Product Reviews by KVR Members
All reviews by KOSMOLITH
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I've been waiting to review Infinity for some time- with the 2.05 patch, it's out of quarantine. The program has been around for while but this is only the second review-a cynic would suggest that the program simply hasn't been cracked, but it could simply be the fact that Infinity requires a lot of time and effort.
Infinity is very ambitious. It is not for the faint of heart, and at this point there are still few available pre-made patches/synths available for it in comparison with Reaktor. I like the interface, it is big and the routing scheme is groovy-looking. Now that Infinity is also a VSTi and DXi host, it is more difficult to generalize about the sound-it varies with the patch. Heavier and darker sounds come with ease- recommended if you want to make industrial metallic sounds that haven't been heard before.
There are still some stability issues ON MY SYSTEM but it is a stable program all in all, no problem using it, just some crashes when working on patches. Same thing happens in Reaktor sometimes, for me.
As a VSTi/DXi host it is very good. Since the program is so deep, I'll give ver. 2.05 more time and review again later. In the meantime, if you're serious about modular software synthesis, this is one of the heavy-duty programs you must demo.
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Infinity is very ambitious. It is not for the faint of heart, and at this point there are still few available pre-made patches/synths available for it in comparison with Reaktor. I like the interface, it is big and the routing scheme is groovy-looking. Now that Infinity is also a VSTi and DXi host, it is more difficult to generalize about the sound-it varies with the patch. Heavier and darker sounds come with ease- recommended if you want to make industrial metallic sounds that haven't been heard before.
There are still some stability issues ON MY SYSTEM but it is a stable program all in all, no problem using it, just some crashes when working on patches. Same thing happens in Reaktor sometimes, for me.
As a VSTi/DXi host it is very good. Since the program is so deep, I'll give ver. 2.05 more time and review again later. In the meantime, if you're serious about modular software synthesis, this is one of the heavy-duty programs you must demo.
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Hehe, I'm listening to some stuff on CD done a while ago with this free VSTi, and it's hard to believe how good it sounds.
I've heard plenty of real piano in my life, even owned one. Remember that the vast majority of piano in the world isn't Paderewski on a Boesendorfer, but your uncle on an old upright.
It's an "in the mix" type of tool, I don't think Glenn Gould would have been satisfied with the solo sound, LOL. I've used it in two contexts- "old 78rpm vinyl" effect and a kind of planky jazz-restaurant piano, and it was just plain good in these settings.
It's excellent for sketches because it's so straightforward and low CPU, with some ingenuity it's really first class for retro touches, and there are probably some brilliant kids out there who've gotten a pretty decent modern piano sound out of it in recordings, LOL.
Unless they're really, really good, "good" piano samples are pure kitsch. This isn't pretending to be a piano with a gigabyte of samples, it is just what it is and achieves some surprising results.
This is a classic VSTi, the kind of thing that makes the whole virtual/internet music thing so cool.
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I've heard plenty of real piano in my life, even owned one. Remember that the vast majority of piano in the world isn't Paderewski on a Boesendorfer, but your uncle on an old upright.
It's an "in the mix" type of tool, I don't think Glenn Gould would have been satisfied with the solo sound, LOL. I've used it in two contexts- "old 78rpm vinyl" effect and a kind of planky jazz-restaurant piano, and it was just plain good in these settings.
It's excellent for sketches because it's so straightforward and low CPU, with some ingenuity it's really first class for retro touches, and there are probably some brilliant kids out there who've gotten a pretty decent modern piano sound out of it in recordings, LOL.
Unless they're really, really good, "good" piano samples are pure kitsch. This isn't pretending to be a piano with a gigabyte of samples, it is just what it is and achieves some surprising results.
This is a classic VSTi, the kind of thing that makes the whole virtual/internet music thing so cool.
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Borderliner
Reviewed By KOSMOLITH [all]
January 20th, 2002
Version reviewed: 2 on Windows
This thing... sounds like the devil's pubic hairs! I like it. It's unique. The sound is ultra-thin but at the same time it has a hard, solid kernel in the sound, the first I've heard like it in a softsynth. Put it in a big good reverb, and I was reminded of some of Frank Zappa's spooky Synclavier work. Sounds "expensive", what a trip. GUI is too small for old clumsy me, and it's a limited synth, but it's free, useful and makes me excited about future Tobybear synths.Read Review
The modulation matrix is quite good. The modulation info is right there in the matrix and it works well, not eye candy but a tool.
The sound is very good, it is not a problem creating sounds(or using the tens of thousands of patches from the internet) which will hold their place in the mix.
This is the low-price way to use all those classic DX patches and a practical way to get some modern FM madness going on. I prefer the sound of FMHeaven to the "competition" for classic FM work of the sparkling, metallic, sweet or nasty kind. True FM has a wonderful ability to create "phyical" sounds as the sidebands can be quite complex.
This is a very good and useful softsynth.Read Review
The sound is very good, it is not a problem creating sounds(or using the tens of thousands of patches from the internet) which will hold their place in the mix.
This is the low-price way to use all those classic DX patches and a practical way to get some modern FM madness going on. I prefer the sound of FMHeaven to the "competition" for classic FM work of the sparkling, metallic, sweet or nasty kind. True FM has a wonderful ability to create "phyical" sounds as the sidebands can be quite complex.
This is a very good and useful softsynth.Read Review
Pentagon I
Reviewed By KOSMOLITH [all]
November 16th, 2001
Version reviewed: 2 on Windows
This synth has a unique and noble sound of its own. I don't care how "authentic" a softsynth is, for analog there's always Ebay. :) If you want to copy the sounds of 1981 instead of create the sounds of 2001, better buy something else.
I like the GUI, it's pretty. But once the controllers are assigned, it's not important.
Because it has such a specific (good) sound, it's not the do-everything bread-and-butter chameleon-synth in spite of its versatility and excellent midi implementation. A good thing IMO. Value- good luck finding so much elegant sound elsewhere for $99.
Thought I'd never use a "VA" again, only really analog or really digital, but the RGC sound simply isn't to be found elsewhere.
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I like the GUI, it's pretty. But once the controllers are assigned, it's not important.
Because it has such a specific (good) sound, it's not the do-everything bread-and-butter chameleon-synth in spite of its versatility and excellent midi implementation. A good thing IMO. Value- good luck finding so much elegant sound elsewhere for $99.
Thought I'd never use a "VA" again, only really analog or really digital, but the RGC sound simply isn't to be found elsewhere.
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Triangle I
Reviewed By KOSMOLITH [all]
October 29th, 2001
Version reviewed: 2 on Windows
User Interface
I think it looks very good. No numbers on the knobs is good, tweaking by ear is mandatory.
Sound
The sound is smooth and round, the filter is even a little sweet and noble. Layers well with real analogs for colors, doesn't have a solid enough kernel to be truly durable with acoustic instruments IMO.
Features
Many more sounds than I expected, everything intuitive.
Documentation
Considering it's free and simple, I don't expect a printed manual. :) There is a detailed MIDI implementation image at the rgc site, as well as basic information, as much documentation as you need. I hope Pentagon comes with a mini-manual in HTML form though.
Presets
Many good presets- and the Pentagon! you have to check it out.
Customer Support
Good rep, but no 1st-hand experience here, there's nothing wrong with it so far.
Value For Money
That's a joke, it's free!
Stability
Does it crash? Nope. Not yet at least.
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I think it looks very good. No numbers on the knobs is good, tweaking by ear is mandatory.
Sound
The sound is smooth and round, the filter is even a little sweet and noble. Layers well with real analogs for colors, doesn't have a solid enough kernel to be truly durable with acoustic instruments IMO.
Features
Many more sounds than I expected, everything intuitive.
Documentation
Considering it's free and simple, I don't expect a printed manual. :) There is a detailed MIDI implementation image at the rgc site, as well as basic information, as much documentation as you need. I hope Pentagon comes with a mini-manual in HTML form though.
Presets
Many good presets- and the Pentagon! you have to check it out.
Customer Support
Good rep, but no 1st-hand experience here, there's nothing wrong with it so far.
Value For Money
That's a joke, it's free!
Stability
Does it crash? Nope. Not yet at least.
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