Super 8 - New polysynth by Native Instruments

[mudi1974]

I think sound-wise Super 8 is very good. Like everything from NI. Now if they only could improve their UIs a little bit (this is not about Super 8, Super 8 is straightforward). Also Kontakt is a strange beast. It looks convoluted and many people complain about it but I found that there are several things that are very easy in Kontakt once you know how e.g. splitting samples in the Bitwig sampler is a pain, Kontakt is much easier to use for this use case.

[LoveEnigma18]

Only thing I have to say for Super 8 is it is an awesome synth. I just wish NI did not discontinue the VST3 version (and also developed an AU version now that I also have a Mac). That's all!

Super 8 R2 has been discontinued since M1 became a thing. They dropped it the same time they dropped Absynth 5. They rolled it back to the R1 Ensemble release. You cannot buy the R2 release anymore, and they will not update it. It will never be Apple Silicon Native as a discrete plug-in.

On macOS, you absolutely should be using the REAKTOR Ensemble. The VST3 still works on Windows for now. If an OS or DAW update breaks it, they will not fix it, though.

Agree, since I am using a Mac now, I shouldn't care much and just use the Reaktor version. Well, then, glad it was never available in AU format.

[Trensharo]

Most DAWs have a pretty good one, and many have better than Super 8.

I don't agree with that statement.

I don't expect you to agree. It's a subjective topic and I shouldn't have to clarify that I wasn't making a statement of fact, but of opinion (as most "X is better than Y" statements are).

Disagreement is the norm.

What's interesting is the reason for disagreement, as that can be informative. Simply stating disagreement is not useful

I - PERSONALLY - don't think Super 8 is a better synth than Retro Synth (Logic), Retrologue 2 (Cubase), Mai Tai (Studio One), Analog (Ableton Live), Poly Synth (Bitwig), MX4 (Digital Performer), PolyMax (LUNA [Pro Bundle]) and others. Even Maschine 2 has its own Native Poly Synth instrument.

At worst, it absolutely is not worth a $99 cost premium over them, which is what Native Instruments was testing the waters for when releasing it as its own product - independent of the REAKTOR platform, via a discrete [self-contained] VST3 plug-in.

I think part of the reason why that never picked up, was because Super 8 was one of the worst candidates they could have picked from the REAKTOR stable. It's too rudimentary as it exists in an oversaturated market. But on the flip side, they didn't want to pick something that was too outside of the norm as they likely figured less people would have seen value in it (more people use subtractive synths [and find them easier to [learn to] use] than Additive or FM Synths, for example).

[chk071]

Most DAWs have a pretty good one, and many have better than Super 8.

I don't agree with that statement.

I don't expect you to agree. It's a subjective topic and I shouldn't have to clarify that I wasn't making a statement of fact, but of opinion (as most "X is better than Y" statements are).

I can safely say that Super 8 is indeed better than the DAW included Synths I tried (including Retrologue and Mai Tai).

[Examigan]

I don't have much included with mine, as I use Cakewalk and I think most of them went away after Bandlab took over. I still have my old versions, such as Sonar v4 up to v8.5 which have old synths included (Z3ta+) and I bought Rapture back then too. So for the most part, Super 8 is better than those (Rapture and Z3ta+ were pretty cool though), but I have so many others now anyway that are really good, e.g. Diva, Dune 3.6, OP-X Pro 3, Sylenth, Synthmaster, Saurus, Electra3, etc.

[digitalboytn]

The thing I like about Super 8 R2 is that it "just works"...

It's an unassuming little synth with a personality that is greater than the sum of the parts...

It has quite a few sweet spots and when you put it in a track,it always brings something nice to the mix

[gentleclockdivider]

Most DAWs have a pretty good one, and many have better than Super 8.

I don't agree with that statement.

I don't expect you to agree. It's a subjective topic and I shouldn't have to clarify that I wasn't making a statement of fact, but of opinion (as most "X is better than Y" statements are).

Disagreement is the norm.

What's interesting is the reason for disagreement, as that can be informative. Simply stating disagreement is not useful

I - PERSONALLY - don't think Super 8 is a better synth than Retro Synth (Logic), Retrologue 2 (Cubase), Mai Tai (Studio One), Analog (Ableton Live), Poly Synth (Bitwig), MX4 (Digital Performer), PolyMax (LUNA [Pro Bundle]) and others. Even Maschine 2 has its own Native Poly Synth instrument.

At worst, it absolutely is not worth a $99 cost premium over them, which is what Native Instruments was testing the waters for when releasing it as its own product - independent of the REAKTOR platform, via a discrete [self-contained] VST3 plug-in.

I think part of the reason why that never picked up, was because Super 8 was one of the worst candidates they could have picked from the REAKTOR stable. It's too rudimentary as it exists in an oversaturated market. But on the flip side, they didn't want to pick something that was too outside of the norm as they likely figured less people would have seen value in it (more people use subtractive synths [and find them easier to [learn to] use] than Additive or FM Synths, for example).

Well I disagree with your first statement , it sounds a lot better than most plugins in any daw ., the raw core sound is just there which the majority of daw plugins just miss .(abletons latest offerings is good though )
And secondly you're wrong that N.I. tested the waters via VST3 release first .
It was first released as a reaktor ensemble , afterwards as a vst3 , then abandoned the vst3 and rereleased as a reaktor ensemble .

[concealed identity]

Most DAWs have a pretty good one, and many have better than Super 8.

I don't agree with that statement.

I don't expect you to agree. It's a subjective topic and I shouldn't have to clarify that I wasn't making a statement of fact, but of opinion (as most "X is better than Y" statements are).

Disagreement is the norm.

What's interesting is the reason for disagreement, as that can be informative. Simply stating disagreement is not useful

I - PERSONALLY - don't think Super 8 is a better synth than Retro Synth (Logic), Retrologue 2 (Cubase), Mai Tai (Studio One), Analog (Ableton Live), Poly Synth (Bitwig), MX4 (Digital Performer), PolyMax (LUNA [Pro Bundle]) and others. Even Maschine 2 has its own Native Poly Synth instrument.

At worst, it absolutely is not worth a $99 cost premium over them, which is what Native Instruments was testing the waters for when releasing it as its own product - independent of the REAKTOR platform, via a discrete [self-contained] VST3 plug-in.

I think part of the reason why that never picked up, was because Super 8 was one of the worst candidates they could have picked from the REAKTOR stable. It's too rudimentary as it exists in an oversaturated market. But on the flip side, they didn't want to pick something that was too outside of the norm as they likely figured less people would have seen value in it (more people use subtractive synths [and find them easier to [learn to] use] than Additive or FM Synths, for example).

And secondly you're wrong that N.I. tested the waters via VST3 release first .
It was first released as a reaktor ensemble , afterwards as a vst3 , then abandoned the vst3 and rereleased as a reaktor ensemble .

I'm pretty sure this is what they were saying

[Trensharo]

Lol. It be like that, here.

[seafire]

Synth1 sounds better than Super8

[spacepluk]

Synth1 sounds better than Super8

apples and oranges

[EvilDragon]

Synth1 sounds better than Super8

No it does not.

[seafire]

You would say that, you're on the NI team.

[chk071]

Synth1 sounds better than Super8

If thin and strawy sounds better to you, then, yes.

[seafire]

Golden ears has entered the chat...