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Pentagon I

Synth (Analogue / Subtractive) Plugin by Cakewalk
MyKVRFAVORITE67WANT1
No Longer Available
Pentagon I
Pentagon I by Cakewalk is a Virtual Instrument Audio Plugin for Windows. It functions as a VST Plugin.
Product
Version
1.4
Instrument
Formats
Copy Protection
None
My KVR - Groups, Versions, & More
119 KVR members have added Pentagon I to 13 My KVR groups 135 times.
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KVR Rank

Overall: 903   891

30-Day: 1288; 7-Day: 928; Yesterday: 1668

Features:

  • 4 Oscillators, 13 Alias Free Waveforms each plus a Noise Generator per oscillator: Saw, Vintage Saw, Square, Vintage Square, Pulse 50%, Pulse 25%, Pulse 12%, Pulse 6%, Harmonics 5/2, Harmonics 3, Harmonics 4, Harmonics 5, Pure Sine.
    4 User Loadable waveforms, in two modes: Simple shot and Full range.
  • 64 voice polyphonic (CPU dependant) with polyphony limiter and Intelligent Voice Allocation (no clicks when maximum polyphony is exceeded).
  • Full Legato mode for monophonic operation.
  • Monophonic/Polyphonic portamento with Fixed or Variable per-key Time.
  • Individual adjustment of Level, Waveform, Mode, Phase, Fine, Octave, Coarse tune, LFO sensitivity and Pitch Eg Intensity for each oscillator.
  • Key Sync, Inverted, Free Running or Fixed Frequency mode selection for each oscillator.
  • Dedicated Pitch Envelope Generator, with Start Level, Attack Time, Attack Level, Decay Time, Release Level, Release Time with fully bandlimited operation.
  • Random Pitch control, with individual generators per oscillator.
  • 4 Operation modes: Add (normal), Ring Modulation, Hard Sync and Frequency Modulation. Every group of two oscillators can select any operation mode.
  • Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) with adjustable depth for every oscillator and phase shift control.
  • 2 Superb resonant multimode filters (Low Pass, High Pass, Band Pass, Notch) with individual adjustment for Type, Cutoff, Resonance, Attack, Sustain, Decay, Release, Envelope, Velocity, Keyboard Scaling, Aftertouch, Breath controller, Modulation.
    Positive or Negative envelope modes.
  • Link mode for the two filters.
  • 2 Amplifier dedicated Envelope Generators with Attack Time, Hold Time, Decay Time, Sustain Level, Release Time, Keyboard tracking and Velocity control.
  • Linear/Exponential selectable envelopes.
  • Dedicated LFOs, for Pitch, Filter and Amplifier:
    • 13 waveforms each: Sine, Square, Pulse 50%, Pulse 25%, Pulse 12%, Saw Up, Saw Down, Triangle, Step 1, Step 2, Random 1, Random 2, Sample and Hold.
    • Variable offset of all waveforms, Delay, Fade, Speed Depth, Aftertouch, Breath and Modulation controls.
    • All LFOs are individually syncable to Host Tempo.
    • Loadable LFO waveforms.
  • 5 Pitch Bend modes: Normal, Asymmetric, High Note, Low Note, Hold Notes. Pitch Bend range adjustable up to +12 semitones.
  • Built-in effects section:
    • 2 filter level effects:
      • Drive control with Tone adjustment.
      • Amp/Cabinet Simulator with 19 different simulations.
    • 6 Modulation effects:
      • Chorus.
      • Stereo Chorus.
      • 4-Voice Chorus.
      • Phaser.
      • Stereo Phaser.
      • 4-Voice Phaser.
    • AutoPan
    • Stereo Spread
    • Stereo Delay
    • Two Band Equaliser with adjustable frequency and ±12dB range.
    • All effects can be disabled to save CPU.
  • 4 outputs: Main stereo pair (with effects), 2 auxiliary mono outputs (dry).
  • Master volume control for the whole instrument (all presets).
  • Extensive MIDI implementation: Velocity, Pitch Bend, Aftertouch, Modulation, Breath, Sustain Sw.
  • MIDI Learn mode: Any knob can be assigned to any parameter just shift-clicking on it and sending a MIDI CC. Multiple knobs (in any number) can be assigned to any controller with selectable polarity and MIN/MAX value.
    MIDI Settings are remembered.
  • 768 programs in 6 banks (a-f), 300 top quality factory presets selectable by right click.
    Copy/Paste/Init functions to arrange presets.
  • Reduced CPU utilisation.
  • Sound Preview feature with MIDI transmit.
  • Easy programming layout.

Latest User Reviews

Average user rating of 4.66 from 44 reviews
Pentagon I

Reviewed By wendallsan [all]
November 22nd, 2004
Version reviewed: 1.4 on Windows

Pentagon was the 1st soft synth I had good success with in fully automating and programming it from within Cakewalk Sonar (version 2 at the time). Finally everything worked like it was supposed to, the MIDI learn features were solid and versatile, it had enough oscillators to generate some really nice sounds, as well as enough envelopes to really shape every step of the process. Really the only way to get the shaping features more flexible would be to use a mod matrix similar to what you find in rgcaudio's excellent z3ta+ synthesizer.

Since this synth is skin-able, there are some very attractive skins on it, so I would recommend you look into those, they are very easy to implement and the new look could very well improve your music creation process. Rene has a good following of friends, and customers online and from this community comes some great presets for the synth and skins. It really is a grass-roots built instrument and it's care in detail and quality shows in it's sound.

I used this synth for recordings on an album, then got into Reason for an album, and now I am back and pleased to find the latest updates for this synth add some new features and sounds, like the wavetables. It is nice to see Rene continuing to work on this product even though he has newer machines out.

It is true that this is "just another virtual analog" in that it's feature set doesn't boast anything that your auntie's soft synth doesn't also do. But I think that everyone needs to find their preferred virtual analog and make it "theirs" (or for the collectors amongst us, make it "one of theirs") in that you really take the time to learn the instrument inside out and figure out the nuances of it that sets it apart from everything else. Pentagon is that synth for me, I have used it over and over and it still has the sounds I'm looking for when it comes to analog. It has just enough features without the interface getting TOO rediculously large and it getting too bulky to tweak easily. It is a great balance between power an functionality, and with the support in the forums, the user community behind it, and the sound banks, it is easily worth paying for this instrument when you could conceivably find the same list of features on a freeware synth somewhere. A lot of expert thought and testing has gone into the development of this instrument, and it shows.
Read Review
Pentagon I

Reviewed By Daedalus [all]
May 16th, 2004
Version reviewed: 1.0 on Windows

I was suprised to see that the avrage rating for this VSTi was above 9. It's quite a good synth, but it doesn't do anything that other (freeware) synths don't do. The user interface is nice, but not more than that. The sound is nice, but not more than that. Same for the features, documentation, presets, VfM and stability. Conclusion: A nice VSti, but not something especially new or good. It's avrage, maybe a tiny bit above avrage. No more, no less.
Read Review
Pentagon I

Reviewed By Sensational [all]
February 4th, 2004
Version reviewed: 1.4 on Windows

This is in my opinion the perfect softsynth at the moment! It's my first thought for any project and any style of music. The GUI is very up to date looking and has all the features right up front and are easily accessable. I don't have to look for things or wonder "how to do this", because it's all right in front of me.The size is perfect so I can hoover over the knobs perfectly and see everything. I like the fact that you can see the knob setting readings right on the synth when you hoover over a knob with the mouse. The sound with the 2X sampling feature is so hardware like that it's unbelievable. The FX are the best I have ever heard on a softsynth, especially the delay, EQ and spread. Nice chorus, phaser, and distortion drive too.I just wish we could have a good decimator and reverb effect added. As for features the P1 covers all the simple basics PWM, pitch EG,FM,Ring,Sync versatile filter routing syncable LFO's and everything is midi linkable. You recieve the DX,VST and Stand Alone ASIO versions all for the same price. As for features I would like to see added in the future, microtuning and a good programmable arp feature (I know this is asking for a lot, but I feel the P1 deserves it!). The docs are good and very informative but, need to be updated, as I think they are for version 1.0, a lot of the new features seem to be missing from them or it doesn't go into detail about them. The presets are very good and versatile, all you have to do is transpose them to fit your situation and poof! You are poppin out tunes. Support is excellent, I have never had a problem with the actual synth, but if I had any question on synthesis or a comment in general, I could find the answer in the RGC forum or email Rene' and get an answer instantly. There are presets and skins posted regularly.The latest versions with new enhancement are free and always majorly improved. Value for the money as far as I am concerned, this is the best sounding softsynth out there period,especially in its price range. It could go for twice the money and still be worth it. Stability: It's has never crashed my systems a 450mhz Celeron and a 2ghz AMD. In closing, to me this synth is a classic, all usable, totally intuitive and creative with out a bunch of confusing bull. I load it up and I make music.I try the latest offerings from company A or B, but always wind up returning to the P1 to get the results I need. Thanks Rene' for such a wonderful treasure.
Did I mention I love this synth! The bank F patches by BT are incredible. This synth does more and more every day.
Read Review
Pentagon I

Reviewed By Neil Hunter [all]
October 2nd, 2003
Version reviewed: 1.3 on Windows

Truly brilliant. A massively fat sound, great GUI and features. Also, the GUI can be changed as there are a number of skins available.
I love this so much. The presets are very varied and range from simple pads to extensive atmospheres suchas the "Chemical" preset.

All analogue style as well. rgcAudio really has found a corner of the market with its P1 and T2 synths.

Highly recommended.
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Pentagon I

Reviewed By spmadmin [all]
July 14th, 2003
Version reviewed: 1.30 on Windows

I first bought Pentagon at vers. 1.0, but never really liked the sound (IMO it kind of lacked depth or breadth - fuck, it's difficult to explain) or GUI (dark/confusing), so I never really used it. With vers. 1.3 this has all changed --- I'm a true believer now!

User interface: Beautiful & Logical. The skin for 1.30 really does wonders. Knob inertia ...mmm. Virtual wood ...aaahhh.

Sound: With 2x oversampling the sound comes close to true analog. IMO one of the best analog emulations so far, even rivals the MMV.

Features: Contains almost everything you need for semi-modular analog modelling, even good quality effects. Could use some more pre-defined waveforms, though. Why not throw in all the waves from z3ta+?

Documentation: Generally quite good, but the sections on user samples and pentagon as fx/vocoder could IMO be improved.

Presets: A lot! And good ones, too --- perfectly showing off Pentagon's capabilities as an analog emulation. Many more to download from KVR.

Customer support: Well, just see how active and responsive René is on KVR. Says it all.

Value for money: Absolutely. Compare to e.g. MMV at $250.

Stability: Rock solid. Totally.
Read Review

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Comments & Discussion for Cakewalk Pentagon I

Discussion
Discussion: Active
HELLSPAWN25
HELLSPAWN25
31 March 2012 at 9:27am

where is the 64bit update???

HELLSPAWN25
HELLSPAWN25
9 November 2013 at 7:50am

STILL NOT 64-bit :-(.

THIS POST HAS BEEN REMOVED

Steinberg
Steinberg
4 December 2022 at 12:14am

not available to buy anymore? :/.

Steinberg
Steinberg
4 December 2022 at 12:14am

not available to buy anymore? :/.

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