Rhino

This is an update and adds to the comments below.

Rhino is now at 2.0 and has seen several improvements ask for by users; are you listening Steinberg? Key words here, update, new features, improved, listened to customers.

As a user I care about these things and can't imagine anyone spending a reasonable amount of money not caring.

Changes: a user database that lets you search for patches and describes them by a three letter prefix. Would that all synths do this or Albino's bank system that tells you what to expect when you load patches in it. Either way is good, as long as more developers offer this. Since Rhino now has a lot of patches available it is important as Rhino 2 is a large-scale synth that has tons of possible timbres to be made from it.

Rhino 2 has been optimized and is easier on the CPU, everyone likes better CPU useage. It's like asking if you like mom and dad; most people sure do after their teens.

The base patch library is larger. When Rhino debuted it was what some considered a difficult to learn synth with not many patches. Anyone purchasing Rhino 2 can't make that complaint. Not only that but Daniel Maurer and the developer have gotten better with their understanding of this great synth.

It is possible to import sampled waveforms in Rhino 2. Previously you had to have a developer's kit and it wasn't as easy as this version's importing. How important is this? You can convert most timbres and then work with them in Rhino's sound engine (very good) and create some timbres Rhino wasn't as adept at before (fantastic!)

The look and feel has changed for the better and is easier to navigate around. The actual sound quality has improved. Before it was difficult to keep sounds quiet, now the opposite has happened to the point where a volume increase update is available to those who feel it necessary.

Verdict? The great synth got better. More along the lines of non-sexy updates that deal with function and quality rather than lots of new features, Rhino just got better sounding and more stable.

Sytrus users; have a look at how that synth is designed and think a bit before getting upset when I say there is more than a bit of influence is Sytrus' design. It goes about trying to be an analog sounding synth on the outside to a digital (more FM based than Rhino) on the inside.

These things happen and I'm not saying anything bad about Sytrus, it too is an excellent synth, but give the one that influenced it a try as well. Rhino 2 has it's own sound which is something to love about it. It's never going to be a DX-7 but will always give a great impression of the sysex it can import. There is a natural warmth to Rhino that started at 1.8 and is now beautifully paired with the otherwise digital nature of the synth's engine. This is on my desert island list with TERA, CUBE, Albino 2, Absynth and some spaces left empty because of all the great new synths made.

Sound banks are available from Daniel. They are stellar, check them out.

NOTE: I was a beta tester for Rhino.

Rhino is a synthesizer that has a wide diversity of sonic capabilities. With use of FM, AM and subtractive synthesis along with interpolated, proprietary sample based waveforms along with a waveshaper there is a lot of variety the user has at their disposal.

Rhino features six oscillators, two filters and a constantly available modulation matrix. It is fixed but allows for some interesting capabilities not available in other synths. You can mix timbres per oscillators or have them effect one another. The filters include low pass, hi pass and band pass, the filters have their own envelops as well.

Envelopes are multi-point with user defined breakpoints. This is particularly nice if one wants to create expressive pads.

There are several effects including choruses, reverbs, delays, and a few killers like the octaverb and quad phase. The octaverb is a combination of reverb and pitch control that can make a couple of simple, bland waveforms sound great. Most important, Rhino sounds good without effects too.

The 16 step sequencer is graphical which make it easy to create rhythmic patterns and movement style sounds.

The sound character of Rhino is warm yet digital. It's the kind of thing potential users will need to try.

One area some might be intimidated by is the interface. There are a lot of controls and perhaps some synthesis features people are unfamiliar with. The good news is this interface is very intuitive and well described in the manual. Also of importance are the 64 presets which cover a good range of timbres. If you like very strange sounds this is your synth although the presets are along the more restrained side.

The only downside is the 64 patch bank. It's not a big problem but you should expect to be programming Rhino. As of now it is not a preset machine. The upside, programming is rewarding and dramatically simple with a small learning curve.

One of the top synths available.Read Review