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All Reviews by dune_rave


By dune_rave
On 12th July 2009
Version: 1.10

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Camel Audio Alchemy

Alchemy is one of the most powerful "hybrid" synths at the moment: It's a bit Absynth-like, but can load SFZ and has several synthesis methods and a very easy-to-use modulation system. All knowledge of Camel-Audio has been put into this software: It can do everything, that Cameleon5000 did (the previous flagship synth of Camel-Audio), and has much more : several effects from camelphat and camelspace plugins plus some new. However, currently it is not possible to load cameleon5000 presets into Alchemy, but it's on the wish-list, and this feature will be achieved in the future updates. Advertised as "the ultimate sample manipulation synthesizer" I think they made a little mistake: they don't highlight the importance of the different synthesis methods - Alchemy can perform very vell without samples...
The Graphical interface is clear and now exists in different colors (for me the original fits best). Alchemy has a detailed manual that even describes how to program things that worked in cameleon5000. The software comes with 2GB factory sound content - It is really cool that Camel-Audio did keep this "factory size" not too large, I think it's horrible, when you have to install a huge software from several dvds. There's no annoying protection or validation, installing is easy. One last word about the presets: each of them can contain 8 version thanx to the "remix pad". With this 1.10 version come several bonus presets - Camel-Audio listened to the voice of the users saying they need some other presets beyond the existing ones. The product support is professional, I mean C.A. does several things online and users can participate in the development of the software.
 
    

By dune_rave
On 20th May 2007
Version: 1.7

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Camel Audio Cameleon 5000

Cameleon5000 is a synth with Huge abilities but this means, you have to use several of its special functions, and this could be a little complicated. Additive synthesis is hard to program and this is why Cam5000 has a special GUI (I really like this animal drawing on it) with pages named A / B / C / D / MOD / MORPH / EASY , which helps users with its simplicity - to perform those "out of this world" sounds that sells this synth worldwide. Its structure is simple, stands on four legs, and these are the 4 voice programs, and they can contain "multisamples" - so each voice program can contain 8 voice programs inside itself. CAMELEON is not a sampler and is behaving a much more special way - it can import wav files, analyze it and build the voice program from the properties and spectrum of that imported sample.
Several Times I tried to import all kind of samples, but the result was far from what I wanted. Then I read the manual about the importing rules you have to follow, and it started to work. For immediate result, you have to import 'one-shot' sounds without any effect. However, trying other sounds can lead to surprising results (try to import pure singing or voice sounds!) Apart from these, cam5000 can import standard bmp-files too, and this is another pioneer sound design tool. At this part, you have to follow some image editing rule, the well written manual covers these too. I used the synth in hosts like Acid and Fruityloops and in the free tracker - Jeskola Buzz and I don't remember a single crash, this is a stable plugin. Presets are good, but there are several similar factory pres. so I gave the rating only 9. Some presets are really gorgeous, but you can program sounds that are better and dozens of user presets can be found on the net. In my opinion cam5000 is for those musicians, who are to design their own sounds, and not afraid of a little programming to achieve great and unique output (in this view, it's a bit absynth-like). If you're tired of trying to produce some new, just push random and you will get a new bass / lead or just that sound, in which category you are. With its morph square and morph timeline it does a trick you can find in WNA Zerovector(that has a morph triangle ..) and there are further morph settings in cam5000 - morphing through only the harmonics part / or the noise part / or morph all sound parameters - you decide. More Pros: several Morph settings, randomizing, sophisticated settings handling (almost every module have their own preset so you can save voice programs, harmonic or noise parts, full instrument settings, morph settings, formant filter settings - yes, it has one!) Last but not least, some words about the price: It has a fair price for a great synth with so many features, I gave VFM only 8 because comparing it to other nice-sounding products which are cheaper, Anyway, just nowadays, Camel Audio made a massive discount, so don't let it expire if you planned to get a strong additive synth. Customer support are quite good, the website has a well designed members area.
 
    
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