KVR Audio

JimmiG · Post by **JimmiG** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:47 am

A little disappointing to be honest. When I read "UltraNova" I expected it to be the follow-up to the awesome Nova/Supernova series. It's more like an upgraded XioSynth. It's nowhere near even the 1999 Novation Nova, which had 16 voices but was 6-part multitimbral with separate effects and three stereo outs (2 stereo pairs + headphone out that could output its own part).

The monotimbrality is the biggest problem. 6, 12 or 64 voices - it doesn't matter when you can only play one sound at a time. In this age I would have expected at least 4 parts that can be streamed over the same USB cable.

Processors keep getting faster and cheaper, but all the synth manufacturers except Access and a few others are just removing features and making the synth engines less powerful...

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:57 am

tehlord wrote:I know somebody selling a KS rack if you want a real Novation synth

I know someone who's looking for one ... what's the price?

tehlord · Post by **tehlord** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 11:04 am

thecontrolcentre wrote:
tehlord wrote:I know somebody selling a KS rack if you want a real Novation synth
I know someone who's looking for one ... what's the price?

I'll PM you with teh link

Biopharmer · Post by **Biopharmer** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:49 pm

MONOTIMBRAL AGAIN!

I'm almost in tears. Why would they waste such nice looking hardware on ONE voice!!!! COME ON!!!!

Anyone who knows me will know that one of my biggest peeves is MONOTIMBRAL DIGITAL SYNTHESIZERS. Especially when they are polyphonic (which they usually are). I went bonkers when I saw this thing, I was like "YES! Novation finally heard their fans. Finally a new synthesizer instead of a bloody controller!". Then I saw "One-Part" and it felt like someone shot me in the fact with a pistol. For crying out loud!

I hope they make a multi-timbral module or another keyboard with more parts. Not likely.

They COULD make multi-timbrality be a software upgrade, but since when do synth manufacturers put REALLY cool features in a software upgrade? Usually OS upgrades fix bugs and such, but they don't usually do something that they didn't advertise in the first place.

Too bad, I would have really wanted it too. The lack of keys doesn't bother me at all. It's just the timbrality. I'm going to ignore this just like the gaia.

damn... I thought for sure it was multitimbral too.

Biopharmer · Post by **Biopharmer** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:53 pm

Another reason I'm thinking we won't see a multi timbral version/module is because they're calling this one a Nova. In Novation terms "Nova" only gets put on their flagship products. If this is their new flagship then they're going to have a pretty weak navy.

Kriminal · Post by **Kriminal** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:55 pm

rob_lee wrote:
tehlord wrote:
rob_lee wrote:
What's that supposed to mean

Chow

It means you're a force of peace, calm and common sense!
Im neither of those Geoff

Rob

i can vouch for that

tehlord · Post by **tehlord** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 3:59 pm

Kriminal wrote:
rob_lee wrote:
tehlord wrote:
rob_lee wrote:
What's that supposed to mean

Chow

It means you're a force of peace, calm and common sense!
Im neither of those Geoff

Rob
i can vouch for that

I know, I was there remember

raikard233 · Post by **raikard233** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:10 pm

Simply disappointed by the monotimbre.
Obviusly i'm curious of the selling price, this will be the final weight on the overall conclusion about this tool.

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:19 pm

Biopharmer wrote: They COULD make multi-timbrality be a software upgrade, but since when do synth manufacturers put REALLY cool features in a software upgrade? Usually OS upgrades fix bugs and such, but they don't usually do something that they didn't advertise in the first place.

Did you ever own a Virus TI or a Waldorf Blofeld ?!

Especially Access is famous for their new features in OS upgrades. One example: In the latest OS 4 you could use the Arp/sequencer as a modulation source for almost anything including the wavetable scan !
Granular, Formant and Wavetable PWM synthesis were also not inside the first version. The RAM banks are also increased to around 26 (= 26 x 128 patches !!) since OS 3 i guess.

Second example: In the new Blofeld OS v1.15 you got user wavetables (some free new wavetables and a 3rd party editor are available) and a new kind of wavetable scan where you don't scan through a single wavetable but through the list of wavetables. Also works with the samples list. The switch of the new wavetable/sample happens with every key press and you could combine this with "normal" wavetable scanning.
In the first OS the Blofeld had only one multi setup, now it has 128 memory locations for it.

rob_lee · Post by **rob_lee** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:37 pm

I'll be getting the TI2 Polar within the next 4 weeks Ingo,couldn't find the Whiteout desktop version and as i had the Polar TI first batch it's just what i need for my own purposes.
I'd have put the money into the new UltraNova had it been multi-timbral but iv'e did a complete U turn just because it isn't.

Rob

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:42 pm

rob_lee wrote:I'll be getting the TI2 Polar within the next 4 weeks Ingo,couldn't find the Whiteout desktop version and as i had the Polar TI first batch it's just what i need for my own purposes.
I'd have put the money into the new UltraNova had it been multi-timbral but iv'e did a complete U turn just because it isn't.

Rob

I haven't used my Virus TI desktop (mk I) much since i got the Blofeld but i could not decide to sell it so far and maybe will never do it. Guess i had it for over 4 years now.

If you compare the features of OS 1 and the new OS 4 it's like having a totally new synth (see my last post above).

rob_lee · Post by **rob_lee** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:46 pm

Ingonator wrote:
rob_lee wrote:I'll be getting the TI2 Polar within the next 4 weeks Ingo,couldn't find the Whiteout desktop version and as i had the Polar TI first batch it's just what i need for my own purposes.
I'd have put the money into the new UltraNova had it been multi-timbral but iv'e did a complete U turn just because it isn't.

Rob
I haven't used my Virus TI desktop (mk I) much since i got the Blofeld but i could not decide to sell it so far and maybe will never do it. Guess i had it for over 4 years now.
If you compare the features of OS 1 and the new OS 4 it's like having a totally new synth (see my last post above).

Ingo im wanting to focus my future projects around the TI and Blofeld along with the Monomachine..there's enough horsepower in these 3 for what i want to do,hmm i may even do a bank for the TI2 who knows if i get time.
Got other projects as you know..PPG and Attack to program yet

Rob

Ingonator · Post by **Ingonator** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:52 pm

rob_lee wrote:
Ingonator wrote:
rob_lee wrote:I'll be getting the TI2 Polar within the next 4 weeks Ingo,couldn't find the Whiteout desktop version and as i had the Polar TI first batch it's just what i need for my own purposes.
I'd have put the money into the new UltraNova had it been multi-timbral but iv'e did a complete U turn just because it isn't.

Rob
I haven't used my Virus TI desktop (mk I) much since i got the Blofeld but i could not decide to sell it so far and maybe will never do it. Guess i had it for over 4 years now.
If you compare the features of OS 1 and the new OS 4 it's like having a totally new synth (see my last post above).
Ingo im wanting to focus my future projects around the TI and Blofeld along with the Monomachine..there's enough horsepower in these 3 for what i want to do,hmm i may even do a bank for the TI2 who knows if i get time.
Got other projects as you know..PPG and Attack to program yet

Rob

Would be difficult to do really new and unique sounds for the TI and especially a commercial bank since first there are already thousands (!!) of free sounds available and most of the soundbanks are available free at the Access homepage.

BTW recently i was also diving into my Motif ES 7 and the Wavestation EX again and realized what amazing synths they are.

Got this new bank for the Motif recently:
http://easysounds.eshop.t-online.de/epa ... cts/016111

Simply amazing soundset/sample set in combination with the analog filter models of the Motif ES !!

Biopharmer · Post by **Biopharmer** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:53 pm

Ingonator wrote:Second example: In the new Blofeld OS v1.15 you got user wavetables (some free new wavetables and a 3rd party editor are available) and a new kind of wavetable scan where you don't scan through a single wavetable but through the list of wavetables. Also works with the samples list. The switch of the new wavetable/sample happens with every key press and you could combine this with "normal" wavetable scanning.
In the first OS the Blofeld had only one multi setup, now it has 128 memory locations for it.

I do own a blofeld and so I knew this. I also knew about the Access Virus's upgrades. SO YES I do know that some manufacturers put new features in later, but this seems like the kind of feature that wouldn't be implemented in the future. It's too much of a selling point to not have from the get-go, all those updates in the Blofeld and VTI2 are the kind of features that are "nice to have" but we were all getting along fine without them. It's like we didn't know we wanted them. Amirite?

Biopharmer · Post by **Biopharmer** » Thu Sep 09, 2010 4:55 pm

rob_lee wrote:I'd have put the money into the new UltraNova had it been multi-timbral but iv'e did a complete U turn just because it isn't.

Same.

Novation UltraNova!!!!