Upcoming Synapse OB-Xa: Obsession

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Define "better".

Some of Arturia's newer emulations sound pretty darn good to me (DX, CZ, Buchla, Synthi), but that OB-Xa did not. I know you test for them or do sound design (or both), but I have no pony in this race, nor am I an Arturia basher or big Synapse fanboy (I only own The Legend compared to a million Arturia products hardware and software). That OB-Xa V was just not "good" to my ear. It just made me appreciate the filter of the OB-Xd, which isn't even some fancy circuit modeled emulation as far as I know.

So either the OB-Xa hardware sounds bad [to me] and Arturia nailed it, or the emulation wasn't very good. I've heard some terrific sounding YouTube clips, so I'm thinking it's not the hardware that sounds bad. I'm waiting for Synapse.

[e-crooner]

Almost certainly within the next 3 weeks. Before July 1st definitely. 100% a 2020 release date.

Would be annoying to buy the Arturia before the offer runs out only to discover later than the Synapse is better. I don't have the cash to splash on both. Ah well.

I guess it is safe to assume the Synapse Audio will sound better. I think they are on another level compared to Arturia.

Define "better".

You'll know it when you hear it

I doubt it... What is "better" to you may not "better" to me

With sound quality, I think in blind tests 95% of people will come to the same conclusion.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I doubt it... What is "better" to you may not "better" to me

At least you're being honest about being biased in favor the Arturia. You're saying you doubt it will be better before you've heard it, and you test or do sound design for Arturia, so the way that sounds to the rest of is 'I like Arturia stuff and won't admit that anything is likely to surpass their stuff in quality (also I get their stuff in exchange for doing testin/sound design for them).' And THAT is a bias.

It's fine. Just recognize it.

[AnX]

I have it on good authority that there is a 150% chance that it will be out before 2022.

with a 1/7 chance it will be a friday.

actually, Friday is a bad day to release, devs try have the weekend off after months of work, then get swamped with support problems (tho they still do it, must be a glutton for punishment)

[fmr]

That OB-Xa V was just not "good" to my ear. It just made me appreciate the filter of the OB-Xd, which isn't even some fancy circuit modeled emulation as far as I know.

That's the point. The OB-Xd filter is NOT based on OB-Xa but on OB-X (which is quite different). So, you can't compare.

So either the OB-Xa hardware sounds bad [to me] and Arturia nailed it, or the emulation wasn't very good. I've heard some terrific sounding YouTube clips, so I'm thinking it's not the hardware that sounds bad. I'm waiting for Synapse.

You heard some "terrific sounding" YouTube clips... but you don't know how the sound was processed before it was recorded. OTOH, you heard (or you can hear, if you want) some A-B comparisons between a real OB-Xa and the OB-Xa V. Did they sound similar, or not?

Why do people feel the need to bash competition? If you like the Synapse, by all means, buy the Synapse. But claiming that something you didn't even ever heard or saw "has to be better" is just plain
silly.

[AnX]

I did a blind test, but couldn't tell which was which....

so I opened my eyes, and its was obvious, the Arturia ones was on the left

[fmr]

I doubt it... What is "better" to you may not "better" to me

At least you're being honest about being biased in favor the Arturia. You're saying you doubt it will be better before you've heard it, and you test or do sound design for Arturia, so the way that sounds to the rest of is 'I like Arturia stuff and won't admit that anything is likely to surpass their stuff in quality (also I get their stuff in exchange for doing testin/sound design for them).' And THAT is a bias.

It's fine. Just recognize it.

"Better" isn't something that can't be measured. In the end, I am biased, you are biased, we ALL are biased. Buy whatever you want, but don't claim something is "better". It may be better TO YOU, but that means nothing.

And I will not contribute more to the noise around this

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I doubt it... What is "better" to you may not "better" to me

At least you're being honest about being biased in favor the Arturia. You're saying you doubt it will be better before you've heard it, and you test or do sound design for Arturia, so the way that sounds to the rest of is 'I like Arturia stuff and won't admit that anything is likely to surpass their stuff in quality (also I get their stuff in exchange for doing testin/sound design for them).' And THAT is a bias.

It's fine. Just recognize it.

"Better" isn't something that can't be measured. In the end, I am biased, you are biased, we ALL are biased. Buy whatever you want, but don't claim something is "better". It may be better TO YOU, but that means nothing.

And I will not contribute more to the noise around this

I dunno, I heard the Arturia, demoed it, didn't like it. Didn't buy it.

I haven't heard the Synapse, will demo it, will buy it if I like it, won't if I don't.

I'm certainly capable of forming my opinion about what I think sounds better and can keep an open mind about which of two similar products I may like or not. The difference is you've already determined one won't sound better. Because there is no better or one thing can't be better than another thing (not quite sure why that would be unless we're just engaging in some stoner philosophy). But you're saying you "doubt" one could be better than the other, which is very different than just keeping an open mind and deciding that for yourself after you've used both.

EDIT:
Easiest way to make my point...

You can think apples taste better than oranges after having tried both and formed an opinion. But what you're doing now is saying you doubt that apples could possibly taste better than oranges, having never eaten an apple in your life.

Both are not objective fact that apply as globally as the laws of nature, but you can still decide for yourself if one thing is better than another.

[Echoes in the Attic]

I want to like Arturia. They have great, touch friendly interfaces, and the bundle is a steal. So I don't think I'm biased. If the Arturia one was as good or good enough, I would have gotten that. As it happened, I deleted the OB-Xa demo almost immediately.

To be fair, when I first started testing the Obsession beta, I wasn't totally sure if I was going to buy it. I own and quite like the OP-X-Pro II. And I have Diva. Wan't sure if I need another OB type synth. But as I've used it I've grown to really love it, and appreciate how it's unique in what seems to be a similar way to the original. I was also slow on getting The Legend. But these are both synths that you grow to love the more you use them, probably much like the hardware they are based on.

That's my experience, but everyone will have their own, shouldn't be long now.

[vurt]

I did a blind test, but couldn't tell which was which....

so I opened my eyes, and its was obvious, the Arturia ones was on the left

[OrangeSlices]

is this out in June or what?

[fmr]

Easiest way to make my point...

You can think apples taste better than oranges after having tried both and formed an opinion. But what you're doing now is saying you doubt that apples could possibly taste better than oranges, having never eaten an apple in your life.

Both are not objective fact that apply as globally as the laws of nature, but you can still decide for yourself if one thing is better than another.

That's EXACTLY the point. I would never say apples are "better" than oranges. Sometimes, I want apples, sometimes I want oranges.

But this isn't even choosing between apples and oranges. It's choosing between two different kinds of apples. Let's say you like green apples more. I'm used to golden apples. Both are apples, and taste like apples. For a third person, it may even be indifferent, and once they are peeled they both taste like apple (not the same, but both recognizable as apples). And there are still many other kinds of apples to choose from. For someone that really appreciates "that" certain kind of apple, it makes a difference,. but for someone that actually appreciates "apples" (generically) it may very well be satisfied with any kind of apple, as long as it isn't bitter.

See? It's not a matter of being better - it's a matter of personal taste. That's why I doubt one could be said to be "better" than another. They will certainly have their differences - but that's pretty much it. Those of you who seek for "the perfect emulation"... stop believing in Santa, please

And just to see how biased I am: I own DUNE since version one, and I also bought Legend. I like to know what I'm talking about

[AnX]

is this out in June or what?

no idea

[AnX]

I like to be well informed

you're in the wrong place

[fmr]

I like to be well informed

you're in the wrong place

Well... At least I can contribute to inform people a little better (or misinform, depending on who is judging)