By default
On 16th July 2005 Version: 2.1.1 Read all reviews by default
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Stability | I have been using the Albino for a while now and find the sound quality ,the GUI and stability of this instrument excellant.
I have several differant vsti's and my experience of programming the instrument enjoyable. the interface for me was easy , and intuition to become familar with. Visually on the screen the panel is clear and easy to see.
I can use Albiono for "warm rich sounds or really awful abusive sound. digital clearity or analog warmth. it's all here . the manual is very good and easy to understand , covering all of the instruments functions clearly. the presets are great sounding thought I might not use of them in my songs , they are very good. arppeggiator is very useful and intuitive to use ,a deep modulation matrix with a friendly design enabling complex modulation setups quickly , good filters and a large number of wave forms for the programer with a taste for the the unique. the effects and the effects routine is flexible and good sounding.I would highly recommend trying the demo. would I replace it if lost or stolen(if that were possible ) absolutely.
the soundand the GUI have made thisone of my favorites to work with. |
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By x_bruce
On 24th March 2004 Version: 2.x Read all reviews by x_bruce
10 of 12 people found this review helpful.
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Stability | Albino 2 is one of the best virtual analogs to be found. It's approach to making sound is direct and elegant. Although a semi-modular design Albino 2 doesn't go overboard with features, it stays focused on what makes a good virtual analog synth.
In terms of sound Albino 2 is clean and beautiful. There is a smooth and liquid sound that most synths lack. That's not to say you can't get squelchy and huge with Albino 2 but in general it's a great all around synth. A one trick pony Albino 2 is not. Furthermore, Albino 2 has it's own signature sound. Think of signature sound like you would a Prophet or Jupiter or Oberheim. In terms of quality Albino 2 sounds as good as any hardware synth on the market.
Albino's features include up to 4 oscillators, 2 filters, 4 LFOs, a great arpeggiator and modular matrix. The design is in partnership with LinPlug who've been using mod matrixes in their synths from day one. Buttons represent oscillator pairs although they can be used from 1 to all 4. Similarly there are button banks for the 4 LFOs, arpeggiator and mod matrix, a tidy way of keeping everything on one page while staying cleanly designed.
Other nice features are the analog/digital/noise options per oscillator. Digital oscillators have 60 waveforms from sine and saw to 50 spectral waves. The analog oscillator features a wave and spectral dial for many combinations per oscillator. There are 6 LFO waveforms, and 27 routings of 33 synth functions in the mod matrix. There are more complex mod maxtrixes but few built to function as gracefully.
Included are 5 stage envelopes for amplitude, each oscillator, the 2 filters and modulation. There are 8 effects from modulation to delay and an excellent effects based filter. You can do everything in Albino 2, exprssive leads, phat basses, pads, FX and extressive soundscapes not to mention the arpeggiator which is available in the mod matrix.
Being in the middle price range ($199) users will expect reasons for purchasing of Albino 2 and there are many.
First, there are over 1000 presets in 22 smartly classified catagories programmed by Rob Papen, world class sound designer. Another benefit is getting to have a look at how a in-demand synth programmer makes his sounds. You can use them 'as is' or as starting points for your own creations. Make no mistake, these patches are superb, several reminicent of Papen's work on EMU's Orbit 3. The difference between the Orbit and Albino 2 being a VSTi specifically built to accomodate Rob's vision of how a synth should work. In return you get top notch, ready to use sounds. Patch libraries of this quality often cost as much as Albino 2's price.
Everyting about Albino 2 represents quality. It sounds good without the effects which speaks highly for the LinPlug based synth engine. Due to it's intuitive design you will be up and running quickly. Whether a novice or pro, Albino 2 offers good value.
The overall quality makes Albino 2 a must have for your studio. |
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By EagleEye
On 28th August 2003 Version: 1.02 Read all reviews by EagleEye
4 of 9 people found this review helpful.
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Stability | Albino is the best VA synth for me. The presets are amazing and inspiring. All in all it sounds very comfortable ! ( Comfortable is exactly the right word ! :-) ) I also own Delta III which is great too, but I never used it again since I own Albino ...
I would like to see more features and of course more presets created by Rob Papen ...
Thank you very much Peter and Rob ! Keep up the collaboration !
EagleEye |
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By Mighty_Hero
On 25th June 2003 Version: current Read all reviews by Mighty_Hero
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Stability | Albino is a great instrument. It is mostly for dance,trip hop,idm,trance, techno tracks (based on presets) but is not limited by any means. The programming is not to hard, provided you are somewhat familiar with programming sounds. I really enjoy the filters on this synth! I feel the interface could be ALOT smaller, but this is more a cosmetic "issue" and not with the synth itself. Customer service is good, check their forums. Value for the money, is high if you desire a different synth from the rest. I think the presets are very good, only some are very close to other patches. But you can also get 75 more two different ways, so there is plenty to get you off and jamming for now!. Overall, Albino is a great affordable synth for making great tunes, and it sits nicely in a mix. |
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By bezza
On 8th March 2003 Version: 2.0 Read all reviews by bezza
4 of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Stability | I am revising this review now I've had time to settle in with Albino 2.
I consider Albino 2 as a VA synth with a modern glossy sound. The grind and power you get with an analog machine is there but with a smoother feel to the sound. Whilst I use it heavily for arpeggiated lines and pulsing sounds the pads are excellent too.
The arpeggiattor in Albino 2 is excellent and inspirational in its own right. The new design is also superb.
However there exists a bug (which Peter knows about) with presets being forgotten in Cubase - so when you return to a project some of the sounds have changed! Annoying but I am sure it will be fixed soon (UPDATE _ new public beta version seems to have fixed this!!!) .
People compare Albino to the Virus - I don't know the Virus but I guess that must be a good synth too!
A slick modern approach to analog synthesis - with a stack of really excellent presets! |
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Last edited by bezza on 31st May 2004
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