Another congratulation thread??

[x_bruce]

I think first of all, Paul at Manytone did an excellent "all around" synth bank, including many "realistic" sounds in particular guitars, to synths.

Seeing as I was very familiar with the Wusik engine and both Simon and William were helpful in explaining it's various uses, it's very impressive.

I mean, you can make it do what you want, but when someone else has ideas including several substantial changes to the way the synth engine is approached, and for this synth's sample material the changes were smart, making practical programming a higher priority than going nuts with Wavesequencing and lots of modulation routings, something Wusikstation did very well.

In other words, this really is one of the first affordable solutions for a good synth based engine and quality samples. This is a big deal as only EASTWEST had done synths like this with Vapor being their all-around synth based system.

But purchasing the Manystation and/or Wusikstation will set you back no further than $200, or $100 each. Not a good deal, but a teriffic one. While not boasting 5 - 10 gigabyte libraries, the Manystation is a bit larger as realistic timbres often take more samples to get correct, as well as time. So you still get an impressive library of sounds but you also get them at a much more acceptable "size". I like what many of the new sample based synths are doing, but finally, there are areas of competition in multiple price brackets.

Last year you couldn't get anything at the $100 level to touch Wusikstation and now with Manystation the areas not really concentrated in Wusikstation are very much so in this fairly hefty package. So, we have good to excellent sample quality - on bad samples, nothing goofy, which you sometimes find in $1800 hardware "workstations".

Both synths are a wake-up call to their competitors. Not because their price is so much more affordable, but because the synth engine rocks, the attention to keeping different qualities in both synths and very distinct sounds in Manystation - which is not to say Wusikstation isn't great too, just more focused on synths, many classic and difficult to find. But what impresses me the most is how nicely the synth engine integrates in both synth's designs.

The ability to buy additional sample sets at very reasonable price also makes for a good reason to consider where your sample based synth money goes. E.G. I think Sampletank 2 was by far the best improved program of 2004. It's design was fresh and smart. It is now a synth, a sample converter and comes with a large library of 8 gigabytes of samples over 400 plus instruments.

However, one can make a solid arguement that buying both Manysynth and Wusiksynh only cost $200. With the $200 left you can buy just about every sample library available. That would leave you with a couple thousand patches covering everything from near Wavestation; actually better-Wavestation minus Korg's waveforms, but with many similar ones, perhaps better as it is a decade plus since those classic waveforms were available and with the Wusik engine, it's just as easy to make the waveforms you like, save the patches and then make ultra-Wavestation patches.

Manystation will appeal imo to players who want some good quality instruments and synth timbres. Most importantly, Paul created a lovely set of samples with some excellent synth sounds, the thing I usually hate about sample based synths. The imbalance of a complete and full quality set. From a musical standpoint, Paul's work was extrodinary.

William has a hot commodity on his hands with the Wusik engine. I like Kontakt and Kompakt so so dissing them - those interfaces are sensible and capable, just not sexy, which Wusik's engine is. But most important, I have not been a fan of UVI based engines. Sometimes due to questionable controls or lack thereof, and on very pricy stuff. It's the wrong kind of bang for the buck, like the blasting caps that go off in you hands.

I'm sure there are good UVI interfaces and that they are at work doing their part to improve their work too, but Wusik engine is here today, ready right now.

The two synths currently available compliment one another. Wusikstation is a synth lover's piece of gear. I absolutely love it and it's capabilities. I wasn't sure what to expect from Manystation. I knew Paul always made good samples, but a engine doing the same exact thing? Would that work?

You bet it does, and with Simon's eloquent use of language it's a pleasure reading the manuals he writes; especially knowing his capability as a synthesist and person that can break down the process and explain it much like math and science popularizers have done the same.

This is an exciting time and I'm just someone who has both synths and most libraries!

Sampletank 2 is a stunning synthesizer and has wonderful samples. It is worth it's asking price, without question. But the current two "station" synths are excellent value for money and offer a high quality series of samples, from good guitar patches and real sounding instruments towards very complex, almost beyond comprehension synth sounds in an engine that is actually somewhat basic - mind you, my idea of basic is a complete synthesis engine that is tightly integrated and capable of substantial change with minimal effort.

There is room for change and improvement, and as a company they are much faster than answering questions than the folks that make Sampletank 2, though it too meets all the criteria I use for judging a synth engine to be capable.

But I get so much more use from Manystation and Wusikstation along with excellent customer service. If I had it to do all over again, I'd economize and go the Wusik engine route as the engine is proven, is good with CPU, though this must improve as must the outputs which can get a bit too loud while other patches are nearly impossible quiet. It's a mild issue that keeps the stations from being a capable as they can be. Still, and I emphasize, these two synths are way beyond value of money or bang for the buck. It's not really fair as this engine is less than a year old and already beats one industry standard in my opinion, and holds it's own to beats my preferred sampler and the engine found on many libraries I use.

Great job guys. I'm really looking forward to watching you all developing!

Bruce
http://www.musicfaq.net
http://www.traxmusic.org

[vurt]

indeed.

[projectdan]

Just point out that Wusikstation and Manystation are actually even cheaper together as you can crossgrade from Wusikstation to Manystation for $79, so both can be had for $179!

PS, I agree with what you said.

[Dimwit]

Nice message.

But I'm curious, you say that with the $200 left you could buy just about every sample library available.

Could you clarify this statement. Does Manystation work with every format out there? I could have a couple thousand patches for $200?

For instance, could I use the Hollow Sun classic sounds package in Manystation?

[M'Snah]

No, Manystation has it's own format together with Wusikstation. But you can use e.g. Extreme Sample Convertor to convert *any* format to Manystation format. ESC can convert SF2, giga, wav, sfz, etc etc to .wusikSnd.

[Kriminal]

For me, the real instruments, guitars, bass and strings etc, are the main attraction of Manystation. While Wusik has great synths and presets, i prefer to use the VST's i have and gain greater control over my synth sounds. With Manystation i have acess to a massive library of excellent sounds that i certainly couldnt afford normally.

[M'Snah]

For me, the real instruments, guitars, bass and strings etc, are the main attraction of Manystation. While Wusik has great synths and presets, i prefer to use the VST's i have and gain greater control over my synth sounds. With Manystation i have acess to a massive library of excellent sounds that i certainly couldnt afford normally.

Me too... there are still way too many pads and synths in Manystation All that space could have been filled with more *real* instruments . But I'm only 1 customer.

btw. zvon's Julie fits well into Manystation too

--HansM

[Improv]

Nice message.

But I'm curious, you say that with the $200 left you could buy just about every sample library available.

I think that he may have been referring to the soundsets available for Wusik Station:

http://www.wusik.com/index.php?pagep=wu ... /soundsets

Commercial Sets include: Second Wave, Vox'd, Dopetwistas, RAB, Prepared Rhodes, Marching Band Horn, Tim C.'s Moog set for Eve and Wusik Station plus the upcoming sets by Manytone.

[riley4reason]

Dopetwistas, RAB?? Where do I get these soundsets?
Back on topic. Love em both, MS and WS.
Got some other VSTis getting dusty now.
Riley

[riley4reason]

I got em now! Now I have all the sound sets I have a date tonight though
Once again, MS and WS have me thinking over my priorities.
Riley

[Improv]

I got em now! Now I have all the sound sets I have a date tonight though
Once again, MS and WS have me thinking over my priorities.
Riley

Riley, Riley, Riley-just tell your date that you have to stay home and compose a song to her with MS and WS. Works every time!

[manytone]

Fellas....
Just send your Dates here.

ohhh ...did i say that out loud..
hehe

[manytone]

Seriously now


x_bruce....
Thanks for the kind words.
I am so glad you like ManyStation!!

Thank you so much for taking the time to write this.

I will read over a few more times!!
You have some great points there.
Paul