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z3ta 2

Anyone using it yet? how are you finding it?

looking at investing, read some ok reviews, interface looks nice

Cheers

AK

z3ta is my fav synth is there a demo version of it available? 1st version was incredibly cheap i hope this is also cheap still i think it would be worthy

Its great, already had the original for many years so i got the upgrade price

Still as punchy as ever and it sounds great - although there are so many other synths available to buy these days

shame there doesnt seem to be a demo - what other softsynths have you got?

Re: z3ta 2

quote:

Originally posted by Akira_Kayosa Anyone using it yet? how are you finding it? looking at investing, read some ok reviews, interface looks nice Cheers AK

I bought z3ta 1 and I bought z3ta 2, its cool but its buggy, cakewalk is trying release 2.1 next month.

I recommend it, it comes with all old factory presets and with tons of new presets with a more modern feel, distorted/square leads/sounds for example...
Its not good like sylenth1 or zebra2, but its waaaaay cheaper...

Re: Re: z3ta 2

quote:

Originally posted by PlasticSoul Its not an over-hyped, under-spec'ed toy with highly limited modulation capabilities and factory presets that are waaaaayyyy over-used by every single trance kiddie like sylenth1, but its waaaaay cheaper...

FTFY

Dont use it since i switched to mac, but if its anything like the first Z3TA+ i'm sure it sounds amazing.
Was my favorite synth by far, shame cakewalk isnt making a Mac version.

Re: Re: Re: z3ta 2

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik FTFY

Dave, if you don't get it don't knock it


I like z3ta2. I bought z3ta real cheap from the sale but I just couldn't get on with the GUI. I'm going to delve much further with it, but on first impression it's about as close as you can get in software to the evergreen 'teh v1rUs' without buying a powercore dodo.

Re: Re: Re: Re: z3ta 2

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord Dave, if you don't get it don't knock it

Oh, I have it and I get it. I was mostly joking - it's a fine, if not way overused, synth that you have to admit is very lacking in the modulation department.

quote:

Originally posted by tehlord I bought z3ta real cheap from the sale but I just couldn't get on with the GUI.

I agree - the original Z3TA GUI was annoying to look at. Just a horrid color combination with grainy graphics and blurry lettering. I hated looking at it. Z3TA2 looks so much nicer.

One thing I've never understood is why so many people (not referring to you, Geoff) say that it's difficult to learn and program. Pretty much everything (aside from the effects, waveform editor, etc.) is right there on the main page, even in the original version. It's pretty straightforward IMO from that perspective, especially considering that it's a 6-oscillator synth with EGs, LFOs, and modulation capabilities galore.

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: z3ta 2

quote:

Originally posted by cryophonik Oh, I have it and I get it. I was mostly joking - it's a fine, if not way overused, synth that you have to admit is very lacking in the modulation department. I agree - the original Z3TA GUI was annoying to look at. Just a horrid color combination with grainy graphics and blurry lettering. I hated looking at it. Z3TA2 looks so much nicer. One thing I've never understood is why so many people (not referring to you, Geoff) say that it's difficult to learn and program. Pretty much everything (aside from the effects, waveform editor, etc.) is right there on the main page, even in the original version. It's pretty straightforward IMO from that perspective, especially considering that it's a 6-oscillator synth with EGs, LFOs, and modulation capabilities galore.

Yer the moduation on Sylenth is a little bit pants tbh. Still, that's not what the thing is about tbh and it does have it's own personality.

I don't know what it is about z3ta and it's learning curve, but I just don't find it at all intuitive. I think it could be that (like Massive for example) you don't have everyhing on GUI visible at the same time, and I tend to forget where I am when I program Massive. I likes fings simple me

I also didnt like Z3TA 1 GUI - it wasnt all about graphic but more like a combination of graphic, workflow. For some reason it was far from intuitive. Compared to ie. V-Station it was hmmm - everything was not it where supposed to be

I'm satisfied Z3ta II, because i bought Z3TA 1 for like 20 $ which was a bargain. Then upgrade was cheap. Seriously - 1000 old factory presets + 1000 additional (even if people say that a lot are crap) is still 2000 presets to choose from.

Also there are plenty of free soundbanks from old Z3ta - follow this link for "fixed" old soundbanks (in old z3ta there was a problem with old banks which had automatically selected "draft" mode which sucked)

http://1-2-many.weebly.com/vsti-banks.html

I bet that anyone can find there 200-300 useful presets. So, even as pure rompler Z3TA 2 is worth because with this free banks it's probably somewhere around hmm 3000 presets. Sure, it has bugs but they'll fix them (within a month or two - at least thats what they said).

on the other hand - if I had to choose between Sylenth and Z3TA I would pick Sylenth.

some really good points here

I've always got on well with z3ta, i use sylenth but find the interface small and restricted, z3ta was always kinda wide open and split into 2 areas, which i liked, but i use my 8080 heaps layout is kinda along the same lines maybe that's why i find it easy

massive i couldn't get to grips with so that went

anyhow got z3ta 2, going to install it over the weekend if i can keep on top of my schedule

cheers for your thoughts

AK

Got it a couple days ago. Awesome overall, but there are indeed issues that Cakewalk is supposedly addressing with the arp and a 300MB hit on the GUI! KVR has a running thread on this.

But it sounds excellent. And the interface update/preset management is a big improvement. Well worth the bucks.

Z3TA 2.1 update is available:

http://cakewalk.com/products/z3ta/feature.aspx/Z3T A-2.1

quote:

New Features and Improvements Arpeggiator Updates: - The Arpeggiator's new Auto Fit mode will adjust imported MIDI files to work properly - The Arpeggiator sync menu is now a fly-out menu - Arpeggiator patterns can now be dragged out from the graph and into your host - There is an option to disable the Arpeggiator when patterns are dragged out from it in the Options menu. Documentation Updates: - The User Guide and About Box can now be opened from the Options menu - The documentation has been updated with many small improvements - French and German documentation were updated Misc Updates: - Loading stereo WAV files is now supported - Loading 24 bit & 32 bit WAV files is now supported - Z3TA+ 2 now supports modifications via alternative installation folders in the same way Z3TA+ did Program & Preset Menu Updates: - Users can now search for presets by using the magnifying glass Preset Search button - Programs section is now bigger to allow for more characters and has improved Previous/Next icons - There is a new option to add sequential numbers to the front of the name of imported presets when importing .FXB banks in order to preserve their original order - The Programs Menu now has a Most Recent section, displaying the 20 most recent programs used - Users can now set any preset as their default preset, or have Z3TA+ 2.1 default to a random preset each time, via an option in the Programs Menu - Saving a new patch now defaults the save dialog to the folder currently accessed in the program menu Scala Tuning: - Scala tuning files are now supported - Z3TA+ 2.1 includes the latest full library of Scala tuning files UI Updates: - The state of the show/hide ribbon setting is now saved globally - The ribbon controller now lights up when clicked on with a mouse, and remains lit when Ribbon Latch is active - You can now CTRL+Click an oscillator tab to turn it on or off, and SHIFT+Click to solo - Filter Link can now be automated and MIDI Learned - Right-clicking now activates latch in the Ribbon Controller Issues Addressed Arpeggiator: - Resolved an issue where the Arpeggiator was getting stuck on some patches - Resolved an issue where the Up/Down 2 Arpeggiator mode wouldn't re-trigger properly if a pattern was stopped in its descent - Fixed problems with the Arpeggiator reading improper MIDI data - Fixed an issue that prevented the Arpeggiator from displaying certain MIDI patterns Effects: - Resolved an issue where the Limiter was letting some patches clip - Resolved an issue where certain modulation modes would silence the program - Improved the stability of the modulation effect section overall Installation: - Fixed an issue where the Uninstaller wasn't being added to Add/Remove Programs on some systems - Fixed an issue where Microhost shortcuts were not being installed to the Start menu Misc: - Resolved an issue where Velocity was mapped inaccurately in some older programs - Resolved an issue where in some cases the Paste Program menu wouldn't paste elements of a copy - Resolved an issue where Ribbon latch wasn't working with a couple MIDI Arpeggiator files - Resolved an issue where ProTools would reset Z3TA+ 2 to the default patch whenever played - Pitch EG Start & Level knobs now use Bipolar bitmaps Stability: - Fixed an issue where MIDI Learning certain controls could cause large CPU spikes - Fixed an issue where pressing F1 would make the micro host entirely white - Fixed an issue where Mismatched oversampling options could create no sound on mix down - Fixed an issue where the random LFO waveforms were slow to operate and were using excessive CPU - Fixed an issue where in some cases, the oscillator graph would show spikes - Fixed an issue where some patches were silent after changing programs - Fixed an issue where wave shaping wouldn't affect the sound when holding a note on an external controller - Fixed an issue where hiding the ribbon controller wasn't working properly in some hosts - Fixed an issue where manipulating a control assigned to the modulation matrix caused drawing issues with the waveshaper - LFOs in the Arpeggiator, Modulation section and LFO section are now more stable - The Limiter now has a smooth ON/OFF transition to avoid clicks - Improved the performance of Ribbon Latch - Memory usage has been greatly improved XY Pad: - Joysticks now work in the XY pad when using the micro host - The DC adjust and Pulse Width waveshapers (mouse X/Y draggable) are now working properly

So far so good, upgrade installed painlessly 'overall' but I had to reinstall my FXBs for my non OEM stuff as Z2.1 didn't see them. Once done however the upgrade 'seems' to have fixed the major issues from what I can tell so far.

quite like it

still have the original installed also

currently makin a nice filthy stab in a remix im doing for black hole

part from that not had much time to play with her knobs yet

i'll give them a good fingering soon

Probably something I am missing here but I already had z3ta and purchased the upgrade. I remember it was mentioned that it was a standalone but found when opening it that nothing happened whatsoever.
No sounds,nodda. I opened ableton and found it didnt recognize it. Anyone else have any issues like this?

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