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-- Little Phatty Questions
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Originally posted by alanzo I wouldn't go that far just yet.

That's good. Far be it from me to presume that what I do might be a pretext for forcing my preferences on another producer.

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Originally posted by alanzo My primary arguments against software instruments are still valid. I'm spending money for something that isn't really a tangible good. No one wants to buy used software. Even if they do, companies will charge you a fee to re-register. So it's a lose-lose situation. I have all my gear, it's all paid off, I have no significant debt to take care of.

Debt free. That's a nice position to be in. Sometimes it is hard to keep myself from pulling out my credit card to satisfy my GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome), but my wife is pretty good at giving me a nice "reality check" when it comes to gear. Once you get a mortgage and a family, your priorities tend to change a bit.

The way I look at it, I have an "order of operations" when it comes to important parts of my studio. I try to make sure that I invest the most amount of money in equipment that will benefit me in the long run. Hardware synthesis is about number 4 or 5 on that list. The most important thing for me is "can I make good music that labels will want to sign with what I have?" Luckily, the answer has been yes so far.

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Originally posted by alanzo I just never knew the software emulations sounded so close. I always assumed they were no where near. The physical instruments are still best for their usability and sound and buying software feels a lot more like wasted money then when I buy a physical item. The upside is they're a lot cheaper ...

Exactly, why I want to add just a couple of "choice" pieces to my existing setup. I still see myself primarily as a software-based producer, but tactile interface can be incredibly inspiring. That is a quality that is very important that cannot be easily replicated by software, especially when inspiration can something that is hard to come by.

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Originally posted by Eric J Exactly, why I want to add just a couple of "choice" pieces to my existing setup. I still see myself primarily as a software-based producer, but tactile interface can be incredibly inspiring. That is a quality that is very important that cannot be easily replicated by software, especially when inspiration can something that is hard to come by.

Then a Nord Lead 3 is your ticket. Un rivaled in the software world. Nothing sounds like it.

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Originally posted by alanzo Then a Nord Lead 3 is your ticket. Un rivaled in the software world. Nothing sounds like it.

Yeah, I'm toying with the idea of repurchasing it.

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Originally posted by Eric J Yeah, I'm toying with the idea of repurchasing it.

I've owned 3!

Just wanna say thanks to alanzo, must have taken quite a bit of time to put all those demos together.
Nice to see how these various emulations compare to the hardware synths

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Originally posted by alanzo Then a Nord Lead 3 is your ticket. Un rivaled in the software world. Nothing sounds like it.

I'm hoping discoDSP will do some patches for discovery pro. I've never listened to an NL2 or NL2X but the patches used in discovery pro that claim to be from those instruments are great. i've actually read that discovery pro can share patches with nord instruments. discovery pro is basically the emulation of NL2/NL2x and maybe NL3 eventually. 64 voice with 2x over sampling. Absolutely love the lay out. It's very simple and straight forward subtractive which I love. Only complaint is the arp which really isn't a big deal. I always use an external arp (Ableton's) unless of course im dealing with multi-timbres.

To touch on another note regarding Hardware vs. Software - I'd like to chime in and give my opinion as somebody who is just approach one year of production experience. When I first started, I had no MIDI controller. When I got that, I thought wow, this is amazing and is going to make my work flow and knowledge of things so much better. When I got my Radias last week, the same exact thing went through my mind. There is NO substitute for hands on manipulation of sound and hardware is just so neat to have. I've found that I am studying my Radias MUCH more since I paid a lot for it when compared to softsynths. I'm much more dedicated to it, and because it is so diverse by the time I "master" it I'm going to be soooooo much more knowledgeable when it comes to synths, which you can't put a price on.

Even if it's just one piece of hardware (not a midi controller, a synth) I would recommend to every single producer to get one. Even if it's some second hand synth that you paid $100 for on eBay (Get a Korg R3). Using and starting to understand hardware has increased my knowledge of synthesis by a ton and I've just had the thing for a week. Maybe it's just me. Not everybody learns the same way, but again, I'd highly recommend at least giving it a try. It is without question worth the $.

And one more thing on hardware - Remember it's an investment. Hardware holds its value very well, so if you buy a synth and try it out and it just isn't for you and you want to stick to software, you can turn around and just re-sell it for around the same price you paid for it. Just find something you want to buy and don't rush into buying. Sit back and wait for the right deal. I got my Radias-R for $549 shipped with original box, CD, chords, free USB cable. (I could easily get $700 for it on re-sale) It looked like it came straight from sweetwater minus the candy. It was even wrapped in that white styrofoam. An average lad wouldn't even be able to tell it was a second hand product.

Alanzo thanks for all of the samples. I've been looking into picking up a hardware synth, but now I'm thinking maybe pick up some software to complement the ES2 which I love.

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Originally posted by Zild Alanzo thanks for all of the samples. I've been looking into picking up a hardware synth, but now I'm thinking maybe pick up some software to complement the ES2 which I love.

Its been a very informative thread!

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Originally posted by Zild Alanzo thanks for all of the samples. I've been looking into picking up a hardware synth, but now I'm thinking maybe pick up some software to complement the ES2 which I love.

Sylenth sounds identical to a Virus in its raw waveforms, but when you start adding effects, modulation, envelopes and all that it becomes clear which is the best sounding.

What im trying to say here is that comparing waveforms doesnt give the whole picture.
If you take the phatty for example, there is no way a softsynth will have such a great sounding filter, glide, sync, LFO, envelopes etc. even though the waveform itself may not differ that much. Its how everything comes together in the end that counts, and the Phatty really shines in every aspect. I would expect the Voyager even more.

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Originally posted by Subtle Sylenth sounds identical to a Virus in its raw waveforms, but when you start adding effects, modulation, envelopes and all that it becomes clear which is the best sounding. What im trying to say here is that comparing waveforms doesnt give the whole picture. If you take the phatty for example, there is no way a softsynth will have such a great sounding filter, glide, sync, LFO, envelopes etc. even though the waveform itself may not differ that much. Its how everything comes together in the end that counts, and the Phatty really shines in every aspect. I would expect the Voyager even more.

I didn't compare just the raw waveforms. I compared how the OSCs interacted with each other, both with and without unison, and how well the filters subtract frequencies. LFOs don't really add any sound but the fact that the Andy has three for each voice and the Jupiter 8v has only two LFOs for all voices means the Jupiter 8v definitely lacks capability compared to the Andromeda. I didn't post any samples of the OSCs syncing, but I didn't notice any issues there. Glide sounded fine, as well.

BUT... the envelopes is where Arturia tended to shit the bed. The envelopes sounded pretty good, but could have been better.

i'm on the lookout for a analogue rack synth or the andromeda A6 after i sell my ultralite MK1 and then buy a MOTU 828mkII becuase it has optical (toslink out) plus Mk2 and the ultralite is firewire and spdif out and i'm not gonna use a converter

My Voyager is up on eBay now. Partly because of this thread, partly because of what you get for the enormous amount of $$, but mostly because I just don't like its sound. It does what it's meant to very well, obviously.... which is sound like a Moog. That sound just isn't for me, though. It's too 70s. It being a Mono was bugging the hell out of me, too. Way too much $$ for that.

I like the character of the Andromeda and the Pulse much better. And, really, the Voyager isn't amazingly "fat" for what you pay. I was able to get the envelopes on the Andromeda to sound identical to that of the Voyager, the filter sounds VERY similar, and I like the Andy's OSC character much better.

I guess I was just expecting more out of it...

Also because I like the Pulse better. I can see me using the Pulse for basses wherever I was going to use the Voyager and like it better. I'm also fine with using the Pulse for just basslines since I paid only $340 for it. ALSO, I have a Studio Electronics ATC-1 coming in. It's basically a 1-voice Omega which is, basically, an Andromeda with discrete circuits instead of integrated circuits. Will be fun to compare one voice of the ATC-1 to one voice of the Andromeda.

I really like the way the Pulse sounds in your demos. I'm hoping to pick one up as my first synth, but they're fairly tough to find.

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Originally posted by alanzo 4. Moog Voyager-- Every synth should sound this good. In a word: "perfect".

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Originally posted by alanzo My Voyager is up on eBay now. ...mostly because I just don't like its sound.

Damn dude, you are the most fickle synth lover on the planet!

Just giving you a hard time. I actually think I went through the exact same experience with every Moog I've owned. I'm sorta enthralled with them for about a week, then they just become 'meh'. In the case of the Voyager, I was exactly the same - when I first plugged it in, I remember thinking to myself "wow - I forgot how great Moogs can sound!" Then after a few days, the sound starting getting a little boring, followed by realizations that it was pretty limited and didn't sound that much better than anything else I owned (including the Mopho, which I actually liked better), followed by the realization that I had more synths than inputs on my soundcard and that pretty limited $1600 investment sitting there was getting the least amount of use, so off to eBay it went. The funny thing is, now that it's gone, I actually kind of miss it.

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Originally posted by cryophonik Damn dude, you are the most fickle synth lover on the planet! Just giving you a hard time. I actually think I went through the exact same experience with every Moog I've owned. I'm sorta enthralled with them for about a week, then they just become 'meh'. In the case of the Voyager, I was exactly the same - when I first plugged it in, I remember thinking to myself "wow - I forgot how great Moogs can sound!" Then after a few days, the sound starting getting a little boring, followed by realizations that it was pretty limited and didn't sound that much better than anything else I owned (including the Mopho, which I actually liked better), followed by the realization that I had more synths than inputs on my soundcard and that pretty limited $1600 investment sitting there was getting the least amount of use, so off to eBay it went. The funny thing is, now that it's gone, I actually kind of miss it.

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Originally posted by alanzo It does what it's meant to very well, obviously.... which is sound like a Moog. That sound just isn't for me, though.

Yeah, what you said sums it up for me. Hopefully I wont miss it, though. I was planning on pretty much using it exclusively for basslines. But once I got the Pulse, I wanted to use it instead.

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik I'm sorta enthralled with them for about a week, then they just become 'meh'. In the case of the Voyager, I was exactly the same - when I first plugged it in, I remember thinking to myself "wow - I forgot how great Moogs can sound!" Then after a few days, the sound starting getting a little boring.

I had this feeling too (Moog Phatty) then a couple of months later i figured out how to use it properly in my tracks, and now it has been used for bassline in 21 of the 22 tracks and remixes i have completed this year.
And a whole bunch of unfinished ones as well.

I personally havn't heard anything better than the voyager for bass (excluding old vintage synths) The waldorf pulse is good although far from the moog imo. The moog is much deeper, whilst the pulse is very cold, harsh, hard sounding. Maybe you needed to spend more time with the voyager? In other words the pulse and moog sound the exact opposite from one another. About as different as two mono synths can sound.

You will find the ATC has much slower envelopes and sounds much closer to the moog than the pulse. I used to own one. Didn't have all the filters though

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Originally posted by dannib the pulse is very cold, harsh, hard sounding.

That's why I like it. I did compare the two and came to the conclusion that one doesn't sound worse from the other. Just different.

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Originally posted by cryophonik (including the Mopho, which I actually liked better)

I kinda want a Tetra since I'm selling the Voyager. Or even two. It would finally be the multi-timbrel Prophet I wanted ...

The vger has been sold and shipped. I got to use it for a bit over a month, realized it wasn't for me, and resold for a $65 profit (after all fees and shipping)!

Gotta love The Bay ...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Moog-Voyager-Ra...id=p3286.c0.m14

damn your a powerseller, i wonder if i'll ever get there

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Originally posted by orTof�nChiLd damn your a powerseller, i wonder if i'll ever get there

3-time power seller. It'll eventually get taken away because I never manage to maintain a $1000 monthly sell rate. This sale will keep me at Power Seller status for a month or two more, though.

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Originally posted by alanzo 3-time power seller. It'll eventually get taken away because I never manage to maintain a $1000 monthly sell rate. This sale will keep me at Power Seller status for a month or two more, though.

Damm thats what i noticed i have like a score of 13

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