Codex vs Serum
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 218 posts since 8 Feb, 2014 from Austin, Tejas
This thread is inevitable
I've only spent about an hr with Codex so the following info could be wrong, but here are my 1st impressions:
- Codex comes with a TON of presets. Some will love that.
- Arp/Seq included (very similar to Element) but is very basic. It's useful for preset makers but I don't find basic arps like this to be useful for creating my own sounds (I'd use a dedicated, more powerful arp/seq instead). But, if Steve adds a Cthulhu style arp to Serum it would be a major bonus.
- Both have 4 LFOs but Serum's can be drawn to any shape and can be used as Envelopes. Codex can sync 2 of the 4 LFOs, Serum can sync all, or not. Serum allows custom LFO shapes to be saved/loaded.
- Both have 3 Env (if you don't include the extra 4 LFO/Env that Serum offers) but Codex' first 2 Env's are dedicated to VCA/VCF and can't be used in the mod matrix unlike Serum.
- Codex appears to be missing any capabilities to customize the wave tables, i.e. morphing & crossfades. In fact, it doesn't appear that there is a dedicated table editor screen like in Serum (?)
- Codex has some pretty cool dials for setting WT position but it's much less powerful than drawing an LFO/Env shape.
- Mod Matrix slots: 6 in codex, 16 in Serum. I want at least 24 or 32!
- Codex has 6 FX slots if you count EQ. Serum has 10. FX customization is far greater in Serum.
- Licensing: Waves License Center vs serial #.
If I read correctly, Codex can be had for $50 if you attend that webcast tomorrow, but aside from the low price and the huge # of presets it appears that Serum is (my) over-riding favorite.
Having said that, Codex looks like a welcome addition that stands up well on it's own. 2 months ago it might've been king of WT
Edit:
- I forgot to mention and compare the Noise Osc. Wavetable Noise Osc in Serum vs Noise knob in Codex. This is a huge difference...
- I also forgot to mention the warp modes in Serum which Codex lacks.
- 8 types of filters + FM Filter in Codex. ~100 filter types in Serum
Ok, I'm sounding like a Serum fanboy but I'd say the same thing about Codex if the situation was reversed.
I've only spent about an hr with Codex so the following info could be wrong, but here are my 1st impressions:
- Codex comes with a TON of presets. Some will love that.
- Arp/Seq included (very similar to Element) but is very basic. It's useful for preset makers but I don't find basic arps like this to be useful for creating my own sounds (I'd use a dedicated, more powerful arp/seq instead). But, if Steve adds a Cthulhu style arp to Serum it would be a major bonus.
- Both have 4 LFOs but Serum's can be drawn to any shape and can be used as Envelopes. Codex can sync 2 of the 4 LFOs, Serum can sync all, or not. Serum allows custom LFO shapes to be saved/loaded.
- Both have 3 Env (if you don't include the extra 4 LFO/Env that Serum offers) but Codex' first 2 Env's are dedicated to VCA/VCF and can't be used in the mod matrix unlike Serum.
- Codex appears to be missing any capabilities to customize the wave tables, i.e. morphing & crossfades. In fact, it doesn't appear that there is a dedicated table editor screen like in Serum (?)
- Codex has some pretty cool dials for setting WT position but it's much less powerful than drawing an LFO/Env shape.
- Mod Matrix slots: 6 in codex, 16 in Serum. I want at least 24 or 32!
- Codex has 6 FX slots if you count EQ. Serum has 10. FX customization is far greater in Serum.
- Licensing: Waves License Center vs serial #.
If I read correctly, Codex can be had for $50 if you attend that webcast tomorrow, but aside from the low price and the huge # of presets it appears that Serum is (my) over-riding favorite.
Having said that, Codex looks like a welcome addition that stands up well on it's own. 2 months ago it might've been king of WT
Edit:
- I forgot to mention and compare the Noise Osc. Wavetable Noise Osc in Serum vs Noise knob in Codex. This is a huge difference...
- I also forgot to mention the warp modes in Serum which Codex lacks.
- 8 types of filters + FM Filter in Codex. ~100 filter types in Serum
Ok, I'm sounding like a Serum fanboy but I'd say the same thing about Codex if the situation was reversed.
Last edited by lachrimae on Mon Oct 06, 2014 8:13 pm, edited 4 times in total.
- Banned
- 10196 posts since 12 Mar, 2012 from the Bavarian Alps to my feet and the globe around my head
If someone would give me some money, I'd rather buy Serum because it seems to be more sophisticated than Codex...
The MRSP of Codex is a bit exaggerated, $200...
What about the sound quality?
The MRSP of Codex is a bit exaggerated, $200...
What about the sound quality?
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- KVRAF
- 5427 posts since 18 Jul, 2002
I'm also interested on this. Let's not forget that wavetable also needs a good interpolation or it can sound really bad, pretty much like a sampler, like http://www.discodsp.com/highlife/aliasing/Tricky-Loops wrote:What about the sound quality?
Perhaps it's time to work on a wavetable synth comparison paper
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- KVRAF
- 5427 posts since 18 Jul, 2002
Looks so http://www.kvraudio.com/product/serum-by-xfer-recordsmhog wrote:Codex can import wav files directly. Can Serum, too?
But no details about what makes the interpolation HQ.
- KVRian
- 1090 posts since 6 May, 2010 from Munich, Germany
George wrote:Looks so http://www.kvraudio.com/product/serum-by-xfer-recordsmhog wrote:Codex can import wav files directly. Can Serum, too?
But no details about what makes the interpolation HQ.
By the way. I made the proposal last year would have to import Corona wavetables in WT format.
You then also had a Wavetablesynth.
Owner of the FB site of Audioterm
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fluffy_little_something fluffy_little_something https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=281847
- Banned
- 12880 posts since 5 Jun, 2012
Just like Element it will be available for 99 dollars every couple of months. Element is also 200 officially, but who is so stupid as to pay 200 bucks for that...Tricky-Loops wrote:If someone would give me some money, I'd rather buy Serum because it seems to be more sophisticated than Codex...
The MRSP of Codex is a bit exaggerated, $200...
What about the sound quality?
I also wonder what the sound as such is like. I mean, it is a bit childish to do comparison like this has 6 modulation slots, that has 16. At the end of the day what matters is whether it is musical? Whether it sounds good? Whether it is solid? Whether it is CPU efficient? For many people Serum might actually be too much in many ways...
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 218 posts since 8 Feb, 2014 from Austin, Tejas
Complainer that then fails to provide the goods . I'm looking forward to seeing your subjective, yet non-childish musicality, sound quality, cpu efficiency & "solid"ity analysis. In fact, if you can quantify the difference in sound quality I'll be impressed (they both sound "solid" to me).fluffy_little_something wrote:I also wonder what the sound as such is like. I mean, it is a bit childish to do comparison like this has 6 modulation slots, that has 16. At the end of the day what matters is whether it is musical? Whether it sounds good? Whether it is solid? Whether it is CPU efficient? For many people Serum might actually be too much in many ways...
Perhaps Serum is too much for you, but those of us that don't rely on presets need things like extra mod slots.
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- KVRAF
- 5427 posts since 18 Jul, 2002
Hehe Well I tried to get WT format support but the guy able to work on the converter wasn't interested. Anyways what makes Serum very interesting and attractive is the wave scanning feature. I haven't tested it yet because there is other stuff going on here.PietW. wrote:By the way. I made the proposal last year would have to import Corona wavetables in WT format.
You then also had a Wavetablesynth.
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fluffy_little_something fluffy_little_something https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=281847
- Banned
- 12880 posts since 5 Jun, 2012
Who's complaining?lachrimae wrote:Complainer that then fails to provide the goods . I'm looking forward to seeing your subjective, yet non-childish musicality, sound quality, cpu efficiency & "solid"ity analysis. In fact, if you can quantify the difference in sound quality I'll be impressed (they both sound "solid" to me).fluffy_little_something wrote:I also wonder what the sound as such is like. I mean, it is a bit childish to do comparison like this has 6 modulation slots, that has 16. At the end of the day what matters is whether it is musical? Whether it sounds good? Whether it is solid? Whether it is CPU efficient? For many people Serum might actually be too much in many ways...
Perhaps Serum is too much for you, but those of us that don't rely on presets need things like extra mod slots.
I simply don't agree that everyone willing or wanting to use a WT synth needs all the features of Serum. Some people might welcome a lighter WT alternative which still sounds very good...
What I like about Codex is that the user interface is all on one page, no tabs it seems.
Last edited by fluffy_little_something on Mon Oct 06, 2014 6:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- KVRian
- 1090 posts since 6 May, 2010 from Munich, Germany
George wrote:Hehe Well I tried to get WT format support but the guy able to work on the converter wasn't interested. Anyways what makes Serum very interesting and attractive is the wave scanning feature. I haven't tested it yet because there is other stuff going on here.PietW. wrote:By the way. I made the proposal last year would have to import Corona wavetables in WT format.
You then also had a Wavetablesynth.
You can take as wavetable Editor Audio-term. Works for serum, Komplexer, dune2, wave generator, Blofeld, Surge, EPS16, ASR10.
I'm sure the programmers would also support your format.
He's a nice helpful guy.
Owner of the FB site of Audioterm