're basically trying to kill off the HDD market for good.

I need me a couple of 2TB SSDs. Been waiting forever for them to get affordable. I won an auction for a 2nd-hand 480GB SSD about a year ago for $120 and that greatly enhanced the performance speed of our iMac. I want all my sample libs and project files on SSD.



You can get a good domestic laser projector for about 2K these days. But the normal 1080P led projectors are being reduced to around $200 or so. They're only about 3000 lumens but that is enough for what I want to use it for. The ultimate gobos!

I just purchased this vocal sample pack as it has the most useful vocal phrases I've heard in a sample pack. Ever.

https://www.sonicacademy.com/products/vocal-megapack-5

None of you buy it as I'm going to make future hits from this pack!

What VSTi would you guys recommend for the best possible evolving pads?

I just demo'd Icarus by Tone2, and whilst there's some great sonic capabilities, the pads and soundscapes did not impress

I lean towards absynth or Zebra 2 for pads but can't say I've tried much of what else is out there.

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Originally posted by Richard Butler What VSTi would you guys recommend for the best possible evolving pads? I just demo'd Icarus by Tone2, and whilst there's some great sonic capabilities, the pads and soundscapes did not impress

Evolving pads can mean anything. Depends what you're after.

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Originally posted by tehlord Evolving pads can mean anything. Depends what you're after.

I'm after something that lends itself well to rich pads suitable for deep house and atmospheric DnB

I spend hours on Serum and other synths but cant get the pads lush and atmospheric enough. My JDXA is nice for pads but I cant get quite enough LFO action going on it.

MEL - Yes I've heard Absynth is good for pads, I might check it out

The atmospheric DnB stuff is going to be mostly about filters and probably some mild phasing etc. The ultimate pad plugin is still Omnisphere imo, but that's as much to do with the sampled oscillator sources as the synth engine. Absynth is definitely great too, although the UI is fucking abysmal.

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord The atmospheric DnB stuff is going to be mostly about filters and probably some mild phasing etc. The ultimate pad plugin is still Omnisphere imo, but that's as much to do with the sampled oscillator sources as the synth engine. Absynth is definitely great too, although the UI is fucking abysmal.

Nice one mate, I've been toying with Omni for yrs but I have this problem with very expensive software.

I've been persevering with Icarus in demo form and they're the best softsynth filters I've ever played with.

Decisions....

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Originally posted by Richard Butler Nice one mate, I've been toying with Omni for yrs but I have this problem with very expensive software. I've been persevering with Icarus in demo form and they're the best softsynth filters I've ever played with. Decisions....

I think what people forget is that you're also buying the vast, vast sample content that's included for oscillator sources.

It's a lot of money, but I think it's worth it. There's nothing else like it.

Alchemy would be a fair comparison, but they made you pay for all the extra sample content/preset packs. It's all free with Omnisphere. Always has been.

I have to agree with Geoff; Omni really is the standard.

It's 64gb and nothing really comes close to being that good at pads.

Try hive from U-he

Hive

Listen to some sounds and see if this is something that would work for you - it is around 150.00 euro. I'm quite happy with it

Cheers

Darek

quote:

Originally posted by DJ RANN I have to agree with Geoff; Omni really is the standard. It's 64gb and nothing really comes close to being that good at pads.

Especially since they upgraded to 4 layers per part in 2.5

It was always somewhat frustrating stretching layers over parts before.

For pads I can recommend OPX-II, plenty of preset banks for it, interface is slightly fiddly but doesnt put me off using it, excellent sound imo

hard to disagree with the shouts for Omnisphere, dont use it myself but if the quality is the same as Trilian then it's a no brainer

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