Guess what blew me away today... maybe in the top 5 most underrated synths? ABL PRO = WOWEE!

[ObsoleteAcc99]

http://audiorealism.se/ablpro/index.htm



This literally HAS floored me.. I was shocked.. i am going through the demo patches, and thinking like "WTF - why haven't i used this before?"

So i did some research, it's been out for quite a few years..

Yet i think the bass end is outstanding (and it can do drums well too). This sounds truly analog to me, and has 32 polyphony and the cpu hit is entirely respectable for the quality.

Building on Audiorealism's amazing ABL i see one can also easily create quality sequences.

Why isn't this gem discussed more? Or heck why haven't sound designers flocked to it?

I have honestly not been so pleasantly surprised with an "out of the blue i will test that demo" since the last time a synth was an instant "must have" for me, which was saurus.

Does anyone else like it or am i imagining things here. Honestly, this sounds as good to me as many newer synths, and has one of the best synth bass sound of any of them. Pads sound analog too, really warm and "hits you in the gut" sound.

I am thoroughly impressed, and I really want to support this developer. Furthermore, the auth seems to be simple one time serial entry!

[Nightpolymath]

No, you're not imagining it. Bought the ABL Pro as part of the bundle and couldn't be happier. It can sound pretty sick, particularly for bass and percussion. It's ABL on steroids, and also reminds me of ACE, at least a simplified version of it with none of the CPU hit. I would describe the sound as "weighty." I think it's a steal at 99 Euro.

[ObsoleteAcc99]

I agree. Last year they had an Xmas sale of 30% starting DEC 10. So to get the entire bundle should they repeat it would be 195 euro - 30% equals 137 EU

Still fair bit of money when translated to AU, but there's no way i would be able to resist if they do it.

195 is a little too much for me, and i'd rather have the bundle and sell my D16 stuff, which i STILL can't work out how to use a year later. With ABL i can make sequences in seconds, it's so easy.

Unfortunately the D16 drums are more advanced offering features not present in the hardware, such as decay and tune for every single sound. The crash especially is great on the d16, and the ADM one is missing some stuff in comparison. But there is no point just buying ABL pro and ABL, because that would be the same price as buying the bundle


I have been continuing playing with ABL pro since i made this topic, and i have to say i am nothing short of astonished. Audio realism nailed it all that time ago, and who knew. What a shame this synth is not discussed more often or have third party patch banks.

[Numanoid]

When it comes to the SH-101, I think TAL101 surpasses ABL PRO in sound, while undercutting it in price

[ObsoleteAcc99]

Tal 101 is monophonic, that's a completely different thing. (edit, there seems to be a 6 voice poly mode, but ABL pro is 32).

I do realise many like the Tal stuff, and today i went through every single preset of the UnoLX trying to find one i liked and i couldn't. I will be selling that one ASAP. But i did download Tal Bassline earlier today to give *that* a real test, and it will have to be pretty special to beat the bottom end in the ABL Pro. I think i finally found a synth (i've been searching for this for ages) to be able to write my basslines on board. The price will not be so different with the upcoming 30% discount, it will still be slightly more expensive than Tal though. (however you get double the presets and 5 x the polyphony). But of course, now you've got me extremely curious, so i am going to put it head to head against the TAL.. but probably a bit later, as i need some sleep

[fluffy_little_something]

Never heard of that one, looks nice, except for the cables hanging all over the GUI
Is it dangerous to connect certain inputs and outputs? I mean dangerous for the speakers or headphones/ears?

[electro]

The 303 sequencer is a big part of what makes it unique. SH-101 is a different animal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLQwwtjtiY4

[Numanoid]

I would describe the sound as "weighty." I think it's a steal at 99 Euro.

ACE at €69, what do you call that then?

[ObsoleteAcc99]

Does ace have a step sequencer on board? I can't remember.

Anyway, i just tried Tal Bassline, and i was impressed. Basically, the whole reason i don't like Tal Uno means i obviously wouldn't like a real Juno either, i guess just not my cup of tea.

Overall if i had to choose between tal uno + bassline vs ABL pro, i'd have just ABL pro instead of both of them.

Even though tal bass sounds great, overall with the different tones i hear i feel ABL pro is a much more versatile synth, and i still think it has a slightly more weighty bottom end.

That said, i am not the one that brought up comparisons with Tal in this topic.. so if anyone is planning on saying "they are totally different synths", that's absolutely fine.. I am only saying which one i'd choose out of the two if i could only have one. And that would be the ABL pro.

[lofty]

...

[Echoes in the Attic]

Abl Pro is one excellent sounding synth. A few years back they were supposed to add some extra such as swing liek they did with ABL, but it took so long to get to 64bit that it fell off the radar for a while and now it's back but still doesn't have those extras. By the time it was 64bit my synth GAS kind of went away but I still hold ABL Pro as one of synths with the best sound quality for sure. The dev also got into the iOS thing too which was certainly more lucrative, so it's cool he's gone and updated this. Very unique overdrive on it.

[pdxindy]

ABL Pro is fun and sounds good and has its own character!

[Tronam]

When it comes to the SH-101, I think TAL101 surpasses ABL PRO in sound, while undercutting it in price

ABL Pro is not an SH-101 emulation. It's a 303 on steroids.

[ObsoleteAcc99]

Geez i am totally confused now. i think ABL still gets the nod overall for me, but i've been playing all day with TAL bassline and it's REALLY good. TBH i think it sounds better for bass than Diva, Lush, and quite a few others.

For someone looking for a dedicated synth bass machine with step sequencer, this is definitely amongst the best, and it beats stuff like SubBoomBass in my opinion, which just doesn't have the character of the TAL or the ABL.

I've put my UnoLX in the MP, but if anyone wants to do a straight swap for bassline, i'd be all ears!

I must be the only person on earth who doesn't like the juno sound, as even with rich verbs and stuff i just couldn't get any excitement over UNO.

Just so i am clear, Tal Bassline and D16 Lush are emulating the same synth right? as in the 101? I wonder why Tal sounds so much phatter in the bottom end.

[IncarnateX]

http://audiorealism.se/ablpro/index.htm



This literally HAS floored me.. I was shocked.. i am going through the demo patches, and thinking like "WTF - why haven't i used this before?"

He he. Bought it the day it arrived and that was years ago.
I also added it to this old thread if someone got appetite for virtual cables:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=356619

Cheers