FXpansion releases Cypher2

[Echoes in the Attic]

Didn't see the beta anywhere when logged into Roli. Where is it available? Curious to try with new cpu usage.

[acYm]

latest betas both run fine here on win7 x64 in live 10.1.

you moved the automation parameters again though, all of them. these synths aren't fully usable until the parameters are stationary. you know the daw can't know what is what and relies on position, right?
maybe there's a reason but from my perspective, all I know is that if I mapped the cutoff to my controller once, it should remain mapped forever. it shouldn't become osc1phs out of the ****ing blue, just because there was a point update featuring cpu optimizations.

[Dasheesh]

for those asking, you download and install the new beta from the fxpansion site. it installs a new license manager, but there is no reentering of license or anything. seamless on my end.

[Echoes in the Attic]

for those asking, you download and install the new beta from the fxpansion site. it installs a new license manager, but there is no reentering of license or anything. seamless on my end.

Do you have to download the license manager first? That's the only thing I can see to download. I don't see any beta download. Link?

[zvenx]

They usually aren't labelled as betas. They are usually in the regular list and the build number is the clue of which one to download.
rsp

[Dasheesh]

log into your user area. it's labeled as the lates beta under your downloads, and it includes the new license manager. just download and install. done. at least for me. it installed over the old.

[Echoes in the Attic]

There is no download section, there is registered products section, which has downloads. But I have no registered products in my user account at fxpansion. There is a license manager download only. Angus said it was available to anyone though, so I don't know where you can download it if you don't have cypher registered.

[Angus_FX]

@EitA - apologies, I don't believe I said it was available to everyone - only registered users right now. Once it goes final (this week or next) we'll update the demo to the same newer version.

[Echoes in the Attic]

Oh sorry I thought someone said it was public for anyone to try. Ok looking forward to trying the new demo. I also have had quite a few issues with freezing and weird engine crashes when the plugin is removed in Bitwig so that sort of put me off testing further. Hoping it's a little smoother with the new version.

[vespesian]

latest betas both run fine here on win7 x64 in live 10.1.

Same here....except the arp/sequencer graphics in Strobe aren't working (I'm getting sounds, but not visuals).

[yellowmix]

Hi, sorry for the delay. I wanted to reply with a video. And here it is at last. My first ever tutorial video.

Heya, just want to say thanks, that was very good.

[zhund]

I own a Linnstrument 128 and purchased Cypher2 a little under a week ago to play around with MPE programming after reading about it and hearing some demos. I must say I'm a huge fan and am really excited to be exploring all of its sonic possibilities in conjunction with an expressive MPE controller.

The synth itself is laid out in a straightforward manner, although it did take me some time to figure out the dual filter routing options and how that effects the sound. Once you understand how everything is connected however, it becomes quite easy to dial in a range of cool sounds.

Where Cypher2 really shines for me is the modulation system. For me, the Transmod system took all of five minutes for me to figure out the basic concept, and once I did I start coming up with all kinds of neat things as I began routing things in very interesting ways. For example, I used the math module to multiply the Linnstrument's MPE Y parameter with a unipolar LFO1 (whose speed was modulated by pressure) and then had the resulting output control the channel panning.

I'm running the beta on a 2018 Macbook Pro and it has been running smoothly without any issues. Can't wait to get home and noodle around some more.

[lastmessiah]

FWIW, both Strobe2 and Cypher2 are my favorite VST synthesizers available at the moment. I've always thought that Strobe was better than popular favorites like Zebra, Diva, etc. And now Cypher is of course at the top of the game. I hope you stick to the complex yet forward-thinking interfaces and let the gripers go elsewhere if they don't like it.

[codec_spurt]

Where Cypher2 really shines for me is the modulation system. For me, the Transmod system took all of five minutes for me to figure out the basic concept, and once I did I start coming up with all kinds of neat things as I began routing things in very interesting ways.

For me, it's the sound. It's perhaps got the most unique synthesis/combination between old school analog and best of modern digital. It might be a bit of a labour of love to set up, but it's not that bad. I can think of many synths far worse. It's a bit heavy on CPU - again, there are many just as bad or worse.

But all that is worth fighting for to get to the sounds. An ethereal but earthy and grounded amalgamation of what you might imagine ghosts sound like if you could capture their essence and control them from a machine.

The devs knocked the ball out of the park with this one. But the sound designers took that ball and ran with it even further. Not just a great synthesis/combination between analog and digital, but an incredible synthesis/combination between VST design and 'end-user' applicable pragmatism.

That's a fancy way of saying this is monster of a synth that has some monster sounds already on a plate for you to peruse. And the best part it that it only takes a few tweaks to turn those sounds in to something totally different and unique. To make your own.

I've been taking a break from things lately and playing about. It's good to do research and catch up. But when I get back down to serious music making and producing, Cypher2 will be in my Top 10 of Synths. Very few things sound this good. Very few synths have the level of control and tweakability this does. And I haven't even messed with MPE yet. I'll be getting a Roli board later this year, and it's something to really look forward to.

Hopefully by that point I'll have built up a few basic patches myself, or if nothing else, isolated some of the best sound designer's work and jump off that.

This has been a real team effort. And it shows.

I wouldn't say it's a game changer. I wouldn't say it's revolutionary. But some could argue that.

I would say it is definitely a major evolutionary bound though. It still needs work. Better CPU optimisation. More streamlined UX. All those things will come.

But listen to the thing! It truly is a masterpiece.

(warts and all)

[codec_spurt]

Hi, sorry for the delay. I wanted to reply with a video. And here it is at last. My first ever tutorial video.

Heya, just want to say thanks, that was very good.

himalaya put his life and soul in to this instrument and it shows.

I'm happy to use his presets in my music. It's a form of homage. When I get some serious stuff put together, I'll send him my finished tracks. Because time is getting on now, and some of us aren't playing about any more. Music is serious biznezz.

Sure, I could have come up with those same sounds quite easily, if I was a sound design genius, and if I had taken a few years out of my life to get to grips with the new architecture. Easy.

There is only so much time to go around. Those that design the machines, those that make the presets/patches, and those that make the music - we all have our place in the greater reckoning.

My job is a joy because of the hard work of others (shoulders of giants and all that).

This is one very exciting and exceptional synth.

It's the only reason I'll be buying a Roli controller. So I suppose that was a good call on their part (buying in to the FXpansion game).

I love the old world. I love my old winXP box. I love my defunct 32-bit plugs. But I love the future as well. The new world. What is about to come.

These are very exciting times. I get the feeling that the best stuff is right around the corner. But no matter, what we have at our fingertips now is more than enough.

What a time to be alive.