KVR Audio

5Lives · Post by **5Lives** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 5:35 am

Anybody still using the instruments from Applied Acoustics Systems (AAS)? Chromaphone, Strum, Lounge Lizard, Tassman, etc.? They are pretty old I suppose, but they are 64-bit and sound pretty good based on the demos. Seem to have a nice little package (synths, drum synth, piano, guitar modeling, etc.).

Thanks!

Cuauhtli · Post by **Cuauhtli** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:24 am

I still use them (String Studio, Tassman, Ultra Analog). As you say they've been around a while. Just consider them "as is" if you decide to buy them. Don't expect any updates (features and sound) though there are the occasional maintenance updates.

Sampleconstruct · Post by **Sampleconstruct** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:28 am

Chromaphone is brandnew, not old - I use it a lot and make patches for it, I think it's their best instrument (a big IMO here...). The rest of the bundle is sleeping on my HD and hardly ever gets any use.

Karmacomposer · Post by **Karmacomposer** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:49 am

I use Tassman, String Studio and Ultra Analog - it's amazing what you can create with these modelled synths. They stand the test of time.

Mike

JJBiener · Post by **JJBiener** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:01 am

I have String Studio and Chromophone and love them both. I have made some very interesting presets for Chromophone. I have yet to do much on String Studio except play the presets and the soundsets I've bought for it, but the sound is great.

braj · Post by **braj** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:13 am

I have Strum acoustic, it is easy to use to get decent results but the overall sound is not so hot, effects help. but for a quick strumming guitar sound it was a great deal @ $20 from Cakewalk.

kelvyn · Post by **kelvyn** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 8:57 am

I have Tassman4, Ultra Analog and Lounge Lizard Session and use them all... The idea that a synth plugin is too old is only relevant to me if it doesn't follow OS updates. Most of the AAS plugs are pretty good IMO... Strum is the only product that didn't achieve what it set out to accomplish as the guitar sounds are pretty weak.

updog · Post by **updog** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:18 am

i have ultra analog and string studio. i use ultra analog every now and then, it's good imo but i don't really like the way the GUI works. string studio is a very interesting synth too but it doesn't seem to get that much use from me.

evertonfan · Post by **evertonfan** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 9:48 am

I have all of AAS's plug-ins & overall I really like them, including Strum Acoustic & Strum Electric. Why? Well as a song writer Strum Electric is an extremely easy & quick tool to use when writing songs. And, this my own personal way of doing things, I like to write with a mixture of virtual instruments (which use CPU) & sample libraries (which hit the RAM). Because Strum Electric is a virtual instrument rather than a sample library based instrument it fits nicely into my projects & I can finish writing songs using Strum Electric/Acoustic before I start thinking about mixing tracks down. Would I use Strum Acoustic & Strum Electric in my final songs? Not without putting the output through say Amplitube or Guitar Rig first (the effects on the two Strum instruments aren't that great). And for more authentic guitar sounds, then I would use say Orange Tree sample guitars which sound great. In an ideal world I would write the majority of my tracks using Omnisphere, as that is a wonderful instrument. But my computer would say "no" very quickly, especially as I write using Ableton Live which is still a 32-bit DAW (Grrrrrr......). And this is where I like the new Chromaphone instrument, normally I would use a high quality sample bass from Omnisphere/Trillian however, introducing a realistic bass whilst I am writing songs would have a huge RAM hit on my project. The bass sounds from Chromaphone are fantastic.....so I am finding that I use Chromaphone alot more which helps juggle the RAM/CPU balance within my projects. So it depends what you want to use the AAS plugs for really......for me they all on the whole great.

Doc Jon · Post by **Doc Jon** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:08 am

Ultra Analog - excellent 'bread and butter' synth with some very good 3rd party soundbanks available

String Studio - good for off the wall sounds and sound effects, particularly creepy/horror atmospheres

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 11:55 am

Karmacomposer wrote:I use Tassman, String Studio and Ultra Analog - it's amazing what you can create with these modelled synths. They stand the test of time.

Mike

+1 I have the same, and they're great tools.

Just found out about Chromophone, and it is AMAZING! On the short-list.

[2c]

Jace-BeOS · Post by **Jace-BeOS** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:10 pm

I have most of their products and like them but just last night I found problems with Lounge Lizard 3 changing its pitch when stopping & starting Sonar's playback. Very frustrating.

filkertom · Post by **filkertom** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:19 pm

Lounge Lizard and String Studio are just excellent. Sounds are great, easy to play with. I also think AAS is very generous with their Swatches -- that's a nice selection of sounds from all their various synths, free.

jsp1979 · Post by **jsp1979** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 2:30 pm

Jace-BeOS wrote:I have most of their products and like them but just last night I found problems with Lounge Lizard 3 changing its pitch when stopping & starting Sonar's playback. Very frustrating.

I've noticed some weird things with Sonar and the Lounge Lizard demo. I found that if I used the DXI version instead of the VST that it worked a lot better. Both can be installed...it might be worth a shot.

I like the AAS stuff that I own (Ultra Analog, Strum Electric, Strum Acoustic Session, String Studio, Chromaphone). The weak link to me is the Strum Acoustic...the sound is just ok to my ears (although I do love the functionality). That being said, I love Strum Electric. Put Guitar Rig, Amplitube, or your favorite amp sim after it, and you'll have some great, easy to put together sounds. As noted above, I love how fast you can put songs together with it.

Jace-BeOS · Post by **Jace-BeOS** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 3:14 pm

jsp1979 wrote:
Jace-BeOS wrote:I have most of their products and like them but just last night I found problems with Lounge Lizard 3 changing its pitch when stopping & starting Sonar's playback. Very frustrating.
I've noticed some weird things with Sonar and the Lounge Lizard demo. I found that if I used the DXI version instead of the VST that it worked a lot better. Both can be installed...it might be worth a shot.

That's interesting. Especially since I've been intentionally swapping out all the 3rd party DXi & DX effects for VST in my projects because it's just one more level of unknown when troubleshooting projects with "missing plugin" problems (Sonar doesn't bother telling users if a missing plugin is VST or DX). Native Instruments no longer supports DX plugs, & Cakewalk themselves have been slowly dropping support for DX format in their own plugs (including the Sonar exclusive plugs). I see a time when they're all abandoned, including the format itself. So far, the only loss is warping in iZotope Vinyl (not available in the VST version).

Applied Acoustics (AAS) opinions?