KVR Audio

Syncretia · Post by **Syncretia** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 11:42 pm

Everyone loves [Insert Synth Here] Vs. [Insert Synth Here] threads, so here goes.

I went throw most of Diva's patches yesterday. There are some simply stunning sounds there. I'd say that by far, this is my favourite VST of all time. I don't really care whether it faithfully reproduces analog or not - it's just that all the sounds I've liked in the past came out of Analog Synths or VA Synths.

I think we may be entering a new era for virtual synths. In the past, people looked at VA synths as poor mans analog synths. Most people who like analog sounds carry an arsenal of VA synths and occasionally break out real analog synths if they are lucky enough to afford them. I often feel like I'm cheating by using VA synths, and I'm always afraid that some other producer with a good ear will call me out and say "Hey! You're just using a cheap-ass VA synth! - How dare you promote your music in the same league as people who own real analog synths!"

I think Diva is going to change this situation to a certain extent. For one thing, I think it will now be that little bit harder for people to tell the difference between VA and analog. Also, sorry to say this Urs, but this is going to cause the competition to get its game together and compete with Diva.

So the question here is this. Can Diva compete with actual Analog synths? I doubt that VAs will completely replace real Analog within the nexc 10 years or so, but I think Diva is probably up there with some of the good Analog synths on the market right now. Does anyone own an anlog synth like the Evolver, Little/Slim Phatty, Voyager or the like? Have you compared Diva to one of these? My guess is that Diva would hold its own against some of these synths. I don't mean to say that it's necessarily a perfect reproduction of analog sound, but it has its OWN sound that is extremely flexible and as sweet to the ears as some analog synths.

ford442 · Post by **ford442** » Sun Jan 01, 2012 11:59 pm

it is close enough for me to be completely satisfied - i simply do not have the money to invest in any more analogs. i have an SH-101 and an FR-777 and those cost me enough. unless i start making actual money from music then i will always choose a $100-$200 product if it gives me, in essence, the creative possibilities of something sought after.

also, i don't personally care if these modules sound exactly identical to their 20 year old counterparts - they sound fully analog and rich and that is what i want to work with.

leggie · Post by **leggie** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:09 am

Maybe devs years ago thought about the idea but concluded hardware was not up to it at that time but Urs decided it was time to try with the i7 power that is around now.

Finally a use for serious hardware other than gaming !

Bring on the new VA's

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:17 am

Syncretia · Post by **Syncretia** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:19 am

unless i start making actual money from music then i will always choose a $100-$200 product if it gives me, in essence, the creative possibilities of something sought after.

I understand that. But, this has always really been the case, otherwise VAs would not have existed in the first place - people would just always buy analog. This is not a question of "close enough". It's a question of whether or not Diva can hold its own amongst great, real analog synths.

I didn't really want to bring money in to the question, but I guess the hypothetical question would go like this.

Assume Diva had been around for a long time and Urs started selling it for $1000+ in order to put it in the same realm of exclusivity as other analog synths. Let's say you had $1000 in your pocket. Would you still buy it? Or, would you spend it on something like a Slim Phatty? How about if the price was $3000? Of course piracy hs to be kept out of this thought experiment.

ford442 · Post by **ford442** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:58 am

i would simply not be able to pay $1000 unless it represented an investment into a controller or dedicated DSP. right now it is a tough call if DIVA can nail every expensive analog board that it tries to. if that is true then maybe it is indeed time to sell off some of that old cumbersome gear. i paid about $600 so that i could use the Virus Powercore as a VST Virus - i consider that to be worth while since it really replaces the Virus B in a more convenient form..

Fritze · Post by **Fritze** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:07 am

Kruddler wrote:Assume Diva had been around for a long time and Urs started selling it for $1000+ in order to put it in the same realm of exclusivity as other analog synths. Let's say you had $1000 in your pocket. Would you still buy it? Or, would you spend it on something like a Slim Phatty? How about if the price was $3000? Of course piracy hs to be kept out of this thought experiment.

Besides the great sound of Diva take into account:
- 16 times polyphony
- Multiple instances
- Unlimited preset saving on disk
- Offline rendering which can be faster than realtime
- Portable and way smaller, too

So yes, if I would have the money to buy either or (at a high price) I would surely go with Diva.

Ah_Dziz · Post by **Ah_Dziz** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:18 am

When I stopped using hardware it was due to the extreme convenience of working with software not due to money or sound. I will say that virtual synths sound different in various ways from analog synths, but not in any way that I particularly care about. I haven't tried many of the new crop of supposedly very accurate virtual analogs, but tons of people I trust tell me that they can do the job very convincingly.

el-bo (formerly ebow) · Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:53 am

Kruddler wrote:For one thing, I think it will now be that little bit harder for people to tell the difference between VA and analog.

you think this i an easy thing to do NOW ??

memory fails me but i'm pretty sure that most blind test comparisons that i have come across are never so clear cut in favour of those who can really tell

of those that can, how many would be able to do so in the context of a mix ?? and then, how many of those are your intended audience (listening on all manner of digitally-compressed nonsense hardware) ??

i've enjoyed my time with 'diva' this month, but i really see it as a product intended to please the music-makers (also the developers, and not so much the listeners)...neither of those is a bad thing at all

i'm sure there are many developers watching with interest whether us punters are prepared to do anything it takes to be able to run these new beasts, before they all start to do it..then we could say goodbye to all the soft vs hard discussions

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:04 am

chacka wrote:
Kruddler wrote:Assume Diva had been around for a long time and Urs started selling it for $1000+ in order to put it in the same realm of exclusivity as other analog synths. Let's say you had $1000 in your pocket. Would you still buy it? Or, would you spend it on something like a Slim Phatty? How about if the price was $3000? Of course piracy hs to be kept out of this thought experiment.
Besides the great sound of Diva take into account:
- 16 times polyphony
- Multiple instances
- Unlimited preset saving on disk
- Offline rendering which can be faster than realtime
- Portable and way smaller, too

So yes, if I would have the money to buy either or (at a high price) I would surely go with Diva.

also
- 6x unison with per voice modulation control...
- greater modulation control in general

digitalboytn · Post by **digitalboytn** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:40 am

Also - we shouldn't forget that their are actually several different synths inside DIVA right now - and a few more to come we are told...

Buying and maintaining that hardware is expensive and time consuming...

Then put them inside the flight cases and ship them....

Yes Sir...It's a virtual no brainer

randyandyvandaman · Post by **randyandyvandaman** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 2:50 am

I have never seen such fanboijism over software than from you lovers of URS software.

He circuit models most of his creations with Roland, moog hardware and has in-house preset designers who intimately know the real thing.

Cheers

digitalboytn · Post by **digitalboytn** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:02 am

randyandyvandaman wrote:I have never seen such fanboijism over software than from you lovers of URS software.

He circuit models most of his creations with Roland, moog hardware and has in-house preset designers who intimately know the real thing.

Cheers

We know that Senor....

But delivering the classic hardware in great sounding software is a real art.

I'm not a fanboy,but when something sounds good,I like to acknowledge it

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:06 am

I see no fanboyism here. Just a great product.

mcnoone · Post by **mcnoone** » Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:17 am

randyandyvandaman wrote:I have never seen such fanboijism over software than from you lovers of URS software.

That's U-he software to be correct.
Don't mix that up, with the other company.

(ie; URS fx)
"fanboijism" ...good one.

Yea Diva is a great synth imo.
It's not gonna be easy getting a good sax, ep, or organ out of it though.
Oh wait...scratch that. Already done.
Well, it won't be easy doing a convincing sound of that instrument that alien was playing in the first Star Wars movie.

Diva Vs. Real Analog