Sonic Reality

baggio · Post by **baggio** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:08 pm

Congratulaions to Squids et al as Sonik Synth had 9/10 in this months music tech magazine.

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 8:22 pm

baggio wrote:Congratulaions to Squids et al as Sonik Synth had 9/10 in this months music tech magazine.

Woooo hoooo!!!!

Thanks Baggio. I haven't read it yet. But, I heard. There's also a review coming out in CM and Keyboard. I am crossing fingers.

Zoing · Post by **Zoing** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 7:47 am

I see Sound on Sound has a review up on their website too, I don't have an "eSub" so I can't read it, but it's there...

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:11 am

Cool. I know the reviewer Derek is tough. He finds every little thing. But, he's a good guy. Great magazines you guys have in the UK. I hope they gave it a good review. I think most reviews tend to talk about the good and the bad. They are supposed to look for that kind of balance. But, as long as the good points are represented on something like Sonik Synth 2 I think it is enough for someone to say "oh... so it does that? and that? and that?" (that X3 being: software version of hardware workstation souce, vintage keys and atmospheric pads

) then I am happy. It's meant for people that like those things and we certainly put in a lot of effort to give tremendous value in the quality and variety of sounds offered... and there's even MORE coming if you can believe that!

Zoing · Post by **Zoing** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 8:46 am

So you have to wait for the mag to come out to find out??

(13.50 USD to subscribe to 3 online issues, read it now!!! : )

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 2:08 am

I just read it today. Great review on SOS. Derek is thorough! Wow. It was a long one but he seemed to give it a lot of praise.

I also read the Computer Music review. That one was really good too! Their only complaint was the price and the challenge-response auth. But, in the "alternatives" section they had Ultra Focus and Atmosphere so if they're complaining about the price of Sonik Synth 2 then they should have mentioned that the price of the alternatives happens to be exactly the same (and even gives less variety of sounds and features). Oh well. The challenge-response thing is just what all IK plug-ins use for an authorization system. Not much we can do about that. Seems an odd thing to complain about but maybe that just means there wasn't much else to complain about? I'll take it!

So far, Sonik Synth 2 is getting great reviews. What a relief. Ironically there has been some criticism for putting in natural sounds and loops instead of more synths. But, actually there are a rediculous amount of synths too! I guess we felt that our Sonic Synth 1 users who were upgrading wanted more natural instruments too but also that it all works together to make any kind of combi or multi-timbral sequenced music all from the same box. Anyway, it's more value that we put ALL of that in there.

I am surprised I don't see it mentioned on the forums more though. It's a good one to recommend to most people (as the reviews have all said- CM even called it the ideal "staple synth" to any sequencer!). Word of mouth is important. As you all know I watch some of the forums to see what people are saying. Sonik Synth 2 has been a hot seller at the stores so I guess there is a lot of word of mouth but I just thought I'd see more threads about it (besides in our company forum of course). You know, on cubase or other host forums. If it really is the ideal staple synth plug-in then you think after the reviews it'll start being mentioned more? I invite your opinion on that.

Anyway, thanks to everyone pointing out the reviews. Thanks also to Raven (still one of the coolest KVRians).

Keep an eye out for a review coming in EQ and also in Keyboard magazine as well as one in German Keys which also features and interview with me too (obviously translated into German)

harmony gardens · Post by **harmony gardens** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 2:53 am

It's good to hear SS2 is getting good reviews. I personally think SS2 is the best of the best for value I've gotten from you Squids. It's an amazing set of sounds, and a keyboard players playground. I suppose if you had left the natural instruments out of SS2, nobody would have noticed, because it would still be a great value. Whew,,, I'm glad you put them in.

Come on over to the Cakewalk sites, SS2 is mentioned there quite often.

I've had to take a little break from that to get some work done, but I'm not shy about telling people how much I like it.

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:30 am

Thanks Harmony Gardens. We appreciate your enthusiasm. It's always nice when we have people who like our stuff so much they want to tell everyone about it. We've been very lucky over the years to reach people that way.

I'll be hanging around the Sonar forum more when we have our Project 5 sounds ready for download. I like to be around where I can be helpful. But, I will make a point to check in and read a little if I can (problem is that if I read then I want to respond... hehe... the dangers of a Squid out of water). I am better off posting my Squidsian opinion here on KVR where I am known best and people let me just be me... as commercial/marketing/sales/name-dropping as I can get sometimes.

harmony gardens · Post by **harmony gardens** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:22 am

Now that you mention it Squids, we've been chattering about you mostly in the Project 5 forum. We are all excited about the new Project 5 ver 2 upgrade, and people are hungry for more hints about what format you're going to be supporting in Project 5. Got any info you can release, like will the sounds be for the DS864? I'd be happy to pass any info you can give me, on to them.

Zoing · Post by **Zoing** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:09 am

I mention it on OSXaudio whenever something relevant comes up, there are some people there who have it and like it a lot. Though I don't actually have it myself yet (no budget for a while : (
I feel I can endorse it as i have ST2 so that' kinda halfway there, and tell them to download the SS2 Free and listen to the mp3 demos (which I just listened to today, they are great. There is one that reminds me of Ambrosia in their proggy days 'somewhere I've never travelled', it's the demo with all the pipe organ in it. Intentional???)

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:39 pm

HG, no info on P5 ver 2 but I can tell you that we've done some sounds for Cakewalk that will be included with P5 ver 2. Can't say more than that at the moment.

Zoing, thanks for mentioning us on that site. Ambrosia? Probably not but I do like them. Nice, nice very nice.

harmony gardens · Post by **harmony gardens** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 7:26 pm

HG, no info on P5 ver 2 but I can tell you that we've done some sounds for Cakewalk that will be included with P5 ver 2. Can't say more than that at the moment.

That should be enough to get the rumour mill moving.

Zoing · Post by **Zoing** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 5:50 am

Yeah that album with 'Nice' on it is good, and the next one, 'somewhere I've never travelled'. The things that reminded me on the demo were quite specific, the first chord sounded like the first chord of 'somewhere', and all the crazy big pipe organ chords sounded like the organ bit in 'Cowboy star'.

I don't know how they got from there to doing dull radio fodder like 'you're the biggest part of me'... (bit like Genesis, but worse probably)

rmirabelle · Post by **rmirabelle** » Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:38 pm

Zoing wrote: I don't know how they got from there to doing dull radio fodder like 'you're the biggest part of me'... (bit like Genesis, but worse probably)

I like their dull radio fodder!

Zoing · Post by **Zoing** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 9:29 am

whoa, sorry Robert. It takes all sorts to make licorice. (thats a stupid saying that probably means nothing in USA???)
Life beyond LA was the last Ambrosia record i liked any of...half good, half D.R.F, IMHO.
And i think that that demo's resemblence to Abrosia was pretty much all in my head, listening to it again today....

Sonic Reality

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Music Tech reviews Sonik Synth 2