What´s your favourite WS-engine for the bitr VSTs?

[kpr]

As you know the next bitr VST will be released next week and now we need to know your opinion about the both wusik-engine versions WS1 and WS2. Like Manytone we´re currently still in WS1 Mode but the next VST Ethnotronics should be released with WS2, so is the plan.

But when proceeding all the TSW Expansions, TSW and vox´d orders during the last weeks we´ve found out that there are still many customers working with WS1, even if it´s the Wusikstation. Before we´ll make all the configurations for the release data package of Ethnotronics, and further still secret products, I´m intended to get a very clear impression about your practical work with the wusik-engine versions.

Besides the poll I have follwing questions:

- Is WS2 really better than WS1? And if so, why exactly? Did you had major trouble when switching from WS1 to WS2 and how did you solve the data import problems?

- Is WS1 a good solution, should we keep this in addition to WS2? What´s so good in WS1?

- Do you run both WS1 and WS2 versions on one computer and does it work fine?

- Do you change the skins and is there a favourite one, no matter what´s the VST label (WS, TSW, vox´d, Manystation)?

Please make your vote in the poll and leave all your personal comments about this issue here. I know that some computer configurations are pretty different to others and sometimes there is trouble with WS2 and sometimes with WS1, depends on the individual VST assignment, host, drivers, data folder assignment and whatever. We´ve got a lot of mails about this and your personal opinion and experience report is highly appreciated and will definitely help to improve our wusik-engine based VST concepts and instruction docs as well. We´ll consider all this for the coming up product updates/upgrades too.

Thanks for taking your time to post your thoughts about all this!

[tonalaxis]

Wusikstation 2 is much better and the preset organisation is sooo much better However I do think that you should make both W1 and W2 formats available when you launch this(Computermusic is going to have W1 free in next months mag);)

[chordboy]

--To me, W2 is better than W1 because of its microtuning option, and simply because it is the latest version and it makes sense as a consumer to keep up with that. Some of the other features I have no real immediate use for, but I'm a relatively new user, so maybe one day I will. Switching from W1 to W2 was not a problem. It was for me a matter of using the included .BNK conversion utility, and a little adjustment of where I put some of my old soundsets.

--I think that pleasing people who still use W1 on their system and have not upgraded to W2 sounds friendly. I actually preferred the ability to have banks in W1 and find W2's system a little clumsy for someone who is used to this.

--I was not able to have both W1 and W2 installed at the same time. Maybe I did something wrong, or maybe it is a matter of the ID's. W1 VST now showed up as W2 for me.

--I do not mess around with skins much because I have found that despite the interesting quality of some of them, for usability and visual comfort the default skin is best (for me).

[ew]

I haven't even tried WS2, to be honest- I'm still using WS1 in both Manytone and WS guises (with a couple of your expansions, of course )

Skins? I switch every once in a while. At the moment, I'm partial to Shifrin's and Galaxy...

ew

[Caleb]

I have no problem with WS1 presets as William has a tool that will translate to WS2 preset format anyway. As long as that works, I can't see a problem staying with WS1.

I think only when WEngine starts really developing new functionality that significantly changes from WS1 would you need to really consider WS2 as an option.

I think it's probably just as easy to release WS1 engine with the sounds and then just offer WS2 presets as a free download or something.

Caleb

[JamminFool]

I voted for "Both are cool."

However, I use WS2 exclusively due to it's being the latest and therefore still supported and because it makes things simpler to manage. Moving everything to WS2 was easy using the converter william supplies.

There is no real difference from a sound point of view.

I had to give up the unique ManyStation skin and the Vox'd and TSW skins but, again, it is easier in the end to just use one VSTi with the various soundsets organized in folders.

The only problem I had was updating my old projects which referenced Manystation, TSW and Vox'd VSTi's.

[PhilG]

Wusikstation V2 is new for me and I don´t know V1 at all, but I have serious trouble when switching the presets within the TSW or Vox´d VSTi, which came with my expansion bundle.
In nearly all cases I get loud noises when I step through the presets.
When the sound has a long release time and I have put an insert effect in the audio channel for it, I sometimes experience very strong feedbacks (99 db in Cubase meter!!).
When I use W2 with the .wusikPRST versions of the TSW/Vox´d presets everything is working fine.
So I really would prefer a W2 based VSTi.

Skins would be an option if the original one has disturbing colours or I simply don´t like it.
Most important for a skin are easy to read values and descriptions of controls.

[Sahul]

I'm also at W1. I simply have so many songs that use sounds from W1, TSW,Vox'd, FKP+, that I'm scared of incompatibilities and problems loading those songs if I make the upgrade to W2.
Moreover, I like the way W1 handles presets, and I've also made my own custom banks in this format, so for me I don't really see any advantage updating to W2. Maybe I'll be forced to that in the near future, as now everybody releases expansions in W2 format.

[3dayKnight]

Thanks for taking your time to post your thoughts about all this!

I use version 2 because the menu organization is superior and it is easy to put my favorites into my own bank (folder). Also, when I am hunting for new ideas or previewing a new bank the ability to stay in the menu and scroll down the choices using the arrow keys speeds up the search tremendously.

I also use one of the blue skins because I like the flat uncomplicated style.

I never make more than a minor tweak or two to patches, if any, so I am pretty dependent on purchased ones such as yours.

[kpr]

Thanks for all your posts!

Now we have a pretty clear picture about the favourite WS-versions and individual experiences and this makes it easier for our future product plans decisions.

[pw]

Do you know when you will be upgrading the engines for the TSW and vox'd VSTi's to V2 Engine?

[kpr]

Do you know when you will be upgrading the engines for the TSW and vox'd VSTi's to V2 Engine?

Actually we don´t have a clear release date for this yet, but it could be soon, Paul. We´re still gathering bug reports concerning WS2 and trouble shooting items when switching from WS1 to WS2. Surely it´s possible to offer simply both versions to choose from or even provide both WS1 and WS2 engines as the poll shows that both versions are attractive especially because the different Presets handling and it depends on the customer´s demand to decide which system (Banks, Browser) is prefered.

[pw]

thanks Klaus.

[james0tucson]

I try to get everything that's available for Wusik, and I find it difficult to know for sure what all is out there.

Every time I am aware of something I get it. I've got TSW, TSW2, VoxD, Dash MiniMoog, Fuel2, Zvon, that's all I can think of right now. I've gotten some free patch sets also. I don't know of a comprehensive list of everything available for a Wusik maven. Wish I had that.

Also, has VoxD ever been updated since the initial release?

[kpr]

I try to get everything that's available for Wusik, and I find it difficult to know for sure what all is out there.

Every time I am aware of something I get it. I've got TSW, TSW2, VoxD, Dash MiniMoog, Fuel2, Zvon, that's all I can think of right now. I've gotten some free patch sets also. I don't know of a comprehensive list of everything available for a Wusik maven. Wish I had that.

You have the Dash MiniMoog set, so you could check Evalon too.

Also, has VoxD ever been updated since the initial release?

No updates since the release, but it is one on the to-do list. Will need a while for sure, still a bit overbusy here at bitr with other projects on the schedule (Ethnotronics, etc.), but the wait will be worth as the update will include new samples as well.