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By Feng
On 2nd September 2009
Version: 1.5

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Devine Machine Software Krishna Synth

The frame oscillator makes Krishna really shine for very complex and evolving patches. It basically takes a wav file, slices it into small pieces that you can use as a very massive wavetable (thousands of waves against the traditional 32/64). Than you may set an envelope or a lfo to vary among frames. If you want you can even draw waveform by hand and morph among them.
There are two other oscillators that have basic waveforms (saw, triangle, square) and the synth structure is like a subtractive one.
Another wonderful feature is the modulation assignment that is made by dragging the modulation source on the modulation target.
Krishna has various envelopes and lfos. A very interesting feature is about lfos. You can move a parameter "by hand", Krishna remembers your movements on a buffer and , if you want, you can create an lfo that reproduces them with just one mouse click.
What I've written is not meant to be a comprehensive description of Krishna, but it is what I feel really exciting in this synth.
Now let's have some analytic decription:
UI: Great, all in a window. Clear, logical.
SOUND: Great, expecially for evolving, complex sounds
FEATURES: Frame osc, lfo and envelope a gogo, infinite modulation possibilities, good effects section and also a valve simulation
DOCUMENTATION: comes with a pdf manual that's well written, could be more complete.
PRESETS: There are thousands of them but their quality is not stunning. However, remember that with this synth you'll want only create your own patches. The frame oscillator let's you import anything from a sample, a drumloop, a noise, a speech....
CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Never had a problem, so I don't know.
VALUE FOR MONEY: Very good.
STABILITY: It never crashed on my system nor in Ableton Live, nor in Cubase, even when importing long samples.
What's more Krishna is definitely easy on the CPU

By Feng
On 19th October 2008
Version: 2.5

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IK Multimedia SampleTank

USER INTERFACE: Clear, logical, very easy to use, though graphically it could be improved. In any case all you have to use is there.

SOUND: The sound is good but definitely not professional in my opinion. It can be a useful scratch pad for your compositions, but I would be really surprised if it was used in a professional production. It can import wav and akai formats and many sample format converters include sampletank I and II, but Sampletank remains a rompler, so if you're looking for a sampler, you better search something else.

FEATURES: This is were Sampletank really shines. It is 16 part multitimbral, each part can be assigned 5 insert effects (and the effects are really good), then there are Send effects and master effects; it has three sampler engines, among wich STRETCH and PSTS are the most interesting.
PSTS means Pitch Shifting Time Stretching and this means that rhythmic loops
can be synchronized to the host tempo.
STRETCH gives you independent control over tempo, pitch and harmonics of a sample, giving realistic result and avoiding the chipmunk effect and giving really good sonic possibilities. So it is capable of transposing pitch without changing tempo of a sample, or do whatever you want.

DOCUMENTATION: it ships with a printed manual that explains really well all the features.

PRESETS: as in sound

CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Good and fast. I've sent them emails that were answered within one or two days. Sometimes after a few hours.

VALUE FOR MONEY: This is not its main strength, if you consider that it costs the same or more than other much better competitors.

STABILITY: Good.

So, in my opinion, Sampletank is a really powerful weapon charged with mediocre samples. If IK Multimedia will raise the quality of the samples it will be unbeatable.

By Feng
On 9th July 2007
Version: 1.6.3

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Rob Papen BLUE

Blue is an extremely versatile beast. It is able to produce an enormous sonic palette, and it's comfortable with all kind of sounds. Its main strength, in my opinion, is the extreme flexibility, due to infinite modulation possibilities, very flexible routing, the number of oscillators (six) and the waveforms to choose from (hundreds).
USER INTERFACE: Clear, logical, one can spend a lot of time programming without having eye stress.

SOUND: As I said, Blue can cover any sonic world with professional result.

FEATURES: That's where this synth really stands out. It has six oscillators that can be configured in a lot of ways. They can modulate each other with FM or sync(with various configurations possible), their output can be mixed as a normal analogue synth and any in between configuration is possible.There's also the possibility of waveshaping on any oscillator. Then the real strength is the modulation matrix, where you can almost freely set the modulator and the modulated parameter. There are step sequencers, multi point envelope, many lfos. Two filters are included. You can choose freely the routing. For example you can set two oscillators on filter A and other four on filter b. These filters are really responsive and sound good. An extensive effects section, with really good FX completes the picture. A fully customizable arpeggiator is included.

DOCUMENTATION: Although the synth interface is really clear, its enormous possibilities makes you want to have a look at the documentation which is clear and well written.

PRESETS: THey are from Rob Papen. Wonderful!

CUSTOMER SUPPORT: Incredible, Rob and Jon are making a perfect work. Any request is answered really soon.I had all my questions answered tipically within a few hours from posting them .

VALUE FOR MONEY: For 200 $ you have a powerful, wonderful synth. So again I have to give it the maximum.

STABILITY: Never had problems.

One more thing I want to underline is that BLUE has been considered a CPU hog. Obviously it depends on the complexity of the patch, but I find it in line with most of the modern beasts. WIth my athlon FX 4800 most of the patches take around 10% CPU. So it's not light on CPU, but it's definitely not a CPU HOG! What's more, you can reduce CPU by reducing oversampling!

Last edited : 9th July 2007

By Feng
On 12th May 2007
Version: 1.2

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Rob Papen Predator

USER INTERFACE: Clear, no need to use the manual. Everything you need is at your fingertips. Only downside is that the black background can lead to eye fatigue after a long time of programming.
SOUND: This synth has an incredible sound. It's convincing in all the categories. From lush pads to aggressive leads, from deep basses to brass sound, it covers all the musical genres with an extremely high quality sound. You can get anything from this beast.
FEATURES: This beast focuses on sound and simplicity, so it has not the incredible features of some of its colleagues. In any case it's a complete subtractive synth. Three oscillators with many waveforms to choose from, each with its suboscillator. Sync, Ring Modulation and FM are implemented. Extremely flexible modulation is possible. Good quality FX are implemented. An extremely useful feature is the possibility of an intelligent morphing function that is able to linearly morph between two patches. Then it has a really good arpeggiator.
DOCUMENTATION: Really good, even if I didn't have to read it to use the synth.
PRESETS: They are made by Rob Papen, need I say more?
CUSTOMER SUPPORT: GREAT! Rob answers to support requests in his KVR forum, and goes there to answer very often.
VALUE FOR MONEY: for 149 euros you get a highest quality synth with an ever growing collection of Rob's presets. You can really take advantage of this synth in any modern style of music.
STABILITY: It never gave me problems, till now. The first version had some glitches problems, but they seem gone, with version 1.2.
CPU USAGE: while not as low as RPCX declare, is reasonably low, and is extremely low if you turn down oversampling and FX, but then also the sound quality goes down!In any case I am able to open many instances of Predator with my Athlon FX 4800.

OTHER COMMENTS:

It's a great synth! It's extremely easy to program, even for a novice. The morphing feature is not an innovation. Other synths had this feature implemented. But what's great about it is the smartness in the way it does morphing. You can take any two patches, and the morphed one is always interesting and good and (what's more important) usable.

Last edited : 21st May 2007

By Feng
On 12th May 2007
Version: 1.10

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Applied Acoustics Systems String Studio VS-1

GUI: it's clear and intuitive, and lets you begin to tweak presets without even reading the manual. Two pages: one devoted to the modeling parameters, the other devoted to FX, arpeggiator.
SOUND: Sound is quite good, but not for all the stringed instruments. It is great for plucked instruments, while other, as piano sound not convincing at all. The bowed instruments, while capturing some aspects of the real sounds are never convincing and often unstable, expecially when you move controllers. In any case, the sound produced by this synth is somehow dull. It is: it lacks higher harmonics, so it lacks realism!
FEATURES: These are good, there are: a pick up and amplifier simulator (for electrified instruments), there's a filter, an arpeggiator, and a good FX section.
DOCUMENTATION: the boxed version comes with a 50 pages printed manual. This manual is extremely clear. In my opinion it should have a section of tutorilas on how to program effective patches.
Presets: it comes with lots of presets, and an extremely good thing is that AAS site hosts a page in which customers can share their patches. In any case I think that many presets are way too similar to distinguish one from the other, and many of them are not convincing at all. In my opinion the best presets are obtained in pad and ambient category, it is in the categories where this synth has not to emulate real instruments.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT: I never needed support, but I cannot submit the review without giving it a value. So I decided to give 10, but it can be read as a NOT AVAILABLE.
VALUE FOR MONEY: That's the weak point, in my opinion. Quality is almost good, but the price is extremely high for what you get.
STABILITY: Never had a problem with it

SOME MORE COMMENTS: The idea behind this synth is great. Making a musician able to create his own stringed instruments is a dream come true. I was convinced to buy String Studio dreaming of developing some strange, convincing, new string sound. When I tried the demo I didn't like many of the presets, but it happens with most of the synths. When a synths comes packed with hundreds of patches, you can't expect their quality standard is excellent. But what I found while programming it (and I spent a lot with it) and while trying the other customers patches, is that the dullness of the sound is something that cannot be avoided. The liquid character of plucked isntruments (no matter if it's a guitar, an oud, a bouzuki) is not recreated by this vst.
Nonetheless I hope AAS will continue to develop this synth, giving it more sound flexibility, because, I have to say it again, the idea is really GREAT!

Last edited : 21st May 2007

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