I'm a little new to vsti's so I need a good workhorse synth. Basically I have Reason 2.5 and Sonar 3.0 Producer is on the way...so I need instruments! Cameleon sounds so cool...I just plain want it; but will it do alot? I must have bass! Absynth sounds cool too with otherworldly sounds etc... I am looking to do stuff ranging from early Depeche Mode to Skinny Puppy...a little more industrial you know. I get the feeling that absynth is geared more towards this type thing, but the newness and nerdyness of cameleon calls to me. Any thoughts? (any news of sonar compatibility?) Thanks!

Both are so flexible. Have you tried the demos yet for both? Utlimatelly, it's only who who have the answers that if it'll work for you. Both are very good, and I own both. I'd have a hard time choosing between the two though.

Devon

I have both too - Absynth is better for complex rhythmic patterns - Cameleon is better from morphing around differnt timbres - but Absynth has an implementation of additive synthesis in its waveform editor. Go for Absynth 2 then get Cameleon.

Like everyone else, it's a hard choice.

If you want to work with sample interpolation Chameleon is the one. Absynth has it's own vibe and is equally cool.

Really, the best thing to do is get the demos listen to some of the presets but by all means try creating your own patches by scratch. The work flow is different between the two contenders as are the strategies towards programming sounds.

I'll be donating about 75mb of samples in Chameleon format in the next month or two. They are mostly abstract guitar soundscapes and riffs although I've got some interesting K5000 loops included.

To be fair to Absynth, there are thousands of free patches floating around. Both have lots of after purchase appeal.

x2501x wrote:

I'm a little new to vsti's so I need a good workhorse synth. Basically I have Reason 2.5 and Sonar 3.0 Producer is on the way...so I need instruments! [...] Any thoughts? (any news of sonar compatibility?) Thanks!

First, I don't know that I'd choose either of these as a "workhorse" synth, but that's just my impression, I tend to think of them both as "a bit specialized"... but that's not what you asked. Given the choice of the two, I would choose Cameleon, but I have Crystal, Rhino and Ethereal for Absynth-y stuff already.

As others have said, get the demos and see what they can do for you.

As far as Sonar 3 compatibility, I believe Absynth comes as either DXI or VSTI. Sonar has VSTI support as well, although DXI is its native format.

Doug

Hi,

I think everyone has made some good points.

Cameleon and Absynth are really quite different, and yet have been compared to one another, as they are both capable of really unusual sounds, and are both capable of creating an extremely wide range of sounds. As someone else mentioned it seems to me that Absynth is currently better for rythmic loops, and Cameleon has more power when it comes to creation actual 'instruments' etc. This power comes in the form of the much more powerful additive implementation including resynthesis and morphing.

I am planning to improve the capabilities of Cameleon when it comes to rythmic loops. The next update will come with more in presets in this area. Incidentally, perhaps some of you would like to comment on how Cameleon could be made to perform better at this - perhaps a global volume breakpoint envelope with tempo sync? What else?

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I need a good workhorse synth

Cameleon is certainly able to create a very wide range of sounds, and also comes with a extensive library of sounds - including both good very unusual pads and leads, but also pianos and organs and so forth.

Quote:

I must have bass!

Cameleon is rather good in the bass department - the initial release didn't have so many bass sounds, but the v1.04 has got a lot of good solid basses. Part of the reason Cameleon is good for bass, is that its got all the CamelPhat distortion and filter algorithms.

As always, the best advice is probably to try both and see which you like better. You can also have a listen to the MP3 demos to hear what kinds of sounds are provided in the full version of Cameleon.

Thanks
Ben

Thanks everyone! I know the question was a little off asking if these synths were right for me. I was more asking for a little validation of each on it's own merits now that I think about it. I went with Cameleon because of the offer that is going on now. I can get absynth later.

Good choice.

Cameleon is a great synth.

When asking some of us I think it's like asking a parent which child they like better. A lot of us have strong attachments to the developers especially because the developers frequent K-v-R and as Ben did, give honest evaluations and answers towards their own creations.

Have fun, I should have that soundscape library done by February.

Choosing the Cameleon was wise as it can produce a wider variety of sounds. I have both and grab Cameleon first. Besides, you can import sounds from four different synths and then do morph between them with an envelope. Or layer it with a piano... Or... Or...