KVR Audio

Dave Blakely · Post by **Dave Blakely** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 4:34 pm

Apart from all that it sounds good, and that should be the be all and end all when it comes down to it. Due to the nature of the tone generators it seems to sit well with other plugs and not tread on their toes, i had a highly enjoyable time programming it, cant wait to hear what the other sound developers came up with.

Improv · Post by **Improv** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:50 pm

Torben wrote:Spectra by Kjaerhus Audio - Release January 3, 2006

Spectra is a synthesizer plug-in which combines multistage additive synthesis with traditional subtractive synthesis giving you strong sound possibilities ranging from classic synthesizer sounds to re-synthesized instrument sounds and sound morphing. It features a 250 partial additive engine with up to 8 detune-able oscillators per Voice. Up to 100 harmonies can be made on a timeline for re-synthesis and harmony morphing. An audio analyzer is available to convert wave files into harmonies. The subtractive part includes 12 analog modeled filters with resonance, two of those to self-oscillation. Two LFOs are available for tremolo, vibrato and filter modulations. Five flexible multipoint envelopes with looping and time-stretch capabilities are available to control amplitude, filter cut-off, pitch and modulation level for each of the two LFOs. The effect section features Chorus / Flanger, Delay, Phaser and Reverb. A two bank preset system is available for easy program handling; you can for instance browse through one bank and easily save your favorite sounds to the other bank. There is no latency, which makes this the ideal instrument for real time performance in the studio or on stage.

Key Features

Multistage additive and subtractive synthesis
250 partials additive engine
8 detune-able oscillators per voice
Harmony morphing with looping and time-stretch
Analog modeled filters
Polyphonic portamento
Audio Analyzer
2 LFOs with 12 waveforms, sync and sample / hold
5 multipoint envelopes with looping and time-stretch
Waveform presets
Full pedal implementation
Midi Modulation
Midi Learn
Parameter Automation (VST)
256 Voices
Chorus / Flanger, Delay, Phaser and Reverb effects
Sample accurate processing
2 banks preset system for easy program handling
MIDI range filtering
Transpose
Zero Latency

Spectra will be sold for $198.00, but with a 20% introduction discount, the price is only $158.00, until February 3, 2006.

BUMP for a worthy synth!

FaX · Post by **FaX** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:17 am

I think looking through the specs again what people seem to have overlooked when stating "Only two LFO's" ...... and don't wory it just dawned on me what was meant by it also.

"Multistage Additive and subtractive synthesis" - logicly this would negate the need for a vast array of lfo mod sources in a single synth.
I shall learn to pay more attention in future

.

FaX · Post by **FaX** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:18 am

I am just GOING TO HAVE TOO save up for Spectra & Zebra 2 methinks.

emdot_ambient · Post by **emdot_ambient** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:24 pm

FaX wrote:I think looking through the specs again what people seem to have overlooked when stating "Only two LFO's" ...... and don't wory it just dawned on me what was meant by it also.

"Multistage Additive and subtractive synthesis" - logicly this would negate the need for a vast array of lfo mod sources in a single synth.
I shall learn to pay more attention in future .

The way the envelopes work--very flexible multi-stage with loop capability--does reduce the need for LFO's but . . . more is always more! In my mind, modulation rules, so even though you can do wonderful sounds with Spectra the way it is, more LFO's was still on my Christmas Wish List of enhancements. I'm not sure, but limiting it to 2 may have been a CPU saving scheme. I can understand that but still . . . I'm always in the more LFO is a good thing camp

All that aside, I don't think the LFO situation is a big enough issue for it to stop people buying Spectra. When a demo's available, give it a spin and judge from that.

deleted · Post by **deleted** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:23 am

DELETED

cptgone · Post by **cptgone** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 11:08 am

Torben wrote:It is only $158.00 or about €132.00 the first month.

VAT not included for European customers, I take it? What's the total price?

diverdee · Post by **diverdee** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 1:23 pm

I believe one must add 25% or thereabouts, so 197.50 or 165 for the first month - around £135 or £112 for the first month.

xylyx · Post by **xylyx** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:03 pm

As long as they add the proper UK VAT amount (17.5%) for UK users...I hate it when they dump us with the extortionate EU VAT amount; this usually results in me not buying a synth when it happens.

diverdee · Post by **diverdee** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:11 pm

No - flat 25% for uk (according to the kjaerhus web page).
A bummer, but still a very nice synth from a very good developer.

xylyx · Post by **xylyx** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 2:26 pm

Oh dear! Thinking about it, Kjaerhus is one of the developers that I was going to buy plugins from in the past, but when I saw the flat 25% VAT rate I changed my mind...I guess it's a matter of principle (I do the same for anyone trying the old $=£ routine). I don't see why we should pay 7.5% more VAT...what justifies imposing this on the UK? I am also interested to know how it works for accounting purposes...where does this extra 7.5% go? Which tax collector gets it?

xylyx · Post by **xylyx** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 10:57 am

After making the above post, I decided to email Torben at Kjaerhus to find out why the VAT is 25%. I got a reply today and it is apparently due to Brussels saying that VAT has to be charged according to the amount of the seller's country, so Torben is not at fault. So chalk up another reason why I dislike being part of the EU (also aided by Tony Blair's decision to bend over and take it up the tailpipe at the EU conference the other week).

Anyway, I will demo the synth when it comes out and if it is as good as the beta/patch people say it is, then I will likely end up buying.

Amberience · Post by **Amberience** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 11:04 am

One thing I've never really seen in a synth is flexible LFO designing. LFO's are in essence envelopes that loop. Why not have a stack of lfo's that can be assigned to everything, and also have them able to be selected as "one-shots"

That way you get envelope functionality without taking up extra cpu and gui space.

robenestobenz · Post by **robenestobenz** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:31 pm

Chibs' Bath Toy wrote:One thing I've never really seen in a synth is flexible LFO designing. LFO's are in essence envelopes that loop. Why not have a stack of lfo's that can be assigned to everything, and also have them able to be selected as "one-shots"

That way you get envelope functionality without taking up extra cpu and gui space.

Yeah, this is the best way of doing things IMO. Take for instance the EnergyXT sampler - LFOs are simply looping envelopes, and you just toggle an option to change the functionality. I think LFOs benefit a hell of a lot from being able to use more interesting waveforms than the standard bunch.

Derek up North · Post by **Derek up North** » Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:42 pm

xylyx wrote:After making the above post, I decided to email Torben at Kjaerhus to find out why the VAT is 25%. I got a reply today and it is apparently due to Brussels saying that VAT has to be charged according to the amount of the seller's country

I'm not sure that's right - if you go to an EU-based on-line retailer (like www.thomann.de) they ask you which country you are in and then set the VAT rate accordingly. Maybe they are big enough (in terms of business volumes) to be allowed to manage their business in this way?

Regards,

Derek.

Kjaerhus Synth coming up